Hewlett-Packard Company has announced a new line of HP DesignJet large-format printers, HP Printing Material and HP Ink Supplies for graphics professionals in advertising agencies, design agencies and in-house graphics departments that specialise in packaging, point-of-sale materials and event signage.
HP DesignJet 500PS and 800PS printers
The new HP DesignJet 500PS and HP DesignJet 800PS printing solutions provide exceptional image quality, from letter to poster size, at affordable prices. Available in both 60 cm (24 inches) and 107 cm (42 inches) sizes, the printers are designed as complete printing solutions with full Macintosh and Windows connectivity, long-life printheads, HP colour layering technology and excellent colour management. With Adobe* PostScript* 3*, the printers render simple to graphically-rich print jobs efficiently, boosting performance.
New HP Printing Materials
In addition to a wide range of available printing materials and inks designed for graphics applications, HP also announced three new printing materials optimised to work with the new HP DesignJet printers for uncompromised print quality:
HP High-Gloss Photo Paper, an ultra-smooth glossy paper delivering high-impact, photo-quality images for indoor posters and displays;
HP Satin Poster Paper, a gloss-coated professional inkjet paper that provides an economical, short-term printing solution for indoor signage and display graphics;
HP Heavyweight Coated Paper, the ultimate low-cost solution for fade-resistant and moisture-proof presentations and signs without lamination.
In addition to HP`s wide selection of printing materials, the HP DesignJet Complementary Media Programme references third-party media choices to ensure maximum HP DesignJet printer flexibility and printing solutions.
Ultimate Photo Quality & Colour Accuracy
For the exact proofing, printing and presenting needs of graphics professionals, the HP DesignJet 500PS and 800PS printing systems have impressive true resolutions of up to 1200 x 600 dpi and 2400 x 1200 dpi respectively on glossy paper. HP`s No.11, 3.8 cm (1.5 inches) wide printhead, delivers a wide colour gamut, printing light pastels to natural skin tones and bright and vivid colours.
Closed loop colour calibration also ensures the printers produce repeatable colours, independent of printhead usage, ambient temperature, humidity or ink levels.
"After testing the HP DesignJet 800PS printer, we found the image quality output to be fully comparable to that of the nearest competitive offerings - but with an added bonus: these printers have significantly lower prices," said David Spencer, president of the SpencerLab Digital Colour Laboratories of Melville, N.Y.
The full SpencerLab report is available from http://www.spencerlab.com.
High Ease-of-Use and Unattendedness
HP DesignJet 500PS and 800PS printers also have extensive built-in functionality to maximise their ease of use and unattendedness, letting users focus on the job at hand rather than wasting valuable time overseeing printers. This functionality includes a modular ink system with 69cc cartridge capacity, long life printheads, automatic alignments, and cutting and stacking of finished prints in the media bin. In addition, smart chips are embedded into each printhead and ink cartridge, alerting the user when a printhead needs replacing.
Solutions Tailored to Different Needs
For individual graphics professionals or small workgroups, HP has designed the HP DesignJet 500PS printing system as a complete out-of-the-box plug-and-play large-format printing solution. It includes a control panel for simple navigation, straightforward media loading and an USB port.
The HP DesignJet 800PS printing system is aimed at medium-sized workgroups needing a robust and reliable workhorse to handle large volume print runs. Its extensive connectivity features include an embedded Adobe* PostScript* 3* processor, 160 MB RAM and 6 GB hard disk, and a powerful JetDirect 10/100Base-TX network card which provides a "virtual computer" that free up the user`s workstation/computer.
Pricing and Availability
Estimated prices for the HP DesignJet 500PS printers are expected to be $3195 for a 60 cm (24 inches) model and $4195 for a 107 cm (42 inches) model. Expected availability is November 2000. The printers will be backed by a one-year, next-business-day; on-site limited warranty.
For local pricing, visit http://www.hp.com/go/designjet
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SpencerLab
SpencerLab Digital Colour Laboratory is an independent product evaluation laboratory operated by Spencer & Associates Publishing, Ltd. SpencerLab develops industry-standard test software and performs print quality, throughput speed, cost-per-page, and use analysis for colour printers in every technology class, ranging from drop-on-demand inkjet to digital colour presses.
Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard Company -- a leading global provider of computing and imaging solutions and services -- is focused on making technology and its benefits accessible to individuals and businesses through simple appliances, useful e-services and an Internet infrastructure that`s always on.
HP has 86,000 employees worldwide and had total revenue from continuing operations of $42.4 billion in its 1999 fiscal year. Information about HP and its products can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.