Need new ink jet printer for Mac G4 with classic

Question

Level 1

8 points

Need new ink jet printer for Mac G4 with classic

I've searching for a new color inkjet printer for my G4 with Classic and have found only 1 by Epson, the R800. However, I'm getting different answers from various techs. One said I just need to get a print server. A tech at Epson says it probably won't work for my classic mode if the OS 9 software is booted up with an OS 10 driver. I don't know the answer to this or exactly what it means!!! Most of my printing would be done with OS 9 software. I have been using an HP laser printer and an HP color inkjet on all 3 of my networked Macs with no problem. Can anyone tell me if the Epson R800 will work? Thanks, Ann C

G4, Mac OS 9.2.x, G4 with Classic

Posted on Mar 29, 2008 10:14 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 30, 2008 2:20 AM in response to Ann C

I don't have it, but the specification page says

+Windows 98SE/2000/Me/XP, Mac 8.6-9.2, OSX 10.1.3 or later+

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&in foType=Specs&oid=37472319&category=Products

Plus, there is a driver for Mac OS 9 available for download here

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid= 30501&prodoid=37472319&infoType=Downloads&platform=All

So I see no reason why it would not work.

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Answer 2

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Mar 30, 2008 10:13 AM in response to Ann C

Hmmm, in Classic OS9, OSX is handling all Hardware including Printers, it's only if you're booting into OS9 that you need OS9 drivers... and then, you can always just save it as a PS or PDF file and print it from OSX, or to a shared printer.

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Answer 3

Mar 30, 2008 2:15 PM in response to BDAqua

I think the Mac OS 9 drivers are used even in Classic under Mac OS X for things like printing and scanning, if you are using a Mac OS 9 program to print or scan.

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Answer 4

BDAqua

Level 10

250,259 points

Mar 30, 2008 3:59 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

You very well may be right! 🙂

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Answer 5

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Mar 31, 2008 6:07 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Yes, Kenichi is right. So to print from an OS 9-based application, whether in Classic mode or booted in pure OS 9, you must have an OS 9 driver installed for the printer you intend to use.

A somewhat clumsy workaround, for printers that have no OS 9 drivers, is to download, install and select PrintToPDF as your OS 9 printer driver, then open the resulting PDF file in the OS X-native Preview or Adobe Reader and print it using your printer's OS X driver.

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Answer 6

Mar 31, 2008 6:13 AM in response to eww

That's a clever work-around...

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Answer 7

eteen

Level 1

30 points

Mar 31, 2008 6:32 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

Hi,

Print to PDF can be frustrating. It's more accurate to use the Laserwriter 8 driver to create a PS file and print it with the Preview program in OS X.

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Answer 8

eww

Level 9

53,052 points

Mar 31, 2008 12:25 PM in response to eteen

Hi, eteen. I'm interested in your comment, and curious in what way(s) you find the results more satisfactory using your LaserWriter 8 method than using PrintToPDF. I don't mean to argue with you; I'm just curious.

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Answer 9

eteen

Level 1

30 points

Mar 31, 2008 2:06 PM in response to eww

Actually, Print2PDF was my method of choice before I switched to the Laserwriter driver. Some documents in PageMaker 5.0 (I know old stuff but still usefull) would not be OK in Print2PDF. Using the Laserwriter driver work flawlessly.

Print2PDF can change some fonts and bitmap some vestorial graphics VS the postcript file from the laserwriter driver is actualy the printout file use to send to the printer.

So what you have from the PS file is what you get if sent to a printer. Since OS X is PDF / Postcript based, the conversion is seemless in OS X to send to other printer via Preview.

A+

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Answer 10

Ann C Author

Level 1

8 points

Apr 1, 2008 10:25 PM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

I want to thank everyone for the responses. Since I'm rather computer challenged, I didn't understand all of it. Most of my printing is on Photoshop 5.5, Pagemaker 6.5 and My Advanced Label Designer. I've tried, as some of you said, to convert Pagemaker to a PDF file and nothing happens.

Anyway, I've talked with 3 more techs at various places (ain't easy) and, it seems the general opinion is that I can simply install an OS 9 driver. I've given up on networking my 3 computers since I can't find a print server for OS 9. Guess I can just print from one computer in color. Most of my printing can be done in black and white on my HP laser.

Thanks again,

Ann C

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