PRINTERS

Done by: Britania Williams

Juliana Norman
Sashwayne Jones
Judian Linton
What is a printer?
• A printer is an external hardware output device that takes the electronic data stored on a
computer or other device and generates a hard copy
• It makes intangible documents tangible
• There are two categories of printers: Impact and Non-Impact Printers
Impact Printers
• Impact printers refers to a class of printers that print characters by striking them on a ribbon
which is then pressed on the paper
• Some characteristics of the Impact Printer are:
1. Very low cost
2. Noise is caused by the strike head
3. Has no colour capacity
4. Slow in printing
5. Can produce multiple copies
6. Character style cannot be changes in the Impact Printer (except of dot matrix)

Two types of printers are : Character Printers and Line Printers

Character Printers
• These are types of impact printers that can only print one character at a time.
• Characteristics of a Character Printer include:
1. Low costs
2. Noisy
3. Slow
• A common example of this is the Dot Matrix Printer (DMP) which prints a text in a combination
of dots. The Dot Matrix Printer as well as many character printers are measured by characters per
second and hence not as effective in speed
Line Printers
• Also known as Bar Printers; Line Printers are types of Impact Printers that print one line at a time making
use of continuous form paper instead of various cut papers.
• Characteristics of the Line Printer includes:
1. High speed as it prints the full width of the page, one line or text at a time, instead of a print head
moving back and forth across the page
2. Low in cost and durable.
3. Low print quality
4. Cannot print graphics
5. Noisy
Example of this includes the Chain or Drum Printer
Non Impact Printers
• Also known as the page printer because they print a complete page at a time
• These printers are not noisy because unlike Impact Printers they do not need to press on the
paper in order to print characters. In fact, Non Impact Printers do not have ribbons.

• These printers are typically used today because:

1. They are faster than Impact Printers
2. Supports different font and character size
3. High quality output
• Examples of Non Impact printers are Laser and Inkjet Printers
Inkjet Printers
• This Printer prints by spraying small drops of ink onto the paper

• Characteristics of the inkjet includes:

1. Affordable (found mostly in homes)
2. High quality output
3. Not noisy
4. Faster than Impact Printers
5. Easily manipulated
6. Ink cartridge refills are costly
7. Best for colour print
• Examples of Inkjet printers are the Canon Inkjet Printers and Hp Inkjet Printer
Laser Printers
• A Laser Printer uses light and toner to produce dots needed to form the characters to be printed
on a page
• Characteristics of the Laser Printer include:
1. High speed
2. High quality output/ good graphics
3. Colour print
4. No noise
5. Supports many fonts and different character size
6. Expensive (used mostly by businesses or organizations)
7. Prints multiple copies
• Examples of Laser Printers are: Hp Colour LaserJet Pro and Brother HL-L2350DW