The scope of this review is to evaluate how Lexmark's Optra Lx 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
Lexmark International, Inc. is a global developer, manufacturer, and supplier of laser and inkjet printers and associated consumable supplies for the office and home markets. Lexmark was formed in March 1991 when the investment firm of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, Inc. acquired the Information Products business of IBM Corporation. For more information about Lexmark products and services, contact the following:
Product Information & Sales: 1-800-891-0331
World Wide Web: www.lexmark.com.
Testing Environment
The test subject for this review was a standard model Optra Lx. The only optional feature was the addition of a 4MB flash memory module. The Optra Lx was connected to our internal LAN network using a Lexmark MarkNet XLe network adapter. 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 186. This test system also included the VPS/TCPIP, VPS/PCL and VPS/PC for Windows extension products. VPS/PC for Windows (Release 1.1.001) was installed on a dedicated Pentium personnel computer. Using three separate VPS printer definitions, we configured the Optra Lx to run:
- as a TCP/IP printer using the LPR/LPD protocol
- as a TCP/IP printer using the direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection
- as a NetWare print server connected through VPS/PC for Windows
The output data format consisted of standard EBCDIC line mode data with ASA carriage control. VPS sent the output in three different formats: straight line mode data, enhanced line mode data, and line mode data with Advanced Function Presentation (AFP) characteristics. When testing the second option (enhanced line mode data), we sent special formatting commands to the printer along with the output. These included PCL format commands (for portrait and landscape printing) and PostScript format commands (for 2-up and 4-up printing).
The third datastream (line data with AFP characteristics) included information to define a FORMDEF and PAGEDEF, which were converted to PCL and sent to the printer.
Testing Results
The installation and configuration of the Optra Lx with the MarkNet XLe was simple and required minimal time. The documentation was detailed and helpful. The MarkNet XLe can support multiple printers using two parallel ports and one serial port. The MarkNet XLe has full bi-directional support when using the two parallel ports, but the printer must be attached using an IEEE-1284 standard bi-directional parallel printer cable.
When using TCP/IP to send output to the MarkNet XLe, the different printer ports are referenced using either different queue names or different port numbers. The queue name is used to code the VPS printer configuration parameter TCPPRTR for the LPR/LPD protocol. The port number is used to code the VPS printer configuration parameter TCPRPORT for the direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection.
For the first test, we sent output from VPS to the Optra Lx 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.
In the second test, we sent data from VPS to the Optra Lx via a 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 the PCL formats. The VPS/TCPIP product will soon support the sending of PostScript formatted output with the direct TCP/IP port 9100 connection. However, this functionality was not yet available at the time of testing.
For the last test, the Optra Lx ran as a Novell NetWare print server. We sent output from VPS via 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.
Features & Options: Optra Lx
| Parameter | Description |
| Engine Speed | 16 ppm @ 300 and 600 dpi |
| 8 ppm @ 1200 dpi |
| Resident Memory | 4MB standard, expandable to 64MB |
| Resident Fonts | 39 Type 1 scalable fonts (PostScript Level 2) |
| 36 scalable Intellifonts (PCL 5e) |
| 10 TrueType fonts |
| 2 bitmapped fonts (POSTNET and Line Printer) |
| Flash Memory Option | 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) |
| Printer Port(s) | High-speed serial post (RS232C/422) |
| High-speed bi-directional parallel port (IEEE 1284) |
| 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
Lexmark Optra Lx
| Installation |  + | | | Ratings: | | | = no problems | | - | = problems | | + | = above average | | N/A | = not applicable |
|
| VPS | |
| VPS/PCL | |
| VPS/IPDS | N/A |
| VPS/TCPIP | + |
| VPS/PC | |
