Re: [gentoo-user] Picking out a printer. Questions.

[Dale]

Manuel McLure wrote:
> On Sat, Apr 20, 2019 at 7:12 PM Dale <rdalek1967@×××××.com
> <mailto:rdalek1967@×××××.com>> wrote:
>
>     Howdy,
>
>     I'm looking at printers.  ...  This is the model. 
>     Brother HL-L3270CDW
>
>
> Looking at the specs for that Brother printer (I don't know why you
> linked to the openprinting.org <http://openprinting.org> page for a
> Lexmark printer) it seems to have the most important aspect for Linux
> compatibility - PCL6 emulation (PostScript would also work, but you
> want to avoid anything that doesn't have one of those two). It also
> has normal port 9100 network connectivity, so it should work just fine
> under Linux for B/W. I can't find anything in the Openprinting
> database for that specific Brother printer, some of the other entries
> for Brother printers say you need a proprietary driver to get color
> out of them. The entry for the *HL-3170* says it works perfectly but
> gives no details. So I'd be a little wary going in.
>
> As for duty cycle, 30,000 pages/month is the same that my old
> built-like-a-tank HP Laserjet 4Mp had, so I wouldn't worry about it.
> Note that the printer is going to come with "starter cartridges" that
> are only good for about 1000 pages, and that the drum is also a
> consumable that needs replacing after 18,000 pages. But 18,000 pages
> is a lot.
> --
> Manuel A. McLure WW1FA <manuel@××××××.org <mailto:manuel@××××××.org>>
> <http://www.mclure.org>
> ...for in Ulthar, according to an ancient and significant law,
> no man may kill a cat.                       -- H.P. Lovecraft


I think I linked to the wrong page.  I was looking up a lot of printers
and must have got it mixed up.  Makes me wonder if I picked the wrong
printer too.  LOL  You are correct tho, it isn't listed.  Time to find
another printer. 

Knowing about the PCL6 part will help.  I didn't know that would be
important.  Also, I'd rather have one that I can install with CUPS and
its drivers or HPLIP. It's been a while since I've had a printer and
switching to laser is something that is new territory as well. 

Question.  I see some that are regular laser printers.  Then I see some
that are laser jet.  Looking up the cartridges it seems to use toner. 
Another reason I want toner based is that if a page gets wet or damp,
the toner doesn't run like most ink jet printers do.  Am I correct that
a laser or a laser jet would serve that purpose the same?  It seems it
just uses a different method to put the toner on the page or something. 
I googled and what little I found sort of makes me think that would be
fine. 

I'm open to ideas on this.  I've always bought HP in the past but as
long as it prints fine with either HPLIP or CUPS, I'm fine with it. 
Brother would be fine, Lexmark to if it works.  I know some printers are
more Linux friendly than others.  I honestly wish I could find a used
printer locally but not sure how to do that around here. 

Thanks much for the info.  Me makes note to check that PCL6 in the
future.  ;-)

Dale

:-)  :-)