Printers
It is an output device to produce paper copy (hard copy) for a document, pictures etc. The job of a printer is to put on paper what is seen on the monitor. Printers vary mainly in cost, quality, speed and noise levels.
The printers are classified as under:
1. Impact Printers - These printers have a mechanism that touches the paper in order to create an image.
The Dot Matrix Printer is an example of this type.
2. Non-impact Printers - These printers do not touch the paper when creating an image.
The inkjet and laser printers are examples of this type.
Dot Matrix Printer
Printers in this category print the characters / images using dots through inked ribbon. These printers are very economic and require very less maintenance cost. The print quality of the dot matrix printer is decided by the quantity of pins it has. The number of the pins can vary from nine to twenty four, depending on the kind of dot matrix printer. When compared to the other kind of printers, like the laser printers or the ink jet printer, the dot matrix printer is much more expensive.
The dot matrix printer has a tendency to make a lot of noise when compared to the other kinds of printers. This is why the dot matrix printer is not very popular among customers. Quality of print in this category is not very high but is highly suitable for printing situations requiring multiple copies. These printers can print through hammering pattern of dots on the printing ribbon and can thus print multiple copies of document if multiple papers separated by carbon papers are inserted in it.
Note that this feature is not available with any other category of printers.
Inkjet/Deskjet/Bubblejet Printer
Printers in this category are most popular. These printers are very low priced with high running/maintenance cost. These printers work on liquid ink technology and print the image using circuit-controlled jet of ink. An inkjet sprays the ink onto the paper in tiny droplets to form text and graphics. Printing speed of these printers is not very high compared to Laser Printers. These printers are suitable for people having less printing jobs with a desirable print quality. These printers are available in 'Coloured' and 'Black & White' options.
Different companies have branded their products using the same technology with different names.
Eg.
· Hewlett Packard (hp) manufactures DeskJet Printers
· Epson manufactures Inkjet Printers
· Canon manufactures Bubble Jet Printers
Laser Printer
These printers use a technique, which is a combination of laser and Xerox technology. The technology involves dry powder based ink, which is adhered to a drum through magnetic force, and when a paper is passed through the drum it releases ink on that paper. These are the fastest available printers in the category and are most suitable for uses involving high-speed quality prints.
