ImageWriter
Encyclopedia
The ImageWriter was a product line of dot matrix printers manufactured by Apple Computer's and designed to be compatible with their entire line of computers. The Imagewriter II was sold alongside the early Macintosh
units, and became an important component in early Macintosh computer printing.
based dot matrix printer
introduced by Apple Computer in late 1983.
The printer was essentially a re-packaged 9-pin dot matrix printer from C. Itoh Electronics (model C. Itoh 8510, with modified ROM and pinout), released the same year. It was introduced as a replacement for the earlier parallel-based Apple Dot Matrix Printer
/DMP (also a C. Itoh model) and, while primary intended for the Apple II
, worked across Apple's entire computer product line. The ImageWriter could produce images as well as text, up to a resolution of 144 DPI
and a speed of about 120 CPS. 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 Macintosh 128K
computer, the original Mac. Apple wanted a graphical printer for the Mac, and had introduced the ImageWriter primarily to support the new machine. This permitted it to produce WYSIWYG
output from the screen of the computer, which was an important aspect for promoting the concept of the GUI
and, later, desktop publishing. Quality was adequate rather than startling. Another feature offered was a built-in self test, which could be invoked by holding down the form feed button while powering up the printer.
The ImageWriter can be supported by Microsoft Windows
-based PC's by using the included C. Itoh 8510 compatible driver.
The ImageWriter was succeeded by the ImageWriter II in late 1985.
and the Mac, the ThunderScan provided low cost grayscale scanning with moderate resolution and speed.
based dot matrix printer
that was manufactured by Apple 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. It was particularly well known for being extremely sturdy – ImageWriter II's were still in common use for forms printing a decade after they were produced.
on the Macintosh
(although running on a monochrome platform, actually supported output for eight colors). On the Apple II
, complex full color graphics could be printed. With the Apple IIGS
, this included even reproducing print outs of color photographs with hundreds of simulated colors.
The ImageWriter II offered three ASCII text quality modes: NLQ (near-letter-quality) at 45 CPS, a feature for very high text quality on the Apple II platform or for improved draft printing quality on the Macintosh platform. Standard (Correspondence) mode at 180 CPS, providing average quality text. Finally Draft mode at 250 CPS, the highest speed output but at the lowest quality level. In addition to having the same ASCII and European language characters found in the original ImageWriter, the ImageWriter II added 32 MouseText
characters.
The ImageWriter II was designed in accordance with Apple's Snow White design language
. In 1986 it received the I.D.
Design Review and Silver Industrial Design Excellence Awards, making it the first desktop printer to receive such appraisal.
networking card installed, it was a low cost alternative to the vastly more expensive LaserWriter
. Another third party innovation was an add-on peripheral called the ThunderScan, which allowed the printer to work as a low-cost optical scanner (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. However, the attachment was generally unreliable.
Unbeknown to most non-Apple users, the ImageWriter II was compatible with Microsoft Windows
-based PC's using the operating systems' included C-Itoh 8510 driver (color support was available through third party drivers). The only requirement was an available serial port and appropriate interface cable.
Despite the introduction of the inkjet StyleWriter
in 1991, the ImageWriter II kept selling. It continued in production until late 1996, making it the longest running Apple product in history. Existing models are still useful for printing banners and, like all impact printers, for multi-part forms.
The band Man or Astro-man?
used it live to perform a song called "A Simple Text File".
introduced in 1987 by Apple Computer
. The print quality was comparable to competing 24-pin dot-matrix printers, and offered graphics at 320 × 216 DPI
. Unlike the ImageWriter II, the LQ was unreliable and noisy. Its printhead had a tendency to overheat with large multi-page prints and melt the glue holding the crystal that supports the pins.
Like the earlier ImageWriter II, the LQ could be networked on an AppleTalk
network with the addition of a card. This, as well as guaranteed compatibility with both Apple II
and Macintosh
computers, made it popular in schools.
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
units, and became an important component in early Macintosh computer printing.
Original ImageWriter
The first ImageWriter is a serialSerial communication
In telecommunication and computer science, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels...
based dot matrix printer
Dot matrix printer
A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like the print mechanism on a typewriter...
introduced by Apple Computer in late 1983.
The printer was essentially a re-packaged 9-pin dot matrix printer from C. Itoh Electronics (model C. Itoh 8510, with modified ROM and pinout), released the same year. It was introduced as a replacement for the earlier parallel-based Apple Dot Matrix Printer
Apple Dot Matrix Printer
The Apple Dot Matrix Printer is a printer manufactured by C. Itoh and sold under Apple label in 1982 for the Apple II series, Lisa, and the Apple III...
/DMP (also a C. Itoh model) and, while primary intended for the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
, worked across Apple's entire computer product line. The ImageWriter could produce images as well as text, up to a resolution of 144 DPI
Dots per inch
Dots per inch is a measure of spatial printing or video dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch . The DPI value tends to correlate with image resolution, but is related only indirectly.- DPI measurement in monitor...
and a speed of about 120 CPS. 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 Macintosh 128K
Macintosh 128K
The Macintosh 128K machine, released as the "Apple Macintosh", was the original Apple Macintosh personal computer. Its beige case contained a monitor and came with a keyboard and mouse. An indentation in the top of the case made it easier for the computer to be lifted and carried. It had a selling...
computer, the original Mac. Apple wanted a graphical printer for the Mac, and had introduced the ImageWriter primarily to support the new machine. This permitted it to produce WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
output from the screen of the computer, which was an important aspect for promoting the concept of the GUI
Gui
Gui or guee is a generic term to refer to grilled dishes in Korean cuisine. These most commonly have meat or fish as their primary ingredient, but may in some cases also comprise grilled vegetables or other vegetarian ingredients. The term derives from the verb, "gupda" in Korean, which literally...
and, later, desktop publishing. Quality was adequate rather than startling. Another feature offered was a built-in self test, which could be invoked by holding down the form feed button while powering up the printer.
The ImageWriter can be supported by Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based PC's by using the included C. Itoh 8510 compatible driver.
The ImageWriter was succeeded by the ImageWriter II in late 1985.
Accessories
In 1984 Thunderware introduced the ThunderScan, an optical scanner that was installed in place of the ImageWriter ribbon cartridge. With support for the Apple IIApple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
and the Mac, the ThunderScan provided low cost grayscale scanning with moderate resolution and speed.
ImageWriter II
The ImageWriter II is a serialSerial communication
In telecommunication and computer science, serial communication is the process of sending data one bit at a time, sequentially, over a communication channel or computer bus. This is in contrast to parallel communication, where several bits are sent as a whole, on a link with several parallel channels...
based dot matrix printer
Dot matrix printer
A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like the print mechanism on a typewriter...
that was manufactured by Apple 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. It was particularly well known for being extremely sturdy – ImageWriter II's were still in common use for forms printing a decade after they were produced.
Features
Like its predecessor the ImageWriter, the ImageWriter II utilized a 9-pin C. Itoh mechanism, however was significantly faster in draft-mode where it could print 250 characters per second. Basic color images and text were possible using a color ribbon, a feature that was supported by the original version of QuickDrawQuickDraw
QuickDraw is the 2D graphics library and associated Application Programming Interface which is a core part of the classic Apple Macintosh operating system. It was initially written by Bill Atkinson and Andy Hertzfeld. QuickDraw still exists as part of the libraries of Mac OS X, but has been...
on the Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
(although running on a monochrome platform, actually supported output for eight colors). On the Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
, complex full color graphics could be printed. With the Apple IIGS
Apple IIGS
The Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line...
, this included even reproducing print outs of color photographs with hundreds of simulated colors.
The ImageWriter II offered three ASCII text quality modes: NLQ (near-letter-quality) at 45 CPS, a feature for very high text quality on the Apple II platform or for improved draft printing quality on the Macintosh platform. Standard (Correspondence) mode at 180 CPS, providing average quality text. Finally Draft mode at 250 CPS, the highest speed output but at the lowest quality level. In addition to having the same ASCII and European language characters found in the original ImageWriter, the ImageWriter II added 32 MouseText
MouseText
MouseText designed by Bruce Tognazzini is a set of 32 graphical characters first implemented in the Apple IIc. They were then retrofitted to the Apple IIe forming part of the Enhanced IIe upgrade. A slightly revised version was then released with the Apple IIgs....
characters.
The ImageWriter II was designed in accordance with Apple's Snow White design language
Snow White design language
The Snow White design language was an industrial design language developed by Hartmut Esslinger's Frog Design. Used by Apple Computer from 1984 to 1990, the scheme has vertical and horizontal stripes for decoration, ventilation, and the illusion that the computer enclosure is smaller than it...
. In 1986 it received the I.D.
I.D. (magazine)
I.D. was a magazine covering the art, business and culture of design. It was published eight times a year by F+W Media....
Design Review and Silver Industrial Design Excellence Awards, making it the first desktop printer to receive such appraisal.
Add-on accessories
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 optional AppleTalkAppleTalk
AppleTalk is a proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Inc. for networking computers. It was included in the original Macintosh released in 1984, but is now unsupported as of the release of Mac OS X v10.6 in 2009 in favor of TCP/IP networking...
networking card installed, it was a low cost alternative to the vastly more expensive LaserWriter
LaserWriter
The LaserWriter was a laser printer with built-in PostScript interpreter introduced by Apple in 1985. It was one of the first laser printers available to the mass market...
. Another third party innovation was an add-on peripheral called the ThunderScan, which allowed the printer to work as a low-cost optical scanner (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. However, the attachment was generally unreliable.
Revisions changes
- The original Imagewriter II (1985) closely followed Apple's Snow white designSnow White design languageThe Snow White design language was an industrial design language developed by Hartmut Esslinger's Frog Design. Used by Apple Computer from 1984 to 1990, the scheme has vertical and horizontal stripes for decoration, ventilation, and the illusion that the computer enclosure is smaller than it...
introduced with the Apple IIcApple IIcThe Apple IIc, the fourth model in the Apple II series of personal computers, was Apple Computer’s first endeavor to produce a portable computer. The end result was a notebook-sized version of the Apple II that could be transported from place to place...
, and one of the few peripherals that matched its creamy off-white color scheme known at Apple as Fog. This model is recognizable for being white in color and not having the product name on the front cover. There were many ROM revisions produced for this and later ImageWriter II's, made visiable through a self-test (pressing the form feed button while turning the ImageWriter on, then release both buttons simultaneously; the printer would then print the ROM version as well as dipswitch settings). The printer came with a small built-in 2K RAMRam-Animals:*Ram, an uncastrated male sheep*Ram cichlid, a species of freshwater fish endemic to Colombia and Venezuela-Military:*Battering ram*Ramming, a military tactic in which one vehicle runs into another...
memory buffer, with option to expand.
- The second ImageWriter II (1986) changed to the standard warm-grey Apple "Platinum" color. This model is not only recognizable for being light grey in color, but having the product name printed beside the rainbow Apple logo. It was introduced at roughly the same time as the Apple IIGSApple IIGSThe Apple , the fifth and most powerful model in the Apple II series of personal computers produced by Apple Computer. The "GS" in the name stands for Graphics and Sound, referring to its enhanced graphics and sound capabilities, both of which greatly surpassed previous models of the line...
in late 1986, to match its then-new Platinum color scheme which was later adopted by all other computers at Apple.
- The third revision, the ImageWriter II/L (1990) as it was known internally, offered some slight design improvements. The internal power source changed to a switching power supply, reducing the overall weight of the printer by 10 pounds. As a result of the change, power and serial interface ports were moved from the legs to either ends of the tractor feed housing. This model also increased the built-in buffer memory to 24K RAM, eliminating the need for the memory expansion option. The expansion socket was still present for supporting an optional AppleTalk network card.
Unbeknown to most non-Apple users, the ImageWriter II was compatible with Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
-based PC's using the operating systems' included C-Itoh 8510 driver (color support was available through third party drivers). The only requirement was an available serial port and appropriate interface cable.
Despite the introduction of the inkjet StyleWriter
StyleWriter
The StyleWriter was Apple's line of inkjet serial printers, targeted mainly towards consumers. They produced print quality that was better than the dot matrix ImageWriters, and were cheaper than the LaserWriters...
in 1991, the ImageWriter II kept selling. It continued in production until late 1996, making it the longest running Apple product in history. Existing models are still useful for printing banners and, like all impact printers, for multi-part forms.
The band Man or Astro-man?
Man or Astro-man?
Man or Astro-man? is a surf rock group that formed in Auburn, Alabama, in the early 1990s and came to prominence over the following decade.Primarily instrumental, Man or Astro-man? blended the surf rock style of the early 1960s like that of The Spotnicks with the new wave and punk rock sounds of...
used it live to perform a song called "A Simple Text File".
ImageWriter LQ
ImageWriter LQ (Letter Quality) was a 27-pin dot matrix printerDot matrix printer
A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer with a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up and down motion, on the page and prints by impact, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper, much like the print mechanism on a typewriter...
introduced in 1987 by Apple Computer
Apple Computer
Apple Inc. is an American multinational corporation that designs and markets consumer electronics, computer software, and personal computers. The company's best-known hardware products include the Macintosh line of computers, the iPod, the iPhone and the iPad...
. The print quality was comparable to competing 24-pin dot-matrix printers, and offered graphics at 320 × 216 DPI
DPI
DPI may stand for* Dots per inch, a measure of printing resolution* Dhaka Polytechnic Institute, an educational institution of Bangladesh* Death Pact International, one of the first open source musical concept projects...
. Unlike the ImageWriter II, the LQ was unreliable and noisy. Its printhead had a tendency to overheat with large multi-page prints and melt the glue holding the crystal that supports the pins.
Like the earlier ImageWriter II, the LQ could be networked on an AppleTalk
AppleTalk
AppleTalk is a proprietary suite of protocols developed by Apple Inc. for networking computers. It was included in the original Macintosh released in 1984, but is now unsupported as of the release of Mac OS X v10.6 in 2009 in favor of TCP/IP networking...
network with the addition of a card. This, as well as guaranteed compatibility with both Apple II
Apple II
The Apple II is an 8-bit home computer, one of the first highly successful mass-produced microcomputer products, designed primarily by Steve Wozniak, manufactured by Apple Computer and introduced in 1977...
and Macintosh
Macintosh
The Macintosh , or Mac, is a series of several lines of personal computers designed, developed, and marketed by Apple Inc. The first Macintosh was introduced by Apple's then-chairman Steve Jobs on January 24, 1984; it was the first commercially successful personal computer to feature a mouse and a...
computers, made it popular in schools.