#HP 4 Series Printers
7 messages in this thread
Do I have this right–the 4P is rated at 4ppm, while the 4M is at 8? Is the
4MP the one with the postscript capability and 4ppm? My problem is that when I
went to my local computer superstore, all the hired help was either busy or
disinterested, and there were no pamphlets available.
Pat
Patricia: I don't have the specs beside me, but yes, I believe the HP4MP is a
4ppm printer and the HP4M is an 8ppm printer. (If the numbers are off, they're
still about the correct ratio.
They are both PostScript. The HP4 series printers are, off the top of my head:
HP4: 600 dpi, full size. HP4M: 600 dpi, full size, PostScript. H4P: 600 dpi,
personal size. HP4MP: 600 dpi, personal size, PostScript. HP4L: 300 dpi,
personal size. HP4ML: 300 dpi, personal size. PostScript.
As you can see, M is for PostScript (actually Multiplatform), P is for Personal
or something like that, and L is for who knows, Light?
The page throughput speed isn't always that important. It depends on the job
you're doing. If you're writing 50 pages at a time and printing it all out at
once, then maybe you need an 8ppm printer. Similarly, if you work in a
workgroup environment, maybe you need the 8ppm printer. Larger offices usually
prefer the extra solidity of a full size printer with larger paper trays and
more paper tray options.
If you're working out of your home and writing short documents, go with a
smaller printer. If you're doing graphic intensive work, like DTP, the extra
paper speed is meaningless because most of the print time is spent generating
the page, so it will never print at 8ppm.
I have a 300 dpi QMS410, which is similar to the HP4ML, at home, and it's
great. It's only 4ppm but I never notice that because it takes a while to image
the page and to actually send the page to the printer. If I was going to buy
one today, the HP4MP would be my first choice.
If you can at all justify it, buy PostScript. It's a decision you will never
regret. It will save you so many hours of your life, which would have either
been wasted for the darn thing to print, or spent leaving the room to get a
drink.
The HP4MP is selling at Office Depot for $1419 I believe.
Cheers,
Michael @ Soft-Logik Publishing Corp.
Mike PMFBI,
but when one talks of Xppm, doesn't one mean the SAME page printed many
times? Since the printer has to create each page before it prints, I can't
see 50 different pages printing at 8ppm (well, maybe just text with
internal font). Or do I have this wrong? I know graphics take for ever. I
just finished 32 pages of heavy graphics (ads for a journal) & had a long
wait for each page on my HP4m.
PS when is PgS3 arriving? I need time to learn it before next free job I
do for friends. Know good head shrink ;^}!!
Gracia, on AutoPilot from Cooleemee, NC
ppm: no, the manufacturers would have you believe that you can actually print
that many pages per minute of different pages. And it is achievable usually
using the internal fonts with just text with the fastest possible connection,
which is usually appletalk or ethernet, whichever is offered.
A page heavy in graphics will usually take a couple of minutes, yes. I print
via appletalke which significantly reduces print time.
PageStream3: sorry, no date yet. We're here working all weekend. Again. ;-(
Michael @ Soft-Logik Publishing Corp.
Mike–
Can one fall in love with a printer? I decided to go ahead and buy the 4MP.
I'm sure that I did it because I'm suffering from a cold and virus, so I wasn't
thinking straight ($1319 + tax for home, non-business use is steep). Well, my
search for PCL5 drivers met with no succes (they're there, but I either have
the wrong DOS–1.3, or the wrong kickstart–need 37 or higher), so, I tried PS.
You're right, it's wonderful. I can't believe how fast it is compared to the
endless hours of waiting for things to print from Ppage, only to find that I
made a mistake and had to print it again (or more often than not–the page
printed too far down, so it printed on two pages, requiring a reprint). What
joy!
My wordprocessor has PS drivers, so I'm OK there. For other programs, the HP
Laser driver seems to work OK (I know, it's only 300 dpi, but it'll do for the
moment). The only thing that doesn't print out squat is GPFax. I'm hoping
that once I upgrade to Amigados 2.1 that will solve that problem. I tried to
buy the upgrade on Friday, but the store I called said they'd had it on
backorder for the past month. I also checked with Abel, but couldn't find it
listed. Hopefully the Sysop will respond to my email. If things work out
right, I'll be needing GPFax to get race results (last year I was on for 5 or
so minutes a week on a local weekly radio sports show, reporting on high school
and college rowing. The 3 hour show got cancelled. Doc, whose show it was, is
now on a different radio station for 2 hours/show, 5 days a week. I'm hoping
once I have things to report that he'll have me come on the show), so I do have
to fix my fax problems fairly soon.
Thanks for all your help.
Pat
Hi Pat,
Been very busy & haven't answered you. Will explain in email. In the mean
time I have an HP4m and GPfax. I had forgotten how I got good fax
printouts & Kelly Jordan just reminded me. Covert to .iff & print from
Ppage (Pagesetter). I just did it with a previously unreadable fax & it
was fantastic. Now that I don't need it, I can do it ;^. I also just
learned how to use silent answer with my answering machine & fax. I also
needed THAT last week.
I use Kelly Jordan's HP4 driver here in Lib. Works beautifully.
Speak at you.
Gracia, on AutoPilot from Cooleemee, NC
Mike, the "L" in "4L" stands for "Low-resolution". They have the same
print capability as the older Laserjet III.
-Karl Speaking from the Rubble.