Printers, depending on the type of printing, are divided into: color, monochrome; depending on the method of applying characters/dots to the media: alphabetic, matrix, inkjet, laser.

Drum printers:

The first printer, called UNIPRINTER, was created in 1953 by Remington Rand for the UNIVAC computer. Its operating principle was reminiscent of a typewriter.

The main element of such a printer was a rotating drum, on the surface of which there were relief images of letters and numbers. The width of the drum corresponded to the width of the paper, and the number of alphabet rings was equal to the maximum number of characters in a line. Behind the paper was a line of hammers driven by electromagnets. At the moment the desired symbol passed on the rotating drum, the hammer hit the paper, pressing it through the ink ribbon to the drum. Thus, in one revolution of the drum the entire line could be printed. Then the paper was shifted one line and the machine continued printing.

In the USSR, such machines were called ATsPU (alphanumeric printing device). Their printouts can be recognized by their typewriter-like font and the letters “jumping” across the line.

Daisywheel printers:

Chamomile (petal) printers were similar in principle to drum printers, but had one set of letters located on flexible petals of a plastic disk. The disk rotated, and a special electromagnet pressed the desired petal to the ink ribbon and paper. Since there was only one set of characters, it was necessary to move the print head along the line, and the printing speed was noticeably lower than that of drum printers.

Train printers:

The set of letters is attached to a caterpillar chain.

Chain printers :

They differed in the placement of printing elements on plates connected in a chain.

Dot matrix printers:

The most common type of printer, its mechanism was invented in 1964 by Seiko Epson.

The image is formed print head, which consists of a set of needles (needle matrix). The needles strike the paper through the ink ribbon, and the head moves line by line along the sheet. Printers were produced with 9, 12, 14, 18 and 24 needles. 9- and 24-pin printers are widely used. Print quality directly depends on the number of needles, since this way more dots per inch are obtained; printers with 24 needles are called LQ (Letter Quality).

Main disadvantages of this type printers are low speed and high noise, but due to the low cost of the copy (the consumable material, in fact, is only the ink ribbon), they are still widespread.
High-speed line-matrix printers are also produced, in which a large number of needles are evenly located on the shuttle mechanism across the entire width of the sheet.

One of the very first printing technologies remains relevant today due to its low cost Supplies.

Inkjet printers:

The first working printer using this technology appeared in 1976 - it was a printer from IBM. The principle of their operation is similar to dot matrix printers in that the image on the media is formed from dots. Instead of a head with needles, inkjet printers use an ink cartridge with small holes at the bottom - nozzles. Further differences come in the structure of the cartridge; there are three methods of pushing liquid out of it:
Piezoelectric is the very first technology; a piezoelectric crystal with a diaphragm is located above the nozzle. When an electric current is applied to the piezoelectric element, it bends and pulls the diaphragm along with it - a drop is formed, which is subsequently pushed onto the paper. Used in Epson printers. The technology allows you to “play” with the size of the drop, for example, to draw thin lines with smaller drops.

BubbleJet - Developed by Canon. The principle of the technology was developed in the late 70s, but 8 years passed before it was implemented in a real device. In 1981, the technology was presented at the Canon Grand Fair and immediately attracted the attention of specialists. In 1985, the first commercial model of a monochrome printer appeared - the Canon BJ-80, and the first color printer - the BJC-440 (A2 format, with a resolution of 400 dpi) - appeared in 1988. To each nozzle there is a thin channel - a nozzle, in which there is a microscopic heating element, which, when passing through electric current instantly heats up to a temperature of about 500°C; when heated, gas bubbles (English - bubbles - hence the name of the technology) are formed in the ink, which push drops of liquid from the nozzle onto the media.

Drop-on-demand - developed by Hewlett-Packard in the late 70s. A lot of time also passed from the development of the technology to its implementation, and in 1985 the first printer created using this technology, the HP ThinkJet, was released. The method is similar to bubble technology, however, a lower heating temperature is used and it is not a drop that hits the paper, and it is not a drop that comes out of the nozzle, but steam. This technology is slightly faster than BubbleJet and produces sharper prints.

Laser printers:

Technology - the progenitor of modern laser printing - appeared a long time ago. In 1938, Chester Carlson invented a printing method called electrography, later renamed xerography. The principle of the technology was as follows. A static charge is evenly distributed over the surface of the photodrum by a charge corotron or charge shaft, after which the charge is removed by an LED laser (or LED line) on the photodrum in those places where dots need to be placed, thereby placing a latent image on the surface of the drum. Next, the developing unit applies toner to the photodrum, after which the drum is rolled over the paper, and the toner is transferred to the paper by a transfer coronor or transfer roller. After this, the paper passes through the fuser unit to fix the toner, and the image drum is cleaned of toner residues and discharged in the cleaning unit.

However, a lot of time passed before the technology reached the average consumer. The first device that can be called the first laser printer was EARS (Ethernet, Alto, Research character generator, Scanned Laser Output Terminal), invented in 1972 by the Xerox Corporation; mass production began in the second half of the 70s. Xerox printer The 9700 could be purchased at that time for $350,000, but it printed at a speed of 120 ppm.

The era of home printers began in 1985, when LaserJet printers from Hewlett-Packard and LaserWriter from Apple Computer.

Ways to connect to a computer:

Initially, a parallel port or serial port was used to connect the printer to computers; data was transferred to the printer at speeds of up to 50 kb/s; in response, the printer could inform the computer about its status, readiness, paper availability, and others.

However, the speed remained insufficient, and all modern printers can connect to a computer via a USB interface. Data transfer speed via USB 1.1 is up to 12 Mb/s, the connection process is easier, the printer can communicate much more about itself.

In addition to these two connection methods, some printers have network interface and are able to connect not to a computer, but to local network companies. This connection method allows you to use the printer from several computers, while the printer will always be available, and not just when the computer to which the printer is connected is turned on.

Today it is quite difficult not to get confused about what types of printers stores offer, because there are a lot of manufacturers, models and brands. However, the choice must be made responsibly, comparing specifications various devices, because the purchase is not made for one year.

What are they?

So, you've decided to buy your own printer, but you don't know what types of printers there are or how to make your choice. Initially it may seem that this is not the case simple task, and your eyes literally run wild, trying to simultaneously take in many different models, types and brands, which also have absolutely incomprehensible descriptions and a whole range of different parameters. However, in fact, all these difficulties are noticeable only at first glance, and the main thing you need to know is what types of printers there are.

Today, stores offer the following types of printers:

• matrix;
• jet;
• laser

The category of photo printers, specialized for performing certain tasks for which a standard printer cannot be used, also deserves special attention. The type of information in such printers is various images, photographs, etc.

Matrix

These are the oldest printers among all those existing today, as a result of which they are almost impossible to find in modern stores. They are significantly inferior in their characteristics to other types of printers, so it makes sense to compare only inkjet and laser devices, including photo printers.

Such devices print using a needle print head, which hits the paper through a special ink ribbon. Nowadays, due to the huge number of shortcomings, such printers can rarely be found anywhere, but they are still used at the ticket offices of railway stations and airports.

Disadvantages of dot matrix printers

• Quite low print speed.
• Noisy work.
• Extremely low print quality.
• Many restrictions in terms of color printing.

Advantages of dot matrix printers

• The cheapest consumables among all.
• Printing is carried out on almost any paper, which also expands the possibilities of using printers.
• Quite cheap mass printing on multilayer forms, which is why these types of printers are used for printing airline tickets.

Inkjet printers

These printers print by spraying ink onto paper through incredibly fine nozzles in the print head. Today you can purchase both colored and black and white printers of this type. Quite often, these types of printers provide the ability to print only in black and white inks, but it is possible to use color ones.

The cost of such printers is also relatively small, but another problem arises here - the rather high cost of original consumables. The types of inkjet printers practically do not differ from each other, therefore they have the same advantages and disadvantages.

Disadvantages of Inkjet Printers

• In order to ensure full-color printing using the main types of inkjet printers, fairly thick or high-quality paper is required, otherwise the ink may simply bleed.
• The ink will take some time to dry after printing, which can ruin the printout if you accidentally touch it with your hand. And if you accidentally spill water on a sheet that was printed with an inkjet printer, then the image will be completely damaged.
• Minimum print speed compared to printing on a specialized laser printer.
• The print head may dry out. This moment is the most important, especially if at this moment the print head is located directly in the printer itself. If you do not use the printer for a long time, then the ink will begin to dry out and create a blockage in the nozzles, and the head may dry out so badly that the printer will have to be thrown away.

Benefits of Inkjet Printers

• The price of the devices themselves. They are quite cheap compared to laser printers, and if we consider the speed of black and white printing, the difference is almost insignificant.
• Possibility of color printing.
• The noise when printing is almost unnoticeable to others.
• Possibility of additional cartridge refilling. If your print head is located directly in the cartridge, then you can simply refill it instead of buying new ones.

Regarding the last point, it is worth noting that not all types of printer cartridges can be refilled in this way. In this regard, it is better to know in advance whether you have the possibility of standard refueling or whether you will have to constantly buy new components.

What types of print heads are there?

The first option is when the print head is located directly on the cartridge itself. This option is, in fact, disposable, but in the vast majority of cases it can easily withstand up to three refills, and its cost is often quite high, and for this reason it is best to refill the ink tanks several times before carrying out complete replacement of the cartridge with a new one.

However, refilling may cause some complications, including certain changes in print quality, as well as print head clogging or even printer failure. And if in this case you did not use original materials and used non-original types of printer ink, no one will fix your equipment under warranty.

The undeniable and main advantage of this cartridge is that if the print head dries out, it is quite enough to simply replace the cartridge to get your printer back into working condition.

The second option is when the head is located directly in the printer itself, and when replacing the cartridge, only the ink tank is replaced, which is much cheaper. However, in this case, you will need to monitor the condition of the print head much more carefully, because if the paint dries out in it or severe clogging occurs, then in this case you can completely throw away your printer, since the cost of repairing it will simply be incommensurate with the price of a new one devices.

It is for this reason that you will just need to turn on the printer at least once a week, since when it is turned on, it begins to prepare the head for work, pushing paint through the nozzles. By constantly buying new original cartridges, you may be able to increase the longevity of your print head, since you will eliminate the possibility of its clogging, but in this situation, printing will become very, very expensive.

A huge advantage of inkjet printers is the ability to use specialized refillable cartridges or a continuous ink supply system, which makes printing costs much cheaper.

Laser printers

The printing principle used different kinds laser printers are approximately the same as standard copiers - a specialized printing drum is used, but instead of lamp light there is a laser beam. The image in this case is formed by transferring a specialized powder toner to paper, which is then melted, passing through separate rollers, and finally fixed on the surface of the paper.

Types of printers and their characteristics may be different, but there are only two main varieties - color or black and white, however, it is worth noting that color devices are still quite expensive today, including both the cost of the device itself and the price of subsequent printing on it, as a result of which the purchase of such devices is advisable only if a person is engaged in professional color printing on a large scale.

Thus, the only significant disadvantage laser printer- this is that, in principle, it makes sense to buy it exclusively for black and white printing, and the very use of this printer is quite expensive, especially if the device provides a “refill protection” function.

What other disadvantages do laser printers have?

• The cost of the device, especially if the device does not have protection against refilling cartridges.
• In some cases, it is necessary to update the printer's firmware in order to be able to refill the cartridge. But in this situation you will completely lose the right to receive warranty service, and the cost of the firmware itself is quite high, and therefore this option becomes not very relevant, and it would be more profitable for you to buy a device that does not initially have such protection.

Advantages of laser printers

• Extremely high printing speed - the image is applied almost instantly.
• Ideal image quality regardless of what ink is used for printing in each specific case.
• Reliability of the resulting image. In other words, even if water accidentally gets on the sheet after printing, you will not see any negative consequences, regardless of what types of printer paper you use.
• Almost silent operation.
• Relatively low cost of consumables. First of all, given the low price of the cartridge itself, it is enough to print a fairly large number of images, and if necessary, the cartridge can be refilled or restored by changing various elements inside it.

Photo printers

Photo printers are devices that are somewhat different from what most people think of as "printers." The types (purpose) of such devices can be very different, but first of all they are used to print color images of the highest quality, including all kinds of posters, photographs or postcards. In other words, this is more professional equipment, the use of which in domestic and residential premises is inappropriate.

The printing principle used here is as follows: a specialized tape is pressed against the paper and gradually heats up, after which the dye applied to the tape begins to penetrate directly into the polyester coating of the paper. Such devices are somewhat more expensive than conventional inkjet devices, but their consumables are quite low in price.

Among other things, there are also different types of 3D printers, but they have nothing to do with printing on paper at all.

How to choose?

Printers should be selected according to your needs and financial capabilities. The characteristics are as follows:

• permission;
• print speed;
• processor and memory capacity;
• connection interface;
• support for various operating systems(more relevant for older types of printer);
• printing characteristics, as well as various additional parameters.

It is worth noting that the quantity and color of inks in the cartridge also deserve special attention if you are going to choose color inkjet printers. In addition, it is quite important to take into account the resource in the pages of the cartridge.

Among other things, be sure to consider both the cost of the device itself and the cost of subsequent use. In particular, the last parameter includes the price of cartridges, which may be original or non-original. Also pay attention to the cost of refills, consumables and paper that will match your device.

A printer is a technical device. The circulations it can cover are small - from 1 to 100 sheets. The first appeared in 1969 thanks to scientists who figured out how to make a well-known device with laser printing from a copy machine.

Classification of printers.

• Based on the principle of image formation they are divided into three categories: sequential formation, which creates text character by character. Next come line and page.
• By printing method They are divided into shock and unstressed.
• According to the color spectrum for colored ones and not.
• By type of material. There are:

1. rolls equipped with winding;
2. sheet intended for printing on film and paper;
3. souvenir printers used for printing on disks, gadgets and for affixing stamps;
4. allowing you to print three-dimensional forms of 3D devices.

• By type of ink used:

1. alcoholic drinks that are not widely used;
2. the most common solvent ones;
3. oil used in industrial production;
4. allowing to obtain high-resolution pigment images;
5. UV-curable, which is an analogue of solvent ink.

1. resolution - measured in the number of dye dots applied per inch of paper, the size of the smallest details;
2. the number of colors that the finished image can convey;
3. speed - the number of pages and characters that the device can print in one second or minute.

What are the different types of printers based on their operating principle, their advantages and disadvantages.

For rare use, most often purchased laser printers. They differ from others in their satisfactory speed, image quality and affordable price.

The operating principle of laser machines largely coincides with the operating principle of Xerox machines: using ink powder - toner. Text and pictures are first applied to the drum, after which they are transferred to sheets and baked using thermal units.

Important! The simplest laser printer prints from 10 to 20 pages per minute.

The benefits of use include:

• the possibility of not using the device for a long time during which the toner does not deteriorate or dry out;
• low cost of parts and consumables;
• resistance of the finished image to high temperatures and moisture;
• ease of operation;
• the fact that toner cartridges can be refilled yourself using compatible consumables.

Important! If the printer is blocked due to a lack of toner, you can reflash it or change the chip on the cartridge.

The disadvantages include:

• release of ozone, acetone and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere during operation;
• presence of nodes with high power consumption;
• the possibility of breakage due to a misplaced paper clip or crumpled sheets;
• lack of stability in impressions.

Subspecies laser devices become led printers, which differ from them in source. While laser devices have one beam, LED devices have a whole battery. They do not move; each point has its own light bulb.

The undeniable advantages include high speed and quality. The key disadvantage is considered to be high cost and low prevalence.

Laser devices can compete with inkjet printers. The image on the sheet consists of microscopic dots. There is a head inside the machine that applies liquid paint to paper sheets.

Important! These printers differ from each other in the type of ink used and speed.

Inkjet devices are suitable for those who want to print high quality images. However, users need to take into account that liquid paints can dry out if left idle for a long time, and changing them is not that cheap. Previously, they used only 4 colors:

• yellow;
• blue;
• purple;
• black.

In modern models, two more colors were added, which made it possible to increase the brightness and saturation of the finished images. The advantages of inkjet devices include:

• price;
• quality of finished images;
• possibility of using photo paper;
• quiet operation;
• low power consumption during operation;
• the ability to print on different media;
• multifunctionality.

Among the disadvantages are high cost and slow speed. In addition, ink cartridges are much more expensive than, for example, color toner for a laser device.

Next in the ranking is matrix printer. For a long time it was used as a standard device that helps to transfer information from a computer to paper. Matrix devices were used even when laser and inkjet analogs had already appeared. They differed from them in their low price, but the image quality left much to be desired.

The advantages of such devices include:

• cheap consumables;
• ability to print on all types of paper;
• the ability to print on paper with a large number of layers.

Among the disadvantages are:

• that dot matrix printers print very slowly and loudly;
• that the quality of the images is very poor;
• What color print practically impossible.

Important! Most often, matrix devices are used for printing on forms.

3-D printers occupy a separate category of devices used for printing. Resembling a large box with glass allowing the process to be observed, they create shaped objects based on visual drawings.

During operation, the device uses ceramic powder, plastic threads and photopolymer resins, which, when combined gradually, layer by layer, create a given pattern.

Important! What could take a long time to create by hand can be quickly printed on a 3-D printer.

Devices that combine a number of functions deserve special attention: scanning, copying, printing photos and documents, receiving and sending faxes. That's what they call them - multifunctional devices or "MFP". Compact-sized MFPs are used for work in offices and at home, since combining the functions of several peripheral devices, they take up little space, operate quickly and are almost silent. The operating principle of the MFP is to use inkjet or laser technologies. You can also find LED MFPs in stores.

The advantages of using multifunctional devices include:

• low cost relative to purchasing each device separately;
• space saving;
• low cost of printing;
• the ability to simultaneously print on both sides of a paper sheet;
• high productivity;
• Possibility of printing photos on photo paper.

The disadvantages of MFPs include:

• the fact that if one of the nodes fails, the rest will not be able to work;
• low speed of copying paper documents;
• the fact that if the MFP fails, work can stop in the entire office.

In addition to the above types of printers, which differ in their operating principles, there are several other types. Some of them have already ceased to be in demand, and some are used only for certain purposes. Such machines include:

1. Sublimation printers. Characterized by a good level of color rendering and high quality Sublimation printers are used in printing houses.
2. Drums. Drum printers were no longer used long ago due to the fact that when printing, letters were often located at different levels, “dancing” and “running” across the paper. The design of such machines was based on a drum with imprints of symbols, which, when rotating, left the necessary letters and numbers on the paper.
3. Petalaceae. Another type of printer that has sunk into oblivion is the petal type. He printed using a flexible disk with petals located on it. During the work, the petals touched the tape with paint and paper, leaving certain marks on it.

When planning to purchase a printer, you need to determine a few key points for yourself:

1. The type of printer based on its operating principle and other criteria that is best suited for home or office use. For home use, it is recommended to purchase cheaper laser models; for offices, MFPs are suitable.
2. The print format that covers the device. For students who work with A4 format, any of the printers described above will be suitable. It is necessary to specifically buy machines that could print text on A2 and A1 sheets only for work in offices and design bureaus.
3. Print speed. Just like other criteria, the desired print speed depends on where and how the printer will be used. For your home, it is better to purchase a not very powerful and slow laser printer. For offices, it is necessary to buy high-torque and fast machines with high printing speed.
4. Availability additional functions. Opportunity duplex printing, display, connectors for USB cables and connectors for card readers will greatly simplify use, but will also increase the price of the device by 2 or 3 times.

People who want to use types of printers to print educational materials and sometimes photographs should not purchase expensive models with high print quality and speed. Color inkjet printers, which are inexpensive and easy to maintain, are perfect for such needs. The main thing is not to forget to periodically drive the car to avoid allowing the paint to stagnate for long periods of time.

State educational institution

Belgorod State National Research University

Law Institute

Legal support of national security

Abstract on computer science

Types of printers and their characteristics

Completed by student gr.01001312

Logvinenko D.O.

Teacher:

Belgorod

INTRODUCTION 3

CHAPTER 1. PRINTERS: CONCEPT, TYPES 4

1.1. Printer: concept, history of creation 4

1.2. Printer classification 7

CHAPTER 2. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAIN TYPES OF PRINTERS 9

2.1. Matrix (needle) printer 9

2.2. Inkjet printer 10

2.3. Laser printer 12

CHAPTER 3. OPERATING PRINCIPLE OF PRINTERS 16

3.1. Operating principle of dot matrix printers 16

3.2. Operating principle of inkjet printers 16

3.3. Operating principle of laser printers 17

CHAPTER 4. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE MAIN TYPES OF PRINTERS 18

4.1. Advantages and disadvantages of dot matrix printers 18

4.2. Advantages and disadvantages of inkjet printers 19

4.3. Advantages and disadvantages of laser printers 19

CONCLUSION 20

REFERENCES 22

INTRODUCTION

Printers are classified as peripheral or external devices.

Peripheral devices are devices located outside system unit and involved at a certain stage of information processing. First of all, these are devices for recording output results: printers, plotters, modems, scanners, etc.

Printers are designed to output information onto solid media, mostly paper. There are a large number of different printer models that differ in operating principle, interface, performance and functionality. Based on the principle of operation, they are divided into: matrix, inkjet and laser printers.

The purpose of the work is to study the types of printers, their operating principles, as well as their advantages and disadvantages.

To achieve the goal set in the work, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:

1) Define the concept of “printer”, consider the history of its creation;

2) Consider the classification of printers;

3) Describe the main types of printers;

4) Study the principle of operation of printers;

5) Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the main types of printers.

Chapter 1. Printers: concept, types

1.1. Printer: concept, history of creation

Printer (from the English printer - printer) is a device for converting information stored on storage devices (text, graphics) into a hard copy, usually on paper. This process is called printing, and the resulting document is called a printout.

Charles Babbage thought about the need to print the results of calculations on paper when he was developing his Analytical Engine - a mechanical prototype modern computers. As a result, he also came up with the first printer in human history, called the Difference Engine.

Unfortunately, this device was never created during the author’s lifetime. True, 150 years after the death of the author, this printer was nevertheless collected by the London Science Museum, under the leadership of its director Doron Suod (Fig. 1). The resulting device consisted of 8,000 parts and weighed about 5 tons. It should be noted that when developing this Difference Engine, Babbage came up with many ideas that are still used today.

When computers appeared, at first information was either written down manually or printed on a typewriter (special personnel were even hired for this). The first printing device that could be connected to a computer was created in 1953 by Remington-Rand. The device, whose operating principle is very similar to a typewriter, is called UNIPRINTER. The main part of the printer was a disk with many “petals”, each of which represented a letter (a raised image of letters, numbers and special characters). A special impact mechanism hit the petal, which, through the printing ribbon, hit the paper. It was then that the idea of ​​color printing was born - printing tape of various colors was used for it. UNIPRINTER printing speed was about 80,000 characters per minute! Later, printers of this type were called “petal printers”. There have also been attempts to replace the petals with special drums and ribbons. This technology also came to the USSR, where such machines were called alphanumeric printing devices - ATsPU. These printers had a number of significant disadvantages - they were unreliable, very noisy, did not allow printing graphics, and always printed in the same font.

Dot matrix printing technology was developed in 1964 by Seyko Epson. But the first dot matrix printer appeared in 1970. It was developed by Centronics Data Computer. For printing, it used a matrix of 7 needles (hence the name of the printer type). The printer was called Model 101. Thanks to dot matrix printers, it became possible to print graphics as well. The technology was rapidly developing and becoming cheaper. So, already in 1983, the first printer appeared on sale, which could easily be purchased by a home user - its cost was about $700 (for example, the Model 101 cost about $3,000). This printer was the Image Writer, the brainchild of C.ltoh Electronics. The arrival of dot matrix printers into the home gave an additional impetus to the development of technology. But dot matrix printers also have a number of disadvantages, the main ones being low print quality and noise. However, thanks to their exceptionally low cost and very high reliability, dot matrix printers have survived to this day.

The disadvantages of dot matrix printers forced researchers to look for new printing methods. The first inkjet printers appeared not much later than dot matrix printers - in 1976, IBM introduced the first working model, called Model 6640. However, many more years passed before inkjet printers appeared on the desks of home users. The main role in the development of inkjet printers was played by Canon, Epson and Hewlett-Packard, which developed their own printing technologies (BubbleJet, piezoelectric method and drop-on-demand, respectively).

The first color inkjet printer was developed by Hewlett-Packard, which introduced in the early 90s a printer capable of mixing inks with each other, thereby obtaining different colors and shades.

As for laser printers, it should be noted that the technology used in laser printing (electrography) appeared long before the appearance of the first matrix printers - back in 1938. It was developed by the American scientist Chester Carlson. Since then, it has been repeatedly improved and refined. However, only Xerox, which decided to use copier technology to create a printer, thought of using it to create a printer. As a result, in 1971, the EARS apparatus appeared, which never left the walls of the laboratory. The first commercial model of a laser printer appeared in 1977. It was called Xerox 9700 Electronic. IBM, Apple and Hewlett-Packard are involved in the development of laser printers. However, for a long time, these devices were too expensive - their price was about several thousand dollars. The first printer costing less than $1,000 was created by Hewlett-Packard, which created the LaserJet IIP model in the early 90s. A modern laser printer used at home is a relatively inexpensive (still an order of magnitude more expensive than an inkjet printer) device, with a very low printing cost.

There are several other types of printing - sublimation, thermal... But they are either not used at home at all, or are used extremely rarely.

Today, three technologies (matrix, inkjet and laser) are the most used and widespread. Constantly improving and developing, in essence they have remained unchanged since their creation. But who knows, maybe in the very near future, a technology will appear that will make a real revolution in the world of printers.

Hello.

I don’t think I will open America by saying that a printer is an extremely useful thing. Moreover, not only for students (who simply need it to print coursework, reports, diplomas, etc.), but also for other users.

Now on sale you can find Various types printers, the price of which can vary tenfold. This is probably why there are a lot of questions regarding the printer. In this short reference article, I will look at the most popular questions about printers that I get asked (the information will be useful for those who are choosing new printer for home). So…

The article has omitted some technical terms and points in order to make it understandable and readable for a wide range of users. Only current user questions that almost everyone faces when searching for a printer are discussed...

1) Types of printers (inkjet, laser, matrix)

Most questions come about this. True, users do not ask the question “types of printers”, but “which printer is better: inkjet or laser?” (For example).

In my opinion, the easiest way to show the pros and cons of each type of printer is in the form of a plate: it turns out very clearly.

My conclusions:

1. If you are buying a printer for printing photos, it is better to choose a regular inkjet printer (preferably a model on which you can later install continuous supply ink - relevant for those who will print a lot of photos). An inkjet printer is also suitable for those who occasionally print small documents: abstracts, reports, etc.
2. A laser printer is, in principle, a universal machine. Suitable for all users, except those who plan to print high-quality color pictures. A color laser printer is inferior in photo quality (today) to an inkjet printer. The price of the printer and cartridge (including its refill) is more expensive, but in general, if you make a full calculation, the cost of printing will be cheaper than with an inkjet printer.
3. Buying a color laser printer for the home, in my opinion, is not entirely justified (at least until the price drops...).

Important point. Regardless of what type of printer you choose, I would also check one detail with the same store: how much does a new cartridge cost for this printer and how much does it cost to refill it (refillability). Because the joy of the purchase may disappear after the ink runs out - many users will be very surprised to learn that some printer cartridges cost as much as the printer itself!

2) How to connect the printer. Connection interfaces

The vast majority of printers that can be found on sale support the USB standard. As a rule, there are no connection problems, except for one subtlety...

I don’t know why, but often manufacturers do not include a cable with the printer to connect it to the computer. Sellers usually remind you of this, but not always. Many novice users (who are encountering this for the first time) have to run to the store twice: once to get a printer, the second to get a connection cable. Be sure to check the package when purchasing!

The LPT interface is now becoming less and less common (it used to be a standard (very popular interface)). By the way, many PCs are still equipped with this port to be able to connect such printers. There is no point in looking for such a printer for your home these days!

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Printers in more expensive price categories are often equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support. And I have to tell you - the thing is extremely convenient! Imagine walking around your apartment with a laptop, working on a report - then you press the print button and the document is sent to the printer and printed out in a moment. In general, this add-on. The option in the printer will save you from unnecessary wires in the apartment (although it takes longer for the document to be transferred to the printer - but in general, the difference is not so significant, especially if you are printing text information).

3) MFP - is it worth choosing a multifunctional device?

Recently, MFPs have been in demand on the market: devices that combine a printer and a scanner (+ fax, sometimes also a telephone). These devices are extremely convenient for photocopies - you put a sheet of paper and press one button - the copy is ready. As for the rest, I personally don’t see any big advantages (having a separate printer and scanner - you can remove the second one altogether and take it out whenever you need to scan something).

In addition, any normal camera is capable of taking excellent photos of books, magazines, etc. - that is, practically replacing a scanner.

HP MFP: scanner and printer complete with automatic sheet feeder

MFP advantages:

Multi-functionality;

Cheaper than buying each device separately;

Quick photocopy;

As a rule, there is an auto-feed: imagine how much easier this will be if you are copying 100 sheets. With automatic feeding: loaded the sheets into the tray, pressed the button and went to drink tea. Without it, each sheet would have to be turned over and placed on the scanner manually...

Disadvantages of MFPs:

Bulky (relative to a conventional printer);

If the MFP breaks, you will lose both the printer and scanner (and other devices) at once.

4) Which brand should I choose: Epson, Canon, HP...?

There are a lot of questions about the brand. But here it is impossible to answer in monosyllables. Firstly, I would not look at a specific manufacturer - the main thing is that it is a well-known manufacturer of copiers. Secondly, it is much more important to look at the technical characteristics of the device and reviews of real users of such a device (in the age of the Internet - this is easy!). It’s even better, of course, if you are recommended by a friend who has several printers at work and sees the work of each one with his own eyes...

Name some specific model- even more difficult: by the time you read the article, this printer may no longer be on sale...

That's all for me. I will be grateful for additions and constructive comments. All the best :)