Are dot matrix printers any good for my requirements?

[aneeshm]

I want to print a lot of text - a LOT of text. I won't use the printer for long periods of time, but when I use it, I'll print many pages. I'll use it to print mostly plain old text.

I have two options:

a) Get a dot matrix now, and use that for plain text, and get an inkjet in a few more months, when I have the money, and use both simultaneously,

or

b) Get an inkjet, and don't get a dot matrix at all, and use the injket for everything.


Which should I go for?

[LordShiva]

Do people still make dot matrix printers?

[Solver]

Wow, you can still buy a dot matrix printer for a PC?

Is sound a concern? Dot matrix printers are loud. Inkjets aren't really that quiet, but matrix printers are louder. Also, dot matrix printers print slower than inkjets.

If you have long periods of downtime, an inkjet's ink will dry and you'll have to replace it even if the cartridge is full. Dot matrix printers can tolerate large periods of downtime quite fine.

[aneeshm]

I don't really care about the sound.

And slower than inkjets? Then maybe I should go with inkjets. I thought that one of the great advantages of dot matrix printers was that they were very fast (so sayeth the mighty Wiki).

[aneeshm]

I've already got a very good idea of which inkjet to go for it I choose to get one, thanks to a previous thread I made on 'poly. I just want to find out about dot matrix printers this time around.

[KrazyHorse]

What is this, 1983?

[Nostromo]

I would get a laser printer if I was you.

[Solver]

Well, the dot matrix speed does vary greatly, it can be as much as 500 characters per second, which wouldn't be that bad - still somewhat slow, though.

[Harovan]

We still support dot matrix as protocol printers for our devices. And yes, they are still sold and people (companies) still buy them. As protocol devices, they have significant benefits compared with inkjet or laser printers:

- They are cheap while serving sufficiently well for their purpose
- They are able to print single protocol lines, which can be read instantly without printing out a whole page
- They're low service devices, there's no ink or toner that can dry out, their tapes last much longer
- They're able to stand turned on for a long time (i.e. many weeks and months) without using much energy or needing much attention

Of course they're loud, but that's not necessarily a downside. First, they mostly stand either in places where it is loud anyway, or in basements, where it doesn't matter. And second, if they print a protocol line, it is mostly to report a malfunction, which demands immediate human attention anyway.

That said, for your purpose I would buy an inkjet. Dot matrix printers may be better for single protocol lines, but for "a lot of text", as you describe, they're much worse than modern printers.

[Mercator]

Dot matrix printers are good for making music.

Isn't the quality of a dot matrix printer pretty crappy? Compared to an inkjet printer printing at top quality it's probably fast. But I'm sure you can trade off some of that quality then for faster printing.

[Nostromo]

That said, for your purpose I would buy an inkjet.

Why? Lasers are cheaper in the long run. He plans to print a lot of text.

[VetLegion]

Go with the InkJet. Many of them have cheap nonoriginal replacement ink, so they are great value for money. For my Canon the original replacement Ink sold by Canon is ~$6 while some made-in-China alternative is ~$2. Theoretically dot marix's Ink can last you longer but the print is paler, uglier and printing is slow.

[Provost Harrison]

I used to have a DPM printer back in the 80s

[Sir Og]

InkJets are ****e.

Since you intend to print a lot I would recommend Laserjet as well.

My experience with inkjets is that you can't refill multiple times and you end up buying new print head which costs as much as a new printer.

[VetLegion]

You end up buying a new printer, yes, but after 4K pages or so. Cost of printer included, per page most inkjets are cheaper than most entry level laser printers, which are more expensive to begin with.