This is an advisory message left by John Levin on the Epson FX printer upgrade


Fm: John A. Levin 70265,676

  Many of us that bought  the 'latest' generation of printers a year or so ago
are looking with some interest and envy at the new dot matrix printers that
claim near letter quality (NLQ) printing.  Using multiple passes to create
typewriter-like fonts, the result eliminates the need to buy a daisy wheel
printer for most uses.  Now, those of you with Epson FX 80 printers can
buy an update board to do that and more.  It can be obtained by getting the
FX-85 upgrade kit offered by Epson and installed by a service center.

  This gives your printer the added features of the later FX-80+ and current
FX-85 models, including an increase in actual throughput, SelecType
(which allows top-panel selection of several print styles right at the
printer, without the need for software setup codes), support for an optional
cut sheet feeder, near-letter-quality (NLQ) capability, and full IBM
compatibility (switch-selectable
emulation of the IBM 5152 graphics printer).

  The upgrade kit can be obtained through virtually any Epson printer dealer
for $99.95, and you must bring it to a service center for installation.

  Unfortunately, installation will run another $50. It is hard to understand
why it would cost so much to upgrade if the new machines are being priced even
lower than what most FX-80 owners paid for their machines less than six months
ago. Why pay $150 for near letter
quality?

  Epson does not have an answer yet, but there is an alternative upgrade.

  I spotted a blurb in Portable 100 the Radio Shack Model 100 magazine from
Dresselhaus Computer Products, 837 E. Alosta Ave. Glendora, CA 91740
(818) 914-5831.  They offer the 'Letter-Writer' kit for $80 which consists of
three chips providing an American Typewriter font at 32 cps.

  Installation by user is possible, and allegedly does not void the
warranty.  It also provides console control of some printer functions.
I have had no user reports for either upgrade, so I can only offer this
information for what it is worth.  In any event, I will probably get one of
the two for my FX.

           John Levin