Inkjet printing
Inkjet printing is a type of computer printing that recreates a digital image by propelling droplets of ink onto paper, plastic, or other substrates. Inkjet printers are the most commonly used type of printer, and range from small inexpensive consumer models to expensive professional ma…
What are the disadvantages of a dot matrix printer?
May 15, 2020 · What is dot matrix printer used for? A printer that uses hammers and a ribbonto form images from dots. Used to print multipartforms and address labels, the tractor and sprocket mechanism inthese devices handles thicker media better than laser and inkjetprinters. Also known as a "serial dot matrixprinter."
What is the difference between Line and dot matrix printer?
Dot matrix printers are printers with a head that runs back and forth and strikes against a ribbon to print; hence also known as impact printers. While these printers are usually used to print text, they can also be used to print simple graphics in ASCII …
Why we are still using dot matrix printer?
Dot matrix printers are printers with a head that runs back and forth and strikes against a ribbon to print; hence also known as impact printers. Its printing mechanism is similar to a typewriter but instead of forged characters embossed in small printing plates, it prints by pushing small pins or metal rods against an ink-dipped ribbon to the paper’s surface.
What kind of paper do most dot matrix printers use?
The dot matrix printer is an early type of printer which is very similar to a typewriter. It uses the impact method of ink to page delivery which is slow and noisy when compared with today’s much quieter laser or inkjet printers. The typewriter and the dot matrix printer have a ribbon stretched across the width of the page which holds the ink.
What is dot matrix printing?
Dot matrix printing, sometimes called impact matrix printing, is a computer printing process in which ink is applied to a surface using a relatively low-resolution dot matrix for layout. Dot matrix printers typically use a print head that moves back and forth or in an up-and-down motion on the page and prints by impact, ...
When did dot matrix printers become popular?
In the 1970s and 1980s, dot matrix printers were generally considered the best combination of expense and versatility, and until the 1990s they were by far the most common form of printer used with personal and home computers .
How fast is a serial dot matrix printer?
In reality, the pins are arranged in up to four vertically or/and horizontally slightly displaced columns in order to increase the dot density and print speed through interleaving without causing the pins to jam. Thereby, up to 48 pins can be used to form the characters of a line while the print head moves horizontally. The printing speed of serial dot matrix printers with moving heads varies from 30 to 1550 cps.
How does the dot matrix printer work?
A dot matrix printer has an electronic print head (a carriage) which holds the pins and whizzes back and forth hammering the pins against the ribbon and striking small dots of ink on to the paper. Combinations of these small dots make up the letters or simple graphics.
Dot matrix printers – The good points
Easy Maintenance – With the exception of tightening the ribbon or re-aligning the print head there is very little go wrong.
Where might you see a dot matrix printer today?
As the dot matrix printer will work continuously under most conditions including hot and cold temperatures and dirty and dusty environments. This makes dot matrix printers an ideal solution where print quality is not as important as reliability. For this reason garages, supermarkets, factories and workshops will often still use them.
Should you buy a dot matrix printer?
Unless you happen to need to use your printer for simple tasks in a dirty and hot environment or cannot live without the loud but nostalgic sound of a print head pin striking a ribbon. We would suggest an inkjet printer or a laser printer would make a better choice. If you would like to know more about printers click here
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What is a dot matrix printer?
A dot matrix printer (DMP) is a type of printer which uses pins impacting an ink ribbon to print. These printers are generally considered outdated, as they cannot create high-quality prints and are costly as well. However, they have a certain specialty that other printers like inkjet and laser printers do not have: as they use impact for printing, ...
What is a print head?
A print head, which has many pins in it, moves in the required direction and strikes against a cloth ribbon which is soaked in ink, making a mark on the paper. The dots are spaced closely in a particular shape to make the intended character.
Overview
A dot matrix printer is an impact printer that prints using a fixed number of pins or wires. Typically the pins or wires are arranged in one or several vertical columns. The pins strike an ink-coated ribbon and force contact between the ribbon and the paper, so that each pin makes a small dot on the paper. The combination of these dots forms a dot matrix image. They were also known a…
History
In the 1970s and 1980s, dot matrix impact printers were generally considered the best combination of cost and versatility, and until the 1990s were by far the most common form of printer used with personal and home computers.
The first impact dot matrix printer was the Centronics 101. Introduced in 1970, it led to the design of the parallel electrical interfacethat was to become standard on most printers until it was displ…
DEC's dot matrix printers
Unlike the LA30's 80-column, uppercase-only 5x7 dot matrix, DEC's product line grew. New models included:
• LA36 (1974): supported upper and lower case, with up to 132 columns of text (also 30 CPS)
• LA34: a lower-cost alternative to the LA36
Centronics 101
The Centronics 101 (introduced 1970) was highly innovative and affordable at its inception. Some selected specifications:
• Print speed: 165 characters per second
• Weight: 155 pounds (70.3 kg)
• Size: 27 ½" W x 11 ¼" H x 19 ¼ D (approx. 70 cm x 29 cm x 49 cm)
IBM 5103
The IBM 5103 was the only IBM printer that could be attached to the IBM 5100, an early day portable computer. Printing was 8 DPI, 10 pitch, 6 LPI, and capable of printing bidirectionally from a 128 character set. Two models were offered: 80 and 120 characters per second.
Low-cost dot-matrix printers
In the mid-1980s, dot-matrix printers were dropping in price, and, being "faster and more versatile than daisywheel printers" (including becoming even more flexible in what they can do because of 24-pin print heads, versus the earlier 9-pin models) they've continued to sell.
Increased pincount of the printhead from 7, 8, 9 or 12 pins to 18, 24, 27, 36 permitted superior print-quality, which was necessary for success in Asian markets to print legible CJKV characters. …
PC usage
In 1985, PC Magazine wrote "for the average personal computer user dot matrix remains the most workable choice". At the time, IBM sold Epson's MX-80 as their IBM 5152.
Another technology, inkjet printing, which uses the razor and blades business model(give away the razor handle, make money on the razor blade) has reduc…