The scope of this review is to evaluate how this product performs with the VPS suite of products, distributed by Levi, Ray and Shoup, Inc. This product was configured and tested by the System Engineers in the Enterprise Document Engineering (EDE) department at LRS.
Company Profile
Genicom Corporation is a global provider of printing and service solutions. With approximately 1,900 employees worldwide, Genicom has direct business locations in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, United Kingdom, and Australia, as well as its corporate headquarters in Chantilly, Virginia.
The company dates back to 1954, when General Electric created its Data Communications Products Business Department. In 1983, Genicom Corporation was formed and three years later, the company began trading on the NASDAQ National Market List. Genicom's Document Solutions Company designs and markets page and impact printers for a variety of business applications, as well as products and services to support them.
Testing Environment
The test subject for this review was a 7916R. The test printer was delivered to us configured with an internal 16MB token ring NIC (Network Interface Card) and a Coax/Twinax card. The network adapter was configured to run on our 16MB token ring network with support enabled for Novell NetWare and TCP/IP. The TCP/IP protocol suite includes support for both the Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service and a direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection.
The VPS test system used during this review was installed using the most current release of VPS, which was VPS Release 6.2 at fix level 200. The VPS system was configured to include the VPS/TCPIP, VPS/PCL, VPS/IPDS, and VPS/PC for Windows extension products. The VPS/PC for Windows product was installed on a dedicated Pentium personal computer using the most current release of VPS/PC for Windows, release 1.1.001. The printer was configured in VPS as a TCP/IP printer using the LPR/LPD protocol, as a TCP/IP printer using the direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection, as an SNA 3270 printer using both SCS and IPDS, and also as a Novell NetWare print server connected through VPS/PC for Windows.
The output data format consisted of standard EBCDIC line mode data with ASA carriage control. The output was delivered by VPS using three different formats. The output was sent as straight line mode data, as enhanced line mode data, and as line mode data with Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) characteristics. The enhanced line mode data involved sending PCL format commands (for portrait and landscape printing) and PostScript format commands (for 2-up and 4-up printing), with the output, to the printer. The AFP characteristics included information to define a FORMDEF and PAGEDEF, which would be converted to PCL or IPDS and sent to the printer.
Testing Results
The installation and configuration of the printer was simple and required minimal time. The only problem encountered was a conflict with the NIC and the 3270 card when using IPDS over TCP/IP via PSF. Genicom support quickly identified this conflict and when the 3270 coax card was removed the problem was resolved. It should be noted that this was not a "real world" configuration; a normal environment would not have this combination of features installed.
First, we tested the IPDS over TCP/IP capabilities of the printer. This required us to test with IBM's PSF, as VPS does not support IPDS over TCP/IP. Once the hardware conflict noted above was resolved the printer performed satisfactory. We then re-installed the Coax/Twinax card and tested the printer through VPS using an SNA 3270 connection. We tested the printer first as an SCS printer and then with VPS/IPDS as an AFP printer. The performance was again satisfactory.
The 7916 Plus printer supports the IPDS datastream through the LAN interface over TCP/IP protocol as well as PCL5 or PostScript data through the LAN interface when the data originates from the LAN. The 7916 Plus printer is not designed to support SCS pass through of PDL commands via SCS transparency. However, Genicom's 7916 Coax/SCS or Twinax/SCS printers do support this feature.
Next, we tested the printer configured in VPS as a TCP/IP printer using the LPR/LPD protocol. The printer performed with no problems. The enhanced line mode data was sent using the standard VPS Exit 14 load modules for both the PCL and PostScript formats. The only VPS printer configuration change required was to change the FFSEQ parameter from 0D0C to 0C when printing the PostScript formatted output.
We then tested the printer configured in VPS as a TCP/IP printer using the direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection. The printer performed with no problems. The enhanced line mode data was sent using the standard VPS exit 14 load modules for both the PCL and PostScript formats.
The last test used the printer configured in VPS as a Novell NetWare print server connected through VPS/PC for Windows. The printer performed with no problems. The enhanced line mode data was sent using the printer route start and end sequences as defined in VPS/PC. The enhanced line mode data consisted of both the PCL and PostScript formats.
For product information, you can reach Genicom directly by calling 1-800-GENICOM (800-436-4266). For technical support on the products, call 540-949-1031 or visit Genicom's web site at http://www.genicom.com.
Features & Options: Genicom 7916R Plus
| Parameter | Description |
| Engine Speed | 16 ppm @ 300 and 600 dpi |
| 8 ppm @ 1200 dpi |
| Resident Memory | 2MB standard, expandable to 32MB |
| Resident Fonts | (type & number) 39 Type 1 scalable fonts (PostScript Level 2) |
| 36 scalable Intellifonts (PCL 5e) |
| 10 TrueType fonts |
| 2 bitmapped fonts (POSTNET and Line Printer) |
| 32 IPDS fonts |
| Flash MemoryOption | 1, 2 and 4MB memory modules |
| Hard Drive Option | 40MB |
| Resolution (quality) | 300, 600 and 1200 dpi |
| Paper Handling | 500-sheet input tray (standard) |
| 500-sheet output tray (standard) |
| manual paper feeder (standard) |
| manual envelope feeder (standard) |
| 300-sheet duplexing capability (optional) |
| 500-sheet second drawer (optional) |
| 75-envelope feeder (optional) |
| Automatic Data Stream Sensing | SmartSwitch printer language sensing |
| NPAP Bi-directional Communications | Yes |
| Language(s) | PostScript Level 2 emulation standard |
| Enhanced PCL 5 emulation standard |
| IPDS |
| Printer Port(s) | High-speed serial post (RS232C/422) |
| High-speed bi-directional parallel port (IEEE 1284) |
| Coax |
| Twinax |
| LAN Connectivity | MarkNet internal or external network adapter: |
| Token ring (4Mbps or 16Mbps) |
| Ethernet (10BaseT or 10Base2) |
| LocalTalk |
| Duty Cycle | Maximum of 75,000 pages per month |
| Warranty | Free one-year On-site and Express warranty |
Report Card
Genicom 7619R Plus
|
Installation
|
+
|
|
| Ratings: | | | = no problems | | - | = problems | | + | = above average | | N/A | = not applicable |
|
| VPS | |
| VPS/PCL | |
| VPS/IPDS | |
| VPS/TCPIP | + |
| VPS/PC | |
