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Less Popular Printers
Dot-matrix printer
Dot-matrix printer is an impact
printer that produces text and graphics when tiny wire pins on the print
head strike the ink ribbon. The print head runs back and forth on the
paper like a typewriter. When the ink ribbon presses on the paper, it
creates dots that form text and images. Higher number of pins means that
the printer prints more dots per character, thus resulting in higher print
quality.
Dot-matrix printers were very
popular and the most common type of printer for personal computer in 70’s
to 80’s. However, their use was gradually replaced by inkjet printers in
90’s. As of today, dot matrix printers are only used in some
point-of-sales terminals, or businesses where printing of carbon copy
multi-part forms or data logging are needed.
Advantages of dot matrix
printer:
1)
Can print on multi-part forms or carbon copies
2)
Low printing cost per page
3)
Can be used on continuous form paper, useful for data logging
4)
Reliable, durable
Disadvantages of dot matrix
printer:
1)
Noisy
2)
Limited print quality
3)
Low printing speed
4)
Limited color printing
Thermal printers
Thermal printers use two types of
printing technologies: direct thermal and thermal transfer
printing.
Traditional thermal printers use
direct thermal method by pushing electrically heated pins against
heat-sensitive paper (thermal paper). The coating on the thermal paper
turns black in the areas where it is heated, producing characters or
images. Direct thermal printers have no ink, toner or ribbon. These
printers are durable, easy to use and cost less to print than other
printers. However, the thermal paper is sensitive to heat, light, water,
and abrasion and the text and images may fade over time.
In thermal transfer printing, a
thermal print head applies heat to a heat-sensitive ribbon, which melts
ink onto paper and a wide range of materials to form text and images. The
printouts can be extremely durable and can be stored over long period of
time.
Thermal printers are often used in
cash registers, ATM and point-of-sales terminals. Direct thermal printing
was used in some older fax machines before the 21st century.
However, these old models are now replaced by new machines which use laser
and inkjet printing. Thermal printing is still considered as the best
technology for bar code printing because it produces accurate, high
quality images with exact bar widths. Some portable printers and most
label printers still use thermal printing method.
Thermal printer is not the same as
thermal inkjet printer. The latter uses inkjet print technology by
heating liquid ink to form vapor bubble, which forces the ink droplet onto
the paper from the nozzle.
Read more about the other types of printers:
inkjet printers,
laser printers,
photo
printers,
portable printers,
multifunction printers.
Best deal for Dot-Matrix Printers and Thermal Printers:
Amazon.com
Buy.com ($15 off $200 in computer, electronic
stores)
Tigerdirect.com (US/CA stores)
