When was dot matrix printer invented

The machine, prints on page by impact, as it strikes a ribbon that is soaked in ink, against the paper, working very much like the mechanism of a traditional typewriter. The Dot Matrix printer was invented by Robert Howard, founder of Centronics Data Computer, the company which would go on to commercialise the printer and popularise its use alongside personal computers.

Japanese manufacturer OKI introduced this printer to the mass market in First introduced by the Digital Equipment Corporation in , the dot matrix printer model LA30 boasted being able to print 30 characters per second. The drawbacks, however, were its loud noise and unpredictable paper feed that caused alignment errors. This made printing a hassle, especially in the tight office spaces that it was supposedly manufactured for. The new printer model refined the metal rod that strikes the paper.

These printers became widely popular for being compact and versatile. Dot matrix printers have moving heads that print what you want line by line. It punches holes through the ribbon and leaves marks — the printout — on the paper. Please note, we are always charged a levy by the courier if an area of sea is crossed. For our full list of delivery charges please click the following link: Delivery Charges.

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This printer used a print head incorporating an innovative seven-wire solenoid impact system, and Centronics claimed that it was the first dot matrix impact printer. Centronics concentrated on the low-end line printer market. In the process they designed the parallel electrical interface, or parallel port , that became standard on most most printers until it began to be replaced by the Universal Serial Bus USB in the late s.

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