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Printer Supplies & Accessories

Ink Ribbons

Ink Ribbons Article

In the general sense many printers rely on a matrix of pixels, or dots, that together form the larger image. However, the term dot matrix printer is specifically used for impact printers that use a matrix of small pins to create precise dots. The advantage of dot-matrix over other impact printers is that they can produce graphical images in addition to text; however the text is generally of poorer quality than impact printers that use letterforms (type).
A Tandy 1000 HX with a Tandy DMP-133 dot-matrix printer.
A Tandy 1000 HX with a Tandy DMP-133 dot-matrix printer.

Dot-matrix printers can be broadly divided into two major classes:

* Ballistic wire printers (discussed in the dot matrix printers article)
* Stored energy printers

Dot matrix printers can either be character-based or line-based (that is, a single horizontal series of pixels across the page), referring to the configuration of the print head.

At one time, dot matrix printers were one of the more common types of printers used for general use - such as for home and small office use. Such printers would have either 9 or 24 pins on the print head. 24-pin print heads were able to print at a higher quality. Once the price of inkjet printers dropped to the point where they were competitive with dot matrix printers, dot matrix printers began to fall out of favor for general use.

Some dot matrix printers, such as the NEC P6300, can be upgraded to print in color. This is achieved through the use of a four-color ribbon mounted on a mechanism (provided in an upgrade kit that replaces the standard black ribbon mechanism after installation) that raises and lowers the ribbons as needed. Color graphics are generally printed in four passes at standard resolution, thus slowing down printing considerably. As a result, color graphics can take up to four times longer to print than standard monochrome graphics, or up to 8-16 times as long at high resolution mode.

Dot matrix printers are still commonly used in low-cost, low-quality applications like cash registers, or in demanding, very high volume applications like invoice printing. The fact that they use an impact printing method allows them to be used to print multi-part documents using carbonless copy paper (like sales invoices and credit card receipts), whereas other printing methods are unusable with paper of this type. Dot-matrix printers are now (as of 2005) rapidly being superseded even as receipt printers.

Ink Ribbons Items

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Search:  
Primera Z1 TEAC P11 BLUE Ribbon cassette 1pc MSRP$19.99

$9.99
U-Print CD DVD Printer Cassette Ribbon BLACK 1 pc FS

$17.95
Box of 6 New SLIP Printer Ribbons

$9.99
IBM 57P2308 6 PACK 6400-I PREMIUM 30 PRINTER RIBBON NEW

$9.99
LEXMARK # 1040475 PROPRINTER 4207 RIBBONS/CS OF 6..WOW!

$65.99
IBM 11A3540 compatible ribbon -2480/2481/2490/2491

$4.50
(12 ) Epson ERC09 Compatible POS Printer Ribbons ERC-09

$16.95
2-PACK PC-201 fax cartridge for Brother Intellifax 1170

$18.95
POS Paper HYPERCOM T7P Sanyo Sharp Royal Verifone Casio

$9.99
NUKOTE BR113N RED/BLACK INKRIBBON. NEW AND SEALED

$0.99
TALLY GENICOM P/N 44A509160-G02 Ribbon Cartridge 4470

$9.99
Oki Electric Industry (051851040462) Ribbon

$15.00
Calculator Ink Roller Black/Red CP13, IR40T, NR42

$2.95
Panduit PTR2E Hybrid Thermal Transfer Ribbon

$25.00
Brand NEW Okidata ML100/320/T/321/T Black 52102001 NIB

$9.00
Lexmark 1040930 compatible ribbon -2380/2381/2390/2391

$4.50
4-PACK Panasonic KX-FA65 Compatible Fax Cartridge NIB

$37.95
Epson S015337 compatible ribbon- LQ590 LQ-590 printer

$6.00
(6) OKIDATA PRINTER ML 520/521/590/591 RIBBONS 52106001

$9.95
Citzen gsx-145 Compatible Ribbon 6 Pack

$6.00
Two Panasonic Printer KX-P145 Ribbon KXP-2023/KX-P2023

$5.95
PELIKAN PANASONIC RIBBONS PRINTER KX-P 2123 2124 2180

$1.99
6 Okidata Microline 100 Compatible Black Cart.Ribbon

$9.95
2 Fax Film Ribbons For Brother PC-401 PC-402 PC402 565

$0.95
Epson Ribbon Cartridge #7753

$9.99
Hard Disk HDD IDE ATA 100 18" 46cm 3 Heads Ribbon Cable

$0.99
IBM Proprinter XL24 Ribbon

$0.99
2 Fax Film Ribbons For Brother PC-401 PC-402 PC402 565

$0.99
NEW Intermec TMX2200 ThermaMAX Printer Ribbon 4440 4420

$19.99
Six Epson ERC09 Compatible POS Printer Ribbons ERC-09

$10.95
NU-KOTE BM188 Printer Ribbons (Lot of 3)

$1.00
DOCUMAX PRINTER RIBBON CARTRIDGE 104443 DATASOUTH A3300

$4.99
Genuine EPSON 7753 Ribbons (Lot of 2)

$3.00
PRINTEK 4500 Ribbons #90729 NIB--Box of 6 SHIPS FREE

$24.99
FAX Film Cartridge For SHARP UX3CR UX-3CR FO-3CR FO3CR

$0.98
NEW SMITH & CORONA Cover Up Tapes (2) FREE shipping!

$4.99
Panasonic KXP190/KX-P190 compatible ribbon/KXP3196

$10.00
Panasonic KX-P110/KXP110 compatible ribbon/KXP1592/1595

$4.00
Zebra i-Series True Colours 800015-901 Black-Mono-1000

$14.95
Citizen PN 60 printer tapes PN60 black

$0.10
OKIDATA RIBBON 100 120 120+ 180 182 182+ 183 184 turbo

$0.88
2 Brand New Fargo Smartload (44200) Ribbon Cartridges

$1.99
Brand NEW Genuine Okidata ML590/591 Black 52106001

$13.95
Okidata Pacemark Ribbon

$0.99
EPSON RIBBON CARTRIDGE # 7754 BRAND NEW - SEALED

$7.00
Casio CW-50 CW-75 CW-100 5-Pack Ribbons All Five Colors

$37.00
Casio CW-50 CW-75 CW-100 CWL300 Ribbon blue new!

$7.75
SONY SVM-25L INK RIBBONS(5 in one box)

$0.99
Two Panasonic KX-P150 KXP150 Ribbons 2123/2124/2180

$5.95
Casio CW-50 CW-75 CW-100 CWL300 Ribbon GREEN new!

$7.75
2 Brother PC-301Fax/Printer Cartridge 750/770/775/870MC

$13.99
GENUINE SONY FIU-710 FINGERPRINT ID UNIT

$99.99
Star 80982170 compatible ribbon-NX 2400/NX2400

$4.50
10-EPSON ERC-41 B RIBBON CARTRIDGES FOR TM-H6000 II

$29.95
Black Ribbon (52106001) For OKI Printer

$4.00
OKIDATA MICROLINE RIBBON BLACK 380/390/391/390 TURBO

$1.99
DataCard YMCK 806124-102 Four-Color Ribbon

$9.99
Oki 52104001 compatible ribbon-Microline ML-321/ML-184

$4.50
Nu.kote NUKB268 Printer Ribbon

$0.99
Panasonic KX-P1090 Printer Ribbons - BM189

$2.25
IBM Quiet III High Yield Ribbon #1299933

$59.95
NIB 5--EPSON ERC-32 B RIBBON CARTRIDGES

$29.95
BRAND NEW KX-P145 Printer Ribbon

$0.99
Nukote BM215 Printer Ribbon

$0.99
2 rolls for Sharp UX-5CR Fax Film thermal ribbons ux5cr

$7.60
GENUINE SONY FIU-710 FINGERPRINT ID UNIT

$99.99
PORELON 11582 NYLON RIBBON OKIDATA ML 420/421 LOT OF 6

$9.99
OKIDATA 520,590 INK RIBBON. NEW AND SEALED

$0.99
Black Ribbon (009228105209) for Panasonic Printer

$4.00
Lot x 3 EPSON ERC-38B BLACK POS PRINTER RIBBON

$9.00
LOT 4 TALLY GENICOM RIBBON CARTRIDGE MT660 MT690

$9.99
FARGO Supplies Color Ink Ribbon YMCKOK 81740 New/Sealed

$74.99
Ibm Black Max 2343 Ribbon for IBM 6252 Printers Box 6

$29.99
OKI MICROLINE BLACK PRINTER RIBBON FITS 393/395 SERIES

$7.95
IBM Silver Dollar Cartridge 5-1027-00 lot of 18

$0.99
NU KOTE IBM correcting lift off tape New in Box

$0.99
6 Epson ERC-35 Compatible Ribbons EXP25153

$9.95
XEROX MEMORYWRITER TYPEWRITER RIBBONS-Box/6

$9.99
2 PACK Brother PC-301 Fax Cartridge 750 770 870MC NIB

$14.95
2 Brother pc 301 Fax Ribbon cartridge staples lot of 2

$9.99
Fargo CardJet 410 SmartLoad Card Cartridge 41050

$20.00
(12 ) Epson ERC09 Compatible POS Printer Ribbons ERC-09

$17.95
Oki 52104001 compatible ribbon-Microline ML 320/321/180

$4.50
IMAGECARD SERIES CLEAR TOPCOAT RIBBON No. 806125-103

$9.99
2 rolls For UX-3CR Sharp thermal ribbons Fax Film UX3CR

$7.90
Tally Genicom (44A507014-G06) Ribbon 4410 4440 LG31

$49.99
6 ERC-09 RIBBON HYPERCOM T7P Epson Register Verifone 6p

$5.99
5 pc Primera Z1 TEAC P11 Black Ribbon cassette MSRP$99

$49.95
Six Okidata Printer Ribbon 420/421/490/720 42377801

$11.95
YMCO Ribbon Cartridge 50 images 630PL 630PS 640PS

$3.99
Six Okidata Printer RIBBON 182/320/321 Turbo 52104001

$8.95
Lot x 5 EPSON ERC-38B/R BLACK & RED POS PRINTER RIBBON

$15.00
(3) Universal Black/Red Calculator Ribbon Spools

$2.95
SIX OKIDATA PRINTER ML 393 395 3410 RIBBONS 52105801

$38.95
Lexmark 11A3550 compatible ribbon -2590/2591/2580/2581

$7.00