HEWLETT-PACKARD
750c and 755
The
era of pen plotters has been replaced by color inkjet printers.
The Hewlett-Packard DesignJet 750c PLUS and HP DesignJet 755cm
are full color and 600 dpi for line drawings with 300 dpi
for color renderings. These 700 series printers have in turn
been replaced by the HP DesignJet 1050c and 1055cm
which produce 600 dpi for both line and photographs.
The
750c and 755cm are the last of the first generation printers,
in effect the last of the old CAD plotters. Even though pen
plotters themselves have been abandoned by most manufacturers,
the designation has stuck for any slow "plodders"
that did well with basic architectural drawings but was not
very impressive with photographs.
The
HP DesignJet 1050 and 1055cm were the first generation of
Hewlett-Packard DesignJet printers to bridge the gap between
having the best of both words, high quality drawings and renderings
as well as acceptable photographs. I saw what the HP 1055
was capable of at several trade shows and as a result decided
this would be an ideal printer for our facility.
FLAAR
is a nonprofit research center associated with the architecture
department at each of the two university campuses where we
maintain inkjet printer evaluation studios. FLAAR itself is
an institute dedicated to the photographic recording of architectural
history (of pre-Columbian civilizations of ancient Mesoamerica).
Thus our experience is in maps, architectural drawings, and
plotters. We have two color CAD plotters in our institute
currently and there is another in the architecture department
itself, next door. FLAAR also has two different brands of
photo-realistic quality large format inkjet printers (24"
up to 60" models).
Every
architecture professor on campus loves the HP 1055, indeed
the students themselves refuse to use the older HP 4xx series
in the architecture classroom. Instead they make a beeline
next door to the FLAAR inkjet printer facility to ask if they
can print their images on the 1055.
The
1055 has inherent banding at its high speeds but this does
not seem to bother either the professors nor the students.*
They like the colors and the overall impact of the image.
Indeed the student who won the First Prize in a recent competition
on campus had his image printed on the FLAAR printer from
Hewlett-Packard.
Today
you can also opt for the HP
500 (for a small architect's office) or the HP
800ps, for a workgroup of graphic designers. You can get
these HP printers network ready, something which is necessary
at a university or at any large company.
If
you are lured by the low prices of the earlier models, HP
4xx series, HP 6xx series, or HP 7xx series, we recommend
you opt instead for the HP 1050 or 1055 if you need 36",
the HP 500ps if you need even better color for photographs,
the HP 800ps if you wish a faster model for a larger workgroup,
or the HP 5000ps if you want the ultimate quality. We have
the 800ps arriving shortly for graphic design as well as for
architectural renderings, really complex designs that will
look nicer on the 1200 dpi of that printer. And we selected
the HP 5000ps when we needed a 60" image in UV resistant
pigmented inks.
When
deciding what plotter to buy, you have Oce,
Canon,
Encad,
Xerox XES ColorgrafX and a host of other technologies to select
from. Just as the horse and buggy was replaced by the automobile,
so the color inkjet technology is replacing all the earlier
electrostatic, blueprint, and other monochrome printing systems
that architects relied on for years, even decades.
For
additional information and for help making your decision
on what printer is best for drawings and renderings, check
the reports for the "FLAAR report on CAD-GIS plotters."
on www.wide-format-printers.net
If
this will be your first color inkjet printer or your first
large format printer where you need help understand what a
RIP is, then we have a special report that holds your hand
and leads you through all the basic questions that will assist
a first-time buyer of a large format printer. Purchase the
FLAAR report on "RIP
+ Help." This explains what RIP software is, why
this is useful, and includes tips, warnings, information,
and help for a wide range of matters for a newbie. Here you
will really appreciate that FLAAR is based at a university;
Professor Hellmuth has plenty of experience writing in a manner
that explains what you need, and why.
If
you really want technical details on inkjet media, inks, and/or
inkjet printhead technology, and especially if you wish to
meet the movers and shakers in this industry, be sure to sign
up for the next conference organized by IMI. Their
contact is imi@tdstelme.net.
These seminars are outstanding; the senior review editor of
FLAAR usually attends because he can get so much fresh information
for the readers of the FLAAR Reports in PDF format and the
FLAAR Information Network of web sites.
*
the horizontal banding tracks can be reduced by setting
the printer for photo realistic mode. The banding can
be virtually eliminated by calibration and/or by using
one of the better software RIPs. Our printer evidently
got the printheads unaligned during shipping from Barcelona
to the USA to Guatemala, Central America.
If
you are looking for used HP DesignJet printer. How do
you know whether the printer even works? So if you need
reassurance that your used printer is reconditioned,
or at least has a 30 day warranty, consider checking
with mike@plottersupplies.com
or brandi@plottersupplies.com.
If
you seek info on Wasatch SoftRIP for an HP or Encad
(thermal printers), contact Jonathan Knecht, tel
toll free 888 BIG-COLR, e-mail colorguru@colordna.com.
We only recommend resources that offer competent technical support, experience based on years in the business, and a company where we have personally met (and checked out) the people behind the name. Thus if you are considering acquiring any HP DesignJet printer, you can contact Jonathan Knecht with confidence, e-mail colorguru@colordna.com , toll free (888) 244-2657.
If
you are in Canada or outside USA, please contact your
local national dealer. Most USA resellers do not
sell outside the continental USA.
For
further information on PosterJet in the USA, contact
ken@scarabgraphics.com
or check out their web site, ScarabGraphics.com.
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All reports by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth |
Updated March 11, 2005
First
posted March 7, 2001 Last updated
JULY 032001
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