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Mac Forum / General / Hardware / September 2007HP LaserJet 2420 RAM upgrade
I added 256MB of RAM to the stock 32MB in my HP LaserJet 2420. I haven't done any heavy-duty printing yet--just the odd page or two or three--but so far it doesn't seem any faster than before I added the RAM. The RAM shows up when I look in the printer utility. Is the speed increase more apparent when printing long documents? Does it matter which slot the larger module is installed in? (The manual doesn't say anything about that.) This printer is fast enough for most things, but I got the RAM for faster speed when printing (for example) a 20-page graphics-laden document. I'd appreciate any input anyone might have on the subject! > I added 256MB of RAM to the stock 32MB in my HP LaserJet 2420. I haven't > done any heavy-duty printing yet--just the odd page or two or three--but [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > for faster speed when printing (for example) a 20-page graphics-laden > document. I'd appreciate any input anyone might have on the subject! I doubt you'll see any speed improvement on long documents. You're limited by the speed of the printer itself, not how much RAM it has. You'll only see some improvement on complex pages with lots of downloaded fonts, pictures, etc... Graphics such as line drawings, not so much. They aren't memory hogs. Raymond > > I added 256MB of RAM to the stock 32MB in my HP LaserJet 2420. I haven't > > done any heavy-duty printing yet--just the odd page or two or three--but [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Raymond I do a lot of complex pages with fonts, photos, etc., so I hope there's an improvement. It's hooked up via USB (but not 2.0). I think I'll need to get an ethernet card for it to see better speed, no? > It's hooked up via USB (but not 2.0). USB 1.x is very slow. > I think I'll need > to get an ethernet card for it to see better speed, no? Or get a USB 2 card.  SignaturePlease let me know if you send email to this address so that I can be sure your email doesn't get eaten by pobox.com's ultra-aggressive SPAM filter. JR > > It's hooked up via USB (but not 2.0). > [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Or get a USB 2 card. I think I can't put a USB 2 card in a G4/400, though! Ethernet it is... (or a whole new Mac!). > > > It's hooked up via USB (but not 2.0). > > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I think I can't put a USB 2 card in a G4/400, though! Yes you can. I have a cheap USB 2 card in my PowerMac G4 Quicksilver (which also only has USB 1.1 built in), and it is just a standard PCI card which will work fine with an older PowerMac G4. The only problem I've had is that it doesn't support the computer's sleep mode properly, so if I leave anything plugged into it the computer will hang when I wake it up again. This doesn't bother me as I'm only using it for temorarily connected devices. This may be less of a problem with older PowerMac models (which don't have the same deep sleep mode) or if you can find a better USB 2 card that is fully Mac compatible. > Ethernet it is... An Ethernet option for the printer might give you more flexibility, especially if you have multiple computers (no need to have the "host" computer on if you want to print from another one). My ten year old HP LaserJet 6MP is connected to Eternet via an equally antique HP JetDirect EX, and I have full access to it over my Airport network from every computer. SignatureDavid Empson dempson@actrix.gen.nz >>> It's hooked up via USB (but not 2.0). >> [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > I think I can't put a USB 2 card in a G4/400, though! What makes you think that? > Ethernet it is... (or a whole new Mac!). Why? SignaturePlease let me know if you send email to this address so that I can be sure your email doesn't get eaten by pobox.com's ultra-aggressive SPAM filter. Help improve usenet. Kill-file Google Groups: http://improve-usenet.org/ JR > > Or get a USB 2 card. > > I think I can't put a USB 2 card in a G4/400, though! Why do you think _that_? Of course you can! Which is why JR recommended it. Signature<http://designsbymike.info/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.info/shop/musings.cgi> Muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.info/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.info/shop/dance.cgi> Ballroom dance shirts & gifts > > > Or get a USB 2 card. > > > > I think I can't put a USB 2 card in a G4/400, though! > > Why do you think _that_? Of course you can! Which is why JR > recommended it. I had a foggy memory of hearing that--but now I realize that it applies to OS9, not OSX (e.g. http://snipr.com/1r33n). With my slow processor, though, will the speed gain from USB 1 to 2 be noticeable, on my G4/400 Sawtooth's slow processor? Basically, I need to decide whether to just get an JetDirect ethernet card for the LaserJet or a USB 2 card. If the USB 2 card will make a big difference in print speed (given my slow processor), I'll do that (and hopefully spend less money). > I had a foggy memory of hearing that--but now I realize that it applies > to OS9, not OSX (e.g. http://snipr.com/1r33n). With my slow processor, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > USB 2 card will make a big difference in print speed (given my slow > processor), I'll do that (and hopefully spend less money). Your processor speed will have the same limitation regardless of which connection type use. Either way, whether it's ethernet or USB 2, your goal is to send data from Mac to printer at a greater rate, and in both cases your processor will likely set the upper limit. I believe you'll see a noticeable improvement but well below the some 20-fold difference between USB 1.1 and 2.0. The USB card should cost twenty bucks or so. Signature<http://designsbymike.info/shop/mac.cgi> Mac and geek T-shirts & gifts <http://designsbymike.info/shop/musings.cgi> Muckraking T-shirts <http://designsbymike.info/shop/prius.cgi> Prius shirts/bumper stickers <http://designsbymike.info/shop/dance.cgi> Ballroom dance shirts & gifts > > I had a foggy memory of hearing that--but now I realize that it applies > > to OS9, not OSX (e.g. http://snipr.com/1r33n). With my slow processor, [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > see a noticeable improvement but well below the some 20-fold difference > between USB 1.1 and 2.0. The USB card should cost twenty bucks or so. I installed a USB 2.0 card tonight. I plugged my Canon i960 and Apple Cinema Display into the two slots (and the LaserJet into the ACD). Printing is almost instantaneous for most documents now! (I might still get an ethernet card for the LJ, if I can get a good price, so the other two computers on the network can print to it.) One thing I noticed after installing the USB card: In my Printer Setup Utility and in Print dialog boxes, there are now two instances of the i960 (i960 and i960-1); the LJ still shows once. I have to choose i960-1 to print. I can live with that, but the organizer in me doesn't like it! Should I delete them and re-add the printer to the Printer List? >>> I had a foggy memory of hearing that--but now I realize that it applies >>> to OS9, not OSX (e.g. http://snipr.com/1r33n). With my slow processor, [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > Cinema Display into the two slots (and the LaserJet into the ACD). > Printing is almost instantaneous for most documents now! I love solutions that turn out to be relatively inexpensive! Congratulations! : ) > (I might still > get an ethernet card for the LJ, if I can get a good price, so the other > two computers on the network can print to it.) Those tend to cost more, so it's just a matter of how much it's worth to you. > One thing I noticed after > installing the USB card: In my Printer Setup Utility and in Print dialog > boxes, there are now two instances of the i960 (i960 and i960-1); the LJ > still shows once. I have to choose i960-1 to print. I can live with > that, but the organizer in me doesn't like it! Should I delete them and > re-add the printer to the Printer List? Yep you can do that. I do that occasionally when something I've changed causes multiple entries. SignaturePlease let me know if you send email to this address so that I can be sure your email doesn't get eaten by pobox.com's ultra-aggressive SPAM filter. Help improve usenet. Kill-file Google Groups: http://improve-usenet.org/ JR |
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