Computer Maintenance 1

1©2004 Texas Trade and Industrial Education

Computer Maintenance 1

Unit Subtitle: Printers

Computer Maintenance I - Printers 2©2004 Texas Trade and Industrial Education

Summary Slide Printers

Definition Types of printers

Ink-Jet Laser Dot Matrix Snapshot Other high quality printers

How the different printers work Choosing a printer Connection and setup of a printer General Troubleshooting


Printer Definition A printer produces

a paper copy of information generated by a computer.

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Types of Printers

Printers fall into two categories: Impact printers use a device to strike an

inked ribbon, pressing ink from the ribbon onto the paper.

Non-impact printers use different methods to place ink (or another substance) on the page.


Types of Printers Cont.Some of the printers out in the market today include the following: Dot Matrix Printers Ink Jet Printers Laser Printers Snapshot Printers Other High-Quality Printers


Types of Printers cont. Dot matrix printer – Dot-matrix printers

were once very popular, but have been replaced in popularity by ink-jet p5rinters. Dot-matrix printers typically use continuous form multipart paper and are commonly used for documents such as sales invoices and purchase orders.

Inside a dot-matrix printer a print head containing small blunt pins strikes an inked ribbon to stamp images on a page.


Types of Printers cont.

Figure 1. Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers 4 th Edition


Types of Printers cont. Ink-jet Printer – An ink-jet printer produces

high-quality documents at a relatively low price. You can use the documents produced by an ink-jet printer in most circumstances, except when only the highest quality is acceptable, such as for important business correspondence.

An ink-jet printer sprays ink through small nozzles onto a page to produce images.



Figure 2. Peter Norton’s Introduction to Computers 4th Edition


Types of Printers cont. Laser Printer – A laser printer is a high-speed

printer that is ideal for business documents and graphics. Laser printers produce the highest quality images, but are relatively expensive.

A laser printer works like a photocopier to produce images on a page. A laser beam draws images on a light-sensitive drum. The drum picks up a fine powdered ink called toner, and then transfers the toner to the paper to create the images.

Laser printers produce higher-quality print than ink jet printers, but are more expensive.


Snapshot Printer Snapshot printers are small-format printers

that print digital photographs.

Snapshot printers are fairly slower than other printers, and can be more expensive to operate.


Snapshot Printer



Other High Quality PrintersHigh quality images use different types of other high Quality printers such as: Thermal-wax Dye-sublimation Fiery IRIS Plotters


Other High Quality Printers

Creates large format image for architectural or engineering uses.



Choosing a PrinterBefore choosing a printer, the following features should be researched: Print Quality – The type of printer you

should choose depends on the quality of the printed pages you require.

Speed – Printer speed indicates how quickly a printer can produce printed pages.


Choosing a Printer Resolution – Printer resolution

determines the quality of the images the printer can produce.

Software – Most printers intended for home sue include software you can use to create special documents, such as greeting cards.


Choosing a Printer Consumables – All printers require

items that have to be replaced on a regular basis, such as ink or toner. Make sure you are aware of how they cost.

Print Media – when choosing a printer, you should check the size and type of paper the printer accepts. If you are going to need to print on envelopes and labels, make sure the printer has that feature.


Choosing a Printer Color – Color printers usually use cyan,

magenta, yellow and black ink to create color images on a page. Color ink jet printers are the most popular because they are less expensive.

Warranty – The length of a printer warranty may range from 90 days to one year. Consider an extended warranty or service contract for you printer.


Connection and Set Up1. Before connecting a printer, turn off the

computer.2. If necessary, remove any spacers or

tape used to secure the printer's internal components during shipping. Then assemble the printer according to the instructions in the printer’s documentation.

3. Connect the printer cable to the port on the printer.


Connection and Set Up4. Connect the printer cable to a parallel port at

the back of the computer. Some printers connect to a USB port.

5. Connect the power cable to the power connector on the printer.

6. Plug the power cable into an electrical outlet.7. All printers require a driver to operate. A driver

is the software that allows the computer’s operating system to communicate with and control the printer.


General Troubleshooting Most printers, such as ink-jet printers, use a

series of beeps to alert you or display a message that tell you a problem has occurred.

Paper jams are the most common type of printer problem. Most printers have panels that can be opened to check the paper jam. Be careful when pulling a jammed paper, some printers contain many small sensors that may be damaged by forceful pulling.


General Troubleshooting Cont. To improve the quality of printed images,

check the printer's documentation to find the size, composition and weight of the paper the printer can use.

You should clean your printer on a regular basis. You can use a computer vacuum cleaner or a can of compressed air to remove dust and dirt from most printers.

Computer Maintenance 1

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