Hi,

I have a legit reason to step back into the 1980's and use a DMP printer.

It will specifically be used for multipart forms. I also would like for it
to be able to be used with perfed paper as well.
(Remember the Z-paper with holes in the side?) Preferably, I'd like it to
be a bottom feeder for this type of paper.

I had a printer like this, but threw it away a decade ago even though it
worked fine. Wish I kept it.

From what I have read, 9-pin DMP's deliver more force as they strike the
paper than 24-pin DMP's and, as such, are prefered when printing to
multiform paper.

Tons of old DMP's on Ebay, but not sure if it would be better to just get a
brand new one. They are relatively expensive new at ~$400.

Also going to need software for filling out the forms, which will be custom
made.

Just looking for any advice by those that are still using DMP's for these
specialized purposes.

Thanks!

If you are in a major metropolitan area, check with the thrift stores.
They are well built and a used one may provide good service.
I'm still using a Panasonic KX-P1124 [replaced the paten strip recently] and
gave 3 similar models away.

--
Remove -NOSPAM- to contact me.

"Eric" <none@nospam.xnn> wrote in message
news:482b7d54$0$5106$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
I just sold my old Panasonic dot matrix, 9 pin printer.... It worked like a
charm, was in great condition.... and as far as I know.. WinXP and Vista
both have the drivers built in for it... so its never out of date.... Sold
it for a mere $15.... they print great on multipart carbonless paper....

Stryker®

I have rarely heard of one of the older beasts dying. Some of the old
Raven/Roland/Panasonic and Epson DMP were built to last nearly forever.
If you can get one cheaply, it is likely o be working, although some
require dip switch positions be c hanged to configure, so finding
manuals is critical for some types of devices.


I wouldn't reject out of hand a 2nd party offer of a DMP, as some may be
well taken care of, or have minimal mileage.
Art

Eric wrote:

That was my experience as well with the older 9 pin DMP of this vintage
and brand.

Art

Stryker wrote:

Eric wrote:
sure the ribbons are widely available. The older these printers get, the
fewer places there will be that have ribbons for them. When I quit using
my dot matrix printers I had two, an Epson LX800 and a Star NX-1001.
Searching for ribbons just now for each one, Google came up with 966
pages for the Star, but 32,300 for the Epson. The Star had a few more
capabilities than the Epson, but they wouldn't matter for the uses
you're describing.

Panasonic and Epson were probably the most popular dot matrix printers.
Epson used the same ribbon cart in several printers. I don't know about
Panasonic. I believe most Epsons had ribbons with higher capacity than
the Panasonics, but if you aren't using the printer very often that
extra capacity may dry up before it's used up, so that may not make a
difference for you.

BTW, you don't need a "legitimate reason" to use old technology. Because
you want to is all the reason you need.

TJ

On May 14, 6:30*pm, "John Keiser" <john.keis...@hawaiiantel.net>
wrote:
I have one of those in my summer cabin, still works great! Haven't
looked for a ribbon for a while though, those might be a little hard
to find now.

Jerry

Eric wrote:
I can't imagine this being a good idea. By the time you pay for custom
forms (which will have to have punched holes) and fuss with keeping the
forms properly lined up on an old printer you could print all the copies
on a laser printer. All the copies will look better and you'll save.

- Max

--
Tips for Healthy Brain Aging from the Alzheimer's Disease Center at Penn - -
* Cognitively stimulating activities - Read, do crossword puzzles, play
cards or a board game every day.
* Education - Take a class or attend lectures. Advise the next
generation to stay in school.
* Exercise - Talk to your doctor about designing an exercise program,
even as simple as walking, geared just for you. Individual sessions
should be at least 30 minutes long.
* Avoid head injury - Always buckle your seatbelt. Wear a helmet when
biking.
* Good nutrition - Eat a heart-healthy diet; it may benefit your brain
as well.
* Cholesterol and blood pressure - Maintain your cholesterol and blood
pressure within normal limits.

printer....
Heck I still have and use my Star Micronics NX1000C printer.... it looks as
good as the day I bought it and prints great...
I also have an old Okidata Okimate 20 thermal full color printer from the
80's
This old stuff was built to last and last.......

Stryker®

In article <g0ha9q$v9h$1@registered.motzarella.org>,
TJ <TJ@invalid.invalid> wrote:

TJ-

A place to look for obscure dot matrix printer stuff, is Computer
Friends in Portland, Oregon.

<http://www.cfriends.com/>

Many years ago, I had two of their ribbon re-inkers, and spent a LOT of
time re-inking ribbons for my Epson MX-80 and FX-150 printers. I found
Computer Friends to be easy to deal with. They had much
better-than-average customer relations.

Fred

Eric <none@nospam.xnn> wrote:
The Okidata 320 is the current standard printer for this.

Can't recall having a problem with either. 24-pin can be quieter and
provide better print quality.

It's a small and shrinking niche market. If reliability is a concern, a
new Oki would be my choice.

Wait--if you haven't even created the forms yet, why are you going with
an impact printer? Have your software print a store copy and a customer
copy. Then you can use a laser printer to print your custom forms on
plain paper. No inventory of custom-printed multipart forms (or lead
time on getting them printed). No form alignment issues. Faster print,
quieter, lower cost, and the customer won't read "3" as "8".

Avoid if possible.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

Hi!

I like that! What you typed just made my day, and it's nice to hear someone
else say so!

William (still has and uses an IBM ProPrinter XL24E...another good bet,
though you might prefer the non-wide-carriage versions)

William R. Walsh wrote:
aren't useless just because they have a bit of experience.

TJ

TJ wrote:
Epson, Okidata, Star or even a Panasonic DOT.

measekite wrote:
It cannot compare to an

Hi!
Come on...you can't be wrong about *everything*, now can you?

They were every bit as good as anyone else's. And being IBM, they were
definitely overbuilt. The carriage drive (an actual screw drive on these)
will probably never wear out!

William