From: weber@sipi.usc.edu (Allan G. Weber)
Subject: Need help with Mitsubishi P78U image printer
Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Distribution: na
NNTP-Posting-Host: sipi.usc.edu

Our group recently bought a Mitsubishi P78U video printer and I could use some
help with it.  We bought this thing because it (1) has a parallel data input in
addition to the usual video signal inputs and (2) claimed to print 256 gray
level images.  However, the manual that came with it only describes how to
format the parallel data to print 1 and 4 bit/pixel images.  After some initial
problems with the parallel interface I now have this thing running from a
parallel port of an Hewlett-Packard workstation and I can print 1 and 4
bit/pixel images just fine.  I called the Mitsubishi people and asked about the
256 level claim and they said that was only available when used with the video
signal inputs.  This was not mentioned in the sales literature.  However they
did say the P78U can do 6 bit/pixel (64 level) images in parallel mode, but
they didn't have any information about how to program it to do so, and they
would call Japan, etc.

Frankly, I find it hard to believe that if this thing can do 8 bit/pixel images
from the video source, it can't store 8 bits/pixel in the memory.  It's not
like memory is that expensive any more.  If anybody has any information on
getting 6 bit/pixel (or even 8 bit/pixel) images out of this thing, I would
greatly appreciate your sending it to me.

Thanks.

Allan Weber
Signal & Image Processing Institute
University of Southern California
weber@sipi.usc.edu