IT ESSENTIALS - CHAPTER 9 (PRINTERS)

What is a Dot-matrix printer?

A form of Impact printer. Dot-matrix printer - Print head contains pins that are surrounded by electromagnets. When the electromagnets are energized, the pins push forward onto the ink ribbon in patterns, forming a character. The number of pins on a print head, 9 or 24, indicates the quality of the print. The highest quality of print that is produced by the dot matrix printer is referred to as near letter quality (NLQ). Most dot-matrix printers use continuous feed paper with perforations between each sheet.

What are laser printers?

A laser printer is a high-quality, fast printer that uses a laser beam to create an image. It uses the following process: 1)Processing 2)Charging 3)Exposing 4)Developing 5)Transferring 6)Fusing 7)Cleaning

How do you go about installing and updating a driver?

A printer driver is a software program that enables the computer and the printer to communicate with each other. The driver also provides an interface for the user to configure printer options. Each printer model has a unique driver. Printer manufacturers frequently update drivers to increase the performance of the printer, to add options, or to fix problems. You can download updated printer drivers from the manufacturer's website.

What is a thermal printer?

A thermal printer uses chemically-treated paper that becomes black when heated. A thermal transfer printer uses heat-sensitive ribbon, which the print head melts onto the paper. Thermal printers have a longer life because there are few moving parts.

What is a Daisy Wheel Paper?

A type of Impact printer. Daisy-wheel printer - The wheel contains the embossed letters, numbers, and special characters. Wheel is rotated until the required character is in place, and an electromechanical hammer pushes the character into the ink ribbon and against the paper.

What are the advantages of Impact Printers?

Advantages: Uses less expensive ink than inkjet or laser printers Uses continuous feed paper Has carbon-copy printing ability

What is a Print test page?

After installing a printer, you should print a test page to verify the following: The printer is operating properly The driver software is installed and working correctly The printer and computer are communicating NOTE: You can print a test page manually, from an application such as Notepad, or from the Command Line.

What are some common configuration settings?

Common Configuration Settings Paper type - standard, draft, gloss, or photo Print quality - draft, normal, photo, or automatic Color printing - multiple colors are used Black-and-white printing - only black ink is used Grayscale printing - color image printed with shades of black ink Paper size - standard and nonstandard paper sizes Paper orientation - landscape or portrait Print layout - normal, banner, booklet, or poster Duplex - normal or two-sided printing

What are some things you should remember when connecting a printer?

Connect the appropriate data cable to the communication port on the back of the printer. Attach the power cable to the printer. Warning: Never plug a printer into a UPS. The power surge that occurs when the printer is turned on will damage the UPS unit. Printer Driver A printer driver is the software program that enables the computer and the printer to communicate with each other. It is recommendable to find out if a newer driver is available on the manufacturer's website.

What type of printer uses impact technology?

Dot matrix printers using impact technology are used in applications that require carbon copies.

How is the Ethernet used to interface with a printer?

Ethernet - An interface for network printers. Network printers are usually a resource shared on a network Typically have high-speed output and options such as LAN fax, duplex, and finishers Most have an RJ-45 interface for an Ethernet connection

What is Firewire with regards to printing?

Firewire - Also known as i.LINK or IEEE 1394, is a high-speed, communication bus that is platform independent. Firewire connects devices such as printers, scanners, cameras Allows a peripheral device to seamlessly plug into a computer Devices are hot-swappable A single plug-and-socket connection can attach up to 63 devices Has a data transfer rate of up to 400 Mbps

What is firmware on a printer?

Firmware is a set of instructions stored on the printer to control how the printer operates. You may wish to upgrade your printer's firmware if you encounter printing problems or need new features. The procedure to upgrade firmware is very similar to installing printer drivers. Download the upgrade file from the manufacturer's website and run a setup file that installs it.

What are some Global and Individual Document Optins?

Global and Individual Document options: Global method - settings that affect all documents. In Windows 7, use this path to change global settings: Start > Devices and Printers> right-click the printer In Windows Vista, use the following path: Start > Control Panel > Printers > right-click the printer In Windows XP, use the following path: Start > Printers and Faxes> right-click the printer Per Document Method - change the document print settings for specific documents.

What are the steps for installing a printer?

Go through this checklist to prepare the printer for installation: Once the printer has been unpacked and placed in position, connect it to the computer, network, or print server and plug it into an electrical outlet. 1)Check the box to ensure all required cables are provided. 2)Remove packing materials from the printer and plastic 3)inserts from the consumables. 4)Place printer in position. Ensure that the printer location will not cause overheating. 5)Install the toner or ink cartridge in the printer. 6)Install paper trays. 7)Install paper. 8)Read and follow the instruction manual. 9)Connect cables. 10)Test print from computer.

What are the disadvantages of laser printers?

High cost startup Expensive toner cartridges Require high level of maintenance

Describe some concerns of network printers?

If the printer has a USB, Firewire, or Parallel port, connect the corresponding cable to the printer port and to the corresponding port on the back of the computer. The local computer manages and sends the print jobs to the printer. Local printers can be shared over the network with other users. If you are installing a network printer, connect the network cable to the network port. Most network connections use an Ethernet cable. The network printer allows multiple users to send documents to the printer over the network

What are Impact printers?

Impact printers form characters when the print head impacts a printer tape or inked ribbon to create characters. (Impact printers have print heads that strike an inked ribbon, causing characters to be imprinted on the paper) There are two types: Daisy-wheel Dot-matrix

What are the advantages of Inkjet Printers?

Initial low cost High resolution Quick to warm up

What is an Inkjet Printer?

Inkjet printers produce high quality prints. Inkjet printers are easy to use and inexpensive compared to laser printers. However, the nozzles are prone to clogging and the ink is wet after printing. A feeding mechanism draws paper in and the paper passes by the print head where ink is sprayed onto it.

What are the Inkjet printer components?

Inkjet printers use ink cartridges that spray ink onto a page through tiny holes. The tiny holes are called nozzles and are located in the print head. The print head and ink cartridges are located on the carriage, which is attached to a belt and motor. As rollers pull paper in from the feeder, the belt moves the carriage back and forth along the paper as the ink is sprayed in a pattern on the page. Inkjet printers use plain paper to make economical prints. Special-purpose paper may be used to create high-quality prints of photographs. Print quality of an inkjet printer is measured in dots per inch (dpi). A higher dpi rating provides greater image detail.

Describe the laser printing process:

Laser Printing Process: 1. Processing - The data from the source must be converted into a printable form. The printer converts data from common languages, such as Adobe PostScript (PS) or HP Printer Command Language (PCL), to a bitmap image stored in the printer's memory. Some laser printers have built in Graphical Device Interface (GDI) support. GDI is used by Windows applications to display printed images on a monitor so there is no need to convert the output to another format such as PostScript or PCL. 2. Charging - The previous latent image on the drum is removed and the drum is conditioned for the new latent image. A wire, grid, or roller receives a charge of approximately -600 volts DC uniformly across the surface of the drum. The charged wire or grid is called the primary corona. The roller is called a conditioning roller. 3. Exposing - To write the image, the photosensitive drum is exposed with the laser beam. Every portion of the drum that is scanned with the light has the surface charge reduced to about -100 volts DC. This electrical charge has a lower negative charge than the remainder of the drum. As the drum turns, an invisible latent image is created on the drum. 4. Developing - The toner is applied to the latent image on the drum. The toner is a negatively charged combination of plastic and metal particles. A control blade holds the toner at a microscopic distance from the drum. The toner then moves from the control blade to the more positively charged latent image on the drum. 5. Transferring - The toner attached to the latent image is transferred to the paper. A corona wire places a positive charge on the paper. Because the drum was charged negatively, the toner on the drum is attracted to the paper. The image is now on the paper and is held in place by the positive charge. Because color printers have three cartridges of ink, a colored image must go through multiple transfers to be complete. To ensure precise images, some color printers write multiple times onto a transfer belt that transfers the complete image to paper. 6. Fusing - The toner is permanently fused to the paper. The printing paper is rolled between a heated roller and a pressure roller. As the paper moves through the rollers, the loose toner is melted and fused with the fibers in the paper. The paper is then moved to the output tray as a printed page. Laser printers with duplex assemblies can print on both sides of a sheet of paper. 7. Cleaning - When an image has been deposited on the paper and the drum has separated from the paper, the remaining toner must be removed from the drum. A printer might have a blade that scrapes the excess toner. Some printers use an AC voltage on a wire that removes the charge from the drum surface and allows the excess toner to fall away from the drum. The excess toner is stored in a used toner container that is either emptied or discarded.

What are the advantages of laser printers?

Low cost per page High ppm High capacity Prints are dry

What are some Disadvantages of Impact Printers?

Noisy Low-resolution graphics Limited color capability

What are the disadvantages of Inkjet Printers?

Nozzles are prone to clogging Ink cartridges are expensive Ink is wet after printing

What is a parallel data transfer with regards to printing?

Parallel data transfer is the movement of multiple bits of information in a single cycle. Parallel data transfer is faster than serial data transfer IEEE 1284 is the current standard for parallel printer ports. Enhanced Parallel Port (EPP) and Enhanced Capabilities Port (ECP) are two modes that allow bi-directional communication. IEEE 1284 standard allows for cable length up to 30 ft (10 m); for data reliability, 15 ft (4.5 m) cable lengths are recommended. Parallel cables may have a 1284 Type-A 25-pin DB 25 connector on one end, and a 36-conductor Centronics connector on the other end. The Type-A connector connects to a computer, while the Centronics connector connects to a printer.

What are 2 factors to consider when selecting a printer

Printer capacity and speed are factors to consider when selecting a printer. Inkjet printers are usually slower, but they may be adequate for a home or small office. The speed of a printer is measured in pages per minute (ppm). Price of a printer reflects its capacity and speed

What are print drivers?

Printer drivers are software programs that make it possible for computers and printers to communicate with each other. Configuration software provides an interface that enables users to set and change printer options. Every printer model has its own type of driver and configuration software. Two common languages used in print drivers are Page Description Language (PDL) and PostScript.

What are the 2 types of printers available today

Printers available today are usually either laser printers using electrophotographic technology or inkjet printers using electrostatic spray technology.

To access a printer, a computer must have a compatible interface with it. The following are common interface types:

Serial Parallel Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) Universal Serial Bus (USB) Firewire Ethernet

What is a serial data transfer with regards to printing?

Serial data transfer is the movement of single bits of information in a single cycle Serial ports are D-shell and are either male or female ports The number of pins for each port may vary. Serial cables may have either a 9-pin connector or a 25-pin connector either end The maximum length of a serial cable is 50 ft (15 m).

What is a small Computer Interface System with regards to printings?

Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), pronounced "scuzzy", uses parallel communication to achieve high data-transfer rates. Some types of SCSI: SCSI 1 - 50 pin connector SCSI 2 (fast SCSI) - 50 pin connector SCSI 2 (wide SCSI) - 68 pin connector SCSI 3 (fast/wide SCSI) - 68 pin connector

What companies might use thermal printers, also describe the paper they use?

Some retail cash registers or older fax machines might contain thermal printers. Thermal paper is chemically treated and has a waxy quality. Thermal paper becomes black when heated. After a roll of thermal paper is loaded, the feed assembly moves the paper through the printer. Electrical current is sent to the heating element in the print head to generate heat. The heated areas of the print head make the pattern on the paper.

What are the 4 steps in updating a printer?

Step 1: Determine if a newer driver is available. Step 2: Download the printer driver files to your computer. Step 3: Install the downloaded driver. Step 4: Test the new printer driver.

What is the central part of a laser printer?

The central part of the laser printer is its electrophotographic drum. When laser light strikes the drum, it becomes a conductor at the point where the light strikes. The laser beam draws an electrostatic image on the drum. The undeveloped image is passed by a supply of dry ink or toner that is attracted to it. The drum turns and brings this image in contact with the paper, which attracts the toner from the drum. A fuser melts the toner into the paper.

What are the 7 main components of a laser printer:

There are seven main components contained within a laser printer: Toner cartridge Laser scanner High-voltage power supply Paper transport mechanism Transfer corona Fuser assembly Control circuitry Ozone filter

What are the 2 types of Inkjet nozzles?

Thermal - A pulse of electrical current is applied to heating chambers around the nozzles. The heat creates a bubble of steam in the chamber which forces ink out through the nozzle. Piezoelectric crystals are located in the ink reservoir at the back of each nozzle. A charge is applied to the crystal causing it to vibrate. This vibration of the crystal controls the flow of ink onto the paper.

What is a USB Bus with regards to printing?

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a common interface for printers and other devices Speed and simple setup has made USB very practical. Newer operating systems offer plug and play (PnP) USB support, which automatically detects the device and installs the driver. A USB printer cable is a four-wire cable that has two unique ends, labeled A and B. Rectangular A connector usually connects with the computer. Square-shaped B connector connects to the printer. 127 USB devices can attach to a single bus.

Where can installation instructions be found for a printer?

When you purchase a printer, the installation and configuration information is usually supplied by the manufacturer. An installation CD that includes drivers, manuals, and diagnostic software will be included with the printer. The same tools may also be available as downloads from the manufacturer's website note: (Installation media that includes drivers, manuals, and diagnostic software. Also available as downloads from the manufacturer's website. Although all types of printers are somewhat different to connect and configure, there are procedures that should be applied to all printers.)

what is the file path to use on various operating systems in order to print a test page?

Windows 7: Start > Devices and Printers> right click desired printer>Printer Properties > General Tab > Print Test Page Windows Vista: Start > Control Panel>Printers >right click desired printer>Printer Properties > General Tab > Print Test Page Windows XP: Start > Printers and Faxes> right click desired printer>Printer Properties > General Tab > Print Test Page

What must a computer have in order to interface with a printer?

a compatible interface