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| Manufacturer | Apple Computer |
|---|---|
| Introduced | December 1, 1983; 41 years ago (1983-12-01) |
| Discontinued | December 1, 1985; 39 years ago (1985-12-01) |
| Cost | US$675 (equivalent to $2,131 in 2024) |
| Type | Dot matrix |
| Slots | none |
| Read-only memory | 32 KB |
| Ports | Serial |
| Power consumption | 180 Watt |
| Color | No |
| Dots per inch | 144 |
| Speed | 1-2 page per minute |
| Weight | 19 lbs. |
| Dimensions | (H × W × D) 4.8 × 16.2 × 11.8 in |
TheImageWriter is a product line ofdot matrix printers formerly manufactured byApple Computer, Inc., and designed then to be compatible with their entire line of computers. There were three different models introduced over time, which were popular amongApple II andMac owners.
The first ImageWriter is aserial-baseddot matrix printer introduced byApple Computer in late 1983.
The printer was essentially a re-packaged 9-pin dot matrix printer fromC. Itoh Electronics (model C. Itoh 8510, with a modified ROM and pinout), released the same year. It was introduced as a replacement for the earlierparallel-basedApple Dot Matrix Printer/DMP (also a C. Itoh model) and, while primarily intended for theApple II, worked across Apple's entire computer product line. The ImageWriter could produce images as well as text, up to a resolution of 144DPI and a speed of about 120CPS (characters per second). In text mode, the printer was logic-seeking, meaning it would print with the head moving in both directions while it would print only in one direction for graphics and Near Letter Quality. The ImageWriter was also supported by the original Macintosh computer, theMacintosh 128K. Apple wanted a graphical printer for the Mac, and had introduced the ImageWriter primarily to support the new machine. This permitted it to produceWYSIWYG output from the screen of the computer, which was an important aspect for promoting the concept of theGUI and, later, desktop publishing. The ImageWriter could be supported byMicrosoft Windows-based PC's by using the included C. Itoh 8510 compatible driver.
The ImageWriter was succeeded by theImageWriter II in late 1985.
A wider version of the ImageWriter, sold as ImageWriter 15", was introduced in January 1984. It allowed printing to 12" wide as well as to 15" wide paper. This version of ImageWriter remained in production for more than a year after the ImageWriter II was introduced. Production was eventually discontinued in January 1987.[1]
In 1984 Thunderware introduced the ThunderScan, an optical scanner that was installed in place of the ImageWriter ribbon cartridge.[2] With support for the Apple II and the Mac, the ThunderScan provided low cost grayscale scanning with moderate resolution and speed.
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| Introduced | September 1985 |
|---|---|
| Discontinued | Late 1996 |
| Cost | US $595 |
| Type | Dot matrix |
| Processor | 8 MHz |
| Slots | AppleTalk or memory card (optional) |
| Read-only memory | 64 KB |
| Ports | RS-422serial (Mini-DIN-8 connector) |
| Power consumption | 180 Watt |
| Color | 4 |
| Dots per inch | 160 × 144 |
| Speed | 2-6 pages per minute |
| Weight | 25 lbs (original), 15 lbs (II/L) |
| Dimensions | (H × W × D) 5 × 17 × 12 in |
The ImageWriter II is aserial baseddot matrix printer that was manufactured byApple Computer, which supported its entire computer product line when it was released in September 1985. It had several optional add-ons available, including: a plug-in network card, buffer memory card, and motorized sheet feeder. It also supported color printing with an appropriate ribbon. The codename for the ImageWriter II was "Express"[3]
Compute! reported in 1989 that many believed that the ImageWriter II was inferior to its predecessor. The magazine stated that the first ImageWriter was sturdier, handled paper better, and had better print in most cases.[4]
The ImageWriter II, like its predecessor, used a 9-pinC. Itoh mechanism. However, the ImageWriter II was significantly faster in draft mode, where it could print 250 characters per second. Color images and text could be produced by using a color ribbon, and eight colors were supported by the original version ofQuickDraw on theMac despite running on a monochrome platform. On theApple II, complex full-color graphics could be printed. Used with the appropriate software, the ImageWriter II could produce color images with potentially hundreds of simulated colors throughdithering.
The ImageWriter II has three ASCII text-quality modes:
In addition to having the same ASCII and European-language characters found in the original ImageWriter, the ImageWriter II added 32MouseText characters.
The ImageWriter II was designed in accordance with Apple'sSnow White design language. In 1986, it received theI.D. Design Review and SilverInternational Design Excellence Awards,[5] making it the first desktop printer to receive such approbation.
The printer had an expansion socket under the front cover which could accommodate either Apple's AppleTalk network card or 32K memory buffer card, but not both at the same time.Sequential Systems produced a 2-in-1 solution card that combined both features into one card, as well as larger memory buffer cards up to 1 MB. With an optionalAppleTalk networking card installed, it was a low-cost alternative to the vastly more expensiveLaserWriter. Another third-party innovation was an add-on peripheral called the ThunderScan, which allowed the printer to work as a low-cost optical scanner (in which the scanner mechanism temporarily replaced the ink ribbon cartridge).
The ImageWriter II also supported an optional motorized sheet feeder that could feed cut-sheet paper.
The ImageWriter II was compatible withMicrosoft Windows-based computers using the operating systems' included C-Itoh 8510 driver, while color support was available through third-party drivers. The only requirement was an available serial port and appropriate interface cable.[citation needed]
Despite the introduction of theinkjetStyleWriter in 1991, the ImageWriter II kept selling. It continued in production until late 1996.
On the 2000 albumA Spectrum of Infinite Scale, surf-rock bandMan or Astro-man? included the song "A Simple Text File". The song is a recording of the sound of an ImageWriter II printing a carefully crafted file.[7]
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| Introduced | August 1987 |
|---|---|
| Discontinued | December 1990 |
| Cost | $1,399 USD |
| Type | Dot matrix |
| Ports | Serial |
| Power consumption | 180 Watt |
| Color | 1 (4 optional) |
| Dots per inch | 216 |
| Speed | 0.3 Pages Per Minute |
| Weight | 38 lbs |
| Dimensions | (H × W × D) 5.12 × 23.2 × 15 in |
An ImageWriter can also be seen the music video forMarilyn Manson's "The Dope Show."
ImageWriter LQ (LetterQuality) is a 27-pindot matrix printer introduced in 1987 byApple Computer, Inc. The print quality was comparable to competing 24-pin dot-matrix printers, and offered graphics at 320 × 216DPI. Guaranteed compatibility with bothApple II andMac computers made it popular in schools.[citation needed]
The LQ had more options than any of the other Apple dot-matrix printers, including:
Color ribbons were $149 for a box of six.[8]
