SX PARTS CATALOG

PRINTERS AND CONTROLLERS
Canon Printers

CANON LBP-8II, LBP-8IIT,
AND LBP-8IIR PRINTERS

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Model Information

GENERAL INFORMATION

The SX based LBP-8II is part of a product family that includes the TX based LBP-8IIT and the RX based LBP-8IIR. These technically excellent printers were not big sellers in the U.S., because they aren't compatible with programs written for their American cousin, the HP LaserJet series II. In the U.S., software companies usually supported HP PCL protocol and rarely supported Canon ISO 646. The situation is the opposite in Europe, where Canon has the dominant share of the market. Canon does not offer HP PCL for any of its printers because to avoid stepping on the toes of its biggest customer, HP. For users who need HP protocol, Canon recommends purchasing a copy of Laser Twin from Metro Software. This program converts HP commands into Canon commands. It runs as a DOS-based TSR on IBM compatible PCs and is therefore not a solution for all types of computers.

The Canon LBP-8II has a slightly different control panel from the HP II. The circuit board etch is the same but the overlay is different and the board has LEDs in different places and two fewer switches. The control panel also has a beeper to alert the operator to look at the LCD panel when an error occurs. HP LaserJet series II printers do not have beepers.

FONT INFORMATION

The LBP-8II has 1 or 8 fonts, depending on how you like to count fonts. The only typeface is Courier 10 but it exists in normal and rotated for four different styles (regular, bold, italic, and footnote), making a total of 8 fonts. Many of the font cartridges designed for the LBP-8A products can be used with the LBP-8II.

There are a large number of font cartridge products available for the Canon LBP-8II/8IIR/8IIT printers. Part numbers and descriptions for these font cartridge products made specifically for the Canon 8II family are listed in the ordering information table below.

REFURBISHED PRINTERS AVAILABLE

The LBP-8II and LBP-8IIR have been discontinued, but The Printer Works can build them from parts at special request. Refurbished printers are in like-new condition and come with a full-one-year warranty. For a price quote, select the printer's part number in the ordering information table.

Controller Notes

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

The Canon LBP-8II controller is very similar to the HP LaserJet Series II board. They look identical, but they are programmed with different firmware and the circuit board etch is just different enough to prevent firmware from being swapped. Merely swapping ROMs will not turn an LBP-8II into an HP II.

Memory cards for the 8II family look similar to HP II memory cards, but they are different. The Canon brand memory boards are listed here.

Data General 6454 and Olivetti PG 108

The Data General Model 6454 is a clone of the Canon LBP-8II. It uses a controller board of a similar design. The Data General printer behaves very much like the Canon LBP-8II. The test pages are identical and the command language appears to be the same. There is an optional video interface, just like the one on the Canon model, but reportedly the Canon optional video boards do not work with the DG 6454. The Canon 8II and DG 6454 use the same font cartridges and memory boards.

The Olivetti PG 108 also uses a controller board of a similar design. This controller executes PCL (LaserJet+ level) and has a slot for an optional video interface. The Olivetti printers use the same memory cards as the HP II and IID.

Controller Options

Epson FX-85 and IBM Proprinter emulations are optional with plug-in cartridges. With the optional Canon video I/O card and a QMS JetScript, these printers can operate as an Adobe PostScript printer with the same performance as a QMS-PS 810. The other standard built-in protocols are ISO Standard mode (ISO 6456, 2022, 2375, 6429) and VDM vector graphic mode.

Supplies and Accessories

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

TONER

The Canon LBP-8II and LBP-8IIR use the same toner cartridges as all other SX-based printers.

PAPER HANDLING

The Canon LBP-8II, -8IIT, and -8IIR printers use the same shaped paper trays and high-capacity feeders as all other SX-based printers. All versions are physically interchangeable, but there are slight color differences. (See also Diagram 300.)

MEMORY

The Canon LBP-8II family uses unique memory boards. Long-term availablity is questionable. One megabyte and 2MB RAM expansion cards are available. 4 MB cards are not currently available, but a 2 MB card can be modified into a 4MB card. Please check with our sales department for current information.

CONTROLLER UPGRADE OPTIONS

The Canon LBP-8II, -8IIT, and -8IIR can be converted to PostScript printers by simply plugging in one of the PostScript cartridge products designed for the HP LaserJet series II. The Printer Works has tested Adobe's PostScript Cartridge, Pacific Data Products' PacificPage, and UDP's TurboScript II, and found that they all work with the Canon 8II controller! This fact hasn't been advertised by the manufacturers of the PostScript cartridges.

The only problem with using PostScript cartridges designed for the HP II is that the control panel has a smaller number of switches and LEDs. The LCD readout is the same, so status messages are accurate and the ON-LINE/OFF-LINE toggle happens to be the same. Printing test pages takes a little fumbling around to find the right button. Most users may find the printer quite acceptable even without complete control panel compatibility, because the main purpose of the control panel buttons is to set the serial interface parameters and print test pages. Most people use the parallel interface and test patterns can be generated from the host.

The control panels are inexpensive and easy to change if an HP version is desired for total PostScript cartridge compatibility. In this case, the panel would be mismatched, if the printer were ever to be used without the PostScript cartridge in Canon mode.

The Canon LBP-8II is an excellent candidate for conversion to an HP II or HP III. Only the control panel and the controller board need to be changed. With an HP controller there are many economical ways to add fonts and get PostScript compatibility.

Low cost Brother HL-8 controllers can be used to give the Canon 8II printer HP LaserJet Plus and font cartridge compatibility. This is the most economical way to get some level of HP compatibility, but there is no PostScript emulation cartridge for the HL-8.

The Canon 8IIR can be converted to an HP IID or HP IIID compatible by changing the controller board and control panel. The 8IIT can be converted into either a QMS-PS 810 or a QMS-PS 810 turbo by changing the controller board and control panel and by covering the font cartridge slots.

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