Printer recommendation please

[Mike Jeays]

On Fri, 30 Mar 2012 13:17:02 -0600 (MDT)
Warren Block <wblock at wonkity.com> wrote:

> On Fri, 30 Mar 2012, Karel Miklav wrote:
> 
> > Could you please recommend me a home printer that works nicely with FreeBSD?
> >
> > HP inkjets aren't that bad, FreeBSD drivers are allright, but I'd like to 
> > shift towards some kind of PostScript laser. Xerox Phaser 6500 looks nice, 
> > but I can not economically justify my appetite. Is there a cheaper 
> > alternative or maybe PostScript printers aren't that good idea anyway, heh?
> 
> The Phaser 6500 has some good specifications.  Genuine Adobe PostScript 
> 3, gigabit Ethernet, 24 PPM.  The duty cycle is 4,000 pages per month, 
> which is very low.  Toner is expensive.  Reviews are somewhat mixed.
> 
> It should work with FreeBSD, certainly for text.  For graphics output, 
> Gutenprint doesn't have a setting specifically for the 6500, but one of 
> the similar printers probably will work.  Don't expect photo quality, 
> color lasers have to do halftones.
> 
> The alternative is a black and white laser (LaserJet 4050, still one of 
> the best all-around lasers, used for $50-$150) and an inkjet for 
> reluctant, eventual, stripy color printing.
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I strongly recommend a laser printer over an inkjet even for home use. The reduced running costs and better reliability are easily worth the lack of colour, IMO. I have used an HP 1020 for three years now, and it works fine after three cartridges. I had an inkjet fail at the first cartridge change, after I bought new cartridges. (EPSON - never again).