Printing images using 1PC connected to 3 printers

[manuel]

I want to put up a photo studio that will use 3 units of inkjet printers connected to 1 pc. This is intended such that the 3 units can run simultaneously during peak load. I would like to seek for an advice as to how I will be able to set up the system. Monitor shall be touch screen and counter will be provided to closely monitor the sales.
Thank you very much.
Maany

 

[MowermanEd]

Simple to do, just plug your 3 printers in and print. No special setup required, assuming you'll have them connected via USB.

I have a Canon i960, a Canon ip5000 and a HP Laserjet 1000 all connected to one CPU and have had all three printing at the same time without any problems whatsoever.

 

[alexandereci]

If all 3 printers use USB, or only one uses the parallel port, then you're all set to go.

Do note that only one of these printers will be the "default" printer. If you want others to print, you'll have to select them from the print menu of the program you're using.

Also, if you are using 2 or more of the same printer type, name them appropriately to avoid confusion. I use 2 printers at home of the "disposable" type and I alternate them to give them rest periods - I had to name the printers properly so I know which one is which. Obviously, "printer 1" and "printer 2" doesn't work too well.

 

[hpnetserver]

You probably will benefit significantly by using a dual processor PC like the one I use. Mine is actually a sever with 2 Pentium 3 that I picked up from a flea market. It was quite big and heavy so it was cheap from the flea market. Once I beefed it up It became the best machine I ever have. I can run my scanner, printer, browser and photoshop simultaneously. My previous PC was not a dual. When I printed something on a printer connected to the parallel port my computer got frozen instantly. If all 3 of your printers are printing at the same time from a PC with one processor only your PC may not respond to your key strokes any more untill the print jobs are done. The 3 printers will take turn to print rather than printing simultaneously. What you will see may be one prints for a second then stops. The 2nd then prints for another second then stops. The 3rd prints another second... If each print takes a minute then it will probably take 2.5 minutes for 3 images to be printed by 3 printers connected to a same PC.

 

[erick13]

If you are using the same model try printer pooling. Just google it and you'll find how to do it.

 

[alexandereci]

@ hpnetserver:

I'm not too sure about your point. When I was using my HP printer, I could not do anything when I asked it to print a decent number of pages (approx. 10 or more). Even using Adobe Acrobat was hard since I think the CPU had to alternate between "printing" and "showing" the next PDF page. Now I'm using 2 Canon printers, and I can even play games (racing sims with max details, not your simple FPS shooter) while both printers go about their business of printing.

Then again, the HP printer was connected via parallel port, but was still "sluggish" when using a USB port. I definitely would not want to play racing game when the HP printer was printing. Both Canon printers are connected via USB, with no problems whatsoever.

I think this has something to do with what type of printer you're using.... perhaps the amount of memory the printer has or something like that.

Just my 2cents.

 

[hpnetserver]

Alexandereci: the problem was probably originated from connecting a printer connected to the parallel port. When printing an image it invloves the CPU to move the image data from memory to the printer. The CPU will be pretty busy in doing that. So the system will be almost frozen doing the printing. If you have a 2nd CPU in the system then the 2nd CPU will make the system alive and kicking. If two other printers (Canon) connected to USB ports they may not involve too much of CPU's time. But if your PC is not very fast then both printers will be alow too. I once connected my ip8500 to an old notebook(with USB), the printer instantly became a dog. I could not imagine how it would be to have two printers on the USB.

 

[alexandereci]

@ hpnetserver:

Ah, so the issue is USB vs parallel port. Of course, if your CPU is slow to begin with, printing will make it even more sluggish.

 

[fotofreek]

Question - If you are using three different USB printers at the same time, does each printer have its own buffer or do they all print out of the same buffer and have to follow a general print queue? Generally, the program from which you are printing is released as soon as the printing info goes to the buffer and you are then free to use the program while printing out of the buffer.

 

[alexandereci]

@ fotofreek:

I have printed simulatenously from a Canon S200SPx and iP1000, or 2 Canon SP200SPx and they both print simultaneously. None of that "printer 1 prints 1 page, printer 2 prints 1 page, printer 1 prints another page..." A big plus was that while both were printing, I could still use my PC.

I'm not too sure about using 3 printers though... I would guess slower PC, more or less simultaneous printing.