Confused about laser printer dpi.

[Joni_78]

I have Samsung CLP-550 color laser printer, it's manufactured in 2004. I thought I buy a new Samsung printer but i'm confused about the dpi. CLP-550 has 1200 x 1200 dpi, and all the new Samsung printers have 9600 x 600 dpi.

 

Why is the horizontal resolution smaller even on the most expensive models?

[neufuse Veteran]

probably because they couldn't each color at x dpi... I know my HP CLJ3600N printer is 600 dpi x 2400 dpi, but that's because they count it at 600 x 4 colors at 600 dpi (aka 2400 dpi)

[kjordan2001]

That's a color laser printer so it's actually 600 x 600 dpi with 4-bit color, making it effectively 9600x600.

[Joni_78]

Sorry I didn't quite get it. Could you explain it? Have they changed how they calculate the dpi.

[123456789A]

I always go with models that state the lower numbers, 600x600 or 1200x1200. Anything like 9600 is just a bunch of marketing fluff to me, especially if it relies on some kind of "enhancement" similar to the way they advertised scanners a while ago. Reminds me of things like "120x digital zoom."

[neufuse Veteran]

I always go with models that state the lower numbers, 600x600 or 1200x1200. Anything like 9600 is just a bunch of marketing fluff to me, especially if it relies on some kind of "enhancement" similar to the way they advertised scanners a while ago. Reminds me of things like "120x digital zoom."

 

 

not 100% right, if a black and white printer is 600 x 600, their logic is if you have 4 colors you are printing up to 4 pixels in the same area... therefor 2400 dpi in one direction per line and 600 of these lines per inch vertically.. so technically it is 2400 x 600 dpi... now a 600 dpi CMYK printer doing 9600 dpi yeah either they are over printing each line  multiple times or something else is up or they are just flat out lying or if it's a 6 color system you'd get 3600 DPI (CMYK,LC,LM) but still no where near that 9600 dpi number.....

[123456789A]

not 100% right, if a black and white printer is 600 x 600, their logic is if you have 4 colors you are printing up to 4 pixels in the same area... therefor 2400 dpi in one direction per line and 600 of these lines per inch vertically.. so technically it is 2400 x 600 dpi... now a 600 dpi CMYK printer doing 9600 dpi yeah either they are over printing each line  multiple times or something else is up or they are just flat out lying or if it's a 6 color system you'd get 3600 DPI (CMYK,LC,LM) but still no where near that 9600 dpi number.....

 

I know what you're saying, I still think it's an inflated number, going by potential combinations of dots on top of each other rather than the size of the dots making a higher quality print.

 

Let's just say this is one inch and I do 9 DPI.

 

...

...

...

 

Well there's a red one in the middle and maybe through some combining of colors it had to print a couple dots to create the red, but to me I still see 9 dots. I could print over a dot several times and come up with all kinds of mumbo jumbo about thousands of dots per inch, but in the end I only see the 9 dots in my example.

[neufuse Veteran]

I know what you're saying, I still think it's an inflated number, going by potential combinations of dots on top of each other rather than the size of the dots making a higher quality print.

 

Let's just say this is one inch and I do 9 DPI.

 

...

...

...

 

Well there's a red one in the middle and maybe through some combining of colors it had to print a couple dots to create the red, but to me I still see 9 dots. I could print over a dot several times and come up with all kinds of mumbo jumbo about thousands of dots per inch, but in the end I only see the 9 dots in my example.

Yeah, I know... I consider 1 DPI to be one dot no mater how many colors are in that area... almost like pixels... even though each one is RGB it's still 1... but printer mfgs want to inflate those numbers....

[Torolol]

unlike monitor which have separate sub-pixels each at different locations, color printer do a single 'dot' by mixing the ink into the very same location.

so yeah, its marketing fluff.

[Joni_78]

I don't get it Samsung CLP-550 has 1200 x 1200 DPI effective output and four colors, how is it possible new printers have only XXXX x 600 DPI?

 

I would need to buy new transfer belt for the CLP-550. Maybe I should buy a new printer but It's really hard to tell how printing quality has changed in past 10 years.

[+BudMan MVC]

where are you getting 1200x1200?  The spec sheet I can find only lists 1200 there is no X number

 

here again only 1 number

 

You should be taking a look at all the other features of the printer and changes in tech, etc.  Your printer is 10 years old, the changes in tech is night and day..  I wouldn't spend any money on 10 year old printer when you can get a new one for the price of the part your prob going to replace..

 

 

[Joni_78]

where are you getting 1200x1200?  The spec sheet I can find only lists 1200 there is no X number

specsheet.png

 

here again only 1 number

dpi.png

 

You should be taking a look at all the other features of the printer and changes in tech, etc.  Your printer is 10 years old, the changes in tech is night and day..  I wouldn't spend any money on 10 year old printer when you can get a new one for the price of the part your prob going to replace..

 

Sorry my mistake, So how much is 1200 DPI, is it 1200 x 600?

 

It would take more than price of one part. I mean this has duplex printing, and has 7000-5000 pages in every color cardridge. It would be around 600

[+BudMan MVC]

Yeah I don't think so - have you priced the new lasers?

 

example the clp-680nd

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-CLP-680ND-Color-Printer/dp/B0088PJD02?

 

is $249.... 

 

I have a brother color laser that I picked up for under $200 does duplex, wired and wireless.. Still working on the toner it came with, etc..  And that was 2 years ago.

 

Also that thing is HUGE Is it not??  How much power does it use sitting there idle.. And it doesn't even have a network connection??  You really need to price current laser color..  I would bet my left pinky toe that any printer you pick up would print better/faster than that beast of a machine from 10+ years ago.

[Joni_78]

Yeah I don't think so - have you priced the new lasers?

 

example the clp-680nd

http://www.amazon.com/Samsung-Electronics-CLP-680ND-Color-Printer/dp/B0088PJD02?

 

is $249.... 

 

I have a brother color laser that I picked up for under $200 does duplex, wired and wireless.. Still working on the toner it came with, etc..  And that was 2 years ago.

 

Also that thing is HUGE Is it not??  How much power does it use sitting there idle.. And it doesn't even have a network connection??  You really need to price current laser color..  I would bet my left pinky toe that any printer you pick up would print better/faster than that beast of a machine from 10+ years ago.

 

Thanks. I think I'll get the CLP-680DW. Even though it's only 300

[+BudMan MVC]

what is the difference between dw and nd models?

[Joni_78]

what is the difference between dw and nd models?

 

DW has Wireless Network. Other than that, i think it's the same.

[+BudMan MVC]

do you need/want wireless?  I just rarely see a need for a printer having wireless.. They are normally not something that moves around   So its easier/better to have a wire..

[Joni_78]

do you need/want wireless?  I just rarely see a need for a printer having wireless.. They are normally not something that moves around   So its easier/better to have a wire..

 

Yes, I now have 8 meter RJ-45 from router to printer as the printer is nowhere near computer or router

[+BudMan MVC]

so you already have a wire running to where the new printer it will go sounds like..  So kind of pointless to have wireless is it not?

 

I would think the one without wireless would be a few dollars cheaper as well.  Did you add a network to your old beast, or do you have some sort of old school pocket print server attached to it.. When I was looking up that old model number I didn't see it having built in network card.  Just usb and parallel port

[Joni_78]

so you already have a wire running to where the new printer it will go sounds like..  So kind of pointless to have wireless is it not?

 

I would think the one without wireless would be a few dollars cheaper as well.  Did you add a network to your old beast, or do you have some sort of old school pocket print server attached to it.. When I was looking up that old model number I didn't see it having built in network card.  Just usb and parallel port

 

I would like to get rid of that ugly cable CLP-680ND would be only 200