Can you run two printers off one computer at the same time?

[Macro2]

Though I would ask before I tried this.
If I hook one printer up USB and another on Parallel can I print the same file on both printers at the same time if I open two instances of the same graphics program at the same time, printing through the USB on one and parallel on the other? If I can't access the same file on both instances of the same program I can make another copy of the file I'm printing and save it as a different filename so that wouldn't be a problem.

Thanks, Mac

 

[DaveSimmons]

Yes, one running instance of a program can usually only print to one printer at a time (until it finishes sending the job to the print spooler) but if your graphics program lets you run more than one copy you can have each copy printing to separate printers without any problems.

 

[Markfw]

I for one can't fathom WHY you would need to print at the same time. Sue you can have two printers, print to one, then print to the other 2 seconds later. Please explain what you are up to and maybe we could advise you better.

 

[rome]

why dont you just share the printer?

rome

 

[Macro2]

I do a LOT of printing. Color brochures and the like. With two printers hooked up to one computer, running at the same time, I can nearly double my print production per computer. That's the idea. one printer - 100 pages an hour...2 printers - 200 pages an hour although the parallel printer may be a little slower.

Any other ideas? I'd hook more printers to one computer if i could. I'm using Inkjets mainly. May go to color laser as discussed before.

Mac

 

[Bovinicus]

You should be able to simply set both of them up and print some items with one printer and some with another. It's worth trying it out. Just change the printer to use when you click the print button.

 

[UlricT]

why not get some USB splitters and put a whole array of printers on each machine?

 

[Yomicron]

There shouldn't be any problems using both printers.

But if you are printing that much, you really should invest in a laser printer, if you save 10 cents per page you can recoup the expense within a month.

 

[DaveSimmons]

Originally posted by: Yomicron
There shouldn't be any problems using both printers.

But if you are printing that much, you really should invest in a laser printer, if you save 10 cents per page you can recoup the expense within a month.

Or a solid-ink. With that kind of volume the cost-per-page for inkjets must really add up. ZDnet/CNet, PCWorld, PC Mag all have roundups of mid to high-end lasers and solid-ink printers that should let you compare price-page, quality, and print speed.

 

[Woodchuck2000]

I would recommend running both printers off USB. With a hub you could happily connect 4 or so printers to your USB port and use them all at the same time.

 

[Macro2]

"I would recommend running both printers off USB. With a hub you could happily connect 4 or so printers to your USB port and use them all at the same time:"

I didn't know you could do that. I thought you could only have one default printer on USB. If I have I've two instances of corel running I can print through two different printers by just selecting a different printer? Hummm. No problem to get a powered hub.

RE:"But if you are printing that much, you really should invest in a laser printer, if you save 10 cents per page you can recoup the expense within a month."

Actually the inkjets are much cheaper to run because I refill cartridges. Some over 80 times now on the same cartridge. Canon BCI-3e.
The reason i would go to laser or solid is that they print on glossy paper (not photo paper, because photo paper is a lot more than magazine grade glossy)
I'm looking at the solid ink printer from Tecktronix/Xerox but I've read mixed reviews on the quality vs current color lasers. Also the color lasers appear to have caught up in speed. I think the consumables for the solid ink printers sets them way below the cost per page of color lasers though.
Particularly if you can still get that free black ink for life from Xerox/tectronics for the Phaser 850. All I see are refurbs for that printer on e-bay though.

Mac

 

[victor]

Originally posted by: Macro2
Though I would ask before I tried this.
If I hook one printer up USB and another on Parallel can I print the same file on both printers at the same time if I open two instances of the same graphics program at the same time, printing through the USB on one and parallel on the other? If I can't access the same file on both instances of the same program I can make another copy of the file I'm printing and save it as a different filename so that wouldn't be a problem.
Thanks, Mac

I print to 2 printers at the same time with no problems (they r both parallel). What OS u have?

 

[Barny]

I'm trying to do the same thing - print to 2 printers at the same time from 1 computer. 1 printer connected to USB, the other Parallel port.
In my case it works but not very well. It seems to ping pong back and forth. I send 1 print job to the 720 then start another print job on the 5550 (using a second running version of Paint Shop Pro). The printing alternates between the 2 printers. i.e. 1 prints for a bit, pauses, the second prints for a bit, pauses.... and so on. I imagine if you had 2 printers from different manufacturers it would be a breeze. I have 2 HP deskjets. An HP 720C and a HP 5550. I suspect both are using the same printer driver and this is the problem. If it were an HP and a Canon (for example) where both used different print drivers, I think it would be 2 completely seperate functions and achieve the desired goal.

If you're wonder why I am trying to do this:
Bought the 5550 because every year for XMAS I print family photo calendars and pass them out to my family. The 720C takes 8 minutes to print 1 page at Best quality, the 5550 can do the same quality in under 4 minutes. I figured with both printers running I could spit them out just that much faster.

 

[Barny]

Update to previous reply, I have to revise my assumptions.

Just tried printing to the 2 printers, this time using 2 different applications ( Paint Shop Pro and Adobe Photoshop). Printed the same photo to both printers with no problems and no pausing. The photo printed was the same file on the computer (not a copy under a different name). Both printers printed a max speed.

So........ my problem wasn't the driver, nor trying to print the same document. it was the application (Paint Shop Pro) that couldn't send the same document to 2 printers simultaneously even though I was running two instances of Paint Shop Pro.