The Unloved Imagewriter I

[Scott Baret]

I'm about to print a banner on a 29 year old Imagewriter I. (Yes, the model has a lowercase w). I had initially planned on an ImageWriter II for the event, but misplaced my DIN-8 cables; the first one I found while retrieving a printer from the old house was an Imagewriter I to Mac Plus (DIN- 8) cable. Therefore, I grabbed the Imagewriter I from the Charlotte, NC conquest last spring.

After giving the printer a nice bath in computer cleaner and taking it to my new apartment, where it will be used alongside a Plus, it occurred to me that this happens to be a rather unloved printer. Sure, it has its place in history as the original Mac printer, but almost everyone who uses an ImageWriter seems to prefer a II. Yes, it's faster and has both color and networking capabilities, but why no love for the original model?

Yes, cables are tougher to track down, and it certainly doesn't look right next to a platinum Mac (or anything newer--I also have a PB190 here I could connect it to if I wanted to). Still, it has that classic look and feel to it.

I also realized I have never actually printed to an Imagewriter I from a Mac before. Keep in mind I've been using Apple computers for over 24 years. Sure, I've hooked Apple IIs and Lisas up to Imagewriter Is, but all my Macs have been on ImageWriter IIs.

I'm looking forward to seeing what this old noble soldier can do. I sort of feel as though I've never really given this model a chance, and I get the feeling many reading this will feel the same way.

I need some theories--why is the Imagewriter I so unloved?

I'll write back regarding my experience. I know the printer turns on and seems OK.

 

[MacJunky]

I have a 15" Imagewriter I and original box. I like how it looks. The ImageWriter II is really ugly imo.

As for unloved.. *shrug*

My only issue with it is that I cannot use it with my modern 64bit computers because there do not seem to be any usable drivers.

32bit? Sure, there are C.Itoh 8510 drivers for that.

Also mine has an alignment issue with bi-directional printing that is too severe for the built-in adjustment. So I guess I should be looking at capacitors and lubrication and stuff as a tuneup.

 

[volvo242gt]

I kinda like how the original Imagewriter doesn't look like R2D2. That said, never used one. When I only had Apple II machines, I used an old Epson MX-80F/T printer. Then, when I got my first Mac, it came with the IWII. Used that through 2000, before I got my first LaserWriter, a IINTX from James1095. Used that printer after upgrading it to a IIf, then a IIg through 2006 or so. Finally started doing paper jams regularly at that point. Networked it via ethernet to the B&W that I had at the time. At the moment, I have a Personal LaserWriter NT which needs to be connected to the IIfx, once I find my phonenet dongles...

-J

 

[Charlieman]

I need some theories--why is the Imagewriter I so unloved?

When you send a long print job to your Imagewriter I, your neighbours will tell you why. If you care about neighbourly relations and need to print in the evening, see if you can find an acoustic hood.

 

[MacJunky]

The sound is one of the best parts about a dot matrix printer!

 

[mcdermd]

Way back when at an old job, we had a large HP line printer in the computer room (to compliment the HP 3000 and 9000 systems and peripherals). Even in that noisy machine room, the dot matrix line printer was head a shoulders above the rest of the din. We printed label runs on it fairly often and I still remember the rhythm sounded like the Carol of the Bells when we did.

 

[Scott Baret]

Dot Matrix printers can be thought of as music. There's a song out there called "A Simple Text File" by Man-Or-Astro-Man which is done entirely on an ImageWriter II.

In other news, the Imagewriter I developed a problem! The print carriage keeps getting stuck (it worked great for several pages but now won't budge and gives the computer an error). Any thoughts?

Also, in terms of "neighborly relations", there are definite perks to being the apartment next to the stairwell

 

[James1095]

Wow that takes me back. I remember printing huge banners from Print Shop on a Franklin Ace 1200 in 5th grade. I forget what specific printer it was but we had several old beasts. The Franklin Apple II clones were ancient even back then, I found a couple of them with Amdek amber screen monitors in a storage closet and my teacher let me set them up and play with them. The IIgs was pretty much the standard in schools at the time.

I can't say I miss the grinding screech of dot matrix printers, but I do like the continuous tractor feed paper.

 

[volvo242gt]

^Probably the usual C.Itoh Prowriter... Seemed to be the elementary/middle school printer in the '80s and early '90s. Usually hooked up with a Grappler+. Or, sometimes with the fingerprint printer interface with the small red button seen sticking up between the case and the lid of an Apple //e.

-J

 

[CelGen]

I remember right up until grade 4 my school had PS/2 systems and IBM printers all over the place and every classroom had at least one 2380 to abuse PrintShop on.