HP Design Jet plotter.

[greatdane2]

Do any of you guys now anything about HP design Jet. model 750C PLUS Plotter. Will it work from a desk top computer and how hard are they to use.
And would I need a special program to use it.
I am a complete idiot when it comes to computers, but I have a line on a used one. I would like to use it to print out patterns in one go.
Thanks, Alan.

[DWSudekum]

Plotters are not normally used as a normal printer as they are specialized for making engineering type ( blueprints and line drawings ) of prints.

A plotter is fine if you are going to be making and/or printing patterns that are larger than a normal size of paper - ie 8.5 x 11 or 8.5 x 14 or the metric equlivalints. They have special drivers for the computer for the plotter to work correctly. I am not sure that a plotter would do what you want it to.

The paper for the plotters is harder to locate and is way more expensive than the paper for a normal printer. While the plotter should be able to print out your patterns with out any specialized or special software, the important question is this, Is pattern printing all you will be doing with the printing device you finally choose?

If the answer is no, then a plotter is not an ideal choice. A good printer is a better all around choice for printing patterns and other normal printing such as pictures, and documents. What you finally end up using is a personal choice.

There are many easy to use programs out there for patterns that are oversized that make the pattern print on multipule pages and all you have to do is tape it together. Personally I believe that you would find that having a normal printer will be less of a pain and a lot cheaper. But then this is just my 2 cents

DW

[Pajaro]

Alan. Take it from a guy who has been repairing printers for the last 15 years. Plotter printers are high Maintenance printers. Expensive to maintain and to purchase Ink for. I agree with DW. You would be better off with a regular ink jet or laser printer. And if you do just patterns get an laser printer. The toner cartridge for a laser jet will last a long time. Ink jet printers are nice. But the companies that make ink jet printers are in the business of selling ink, that's why the printers some times cost less than the ink cartridges.

[utbva]

I don't know about the HP C750 plotter, but I do have the HP Designjet 90R that will do papers up to 18" wide. I have not used it a lot yet but I have had no problems with it. I had no problem of downloading the drivers for it from HP. As was stated before, the paper is not easy to find for these printers, but you can get it from different sites on the web.

[GrayBeard Phil]

Yes, it will work from a PC. Print drivers are available up at the HP site. I think it will function with a Mac, and Linux with the special CUPS printing system.

But what defines as "work" is open to question. A plotter (almost all plotters) will not offer full function formating with all applications, word processors for one.

This is an expensive solution to a very specific problem. In drafting and blue print reading, accuracy of CAD drawings need to be printed to +/- 0.003. Sometimes the print needs to be even more accurate.

As mentioned this plotter is very expensive to operate. Paper comes on a roll 36 inches wide.

This plotter is normally used with CAD or Vector Graphic software.

Before investing, I recommend searching out for someone who will print out for you your 36 inch wide drawings. I don't know your neighborhood, but in Suburban Detroit, Kinko's Copy Centers have plotters you can send drawings to.

If you can afford it, and can support it $$$ wise, go for it. You should be able to find it on EBay or elsewhere as used. I don't think HP makes it anymore (newer models with more advanced options.) Paper and ink should be available by mail order.

Phil

[greatdane2]

Ok, thanks for the input. It is on a Govt. auction. I think I willgrab it if it goes cheap enough.
Alan.