The amount of RAM of a laser and inkjet printer. The eternal question - which printer to choose? Description of printer virtual memory

History and basic information about printers and MFPs

If you are asked to name a peripheral device for a computer, then with a high probability the printer will come to mind first. Devices with similar functionality appeared long before monitors, i.e. computers could not show anything, but could already print information. It is rather difficult to call those first devices full-fledged printers, because in the days of computers the size of a house, compact output devices were hardly thought about.

Everything changed with the advent of personal computers. Printers, following computers, also began to decrease in size, gradually reaching the modern level. There were several technologies on which printers worked, their functionality expanded. One of the most common printing technologies has become, and still is, the so-called laser printing. In the pluses of laser printers, you can write down the low cost of printing, although not the lowest: dot-matrix printers print much cheaper, but at the same time very slowly and noisily. Other advantages of printers made using this technology are high performance, reliability and ease of maintenance. The high price of such devices for a long time did not allow them to be used at home, but a few years ago the situation changed, and now laser printers have become available - not only monochrome, but also color.

In addition, over the past few years, a new class of devices has emerged that combines the functions of a printer, scanner, copier, and even fax. Such combined solutions are commonly referred to as multifunctional devices, or MFPs. Let's try to choose a printer or MFP that is most suitable for specific tasks.

As you know, the image on the monitor is displayed in the form of dots. The number of these dots vertically and horizontally is called the resolution and it usually looks like 1920x1080. Agree that the resolution of the printer, usually referred to as 1200dpi or 1200 x 1200 dpi, is difficult to correlate with the resolution of the image, however, despite the different spelling, this is essentially the same thing. The mysterious combination of letters "dpi" means "dots per inch" (dots per inch), that is, the number of dots that a printer can print on one inch (2.54 cm). This parameter is key, because it is by it that you can determine the quality of the finished print. The higher the resolution, the better the finished print. Sometimes the resolution of printers is listed as 2400 x 600 dpi. This means that the horizontal resolution is different from the vertical resolution, that is, each dot printed by the printer is not square, but rectangular. High resolution will be especially useful when you need to print large amounts of text in small print or a large number of images.

If you need a printer solely for text printing, then any 600 dpi resolution will do, with higher resolution being more of a disadvantage, as printing at higher resolutions increases toner consumption. If you plan to print charts, small text, such as cheat sheets, then high resolution will be a very important parameter.

The printer's print resolution and, however strange it may seem, the amount of its memory are closely related parameters that largely determine the performance of the printer.
The description of printers always indicates the amount of memory, for example, for the Samsung SCX-3205 model, it is 32 MB. The larger this setting, the better images the printer can print. For example, to print a 1280x1024 picture, you need 3.75 MB, and for a 2560x2048 picture, it will take 15 MB.

The higher quality images you plan to print, the more memory your printer needs. It should be borne in mind that all documents are transferred to the printer as images. Also, a large amount of memory will be useful if the printer is accessed by several users, for example, when connected via a local network. Everything is simple here: the more memory, the more print jobs can be sent and the faster they will be completed.

A device that combines the functions of a scanner and printer has a number of advantages over a scanner and printer used separately. Firstly, such a technical solution takes up less space on the table. Indeed, a scanner installed on a printer takes up less space than two devices installed side by side.

The second, no less important, advantage is the possibility of offline copying. You do not have to turn on the computer if you need to make a copy of any document (everyone has such situations with different frequency). Autonomy consists in the absence of the need to turn on the computer and run specialized programs. Thus, you simply place the original in the scanner, select the number of copies using the device control keys and press "copy".

Quite often, you need to print a document on both sides of a sheet. The easiest way is to print the sheet on one side, turn it over and print with an arc. It would seem that nothing complicated. And now imagine that there are 124 such sheets. Agree, not a very interesting pastime.

To facilitate this procedure, printers have been developed that support duplex printing, or, as they are more commonly called, printers with a duplex unit. Such printers independently turn over each sheet after one side is printed. An example of a device with a Duplex Unit is the Samsung SCX-4728FD MFP, designed for office use.

Scanning is the reverse process of printing, that is, entering an image from a sheet of paper into a computer. The more dots the scanner can recognize, the more accurate the image on the screen will look. Thus, the quality of the scanned image is affected by the resolution of the scanner. As with printing, scan resolution is measured in dots per inch (dpi), and the higher it is, the better the finished image.

Resolution without additional processing by software is called optical, and this is what you should pay attention to when choosing an MFP. For example, the scanner as part of the Samsung CLX-3185FN MFP has an optical resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi, that is, for every 2.54 cm vertically and horizontally, the scanner will shoot 1200 points.

What if you need to scan or copy a large number of pages?
As with double-sided printing, there are two ways to do this. One comes from the Stone Age, that is, you have to change leaf after leaf on your own. This is inconvenient, and we live in the 21st century, so this method is not for us.

The second way to facilitate this simple but routine task is the Automatic Document Feeder, or ADF. With this option, scanning a stack of sheets will be more convenient than ever. Just upload a pack of sheets, click "scan" and wait for the result. Many Samsung MFPs can boast of this option, for example, the Samsung SCX-4623F.

When choosing a printer, you should pay attention to how this device is connected to a computer. If you have one computer and the further purchase of a computer or laptop for family members is not expected, in this case absolutely any printer with a USB port will do, since it is now more difficult to find a computer without this connector. If the printer will be used by several people, it is better to choose a printer with a built-in WiFi adapter or network interface.

The advantage of WiFi is the absence of wires, which allows you to install such a printer in any convenient place - the main thing is that there is an outlet nearby. A perfect example of this is the Samsung ML-1865W, a small size printer with an elegant design that is perfect for the home, and thanks to its WiFi support, it can be used by any member of the family (author's note: WiFi router required - sold separately).

The network interface is less convenient: since wires are required to connect such devices to the network, they are best used in places where a local network has already been built and there are free network sockets - for example, in offices.

It is difficult to imagine how to make working with the printer more convenient. It would seem that there is a box: I sent a print job, it buzzed and gave out a finished print. But there is no limit to perfection.

Samsung has vast experience in the production of various consumer electronics and knows how to make the device enjoyable from any point of view. Let's take a look at some proprietary technologies that will make working with the printer a pleasure.

All Samsung printers are equipped with technologies to reduce the noise during operation of the device. Agree, the quieter the device, the less discomfort it causes - especially at home and especially at night, when it's quiet around and every rustle is heard.

Many Samsung printers and MFPs have a print from screen button that allows you to print a copy of the screen content on paper. This is convenient, for example, if you need to print electronic tickets or a map of the area from the relevant Internet services.

The Samsung AnyWeb Print application makes information collection much easier: while browsing the web, you can select and drag any fragments to the print panel in the browser window. AnyWeb Print will help you compose and process any information you are interested in from the web, whether you need it to work on an important project or just for fun.

It will be very convenient for system administrators that all Samsung printers work with a single Universal Print Driver, which is supported by all Samsung printer models. Maybe for home use this is not so critical, but for an enterprise where downtime of equipment is expensive, such functionality will be very useful.

Finally, I would like to say a few words about environmental protection. Samsung is committed to reducing the environmental impact of all of its devices. Printers and MFPs are no exception. Most modern Samsung printers are equipped with the innovative Eco-button. Pressing this button automatically reduces paper and toner consumption, minimizing operating costs and, last but not least, human impact on the environment.

This printer has three DIMM slots that can be used as follows:

Expanding printer memory. DIMMs are available in 16, 32, and 64 MB (maximum 192 MB).

Flash DIMMs, each 2 and 4 MB. Unlike standard printer memory, DIMM flash memory can be used to permanently store downloaded components in memory even when the printer is turned off.

Flash memory can store fonts, macros, EWS, or templates.

Other languages and DIMM-based printer settings.

Single in-line memory modules (SIMMs) used in previous HP LaserJet printers are not compatible with this printer.

You may need to install additional printer memory if you frequently print complex graphics or PS documents, print using the optional duplexer, use many downloaded fonts, print in ProRes1200 mode, or use large paper sizes.

The printer has two extended I/O slots to enable the printer to work with the following devices:

Network Card.

A large storage device such as a hard disk.

To determine the amount of memory installed in the printer or modules installed in the slots, print a configuration page.

Installing DIMMs

Static electricity can damage dual inline memory modules (DIMMs). When handling DIMMs, wear an antistatic wrist strap or periodically touch the surface of the antistatic package and exposed metal in the printer.

If you have not yet printed a configuration page, print it to determine how much memory is already installed in the printer before installing additional memory.

1 Turn off the printer. Disconnect the power cord and all other cables. (If a duplex unit is installed, you must first detach the back and tray.)

2 Remove the two clamp screws from the back of the printer.

3 Firmly grasp the tabs and pull the formatter board toward you. Place it on a flat, non-conductive surface.

4 Remove the DIMM from the antistatic case. Hold the DIMM with your fingers on the sides and thumbs on the back edge. Position the notches on the DIMM above the DIMM slot. (Make sure the clips on both sides of the DIMM slot are open and facing out.)

5 Insert the DIMM straight into the slot (pressing). Make sure the clips on both ends of the DIMM slot click into place. (You must open the clips to remove the DIMM.) The firmware DIMM must be installed in slot 1 as shown in the figure. DIMMs can be reinstalled in any slot other than the first one.

6 Install the formatter board back into the printer and fasten the two screws firmly.

7 If a duplex unit was installed, reattach the tray and back of the unit. Reconnect the interface cables and power cable. Turn on the printer to test the installed DIMMs.

If the duplex unit is installed:

1 Slide the rear section of the duplex unit out of the printer.

2 Remove the back section of the module by lifting and rotating it to release all the hooks from the slots as shown in the figure.

3 Disconnect the power cord and all other cables.

4 Disconnect the tray cable by lifting it up and out of the slot as shown.

Go to step 2.

To install the tray cable and rear duplex unit, follow the steps in reverse order. Make sure the tray cable is connected correctly and the cables are routed from the left side.

Checking if the memory is installed correctly

Follow the steps below to verify that the DIMMs are installed correctly:

1 Check that the printer's control panel display shows Ready after the printer is turned on. If an error message appears, the DIMM might not be installed correctly. Check printer messages.

2 Print a new configuration page.

3 Refer to the memory section on the configuration page and compare it to the configuration page you printed before installing the DIMM. If the amount of memory has not increased, the DIMM may not be installed correctly (repeat the installation procedure) or defective (try installing a new DIMM).

If you have installed a printer language (or personalization), see the Installed Personalizations section on the configuration page. Information about the new printer language should appear in this section.

Setting Memory Options

Resource conservation

The resource save mode allows the printer to keep downloaded resources (permanently downloaded fonts, macros, or images) in memory when the printer language or resolution is changed.

If the printer does not have an optional hard drive or flash DIMM to store downloaded resources, if an unusually large number of fonts are downloaded, or if the printer is in time-sharing mode, you may need to change the amount of memory allocated for each language.

The minimum amount of memory allocated for saving resources is 400 KB for PCL and the same for PS.

To determine the amount of memory allocated for a language, follow these steps:

1 In the configuration menu, set save. resources=incl. You may need to add memory to the printer for this option to appear in the printer's control panel.

2 In addition, from the configuration menu, select pcl, memory or ps, memory and set the parameter to the maximum value available in the list. This value will vary depending on how much memory is installed in the printer.

3 Use your software application to download all the fonts you want to use for the selected language.

4 Print a configuration page. The amount of memory used by the fonts is listed next to the language name. Round this value to the nearest 100 KB. (For example, if 475 KB is shown, 500 KB should be reserved.)

5 In the configuration menu, set the values for pcl, memory or ps, memory to the value determined in step 4.

6 Repeat step 3. (You must download all fonts again, see below.)

When you change the save resource setting, all downloaded resources (such as fonts and macros) must be downloaded again unless they are stored on an optional hard drive or flash DIMM.

I/O buffer

To keep the computer running without waiting for a queued print job to complete, a portion of the printer's memory (the I/O buffer) is used to store jobs in progress. (If I/O buffering is disabled, no memory is reserved for this function.)

In most cases, it's best to let the printer automatically reserve memory for the I/O buffer. (For every megabyte of memory added to the printer, 100 KB are reserved.)

To speed up network printing, you can increase the amount of memory reserved for the I/O buffer.

To change the I/O buffer setting, follow these steps:

1 In the I/O menu, set buffer=on.

2 Also in the I/O menu, set the buffer size to the desired value.

When you change the I/O buffer setting, everything

downloaded resources (such as fonts and macros) must be reloaded if they are not stored on an optional hard drive or flash DIMM.

Installing cards and mass storage devices

Turn off the printer before installing cards or mass storage devices.

Use HP Web Jetadmin to delete files from the storage device. For more information, see the printer software help.

One of the important technical points is the amount of printer memory, it is often overlooked, but this is acceptable in cases of normal use of the printing device. What is meant by normal use? These are the default settings.

For example, the device is designed for small workgroups in the office or at home with a small load of documents. Of course, such a printer has an operating margin. On it, you can easily print a fairly large amount of documents and a diploma in the kit. In the case of network work and printing from different departments of the company in the queue, including photo images, such a device will no longer be able to process tasks.

You will receive a message that the RAM is full with all the ensuing consequences for the work of a service engineer - it is not always possible to restore performance after an error in the network infrastructure by simply reloading the parameters.

What will be discussed:

Lack of memory - error or malfunction?

In this case, we are not talking about a malfunction, but about the printer's print memory. Its volume can be found in the description of the model. Usually, a base volume is set, which is designed for the tasks of the model. For this reason, excessive loading is not recommended. At the same time, there is always the possibility of expansion.

The printer's RAM has the same interface as computers. Therefore, for expansion, it is enough to purchase an additional slot and install it on the motherboard of the printing device. Can I do it myself, and can I do it on an already purchased device? Certainly.

The lack of memory is not a malfunction, it is just a misuse of the printer. Usually, a basic set of technical parameters is enough to perform the tasks that are declared by the manufacturer in the description. But not always consumers use recommendations for choosing a model. In this case, there is also a way out, just contact the service and install, for example, additional HP printer memory.

Speaking specifically about this brand, the brand produces high-speed and high-performance models that are designed for a fairly large amount of work even in basic functionality. And you do not need to upgrade, but there are always exceptions. In this case, the correct choice of the microcircuit and the correct installation are required.

What are the signs of memory problems?

The printer does not process simple print jobs with errors.
the device freezes and a reboot is required;
the print queue is not being processed.

It is worth making a remark. Even the best default device can fail. In this case, we are talking about logical errors in the installed slot. If during operation there is often a problem processing the simplest tasks, and messages are displayed that the memory is full, we recommend testing this particular component. It is possible that the slot needs to be replaced.

"Comfort" or base RAM on printers

Modern models have well-established technical characteristics at the moment. These include built-in memory, with which the recommended model will work without failure. Volume affects the output quality of gradients, small objects, and other photo elements. With an excessive task, the microcircuit is filled.

Laser

The basic built-in memory of the printer has the following values in laser and inkjet models, here are some facts:

models of previous years have 2 MB on board, expandable up to 32 MB;
the new HP LaserJet Ultra M134a has a base 128 MB slot (see photo);
144-pin 256 MB DDR2 DIMM slot installed on newer HP models;
on HP LaserJet Pro M227fdn or HP Color LaserJet Pro M274n costs 256 MB.

Thus, modern laser models have 128-256 MB (the base amount depends on the series), outdated from 2 MB depending on the model. Please note that DDR is installed on new printing devices, SIMM is installed on older models, so it is not always possible to make a full-fledged replacement or extension. Legacy PCI slots are simply not designed for newer chips.

Inkjet

The principle of operation of an inkjet device is somewhat different, in many ways reminiscent of a matrix one. For image processing, instead of a built-in slot, there is a graphics coprocessor. Image processing is carried out in the cache.

For these purposes, such a concept as "virtual memory" is used, which uses intermediate data when processing the Postscript language. Calculations are carried out on the computer where the virtual segment is open, transmitted over a high-speed interface and enter the cache queue and printed sequentially. In a simplified form, the processing occurs in such a way that these models process the image in a different way. The use of computer power favorably distinguishes inkjet technology at a lower price.

Conclusion

When choosing, pay attention to the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the features of operation. In this case, the characteristics fully meet the task. You can buy a suitable model for your tasks with a basic set of technical capabilities. If you still made a mistake and an error is generated, you can always open the case and install a new built-in slot.

Choosing an MFP (multifunctional device) for the office or home. MFP parameters that affect the choice: speed, memory, print and scanner resolution, fax availability, etc.

MFPs or multifunction devices are ideal for use in small offices or home workgroups. Having one device that can print, fax, scan and copy can save a lot of space and money.

But after all, not every MFP is suitable for a home or for small businesses - how to choose an MFP? Many of them, not without reason, are positioned as multifunctional printers capable of performing all 4 functions, but it is not necessary that they all perform them equally well.

If you want to buy an MFP that has a high scanning resolution, or if you have separate requirements for faxing, then you need to select a color MFP very carefully.

It doesn't matter if you choose an inkjet MFP for your home or a laser MFP for your office.

MFP speed

Many low cost MFPs and a large number of mid-range models have slow print or copy speeds, especially when it comes to color printing.

Choose the fastest MFP that suits your price. at work, you will certainly feel the difference between printing 12 and 30 pages per minute MFP.

MFP memory capacity

The size of the memory of a multifunctional device directly affects its cost. When it comes to printing, faxing or copying documents, the lack of memory will immediately make itself felt.

8 MB of memory may be enough to work in a small business or home office.

However, if you often have to work with large documents, or if the MFP has many users, you should consider purchasing a multifunctional device that has at least 16 MB of memory (although more is better).

MFP print resolution value

The higher the dpi (the number of dots per inch) the better the image quality. The standard 600x600 resolution is quite suitable for many types of printing, except for printing photographs.

Especially look at the resolution of the scanner, as it is often low for multifunctional devices. Also pay attention to the qualitative difference between interpolation and optimal resolution.

Fax option in MFP

You should check the speed of the fax/modem. Most fax-equipped MFPs have integrated 33 Kbps fax/modems, which means your faxes get through your phone lines faster and you can save on that.

Don't buy an MFP with a slow fax. Take a closer look at the functional characteristics of the fax.

If you need a fax with broadcast, send at a specified time, send by external request, receive in a personal box, forward to e-mail, SMB, FTP, make sure that the MFP you choose has all these options. After all, many MFPs do not have a complete set of fax options.

Auto paper feed

Do not purchase an MFP without an automatic paper feeder (this sometimes happens with a number of cheap models). And to stand all day at the car, feeding it a piece of paper, is a dubious pleasure.

Purchase an MFP equipped with an automatic paper feeder that has a capacity of at least 50 sheets. Here the size matters, as they say, has.

MFP pre-purchase check

Under no circumstances should you buy a multifunctional device without first testing it on the spot.

Read the specification and check how the MFP behaves during power up. Check each feature individually to make sure the device you choose meets all your needs.

Many users of printing devices want to know the answer to the question of how to view the print history of a printer. Thanks to this, you can track which file and when was printed on your device. This way you will be able to set up a kind of print control which can be quite useful.

Sequencing

So, in order to get the print history of the printer, you need to enable a special function that is designed to keep a log of all those files that are printed on the print server, which can be either a remote or a local device. For this purpose, go to the "Printers and Fax" section, having previously opened the computer control panel through the "Start" menu.

Next, click on "File" and open the server properties window.
Click the tab with advanced options to check the box called "Log print queue messages".
To view after a while which files and when were printed using your device, open the control panel and go to the "Administration" section.
Click in the new window on "Event Viewer", then go to the item called "System".
Then start the search process, specifying the source of the events you are interested in "Print". You can sort the resulting list.

In general, as you can see, viewing the history on printers is very simple. The main thing is to initially enable the above function.

Using special programs

To solve the problem of how to find out what documents were printed on the printer, you can download the O&K Print Watch software absolutely free of charge.

It should be noted right away that this tool is intended not only to keep accurate print statistics, but also to differentiate access control rights to printers.

This software has a special device printing reporting system, which, if necessary, can be exported in formats such as XML/HTML. To create a report for a specific object, just run the program and click on the “Report” item, and then click on the command to run the report. The final document with a list of printed files, as well as when they were printed and by which specific user, can be presented as a general or detailed report. It should be noted that each report is generated by default from the last thousand records. To change this value, you just need to go from the "Report" menu to the "Parameters" item and set all the necessary values.

A good solution to find out what was done on the printer is to use a software called Print Manager Plus. Due to the fact that the program has support for printing devices from all major manufacturers, it can track statistics on device tasks with maximum accuracy. Moreover, she can do this not only inside locales that have several printers, but also in fairly large companies that have a variety of models of printing devices.

The Pcounter software application is a comprehensive solution for enterprise-wide printing process auditing. It allows you to track and collect statistics in detail about who prints what file and on what device. In addition, you can use this program to keep track of the total traffic of jobs sent to print on the network. It should also be added that Pcounter can be easily integrated into existing infrastructure and scaled up in the future.

In addition to the programs described, with which you can see the history of printing office equipment, there are many others. Installing one of these multifunctional programs will allow you to solve some other tasks, for example, manage the print queue, control consumables, prohibit printing, etc.