Computer Printers Principles of Information Technology Lytle High School Click to continue

Categories of Printers  Just as all computers fall into two categories, so do all printers.  Impact Printers use ribbons.  Non-Impact Printers do not use ribbons. Click to continue

The Impact Printer  Impact printers use ribbons.  The ribbon is pressed against the paper with a special print device to produce the text and graphic images.  This causes impact printers to be noisy. Click to continue

The Dot-Matrix Printer  One of the most commonly used impact printers is the Dot- Matrix.  Text and graphics are produced with little dots.  They use single-sheet or fan-folded, tractor feed paper. Click to continue It is possible that some businesses may still use these types of printers.

The Dot-Matrix Printer  They were and still are inexpensive and very affordable.  They use ribbons which makes them inexpensive to use and maintain.  Some Dot-Matrix printers can even print in color with special color ribbons. Click to continue

The Daisy Wheel Printer  Another type of popular impact printer was the Daisy Wheel.  Even though much slower then a Dot Matrix, they were popular because of their ability to print text like a typewriter. Click to continue Daisy Wheel printers are no longer being made, but I am sure many still work and some may still be used in some businesses.

Non-Impact Printers  Non-Impact printers do not use ribbons and therefore are much quieter.  One such printer is the Laser printer. Click to continue

The Laser Printer  Laser printers are fast, very quiet and produce excellent quality text and graphics.  Once, very expensive, the cost have come down and are now affordable for small businesses and home use. Click to continue

The Laser Printer  Most laser printers only produce black and white text and graphics.  Color laser printers are available and are now used in business and in homes.  Prices are coming down and color lasers are becoming very affordable. Click to continue

The Ink-Jet Printer  Another non-impact printer is the Ink-Jet printer.  Using ink to print text and color graphics, Ink-Jet printers are very quiet. Click to continue

PlottersPlotters  Another type of printer is the Plotter.  Plotters are used in engineering and other types of similar firms for producing large print outs. Click to continue The paper in the picture is approximately 36” across.

The Cost of Printers  Over the last few years, Laser and Ink-Jet printers have come down in price.  More and more of them are being sold is stores like Office Deport and Best Busy.  They have become very common in homes and businesses. Click to continue

Printer Prices  While the ribbons for the old impact printers were inexpensive, the same is not true for today’s Ink Jet or Laser printers.  Sometimes, a set of ink cartridges for an Ink Jet printer, can cost more than the printer itself.  Toner cartridges for the Laser Printers are also quite expensive. Click to continue

Print Drivers  It does not matter which printer you use, printers require special software in order for them to work with computers.  The special software for printers are called drivers. Click to continue

Print Drivers  It is important that the proper software driver be set up for the printer being used.  For example, an Epson printer will not work properly with a Panasonic print driver.  A Hewlett Packard printer will not work with the driver software for an Okidata printer. Click to continue While MS-Windows attemps to provide drivers for many of the most common printers, manufactures also provide drivers for their various models of printers.

Things to Check  If you try to print a document and nothing prints, or strange characters print, check the printer setup.  Ensure the computer has the proper print driver selected the the printer being used. Click to continue

Things to Check  If the printer you are using continues to give you problems, check these other things.  Is the printer ON?  Is it ON-LINE?  Are the cable connections tight? Click to continue

Conclusion  This lesson on computer printers is complete.  View this lesson as many times as needed and make sure your notes are in order.  Be prepared to share what you have learnd with others. Click to continue