Matrix Printer
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 Epson ActionPrinter 4000 Dot Matrix Impact Printer  US $500.00
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 Tandy DMP105 Dot Matrix Printer Radio Shack US $62.00
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 Tandy DMP105 Dot Matrix Printer Radio Shack US $54.99
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 SAMSUNG SP 0915 DOT MATRIX PRINTER US $56.00
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 Genuine Panasonic KX P115 Dot Matrix Printer Ribbon US $4.99
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How Modern Businesses Now Use Dot Matrix Printers
Technically, the vast majority of printers, whether ink jet or toner based, are still dot matrix printers. They're printing dots close enough together that the visual acuity of the human eye congeals the dots into characters, strokes and lines. However, the original dot matrix printer - where pins push against a ribbon and deposit ink on a paper - are still in use in a lot of businesses.
This printer technology was really the last generation of 'impact' printers, which are the venerable descendents of Guttenberg's original printing press - ink is put on a transfer agent, and it's then pressed into the page. Dot matrix printers were originally doing this with 9 pins of about 0.5 mm each, and grew out of the original punch card methods of getting data out of computers.
The advantage of dot matrix printers originally was that they could produce graphics other than text; back in the 1980s, it was not uncommon to have a 'graphics' dot matrix printer, and a text 'ball-and press' printer, which used a mechanism similar to an IBM Selectric typewriter to produce 'typewritten' documents. The flexibility, and later speed, of the dot matrix printer eventually relegated the ball and press model to irrelevance, particularly as the 24-pin models came into the market in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
24 pin color dot matrix printers came into the market in the mid 1990s, and were the first real attempt at putting color printing in the hands of consumers. They were quickly supplanted by ink jet printers (which did a better job of mixing colors and getting exact hues and colors out of pigments, and were faster on printing color to boot), and this eventually moved ink jet printers into general consumer products - even though their cost per page for a black and white document was significantly higher (and still is higher) than using an impact printer model with ribbons.
The real killer of the consumer dot matrix printer was the laser printer, which have experienced a hundredfold decrease in their costs and a significant increase in their capabilities. Once laser printers started to plummet in cost, the dot matrix printers were supplanted in turn; what was once a ubiquitous piece of office equipment is now regarded as a charming and quaint apparatus seen only in 'period pieces' about the Cold War...until you encounter them in a modern business.
Most modern businesses aren't holding on to these printers out of nostalgia. They're holding on to them at increasing expense because these types of printers work best for multi-part forms, where the impact of the print head creates the page handed to a customer and also the 'carbon copy' or duplicate for their own mechanical record system. These forms are still required in many cases by regulations and legislation dating back to the 1970s and 1980s - there are a surprising number of sectors of business where digital forms management is flat out not allowed, including working for the NHS in some cases.
Another realm where dot matrix printers reign supreme is on routine check generation. Many of the forms that print out checks to send to people have to have those checks printed on dot matrix printers, largely because segmented, large run forms with preperforations, are orders of magnitude cheaper than the alternatives.
Which leads to a problem for those businesses that have dot matrix printers - there aren't many companies making them any longer, and while the machines are durable, they're still mechanical devices and subject to wear and tear, and finding companies that make spare parts - or even ribbons - can be a challenge. But they are out there, they are still manufactured and can be found - it just takes a little extra effort to get what you need.
About the Author
Derek Rogers is a freelance writer who writes for a number of UK businesses. For a wide range of printers and products by brand, he recommends Printware Ltd, a leading provider of
Dot Matrix Printers
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Matrix Printer $6 Matrix Printer - Pick Up The Phon |
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OB TM-U220D DOT MATRIX PRINTER $135.95 OB TM-U220D DOT MATRIX PRINTER |
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Panasonic Matrix Nylon Printer Ribbon, Black KXP145 $20.41 Panasonic Matrix Nylon Printer Ribbon, Black KXP145 |
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Epson FX-890 Dot Matrix Printer C11C524001 $375.06 Epson FX-890 Dot Matrix Printer C11C524001 |
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Lexmark / Lexmark Forms Printer 2590N Dot Matrix Network Printer / 11C2555 $628.55 Lexmark - Lexmark Forms Printer 2590N Dot Matrix Network Printer - 11C2555 |
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Line Matrix Printer $60.54 High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles A line matrix printer is a computer printer that is a compromise between a lineprinter and a dot matrix printer. Basically, it prints a pagewide line of dots. It builds up a line of text by printing lines of dots. Robert A. Kleist and business partner Gordon Barrus created the line matrix printer in 1974, and founded Printronix Inc. They envisioned a new type of printer that would be faster, more reliable and less costly than the cumbersome character printers on the market at the time. The line matrix printing incorporated a unique shuttlebased technology that laid down a matrix of dots and print bar codes and graphics as well as the usual characters. Working out of a garage in Playa Del Ray, Calif., the Printronix team developed a revolutionary 300lineperminute (LPM) prototype line matrix printer in just 90 days. Printronix introduced this line matrix printer, called the P300 series, in 1974. Author: Surhone, Lambert M./ Tennoe, Mariam T./ Henssonow, Susan F. Binding Type: Paperback Number of Pages: 72 Publication Date: 2010/11/28 Language: English Dimensions: 6.00 x 9.02 x 0.17 inches |
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TM - receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix $319.99 Epson TM - Receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix |
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DP8340SC - receipt printer - two-color - dot-matrix $288.99 Star DP8340SC - Receipt printer - two-color - dot-matrix |
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Citizen GSX-190IF Dot Matrix Printer $207.99 11.50 lb 110 V AC 12.50" 17" 2 Year 240 x 216 dpi 270 cps 5.30" 80 9-pin The stylish and compact GSX-190IF from Citizen America is a reliable narrow carriage 9-pin dot matrix printer well suited for home or office environments. A4 A5 AC Supply Citizen Citizen Micro HumanTech Dot Matrix Printer Envelope Fanfold Paper GSX-190IF GSX-190IF Dot Matrix Printer Letter Monochrome Yes www.citizen-america.com |
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Lexmark Forms Printer 2580 Dot Matrix Printer $360.99 11.40" 11C2550 12500 Hour 17.64 lb 19.40" 2 Year 240 x 144 dpi 2500 2580 510 cps 512 KB 7.70" 80 9-pin Compact, affordable and easy to set up, the Lexmark Forms Printer 2580 offers performance as fast as 510 cps when printing up to 6-part forms (1 original + 5 copies). Custom Size Dot Matrix Printer Forms Printer Forms Printer 2500 Forms Printer 2580 Dot Matrix Printer Front Lexmark Lexmark International, Inc Monochrome Multiple Part Form Oki Microline PC PPDS Plain Paper Single Sheet Yes www.lexmark.com |
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Lexmark Forms Printer 2591 Dot Matrix Printer $537.99 11.40" 11C2556 12500 Hour 136 2 Year 21.61 lb 24-pin 25" 2500 2591 360 x 360 dpi 465 cps 512 KB 7.70" Print up to 4-part forms (1 original + 3 copies) quickly and easily with the reliable Lexmark Forms Printer 2591. Provides print quality up to 360 x 360 dpi and print speeds as fast as 465 cps. Custom Size Dot Matrix Printer Forms Printer Forms Printer 2500 Forms Printer 2591 Dot Matrix Printer Front Lexmark Lexmark International, Inc Monochrome Multiple Part Form PC PPDS Plain Paper Single Sheet Yes www.lexmark.com |
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Fujitsu DL3750+ Dot Matrix Printer $445.99 110 V AC 128 KB 13" 16 lb 16.30" 20000 Hour 24-pin 3 Year Limited 360 x 360 dpi 4.70" 480 cps 80 Using advanced 24-wire dot matrix technology, Fujitsu's DL3750+ provides superior speed and reliability. The printer has built-in support for 10 industry standard bar codes. AC Supply Continuous Form DL3750+ DL3750+ Dot Matrix Printer Dot Matrix Printer Energy Star Epson ESC/P2 Fanfold Paper Fujitsu Fujitsu DPL24C Plus IBM ProPrinter X24E KA02013-B203 Monochrome PC Plain Paper Yes us.fujitsu.com |
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TM-U325 Monochrome Dot-Matrix Receipt Printer $279.99 This cost-effective printer is designed to meet the high reliability small footprint needs of the banking industry. The TM-U325 a one-station 9-pin dot matrix printer feat |
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Lexmark Forms Printer 2581 Dot Matrix Printer $484.99 11.40" 11C2552 12500 Hour 136 2 Year 21.61 lb 240 x 144 dpi 25" 2500 2581 510 cps 512 KB 7.70" 9-pin Ideal for wide-format documents, like daily reports and packing slips, the Lexmark Forms Printer 2581 offers reliable 6-part forms (1 original + 5 copies) printing. Enjoy user-friendly functions and print speeds up to 510 cps. Custom Size Dot Matrix Printer Forms Printer Forms Printer 2500 Forms Printer 2581 Dot Matrix Printer Front Lexmark Lexmark International, Inc Monochrome Multiple Part Form Oki Microline PC PPDS Plain Paper Single Sheet Yes www.lexmark.com |
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Lexmark Forms Printer 2590 Dot Matrix Printer $417.99 11.40" 11C2554 12500 Hour 17.64 lb 19.40" 2 Year 24-pin 2500 2590 360 x 360 dpi 465 cps 512 KB 7.70" 80 The Lexmark Forms Printer 2590 combines speed and quality for your forms and documents, from invoices to office memos. Print up to 4-part forms (1 original + 3 copies) with up to 360 x 360 dpi print resolution. Custom Size Dot Matrix Printer Forms Printer Forms Printer 2500 Forms Printer 2590 Dot Matrix Printer Front Lexmark Lexmark International, Inc Monochrome Multiple Part Form PC PPDS Plain Paper Single Sheet Yes www.lexmark.com |
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Lexmark Forms Printer 2591N Dot Matrix Printer $686.99 11.40" 11C2557 12500 Hour 136 2 Year 21.61 lb 24-pin 25" 2500 2591N 360 x 360 dpi 465 cps 512 KB 7.70" Print up to 4-part forms (1 original + 3 copies) quickly and easily with the reliable Lexmark Forms Printer 2591N. Provides print quality up to 360 x 360 dpi and print speeds as fast as 465 cps. Custom Size Dot Matrix Printer Fast Ethernet Forms Printer Forms Printer 2500 Forms Printer 2591N Dot Matrix Printer Front Lexmark Lexmark International, Inc Mac Monochrome Multiple Part Form PC PPDS Plain Paper SPARC Single Sheet Yes www.lexmark.com |
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CD-S501 - receipt printer - two-color - dot-matrix $231.99 Citizen CD-S501 - Receipt printer - two-color - dot-matrix - Roll (3 in) - up to 5 lines/sec - Serial |
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6822P - receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix $1809.99 Intermec 6822P - Receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix - Letter - up to 2 ppm - capacity: 50 sheets - Bluetooth |
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6822F - receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix $1878.99 Intermec 6822F - Receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix - Letter - up to 2 ppm - Bluetooth |
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Panasonic KX-P1121E Dot Matrix Printer $216.99 1 x Push Tractor 11 lb 12.36" 17.09" 24-pin 240 cps 5.30" 64 KB 80 8000 Hour Continuous Form Desktop Dot Matrix Printer Epson LQ-850 Fanfold Paper IBM ProPrinter X24E KX-P1121E KX-P1121E Dot Matrix Printer KXP1121E Monochrome Multiple Part Form PC Panasonic Single Sheet Yes www.panasonic.com |
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Panasonic KX-P1131E Dot Matrix Printer $227.99 1 x Push Tractor 1 Sheet 12 lb 12.80" 17.10" 24-pin 300 cps 360 x 360 dpi 5.50" 54 KB Continuous Form Desktop Dot Matrix Printer Epson LQ-300 Fanfold Paper IBM ProPrinter X24E KX-P1131E KX-P1131E Dot Matrix Printer Monochrome Multiple Part Form Not Applicable Panasonic Single Sheet Yes www.panasonic.com |
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Genicom LA40R-KA Matrix Nylon Ribbon for DEC LA400 Printer. Each $50.69 Manufacturer: Genicom. Each. Matrix Nylon Ribbon for DEC LA400 Printer For DEC Printer LA400. Matrix Nylon Customers also search for: Black;DEC;DEC LA400 Printer;DEC Printer Ribbon;Machine Ribbon;Matrix Nylon;Nylon;Printer;Printer Ribbon;Replacement;Repla |
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Genicom LA60R-KA Matrix Nylon Ribbon for DEC LA600 Printer. Each $71.86 Manufacturer: Genicom. Each. Matrix Nylon Ribbon for DEC LA600 Printer For DEC Printer LA600. Matrix Nylon Customers also search for: Black;DEC;DEC LA600 Printer;DEC Printer Ribbon;Machine Ribbon;Matrix Nylon;Nylon;Printer;Printer Ribbon;Replacement;Repla |
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Tallygenicom 6312 Line Matrix Printer $6794.99 1 Year Limited 1 x Parallel 1 x Serial 110 V AC 1200 lpm 1200 lpm Monochrome 150 lpm Graphic 214 lb 220 V AC 345000 pages per month 6300 6312 6312 Line Matrix Printer 632011 136 Column Enclosed pedestal Accoustic: 56 dBA The TallyGenicom 6312 printer accommodates the most demanding applications in the harshest environments. With their rugged and efficient design, they provide the most reliable and economical printing solution. Continuous Form Ethernet Line Matrix Printer Monochrome Multi-Part Form PC Tallygenicom Tallygenicom, L.P www.tallygenicom.com |
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TM U325 - receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix $349.99 Epson TM U325 - Receipt printer - B/W - dot-matrix |
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OKIDATA / Oki MICROLINE 395C Dot Matrix Printer / 62410602 $1437.36 OKIDATA - Oki MICROLINE 395C Dot Matrix Printer - 62410602 |
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Okidata ML420N Dot Matrix Printer 570CPS 9pin 62418703 $652.88 Okidata ML420N Dot Matrix Printer 570CPS 9pin 62418703 |
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OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 320 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62411602 $415.12 OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 320 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62411602 |
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OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 8810N Dot Matrix Printer 62426504 $2131.35 OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 8810N Dot Matrix Printer 62426504 |
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Printek Formspro 4300 Mono Parallel Centronics Dot Matrix Printer 90482 $115.01 Printek Formspro 4300 Mono Parallel Centronics Dot Matrix Printer 90482 |
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Lexmark Tractor For 4227 Dot Matrix Printer - Envelope, Cut Sheet 13L0210 $162.89 Lexmark Tractor For 4227 Dot Matrix Printer - Envelope, Cut Sheet 13L0210 |
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TallyGen Black Ribbon For 6312 Line Matrix Printer 086041 $68.71 TallyGen Black Ribbon For 6312 Line Matrix Printer 086041 |
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Panasonic Matrix Nylon Printer Ribbon, For KXP2130/P2135, Black KXP160 $23.21 Panasonic Matrix Nylon Printer Ribbon, For KXP2130/P2135, Black KXP160 |
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TallyGen Black Ribbon for 6306/6312 Line Matrix Printer 086039 $56.05 TallyGen Black Ribbon for 6306/6312 Line Matrix Printer 086039 |
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OKI Okipos 441J Monochrome Dot-Matrix Printer Serial 62114301 $123.82 OKI Okipos 441J Monochrome Dot-Matrix Printer Serial 62114301 |
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OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 390 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62411901 $403.33 OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 390 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62411901 |
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OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 391 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62412001 $534.39 OKI Electric Oki MICROLINE 391 Turbo Dot Matrix Printer 62412001 |
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Universal Office 1-Across Dot Matrix Printer Label $54.99 1-Across Dot Matrix Printer Label 3000 / Box 75114 Label Size: 5 x 2 15/16 - text Dot Matrix Multipurpose Label Perforated Rectangle Universal Office Universal Office Products White www.universalofficeproducts.com |
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Panasonic PANKXP150 Matrix Nylon Printer Ribbon Black $28.99 Printer ribbon is designed for use with Panasonic KXP2123 P2124 P2180 KXP3123 and P3124 printers. Matrix nylon. Country of Origin: Japan. Print Color: Black. Print Technology: Dot Matrix. |
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Printronix Line Matrix B/W Monochrome Line-Matrix Printer Serial Centronics With Cabinet P7200HD $4845.26 Printronix Line Matrix B/W Monochrome Line-Matrix Printer Serial Centronics With Cabinet P7200HD |