Looking for PCL5 printers that are not host-based GDI (Windows Only) printers (again)...

[Mike Schwartz]

> Mike Schwartz propounded (on Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 02:38:21PM -0500):
> | > > to directly from Linux over a network without requiring any
> | > > Windows printer drivers, do you think the LJ Pro 400 will work in
> | > > that situation?  As I recall, you work mostly with the Windows
> | > > version of
> | > filePro...
> | > >
> | > > Thanks,
> | > > Mike
> | >
> | > Check HP site and the listed a number of Linux drivers for this
> | > black and white laser printer.
> | >
> | > The printer comes with a gigabit port and usb port.  It is pcl5e
> | compatible.
> | > They do not list the font sets included but I am sure that this
> | information is
> | > available on line.
> | >
> | > Richard
> |
> |     The HP web site directs me outside of HP to a Linux Imaging and
> | Printing web site.  That web site offers my some CUPS and other
> | drivers, but doesn't answer this question:  If I send a raw PCL print
> | stream out from the Linux box (not using any funky, unsupported Linux
> | drivers that may be CUPS drivers or whatever) then can the printer
accept
> and print that PCL document?
> |
> | Thanks,
> 
> Under the printing system we've known and loved since the days of Xenix,
> actual ASCII characters are sent to the printer, which has a repertoire of
> fonts and can convert each such ASCII character into a bunch of ink dots
to
> be placed on the page.
> 
> If you're being offered anything called a driver under Unix or Linux,
that's
> because the printer has no such conversion capability, and relies on the
> driver in the computer to generate an arrangement of ink dots. A printer
> that requires such a driver will most liekly fail to do anything with a
stream
> of ASCII bytes. That's host-based printing.
> 
> HP's PCL3 or PCL5 language could include, in the midst of the stream of
ASCII
> bytes, ESCape sequences which convey font or size or margin or color or
> other instructions to the printer.  It's certainly possible for such PCL
> instructions can be interpreted by a driver, but that's still host-based
> printing, which is not a direct answer to the OP's request.
> 
> CUPS is essentially a host-based printing scheme that runs on Unix/Linux;
it
> has to be furnished with specific drivers for specific printers.  Don't be
> scared of it, and know that it can also directly handle PDF, PostScript
and
> other non-text input.
> 
> Another alternative is to use the binary called 'pcl6' (which has NOTHING
to
> do with HP's PCL6, which in turn is NOT a superset of PCL5, which in turn
IS a
> superset of PCL3). This binary understands PCL3/5, and converts it to
> another format (perhaps PDF or PostScript).  You can insert the commands
> to do this in a UNIX SYSV printer interface script, and if your new
printer is
> listed as directly accepting PDF or PostScript input, you're all set.  You
can
> find 'pcl6' for OSR5 or OSR6 at ftp.jpr.com.
> 
> Finally, referring to filePro 5.7.03,"PDF output directly from filePro is
the
> latest and most anticipated feature of this release."
> 
> --
> JP

     Thanks for the info JP.  

      I'm working with a customer right now who decided to upgrade all the
way to 5.7.3 because of the new PDF output feature.

Mike Schwartz