[RESOLVED] Will the IR Thermal Printer module ruin your printer?

Discussion around the SwissMicros DM41X calculator
HPMike
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[RESOLVED] Will the IR Thermal Printer module ruin your printer?

Post by HPMike »

Well, at least it did ruin mine. I first tested the printer with my HP-41CV that is equipped with the HP Infrared Printer Module, and it worked fine. Next I activated the Thermal Printer Module in my DM41X and executed PRSTK (print stack) command, which proceeded to print a solid blue block across the paper, stopping at the end without a line feed, and burning a hole in the paper. I pressed the paper advance button on the printer repeatedly until it stopped printing the solid blue blocks. When I attempted to print again from my HP-41CV it no longer printed anything, just a blank line. So, basically, the print head is kaput, burned out due to some bizarre output from the printer module in the DM41X. :cry:
DM15L, S/N 00548. DM42, SN: 00159. DM41X, SN: 00973. DM32, SN 00054.
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Dan Simpson
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by Dan Simpson »

This happened to me during the Beta period. I reported it and was told that it was not possible for the DM41X to cause this.
I will try with my brand new DM42 and see if I can get it to happen. I replaced my print head but I am leary of using the DM41X. It could have been a fluke but I'm glad I am not alone now!
My Collection: HP-55, HP-67 (Teenix Mod), HP-15C, HP-16C, HP-41CV, HP-41CX, SY41-CL, DM41X, DM42, HP-42S, HP-48G, HP-71B, HP-75C, HP-86B.
HPMike
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by HPMike »

Dan Simpson wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 4:27 am
This happened to me during the Beta period. I reported it and was told that it was not possible for the DM41X to cause this.
I will try with my brand new DM42 and see if I can get it to happen. I replaced my print head but I am leary of using the DM41X. It could have been a fluke but I'm glad I am not alone now!
I have a DM42, and it worked fine with the printer, so this is a problem specific to the DM41X.
DM15L, S/N 00548. DM42, SN: 00159. DM41X, SN: 00973. DM32, SN 00054.
amafan
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by amafan »

What printer do you have?
DM42 (#6476), DM41X (#458), DM15, 12 - HP 12, 17BII, 35(2), 45, HP 27S, 28S, 30B, 41CV, 41CX, 42S, 48S, 35S, HP10bII+, 12C PLAT
I may have a problem!
HPMike
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by HPMike »

amafan wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:13 am
What printer do you have?
An HP 82240B.
DM15L, S/N 00548. DM42, SN: 00159. DM41X, SN: 00973. DM32, SN 00054.
rprosperi
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by rprosperi »

@HPMike - What you've described is exactly the failure mode when the 82240's print head fails, regardless of which device is sending IR to the printer, including HP machines. They all simply send data out via the IR emitter, they're not ray guns or anything. This has happened for 30 years, well before SwissMicros ever made devices that did IR printing, it just happens that it was your 41X that was talking to it when the head failed. The DM42 and DM41X use identical IR hardware (in fact the entire device is the same hardware). There have also been reports over the years of the print head failing even during the self-test, when nothing is sending IR to the printer.

When you are using a brand new, high-quality product together with a 30+ year old product and the latter fails, why on earth would you jump to the conclusion that it's the new product that is responsible?

Did you research the failure mode or look for prior reports of printer failure before writing such an accusatory title? Here's one from 2013: https://www.hpmuseum.org/cgi-sys/cgiwra ... ead=254618.

When a failure happens it's reasonable to wonder if it's the new item that caused it, but it isn't responsible to raise alarms and accuse something of doing harm without knowing enough about it to warrant such a conclusion.
Last edited by rprosperi on Fri Oct 09, 2020 2:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
keithdalby
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by keithdalby »

rprosperi wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:45 am
Did you research the failure mode or look for prior reports of printer failure before writing such an accusatory title? Here's one from 2103.
I know HP was good but that's way ahead of its time!
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Walter
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by Walter »

keithdalby wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 6:29 am
rprosperi wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 5:45 am
Did you research the failure mode or look for prior reports of printer failure before writing such an accusatory title? Here's one from 2103.
I know HP was good but that's way ahead of its time!
Yes, proofreading hurts and is therefore often avoided.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
rprosperi
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by rprosperi »

Fixed now, though I assume the point was not lost on anyone.

And Walter is right, at that point, proofreading yet again simply hurt too much...
--bob p

DM42: β00071 & 00282, DM41X: β00071 & 00656, DM10L: 071/100
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Walter
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Re: Warning ! The IR Thermal Printer module will ruin your printer

Post by Walter »

rprosperi wrote:
Fri Oct 09, 2020 2:37 pm
And Walter is right, at that point, proofreading yet again simply hurt too much...
... again.

Oh, why can't the (American) English learn to speak (or spell or write)? - quoted from My Fair Lady.
WP43 SN00000, 34S, and 31S for obvious reasons; HP-35, 45, ..., 35S, 15CE, DM16L S/N# 00093, DM42β SN:00041
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