Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.user > #183006 > unrolled thread

Laser Printer recommendation...

Back to article view | Back to linux.debian.user

Contents

  Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 14:00 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Adam Rosi-Kessel <adam@rosi-kessel.org> - 2017-07-03 14:30 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 14:50 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> - 2017-07-04 00:40 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-07-03 16:50 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 18:00 +0200
        Re: Laser Printer recommendation... rhkramer@gmail.com - 2017-07-03 22:50 +0200
        Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Patrick Bartek <nemommxiv@gmail.com> - 2017-07-03 23:50 +0200
          Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-04 00:30 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Gene Heskett <gheskett@shentel.net> - 2017-07-03 18:40 +0200
        Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> - 2017-07-03 20:50 +0200
          Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 23:00 +0200
          Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> - 2017-07-04 01:20 +0200
            Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-04 13:10 +0200
              Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-04 18:20 +0200
              Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> - 2017-07-05 06:40 +0200
                Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-05 16:40 +0200
                  Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-07-07 12:40 +0200
                    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> - 2017-08-08 16:50 +0200
              Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Celejar <celejar@gmail.com> - 2017-08-08 16:40 +0200
                Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-08-08 20:10 +0200
                  Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> - 2017-08-08 21:10 +0200
                  Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2017-08-08 22:50 +0200
                  Re: Laser Printer recommendation... <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-08-09 10:30 +0200
                    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Jape Person <japers@comcast.net> - 2017-08-09 13:20 +0200
                      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... <tomas@tuxteam.de> - 2017-08-09 14:30 +0200
            Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> - 2017-07-04 16:40 +0200
        Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 23:00 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Doug <dmcgarrett@optonline.net> - 2017-07-03 19:30 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Tom Dial <tddial@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 20:00 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 23:00 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... David Christensen <dpchrist@holgerdanske.com> - 2017-07-03 21:30 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-03 23:00 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Jimmy Johnson <field.engineer@gmail.com> - 2017-07-04 03:20 +0200
    Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Georgi Naplatanov <gosho@oles.biz> - 2017-07-07 13:20 +0200
      Re: Laser Printer recommendation... Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net> - 2017-07-07 15:00 +0200

Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →

#183006 — Laser Printer recommendation...

Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is 
currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in 
finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when 
I'm not printing much.  Have tried the Brother 2270DW but can't get it 
to work.  Which ones work easillyl, if any?  Thanking in advance.

Have gone thru many of the printers listed saying they are linux 
printers but when I get to the actual printer if it's available it's $ 
1,200 or not available when it's in the $2-300 range.  Just wondering if 
there are any still available out there, reasonably priced.

Using Jessie will be going to Stretch in a few months.....

Thanks.

Whit

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#183009

On Mon, Jul 03, 2017 at 07:41:31AM -0400, Whit Hansell wrote:
> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is
> currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in
> finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when I'm
> not printing much.  Have tried the Brother 2270DW but can't get it to work.
> Which ones work easillyl, if any?  Thanking in advance.

I've been quite satisfied with the Brother HLL2380DW wireless
scanner/duplex laser-printer. $165 on Amazon including toner
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BHSL7VY/ (I believe that's
refurbished). Our home has a variety of Linux, Windows, OSX, and iOS
devices, and it works fine with all of them. (The iOS devices print
through the Linux box via CUPS/Airprint).

Adam

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183010

On 07/03/2017 08:05 AM, Adam Rosi-Kessel wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 03, 2017 at 07:41:31AM -0400, Whit Hansell wrote:
>> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is
>> currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in
>> finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when I'm
>> not printing much.  Have tried the Brother 2270DW but can't get it to work.
>> Which ones work easillyl, if any?  Thanking in advance.
> I've been quite satisfied with the Brother HLL2380DW wireless
> scanner/duplex laser-printer. $165 on Amazon including toner
> https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BHSL7VY/ (I believe that's
> refurbished). Our home has a variety of Linux, Windows, OSX, and iOS
> devices, and it works fine with all of them. (The iOS devices print
> through the Linux box via CUPS/Airprint).
>
> Adam
>
>
Adam, Thanks so much for your recommendation.  It looks like exactly 
what I am desiring.  I'm going to go ahead and order one today.. 
Thanking you very much.

whit

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183068

On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 08:05:52 -0400
Adam Rosi-Kessel <adam@rosi-kessel.org> wrote:

> On Mon, Jul 03, 2017 at 07:41:31AM -0400, Whit Hansell wrote:
> > Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is
> > currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in
> > finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when I'm
> > not printing much.  Have tried the Brother 2270DW but can't get it to work.
> > Which ones work easillyl, if any?  Thanking in advance.
> 
> I've been quite satisfied with the Brother HLL2380DW wireless
> scanner/duplex laser-printer. $165 on Amazon including toner

I have been similarly very satisfied with what I believe is another
model in this line (in between the OP's and Adam's), the HL-2280DW
(Brother uses 'D' to indicate duplex and 'W' to indicate wireless). It
does require binary, non-free blobs from Brother, which I am admittedly
unhappy with, but once these are installed, the printer (I've never
really used the scanner functionality) just works (via CUPS) -
reliably, consistently, rarely jamming or exhibiting any other sort of
malfunction. And third party toner replacement is famously very cheap
for Brother models, although quality can reportedly vary widely.

Celejar

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183017

On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is
> currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in
> finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when
> I'm not printing much.  

Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to be more 
specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink (or ink cartridge)--
is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles getting clogged, or maybe a laser 
printer in a high humidity environment making the toner get too humid to work 
properly?

If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer until 
you've considered the cause of the problem...

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183027

On 07/03/2017 10:41 AM, rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
>> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that is
>> currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am interested in
>> finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every month even when
>> I'm not printing much.
> Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to be more
> specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink (or ink cartridge)--
> is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles getting clogged, or maybe a laser
> printer in a high humidity environment making the toner get too humid to work
> properly?
>
> If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer until
> you've considered the cause of the problem...
>
>
Thanks for your reply,  Maybe I should have prefaced that statement with 
a "for me" phrase.  I do print out a number of articles during a month 
but I used to have an hp722 printer and that cartridge held 2-3 times 
the ink my last printer held.  AND I was able to refill the 722 and the 
last one, an hp psc1510.  But for some reason in the last year I have 
been unable to get a successful refill on the 1510 and so am having to 
keep purchasing cartridges.  It uses a small cartridge and I have cut 
back on my printing considerably and really get honked off when it spits 
out a big  black block of ink in an article I can't print from a pre-set 
printjob setup from the web page source.  And my 1510 just died on  me 
so am in need of a new printer so decided on a laser printer as I care 
not for color.

Thanks for chiming in tho. I do appreciate everyone's help here. You all 
have so much knowledge and we all learn from you.

Thanks again.  Help and advice much appreciated.

Whit

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183049

On Monday, July 03, 2017 11:54:34 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
> Thanks for your reply,  

You're welcome!

> Maybe I should have prefaced that statement with
> a "for me" phrase.  I do print out a number of articles during a month
> but I used to have an hp722 printer and that cartridge held 2-3 times
> the ink my last printer held.  AND I was able to refill the 722 and the
> last one, an hp psc1510.  But for some reason in the last year I have
> been unable to get a successful refill on the 1510 and so am having to
> keep purchasing cartridges.  It uses a small cartridge and I have cut
> back on my printing considerably and really get honked off when it spits
> out a big  black block of ink in an article I can't print from a pre-set
> printjob setup from the web page source.  And my 1510 just died on  me
> so am in need of a new printer so decided on a laser printer as I care
> not for color.

I still have (and use) a Canon BJC-3000 printer, and a NIB spare--the 
cartridges are super easy to refill, and, I add just a "hair" of rubbing 
alcohol which seems to keep the ink cartridges from clogging.  No chips, no 
need for a  vacuum--just remove the (now screw) plug, inject ink, replace the 
screw.

Wish they kept making them that way!

> Thanks for chiming in tho. I do appreciate everyone's help here. You all
> have so much knowledge and we all learn from you.
> 
> Thanks again.  Help and advice much appreciated.
> 
> Whit

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183062

On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 11:54:34 -0400 Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net>
wrote:

> 
> 
> On 07/03/2017 10:41 AM, rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
> >> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that
> >> is currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am
> >> interested in finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink
> >> every month even when I'm not printing much.
> > Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to
> > be more specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink
> > (or ink cartridge)-- is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles
> > getting clogged, or maybe a laser printer in a high humidity
> > environment making the toner get too humid to work properly?
> >
> > If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer
> > until you've considered the cause of the problem...
> >
> >
> Thanks for your reply,  Maybe I should have prefaced that statement
> with a "for me" phrase.  I do print out a number of articles during a
> month but I used to have an hp722 printer and that cartridge held 2-3
> times the ink my last printer held.  AND I was able to refill the 722
> and the last one, an hp psc1510.  But for some reason in the last
> year I have been unable to get a successful refill on the 1510 and so
> am having to keep purchasing cartridges.  It uses a small cartridge
> and I have cut back on my printing considerably and really get honked
> off when it spits out a big  black block of ink in an article I can't
> print from a pre-set printjob setup from the web page source.  And my
> 1510 just died on  me so am in need of a new printer so decided on a
> laser printer as I care not for color.
> 
> Thanks for chiming in tho. I do appreciate everyone's help here. You
> all have so much knowledge and we all learn from you.
> 
> Thanks again.  Help and advice much appreciated.

I tired of inkjet printers (and having to replace or fill the
cartridges)  and purchased a factory refurbhished Samsung ML-1710
(discontinued model) B&W laser printer for $75 US.  Still going strong
11 years later. Fairly low volume. Less than 1000 sheets per year.  And
Linux drivers from Samsung, too.  But looking to replace it with a
duplex printing model with higher resolution for $300 or less.  I'm
patient. So, I can wait for a sale, but whatever I buy, it will be a
Samsung model for sure.

B

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183067

On 07/03/2017 05:45 PM, Patrick Bartek wrote:
> On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 11:54:34 -0400 Whit Hansell <skipper44@comcast.net>
> wrote:
>
>>
>> On 07/03/2017 10:41 AM, rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
>>> On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
>>>> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that
>>>> is currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am
>>>> interested in finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink
>>>> every month even when I'm not printing much.
>>> Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to
>>> be more specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink
>>> (or ink cartridge)-- is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles
>>> getting clogged, or maybe a laser printer in a high humidity
>>> environment making the toner get too humid to work properly?
>>>
>>> If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer
>>> until you've considered the cause of the problem...
>>>
>>>
>> Thanks for your reply,  Maybe I should have prefaced that statement
>> with a "for me" phrase.  I do print out a number of articles during a
>> month but I used to have an hp722 printer and that cartridge held 2-3
>> times the ink my last printer held.  AND I was able to refill the 722
>> and the last one, an hp psc1510.  But for some reason in the last
>> year I have been unable to get a successful refill on the 1510 and so
>> am having to keep purchasing cartridges.  It uses a small cartridge
>> and I have cut back on my printing considerably and really get honked
>> off when it spits out a big  black block of ink in an article I can't
>> print from a pre-set printjob setup from the web page source.  And my
>> 1510 just died on  me so am in need of a new printer so decided on a
>> laser printer as I care not for color.
>>
>> Thanks for chiming in tho. I do appreciate everyone's help here. You
>> all have so much knowledge and we all learn from you.
>>
>> Thanks again.  Help and advice much appreciated.
> I tired of inkjet printers (and having to replace or fill the
> cartridges)  and purchased a factory refurbhished Samsung ML-1710
> (discontinued model) B&W laser printer for $75 US.  Still going strong
> 11 years later. Fairly low volume. Less than 1000 sheets per year.  And
> Linux drivers from Samsung, too.  But looking to replace it with a
> duplex printing model with higher resolution for $300 or less.  I'm
> patient. So, I can wait for a sale, but whatever I buy, it will be a
> Samsung model for sure.
>
> B
>
>
Thanks for the reply B.  Hadn't thought of Samsung.  Will keep them in 
mind if need be.  Much appreciated....
whit

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183032

On Monday 03 July 2017 10:41:13 rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:

> On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
> > Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that
> > is currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am
> > interested in finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every
> > month even when I'm not printing much.
>
> Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to be
> more specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink (or
> ink cartridge)-- is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles getting
> clogged, or maybe a laser printer in a high humidity environment
> making the toner get too humid to work properly?
>
> If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer
> until you've considered the cause of the problem...

Yes I would, buy a new printer.  The just over $100 USD brother HL21XX 
b&w laser printer I have is going on 6 years old, is on its third toner 
cartridge, has printed 30 or so reams of paper, at 19ppm if the driving 
computer can feed it that fast.  And its still printing like it was 
brand new.

The one disadvantage for linux purists is that you must use the free to 
download and install, brother driver.

And, because I needed a  tabloid format printer, 11x17 inches 
occasionally, I bought one of the brother ink jets, an MFC-6920DW
which also claims good ppm's but does NOT deliver. Its about 1.5ppm at 
best, and gain you must use the brother drivers which are partially 
broken in the when it wakes up the printer to start a job, the first 6 
packets it sends have a bad tcp checksum before it sends good data.  
Thats 6 seconds wasted right there.  Its actually a pretty fast copier. 
So the network connect is a bottleneck. It self exercises at about 4 
hour intervals, keeping nozzles clean, but doesn't seem to waste a lot 
of ink doing it as I'm perhaps halfway thru the first set of refills at 
a dozen reams of paper, some of it glossy and most std 24 lb copy paper.
I have it setup at an address on my local network because the inputs are 
internal, and I'd have to buy and put another usb hub near it because 
the input connectors are a rather circuitous route thru trenches in the 
top of the printer floor under the scanner and that uses up around 30 
inches of a usb cables maximum length. It was expedient to use the LAN 
connector as my switch was well within reach. But I don't think it runs 
at gigabit speeds, and thats the pages a minute bottleneck. My network 
is all gigabit, but the printer spends a lot of time waiting on data.

OTOH, the asking price at the local Staples was under $300, so I guess I 
got what I paid for. Ink is individual tanks, and easily outlasts the 
last Epson ink jet I had, which despite its exercise that wasted 2/3rds 
of the ink I used, clogged its head in about a month the first time.  
And I kept it for its scanner for a while but the scanner in this 
brother is 10x faster, does better color, with an ADF to boot.  Other 
than its print speed, whats not to like? 20x the ink lifetime at less 
than the Epson price per color on the pegboards at the store.  I'll buy 
it again if it lasts as long as its baby brother laser has.  Its in its 
second year and I have NOT had to "clean the nozzles".

No, I don't work for brother, I'm just a retired 82 year old fart, 
puttering about in the garage with metal cutting machines, CNC versions 
which I've done the conversion to CNC myself.

Cheers, Gene Heskett
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
Genes Web page <http://geneslinuxbox.net:6309/gene>

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183039

On Mon, Jul 03, 2017 at 12:39:06PM -0400, Gene Heskett wrote:
> On Monday 03 July 2017 10:41:13 rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
> 
> > On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
> > > Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that
> > > is currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am
> > > interested in finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every
> > > month even when I'm not printing much.
> >
> > Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to be
> > more specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink (or
> > ink cartridge)-- is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles getting
> > clogged, or maybe a laser printer in a high humidity environment
> > making the toner get too humid to work properly?
> >
> > If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer
> > until you've considered the cause of the problem...
> 
> Yes I would, buy a new printer.  The just over $100 USD brother HL21XX 
> b&w laser printer I have is going on 6 years old, is on its third toner 
> cartridge, has printed 30 or so reams of paper, at 19ppm if the driving 
> computer can feed it that fast.  And its still printing like it was 
> brand new.
> 
> The one disadvantage for linux purists is that you must use the free to 
> download and install, brother driver.

A Brother with all of:

- ethernet networking
- duplex
- BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
  GhostScript)

will not need a driver.

Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)

-dsr-

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183052

On 07/03/2017 02:46 PM, Dan Ritter wrote:
> On Mon, Jul 03, 2017 at 12:39:06PM -0400, Gene Heskett wrote:
>> On Monday 03 July 2017 10:41:13 rhkramer@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> On Monday, July 03, 2017 07:41:31 AM Whit Hansell wrote:
>>>> Can anyone recommend a monochrome (black toner) laser printer that
>>>> is currently available and reasonably priced (<$300).  I am
>>>> interested in finding one as i am sick and tired of buying ink every
>>>> month even when I'm not printing much.
>>> Why are you buying ink every month if you are not printing much--to be
>>> more specific, I'm asking if something is happening to your ink (or
>>> ink cartridge)-- is it an ink jet printer and the nozzles getting
>>> clogged, or maybe a laser printer in a high humidity environment
>>> making the toner get too humid to work properly?
>>>
>>> If either of those are a possiblity, I wouldn't order a new printer
>>> until you've considered the cause of the problem...
>> Yes I would, buy a new printer.  The just over $100 USD brother HL21XX
>> b&w laser printer I have is going on 6 years old, is on its third toner
>> cartridge, has printed 30 or so reams of paper, at 19ppm if the driving
>> computer can feed it that fast.  And its still printing like it was
>> brand new.
>>
>> The one disadvantage for linux purists is that you must use the free to
>> download and install, brother driver.
> A Brother with all of:
>
> - ethernet networking
> - duplex
> - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
>    GhostScript)
>
> will not need a driver.
>
> Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
>
> -dsr-
>
>
Thank you so much Dan.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183071

On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:

...

> A Brother with all of:
> 
> - ethernet networking
> - duplex
> - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
>   GhostScript)
> 
> will not need a driver.
> 
> Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)

Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
drivers, but 2?

FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
does seem to require a driver.

Celejar

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183111

On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:

> On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> 
> ...
> 
> > A Brother with all of:
> > 
> > - ethernet networking
> > - duplex
> > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> >   GhostScript)
> > 
> > will not need a driver.
> > 
> > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> 
> Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> drivers, but 2?
> 
> FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> does seem to require a driver.

I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183130

On Tue 04 Jul 2017 at 12:03:45 +0100, Brian wrote:

> On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > 
> > ...
> > 
> > > A Brother with all of:
> > > 
> > > - ethernet networking
> > > - duplex
> > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > >   GhostScript)
> > > 
> > > will not need a driver.
> > > 
> > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > 
> > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > drivers, but 2?
> > 
> > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > does seem to require a driver.
> 
> I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.

To explain further. Neither of these two printers have networking
capabilities (ethernet or wireless):

  Brother MFC-8420      Printer Drivers / Emulations    BR-Script 3
                                                        PCL 6
                                                        PostScript 3
			Peripheral / Interface Devices  USB port

  Brother HL-L5000D     emulation(s)            PCL6
						BR-Script3
                                                IBM Proprinter
                                                Epson FX
                                                PDF Version 1.7
                                                XPS Version 1.0
                        Standard Interface(s)   Parallel, Hi-Speed USB 2.0

Both will (or should) print a PostScript or PCL 6 file which is sent to
them over a USB connection. BR-Script 3 is Brother's version of Adobe's
PostScript, is undocumented and has no connection with Ghostscript, as
far as is known; PCL6 is a documented HP product. Debian has enough free
software to produce both PostScript and PCL to enable a user to dispense
with a non-free driver.

With more recent printer models the situation can become murky. For
example, the Brother HL-3140CW is host based (no PCL6 or BR-Script3
emulation) but it has a wireless network interface. One would perhaps
think the Brother proprietary driver would be essential. However, it is
an IPP printer and Debian has the means for a user not to have to use a
non-free driver.

The provision of automatic duplex on a device is a matter of economics
and marketing and has no bearing on whether or not a free driver is
used.

-- 
Brian.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183166

On Tue, 4 Jul 2017 12:03:45 +0100
Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:

> On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > 
> > ...
> > 
> > > A Brother with all of:
> > > 
> > > - ethernet networking
> > > - duplex
> > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > >   GhostScript)
> > > 
> > > will not need a driver.
> > > 
> > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > 
> > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > drivers, but 2?
> > 
> > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > does seem to require a driver.
> 
> I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.

I know that it has PCL6 emulation, but the fact is that I have never
been able to get it working properly without Brother's binary blob
drivers, nor have I seen any reports of anyone who has.

Celejar

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183200

On Tue 04 Jul 2017 at 09:05:21 -0400, Celejar wrote:

> On Tue, 4 Jul 2017 12:03:45 +0100
> Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> > On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> > 
> > > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > > 
> > > ...
> > > 
> > > > A Brother with all of:
> > > > 
> > > > - ethernet networking
> > > > - duplex
> > > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > > >   GhostScript)
> > > > 
> > > > will not need a driver.
> > > > 
> > > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > > 
> > > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > > drivers, but 2?
> > > 
> > > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > > does seem to require a driver.
> > 
> > I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> > without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> > a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.
> 
> I know that it has PCL6 emulation, but the fact is that I have never
> been able to get it working properly without Brother's binary blob
> drivers, nor have I seen any reports of anyone who has.

Depends what you mean by "properly".

The PPD in /etc/cups/ppd has a line beginning *cupsFilter:..... . Alter
the line to read

  *cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-raster 50 rastertohp"

Restart cups and do

  lp -d <queue_name> /etc/nsswitch

That file prints out perfectly on my PCL/PCLX capable LaserJet. (I used
a Brother PPD, with the altered line, for your printer).

I am unsure about "50" in the *cupsFilter: line. "0" might be better.

-- 
Brian.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#183328

On Wed 05 Jul 2017 at 15:31:51 +0100, Brian wrote:

> On Tue 04 Jul 2017 at 09:05:21 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, 4 Jul 2017 12:03:45 +0100
> > Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
> > 
> > > On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> > > 
> > > > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > > > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > ...
> > > > 
> > > > > A Brother with all of:
> > > > > 
> > > > > - ethernet networking
> > > > > - duplex
> > > > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > > > >   GhostScript)
> > > > > 
> > > > > will not need a driver.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > > > 
> > > > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > > > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > > > drivers, but 2?
> > > > 
> > > > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > > > does seem to require a driver.
> > > 
> > > I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> > > without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> > > a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.
> > 
> > I know that it has PCL6 emulation, but the fact is that I have never
> > been able to get it working properly without Brother's binary blob
> > drivers, nor have I seen any reports of anyone who has.
> 
> Depends what you mean by "properly".
> 
> The PPD in /etc/cups/ppd has a line beginning *cupsFilter:..... . Alter
> the line to read
> 
>   *cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-raster 50 rastertohp"
> 
> Restart cups and do
> 
>   lp -d <queue_name> /etc/nsswitch
> 
> That file prints out perfectly on my PCL/PCLX capable LaserJet. (I used
> a Brother PPD, with the altered line, for your printer).
> 
> I am unsure about "50" in the *cupsFilter: line. "0" might be better.

Reports of success from Brother printer users would be of benefit.

Another technique would be to use a Generic PCL6 (or maybe PCL5) PPD or
the pxlmono one; a disadvantage might be that needed printer features
are missing from them but they have been reported to work.

-- 
Brian.

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#184896

On Fri, 7 Jul 2017 11:36:10 +0100
Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:

> On Wed 05 Jul 2017 at 15:31:51 +0100, Brian wrote:
> 
> > On Tue 04 Jul 2017 at 09:05:21 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> > 
> > > On Tue, 4 Jul 2017 12:03:45 +0100
> > > Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:
> > > 
> > > > On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> > > > 
> > > > > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > > > > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > > > > 
> > > > > ...
> > > > > 
> > > > > > A Brother with all of:
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > - ethernet networking
> > > > > > - duplex
> > > > > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > > > > >   GhostScript)
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > will not need a driver.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > > > > 
> > > > > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > > > > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > > > > drivers, but 2?
> > > > > 
> > > > > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > > > > does seem to require a driver.
> > > > 
> > > > I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> > > > without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> > > > a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.
> > > 
> > > I know that it has PCL6 emulation, but the fact is that I have never
> > > been able to get it working properly without Brother's binary blob
> > > drivers, nor have I seen any reports of anyone who has.
> > 
> > Depends what you mean by "properly".
> > 
> > The PPD in /etc/cups/ppd has a line beginning *cupsFilter:..... . Alter
> > the line to read
> > 
> >   *cupsFilter: "application/vnd.cups-raster 50 rastertohp"
> > 
> > Restart cups and do
> > 
> >   lp -d <queue_name> /etc/nsswitch
> > 
> > That file prints out perfectly on my PCL/PCLX capable LaserJet. (I used
> > a Brother PPD, with the altered line, for your printer).
> > 
> > I am unsure about "50" in the *cupsFilter: line. "0" might be better.

This seems to work (I used "0", since the existing line had "0"),
except for the fact that each time I print a page (via the CUPS "Print
Test Page" feature), it prints out twice. Why? [I commented out, and
then actually removed, the original cupsFilter line, restarting CUPS
each time.]

> Reports of success from Brother printer users would be of benefit.
> 
> Another technique would be to use a Generic PCL6 (or maybe PCL5) PPD or
> the pxlmono one; a disadvantage might be that needed printer features
> are missing from them but they have been reported to work.

Ah, I guess this is what a reported trying in my other email. As you
suggest, it works, but important features seem to be missing.

Celejar

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#184895

On Tue, 4 Jul 2017 12:03:45 +0100
Brian <ad44@cityscape.co.uk> wrote:

> On Mon 03 Jul 2017 at 19:15:19 -0400, Celejar wrote:
> 
> > On Mon, 3 Jul 2017 14:46:08 -0400
> > Dan Ritter <dsr@randomstring.org> wrote:
> > 
> > ...
> > 
> > > A Brother with all of:
> > > 
> > > - ethernet networking
> > > - duplex
> > > - BR/Script3 (Their PostScript clone, which I think is actually
> > >   GhostScript)
> > > 
> > > will not need a driver.
> > > 
> > > Current examples: HL-L5100N ($170), HL-L6200DW ($250)
> > 
> > Very interesting, thanks. Is this documented / explained anywhere? I
> > think I understand why 1 and 3 might be relevant to the need for
> > drivers, but 2?
> > 
> > FWIW, my HL-2280DW meets 1 and 2, but not (apparently) 3, and indeed
> > does seem to require a driver.
> 
> I do not see why 1 and 2 are in any way necessary to use a printer
> without a proprietary driver. PostScript or PCL6 emulation is, however,
> a pre-condition. The HL-2280DW has PCL6 emulation.

Very interesting, thanks. I (re)dipped my toes into the mysteries of
printer setup, and (eventually) configured another version of my
HL-2280 using CUPS settings of "Generic / Generic PCL Laser Printer".
The CUPS test page printed out correctly, although I see that many
options exposed by the Brother proprietary drivers do not seem to be
exposed by the generic one, which makes sense, I suppose. I do like
those options, though (e.g., duplexing and "toner save" / quality
options).

I'll have to do more testing to see whether the core printing
funnctionality, at least, is on par with the proprietary driver's.

Thanks again,

Celejar

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

Page 1 of 2  [1] 2  Next page →

Back to top | Article view | linux.debian.user

csiph-web