Date   : Thu, 03 Feb 1983 1139-:00PST
From   : PACIFIC <PACIFIC@usc-ecl.arpa>
Subject: MX vs. FX-80 Epsons

You're right, the supply of MX-80's has just about completely dried up.
Epson is getting ready to release a new line of printers called FX-nn
(a few have already been sent to dealers, but not more than a handful).

We write some software for the MX printers and were demonstrating (Fancy
Font) at CP/M '83 on those printers.  Epson dropped one of the new FX
printers off at the booth Friday evening, we plugged it in and were up
in a matter of seconds.  The point is, it is entirely upwards compatible
with the MX.  The exciting part is that it is twice as fast (160 cps I
believe in normal printing mode) and furthermore it has twice the
horizontal graphics mode resolution giving it a raster image of 216v x 240h.
That puts it very close to the imagen-like printers in overall quality
at about 1/30th the cost.

Warning: a lot of dealers are pushing other printers because they can't
get Epsons.  They say whatever one they're pushing has better resolution
than Epsons, because they have more pins or some-such.  But, for graphics
mode resolution nothing beats an Epson (MX or especially FX) so before
you buy any printer check the graphics mode; that's where all the good
stuff happens.

Bill Overman