CX PARTS CATALOG

PRINTERS AND CONTROLLERS
TPW FineLine CX

THE PRINTER WORKS
FINELINE-CX PRINTER

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Controller Notes | Supplies and Accessories | Ordering Information | Text Only

Model Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Printer Works' FineLine CX is a host-based controller (resident in the computer), connected to a CX VDO print engine by a proprietary video cable. It works with 386-, 486-, or Pentium (586)-based computers using the computer's CPU & RAM and Windows' GDI (Graphical Device Interface) video driver to provide fast 300 dpi or 600 dpi output.

The FineLine-CX controller (pictured on the left) is based on the patented DP-Tek system for doubling resolution. The FineLine is so similar to the PS-600 that most drivers written for the DP-Tek PS-600 will work with the FineLine, too. The Printer Works FineLine-CX controller is calibrated and tailored for the CX engine.

The main reasons to upgrade to a FineLine-CX printer are faster printing of text and graphics, vastly improved print quality for both scanned images and small type, and the ability to use the many low-cost TrueType fonts that come bundled with Windows and the applications developed for it.

Increased Speed

The FineLine-CX is much faster than traditional printers or other printers with host-based controllers such as the QMS JetScript for several reasons. First, the controller is on the computer's internal bus. Data does not need to pass through a slow external parallel or serial interface. Second, the computer does not have to create a PostScript, PCL, HP-GL, CaPSL, etc. description of the page. Third, the printer does not have to translate that description to make a rasterized bitmap of the page. With the FineLine, your page data is converted to laser pulses directly. Only raw, ready-to-print raster data is received by the printer. The speed difference is most noticeable with scanned images: TIFF, PCX, or BMP images that take 20 or 30 minutes to print on PostScript controllers will print in just a few seconds with the FineLine.

600 DPI Print Quality

Using DP-Tek's patented, resolution-doubling technology, any 300 dpi printer can produce 600 dpi print. This improved quality is immediately noticeable, even to untrained eyes. The differences in scanned images are dramatic.

FONT INFORMATION

Fonts Galore using TrueType

The FineLine uses any scaleable fonts that are installed under Windows, including ATM's PostScript fonts and Microsoft's TrueType fonts.

The days of spending $10,000 for the entire Adobe font library on a SCSI hard drive for your printer are over. Many small companies are publishing hundreds of nice looking TrueType fonts on CD ROMs, which can be purchased in bundles for $25 or less. These TrueType fonts may not be technically as good as those from Adobe, but for most users who are looking to express themselves with flair and with type styles that are uncommon and different, the vast majority of the low-cost TrueType fonts are quite acceptable. Any scalable font that is installed into Windows can be used by the FineLine.

Controller Notes

Model Information | Supplies and Accessories | Ordering Information | Text Only

The half-length (6-inch plus) host-based controller uses the CPU and RAM of your computer; thus, the faster the computer, the faster the printer. The same Windows GDI video driver that is used to generate the display on the monitor screen is used to drive the laser print engine. The FineLine controller is only active when printing and does not interfere with any other printer ports.

The FineLine is not a PostScript printer. It is therefore not capable of printing Encapsulated PostScript format (EPS or EPSF) graphics, but will, instead, print the attached preview. The FineLine controller does work with Windows NT and Windows 95.

Supplies and Accessories

Model Information | Controller Notes | Ordering Information | Text Only

You can check prices or order these items from the ordering information table below.

TONER

The Printer Works FineLine-CX printers use the same toner cartridges as all other CX-based printers.

PAPER HANDLING

FineLine-CX uses the same shaped paper trays as all other CX-based printers. All versions are physically interchangeable, although there may be slight color differences. (See also Diagram 300.)

Ordering Information

Model Information | Controller Notes | Supplies and Accessories | Text Only

For price and ordering information or to place the item in your shopping cart,
select a Part Number in the table.

Model Information | Controller Notes | Supplies and Accessories | Text Only