In <[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask] writes:

> I have two LPQ series printers one is a 1400 and the other an 800.  Although
> the 1400 should be almost twice as fast, it is actually slower than the 800.
> The reason for this is that the 1400 hesitates throughout printing.  It is
> not at regular intervals, the printer does not give any error, the print job
> does not start over.  It just pauses for about 3-4 seconds and than starts
> again.
>
> I have called HP support and they say that the printer is out printing the
> network.  I find this hard to believe,  the 800 is on 10MB hub and the 1400
> is on a 100 MB blade.
>
> Is anybody out there having a similar problem or does anybody have any
> suggestions of things I can try?

Are the printers xxxxC models?

We just had an LPQ printer upgraded from a xxxxA to a xxxxC model; after the
firmware upgrade, the printer slowed down to probably 1/8th the speed of what
it would do before the upgrade. We did some testing and discovered that the
new firmware has SERIOUS problems with some escape-sequences, and that some
of the reports we send to the printers use shift-in/shift-out sequences; each
of which causes the printer to pause for several seconds.

We had to have the upgrade removed from the printer; the HPRC is working on
the call and has involved Printronics (the firmware vendor) in looking for a
fix.

(Note that standard printouts *without* the sequences printed just fine...
though that didn't help US much.)

               -Chris Bartram