At 11:20 PM 11/17/95 EET, you wrote:
>Gavin wrote:
>>
>> Just got a new LaserJet 5Si/MX today.  It's really neat.  It makes a
>> 4Si look like a Laserjet II by comparison :-)
>>
>> It's a great big thing (see the pictures and specs at HP's www site
>> for details), but the footprint is actually much nicer than the 4Si.
>
>[impressive description snipped]
>
>        I took a look at tha said details at at HP's Web pages.
>        Then I browsed through the "Specifications" table, hey
>        what's that, scroll back: yes it is true:
>
>                Operating systems supported:
>                Windows 3.1 and Windows 95, DOS, OS/2,
>                Macintosh Systems 6 and 7, and UNIX.
>
>        What do YOU think, is there something missing ?
>
>E.
 
    If you mean native hp3000 support, I tend to agree. However, in HP's
defense, the traditional way to do this (status checking serial connection)
is somewhat
expensive to implement as a standard option *in relation to* the percentage
of their customer base (for this printer) that would need that feature. In
the interest of keeping the cost somewhat reasonable, I guess HP has chosen
to leave hp3000 connectivity to third party manufacturers. We use a few of
Extended Systems' serial MIO cards for HP laserjets in some of our 4SI's.
These are the standard, non-status checking serial cards (~ $135) and they
work just fine. Extended Systems also makes a status checking serial card
that issues messages back to the spooler, thus giving it the ability to
display spooler/printer status messages on the system console. Last I
checked, this MIO card ran about $375.
     Another way to implement hp3000 printing would be a third party lps/lpd
(tcp/ip) solution (ala unix). The Jetdirect card (standard in the 4/5si MX,
optional in the 4/5si) can act as an lpd print server - one can even telnet
to the card for tcp/ip configuration (!). I honestly do not know for certain
if lps print services are available for the 3000 - I think there are 3rd
party solutions - if there are (someone more versed in this area may be able
to answer this for me), that would be a faster, more robust interface for an
hp3000-to-hplj 5si connection.
     Finally, HP does make a 35-ppm laser printer especially for the hp3000
environment. I believe this printer has a 150,000 (or more?) page-per-month
duty cycle and some other nifty features not commonly found on workgroup
lasers (may want to check an hp direct catalog for info).
 
Well, I guess thats enough from me on hp laser printer for now.
 
Regards,
 
John
 
>---------------------------------------------------------------------
>Esko Lahdensivu         | Tampere Telephone Company   "We make better
>[log in to unmask]  | Tampere, Finland             connections"
>- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
>Phone : + 358 31 224 4111 ext 4512       Fax : + 358 31 224 4519
>Mail  : P.O.Box 138, FIN-33101 Tampere, Finland  (http://www.tpo.fi/)
>---------------------------------------------------------------------