NetNews Usenet Archive 1992 #26/NN_1992_26.iso/spool/comp/sys/acorn/9529

Internet Message Format | 1992-11-11 | 3.9 KB

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From: [e-mail]
Newsgroups: comp.sys.acorn
Subject: Re: Using BJ10ex with RISCOS3.1
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: 11 Nov 92 13:30:16 GMT
References: <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]> <[e-mail]>
Organization: Oxford University VAX 6620
Lines: 64

In article <[e-mail]>, [e-mail] (D.Pead) writes:
> In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Simon Burrows) writes:
>>In article <[e-mail]> [e-mail] (Glenn Garrett) writes:
>>>
>>>By the way, has anyone got Computer Concept's BJ10 TurboDriver yet and what
>>>do they think of it? Is it actually on sale yet? Has anyone got a copy they
>>>would like to sell second-hand? Also, has anyone got any good recommendations
>>>for specific types of white A4 paper which they use with the Canon?
>>
>>The TurboDrivers for the BJ10e(x) have been available for a couple of months,
>>I believe. The software seemed to have a number of bugs when I used it, but
>>CC were aware of this so it has probably been fixed.
>>
>
> I bought a TurboDriver at the BAU show, and very impressive it is too.
> Not only is it noticeably faster than the RO3 driver, control is typically
> returned about a third of the way through printing.
>
> I'd also say that the greyscaling is slightly better than the RO3 driver.
> Both Turbo and RO3 offer two halftone screens, but the fine screen
> in RO3 only offers a limited range of greys, giving noticeable boundaries
> on a graduated shade.  TurboDriver is much better.  If the fine screen
> causes too much banding then the coarser screen gives near-perfect
> results.
>
> However, there are drawbacks-
>
> 1. It IS a Risc-OS 2 driver and not a RISC-OS 3 one.  This would be annoying
> for anyone with several printers or who relied on RO3 font/sprite rotation.
> I have !Impression and !Artworks which do their own rotation, so it's
> less of a problem. (the driver does work with RO3 - but it argues with
> !Printers if you try to load that as well).
>
> 2. It seems to argue a little bit with the VIDC enhancer in my 310 - the
> screen breaks up in some of the higher resolution modes until the driver
> has finished spooling to disc.  I'd guess it's just eating a little more
> processor bandwidth than it's entitled too.  No permanent damage, though.
>
> 3. I have a growing suspicion that the printer cable supplied has been gimmicked
> so that not only will the TurboDriver not work without it, but other drivers
> will not work with it. My apologies if I'm wrong about this, but if it's
> true it is VERY VERY VERY STUPID!
>
> 4. 40-50 quid is a lot of dosh for a printer driver!
>
> I'm still a little uncertain as to whether this was money well spent - I
> think it will come down to how well CC support it in the future.  If
> it gets the same sort of support and development as !Impression then
> I'll be very happy.  If it gets abandoned like !Showpage it could be
> 50 quid down the drain.


I too have a TurboDriver and yes, it is only RO2 compatible, but CC have
assured me there will be a RISC OS 3 version out as soon as they recieve
appropriate documentation from Acorn (ie about four years....)
As for using other Drivers with the Turbo cable, you can do it, provided you
load the 'Turbo' module before loading the driver. I've done this with
!Printers and it works fine, although it is slow.
On greyscale graphics, I find the turbodriver gives a much truer rendition of
the screen than the acorn one.
CC also tell me that if you use Impression, then before you print you should
turn off 'Center Pages' and probably 'Ignore page borders' as well.

 Mark Greenwood