>> http://aminet.net/search?path%5B%5D=gfx&path%5B%5D=text&path%5B%5D=util&desc=hpgl

> Just saw this added on Aminet. Sounds like it's a dos driver for HPGL.
> http://aminet.net/package/text/print/Plot-Handler

Weird. This package was already there when I linked to Aminet ten days ago. The contents is from 1995, obviously. Why was it reuploaded?

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Sorry, I saw it the recent list and read the readme. Don't have a plotter handy to test but it sounded like it could be applicable so linked it here. Didn't realize it was so old.

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The readme was incomplete.
Thanks for your attention.

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Inspired by this post, I bought my own second hand 950c. It would sold as perfect working order, but I've been unable to get it going. MorphOS is happily talking to it, but I get zero output (the printer head whirs back and forth, the paper advances, but nothing is printed). Fine - needs new cartridges. So I promptly bought these but no progress. I've even tried cleaning the cartridges with a little isopropyl alcohol in case the "new" cartridges were all crusted up. Still nothing.

So then I thought, is there a problem with the printer? One query I had is whether there should be anything between the print cartridges and the paper? Because on this printer, there's nothing between them - printer cartridge - air - paper. Is that right? Or was there a printer head between the cartridge and the paper that's missing? Anything else I can try?

Thanks!

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Hardware self-test page:
1. Turn the printer off and remove the cable that connects the printer to the computer.
2. Turn the printer back on.
3. Press and hold the POWER button. Press the RESUME button four times, and then release the Power button.
The self-test page prints with a report containing the printer model name and serial number.

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Gave that a try. I get just a thin, increasingly faint vertical line, running down about an inch from the left margin. At least that's something! I wonder if my "new" eBay ink cartridges (separately purchased colour and b/w) are both quite dead.

As far as I know you can still buy equivalents for the HP 51645A & HP C1823D cartridges, which I believe are the ones that fit the 950C printer you have, though the thin line does sound like you may have faulty/dried out cartridges.

Can you hear any ink "sloshing" about inside the cartridges if you shake them? Do they feel heavy enough to be full of ink?

Sometimes the head can be revitalised with a drop of isopropyl alcohol on the copper nozzle head of the cartridge if you turn it upside down, but make sure it's over a kitchen sink or something similar just in case it leaks when it's up-turned/upside down. Don't physically touch the copper print head, just drip 1 drop onto the centre of the bottom copper section and let it soak in, as otherwise you might damage the fine nozzles that make up the printhead.

I gave up on my HP895CXI and similar inkjet printers years ago, and moved over to colour laser printers as the toner (powder) does not dry out and stays active as long as the internal fuser, laser and applicator drum assembly works OK and is often a better solution for printing, once the initial outlay has been made - but that's a matter for you to consider.

Most colour laserjets also offer PostScript printing which is far superior to most inkjets output and is supported as long as you have a matching PPD (Postscript Printer Description) file for your PostScript printer, which is supported in MorphOS.

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It takes 45 and 78 cartridges. My local WHSmiths apparently carries them still, but they've been out of stock each time I've popped in. The black and white one is about 50 quid alone! But I would rather pay that and have a working printer, than 10 pound eBay ones that don't work :(

I've been tempted to get a Postscript laser, but whenever I've been into my local PC World, there's never information stipulating they have postscript support, and the shop assistants haven't a clue. Would prefer to get a new MorphOS compatible laser if I can, just so I can hopefully source toners for it more easily in shops, rather than online.

I use a HP 2500 Colour Laserjet, which I use with MorphOS. It was one of their "compact" (use the term loosely - as they are about 45cm x 45cm x 45cm) and that is PostScript 2 & 3 capable, works with Windows 10 as well and Mac OSX 10.4 + 10.5, and 10.6, and probably Linux as well.

It can be networked (slot-into-printer ethernet card) and the toners are as cheap as you can find for any colour laser on ebay. I think I paid under £2 for the last ones I bought, but you need 4 toners (Black - printing term for Black colour is Key, Yellow, Cyan, Magenta - same colours for most colour laser printers, and a printer transfer drum - those are the main consumables, but there's a laser and a fuser that can fail as well - but mine have been fine for 7 years, and were already used/second-hand when I got mine anyway..

It has also got USB, and a 36 pin Centronics connector - for Classic Amiga connection, and will print I believe at least in Key (Black and White), not had any success with printing in colour on a Classic Amiga with it, even with TurboPrint 7, though it is just one step up from the original HP 5M Colour Laserjet (which the 2500 basically superceded) which is supported by TurboPrint 7.

I bought the HP 2500 for its wide compatibility, but it's an old model now, and the only way to get one is as a USED one, but there are many other makes and models of colour laser printers that are PostScript capable - you really only need a valid PPD file installed for use with MorphOS - which if you buy one new will probably be on the installation disc/CD. If you check the spec of any laser printer you are interested in and see if it's PostScript capable, some require a PostScript SIMM/DIMM others are supplied with one, or the PostScript features are built into other parts of the printer's hardware, and come as standard.

Hope this is of interest to you. The HP 950C is an old printer anyway, and only offers PCL3 I believe, and even my old HP895CXI was PCL5 - which the HP2500 colour laaserjet is also, as well as PostScript capable.

That's really helpful - to just have a name of one that works. Centronics is a big plus too. Will look at picking up a second hand one. Thank you Newsense.

Additionally, on the Hardware Compatibility - Printers Section you will find the HP 2500 PPD.6 file shown downloadable for various languages, that also work on Linux, as well as our favourite -> MorphOS. There are a few other printers listed there that work with MorphOS, which you might have overlooked previously, which might point you in the right direction for a PostScript printer. Good luck finding what you want at the best possible price - and that it works when you get it.

If you buy a colour laserjet printer by post - have the toners removed from the printer and sent separately - in a different pack, with each one wrapped up in cling film, or they will probably spill all inside the printer and then that is a total mess to get it cleaned out. As it gets everywhere, motor drives, logicboards, etc.. I've had that happen so I know what a problem it can be. In fact I had to strip the HP 2500 right down to the bare-bones and re-build it once I had got it cleaned - 2-3 days of a job, and you need the service manual ideally (which is available online as a PDF) to manage it all - probably, unless you're a "wiz-ard" with electronic hardware/printers, etc..