From: Stephanie C (stepchung@gmail.com)
Date: Tue Oct 16 2007 - 12:50:02 EDT
Thanks, Ladies and Gentlemen! I forward the most valuable information from
Master Bill.
Step
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Bill Hassell <bill@billhassell.com>
Date: Oct 15, 2007 6:32 PM
Subject: RE: [HPADM] HP-UX Network Printers
To: Stephanie C <stepchung@gmail.com>
Sorry you had to find this out the hard way. Host-based printers have been
around for more than a decade starting with the (least expensive) inkjets
because host-based means there is NO formatter in the printer. I was more
than disappointed that LaserJets fell into this trap. Unfortunately, HP
provides absolutely no consistent method to warn non-PC users of the
problem.
And it gets worse: host-based means that many printers will never work on
certain versions of Windows because no driver was ever created for the
printer.
There is no solution at all for HP-UX (or Solaris or Linux or AIX or
mainframes, etc) where printing is limited to ASCII (and the ASCII-based
language called PCL) and Postscript. These printers are braindead and cannot
be made to work -- unless you want to write a page layout driver so that all
the dots can be sorted in page order and sent to the printer.
Here is an explanation I created a few years ago:
*Host-based printers
*
These are printers which cannot be used in a general environment such as
Unix or Macs or maniframes. The reason is that an critical component in the
printer, the formatter, has been moved to the driver. Essentially, these
printers are simple dot squirters so the computer must supply all the dot
information directly. This means that text, fonts, graphics, colors, etc
must all be formed in memory (rasterized) and then formatted to match the
printer's print heads. Because each model has hardware specific
requirements, if HP does not supply a driver, the printer cannot be used for
even the simplest printing task. These printers are also called PPA or GDI
printers.
*What is a PPA printer?*
Deskjet 710c, 712c, 720c, 722c, 820cxi, 820cse, 1000c, 1000cxi,
3300c, 3400c, 3500, 3600
Photosmart Photo printer (C3804)
Laserjet 3100 series, 1000 series
many others have/will follow...
Some HP printers use a printing system called Printing Performance
Architecture (PPA). PPA printers have limited electronics and firmware that
are different from any HP Deskjet printer model in the past. No formatting
is performed in the printer. All formatting, such as color matching and
correction, half-toning, edge enhancement, tone correction, and ink
management, are handled by software. PPA printers cannot be used with
JetDirect LAN cards or boxes. So unless HP provides a driver for a specific
OS, they cannot be used even simple text printing. Here is a (very old) link
about PPA printers:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?objectID=bpd02937
There is a relative of the PPA printer called JetReady. All the restrictions
apply equally to both PPA and JetReady printers. Same problems with no
compatibility with ASCII.
*What are GDI printers?
*
PPA is not the same as GDI (Graphics Display Interface) which is defined by
Microsoft: ( http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa286572.aspx ). These
are printers with special firmware and electronics to accept the MS-GDI
codes and form an image in printer memory. GDI is proprietary to MS-Windows
so finding compatible systems is highly unlikely outside the Windows
environment. These printers rely on the computer's processor to rasterize
the print job. Most host-based printers use the GDI interface built into
Windows (hence the "GDI printer" term), so there is no need to convert the
data to PostScript, PCL, or other printer language.
*All-in-One printers*
There is a wide variety of AiO printers which are really scanners, faxes,
copiers and also a printer. There does not seem to be a consistent way to
identify Windows-only AiO printers, but in general, a PCL compatible printer
implies plain ASCII printing. Many older AiO printers cannot be used with a
LAN card at all.
*OfficeJets, etc*
Many OfficeJet printers are not designed for networking at all so adding a
JetDirect External box will not work either. The original PhotoSmart printer
is not compatible with a JetDirect interface.
*LaserJets*
Until the introduction of the LaserJet 1000 series and 3100 series, all
LaserJets would work with either a plugin JetDirect LAN card or an external
box. So now picking a LaserJet printer for Unix requires careful attention
to the specs. Avoid any printer that says:
host-based
Windows or Windows-only
GDI
Sleek
PPA
Here is a link about compatible HP printers:
Always look for the words PCL and avoid PCL6 and higher levels. Although it
says PCL, PCL6 does not mean ASCII-compatible, a departure from a 20-year
old standard.
-----Original Message-----
*From:* hpux-admin-owner@DutchWorks.nl [mailto:
hpux-admin-owner@DutchWorks.nl] *On Behalf Of *Stephanie C
*Sent:* Monday, October 15, 2007 2:17 PM
*To:* HP-UX Group
*Subject:* [HPADM] HP-UX Network Printers
Hi There,
We ordered few HP color laserjet 3600dn for printing from HP-UX servers. Big
mistake! The printer gets error every times sending the print job from HP-UX
servers. Googled and HP ITRC shows "no can't do" because it is a
"host-based" printers, yeah right HP!. This is what I found "The HP color
laserjet 1500, 2600n,3600, 3500 and 3550 series products use host-based
printing. There is NO solution or upgrade to incorporate HP PCL or
postscripts into these products and NO alternate print drivers are
available. These series are only supported in MS windows and limited Mac
OS". So, that's it? Group: Is there a way to print to this host-based
printer from HP-UX server? Can any one tell me where to find a list of the
HP host-based printers so I avoid to buy? Thank you.
Step
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