Looking for a printer solution

[1200XL M.U.L.E.]

@Gunstar Wow, that is quite a statement!

 

Like you and many others, I also use SIO2PC but I don't consider myself tethered to the PC. I use the PC to compliment my Atari experience rather than substitute it. My PC stores a library of disk images I downloaded from TOSEC and Pigwa and my PC has a 16MB ATR where I store my favorite games and applications. I also transfer my favorite games and applications to floppy disks and run them from there. If a floppy, a drive, or both happen to fail then I can fall back on my PC as simulated drive. So, in this sense, my PC is subservient to my Atari. My PC is simply a tool that I use to accomplish what I need to get done. Perhaps one day after I've gone through the several megabytes (gigabytes?) of ATR files and finished compiling my favorites I will use a SDrive-Max and make myself "PC free" as you would say.  

 

Oh, and I'm under no illusion that one day my drive will expire so I use it as much as I can now while it's still going strong. 

 

The bottom line here is that everyone's Atari experience is unique to them. Do what you like and like what you.

[BillC]

3 hours ago, Gunstar said:

I've decided to buy one of the Samsung laser printers with Centronics port for my Atari now

Just be aware that it still may not work properly, I don't think it will support the ESC/P commands that most Atari 8-bit printing software uses.

[+x=usr(1536)]

Statement retracted re: using CUPS for direct printing; see Thom's comments in this post and this post for details.

Edited February 24, 2021 by x=usr(1536)

[Mark2008]

Because I just recently went through this printer solution for myself, I will share I got the attached Epson FX-80 off e-bay.

It was $60 ($30 + $30 s/h).  I also just bought an Atari 1025, ($30+$30 s/h - nearly exactly the same price.

 

I did this, because I just want to conveniently print listings, and I have the desk space.  My immediate thought was to hookup a Tandy DMP 105, which is a small and sexy printer, but the truth is, you cannot buy a ribbon for it.  It's no problem getting a ribbon for these printers. 

 

Basically for Atari printers, the old 820/822 are never for sale.  A 1027 is usually advertised as the printhead fell apart.  The Okidata Okimate 10 is a wax transfer printer, I had one bitd as well, and do not want that at all.    So, the 1025 comes up from time to time. I bid the lowest amount for it as stated above, nobody bid against me.

 

Both were advertised as untested, and both work perfectly.  They were just estate sale purchases where the seller really cannot test these old devices any more.

 

Panasonic printers, as others have mentioned are in regular supply on e-bay, they even have 24-pin versions with much better print quality, although NLQ mode on the FX-80 is plenty fine for printing listings, imho.   Also with the panasonic, printer ribbons aren't a problem, and many are advertised tested.

 

I just literally wanted to spend $60 and not $70 - $90.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by Mark2008

[Paul Lambert]

I have an opportunity to get an Epson LQ-300+. In the description it reads that it has a Centronics-type interface. Simple question: Would this work on my Atari 800 XL with a standard interface? I will buy it now if any of you guys can confirm that this set up would function. Cheers.