Epson Brings Inkjet Expertise to POS Market; Introduces Retail Engineered Inkjet Printers at FS/Tec

Business Wire, Nov 6, 2000

Business Editors

LONG BEACH, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2000

Epson, a leading supplier of value-added POS transaction solutions, will showcase its new TM-J2000, one color and TM-J2100, two color inkjet printers at the FS/Tec show in Long Beach this week.

Both the TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 feature Epson's patented, retail-designed SEAJet(TM) (Static Electricity Actuated) inkjet technology and are targeted toward the hospitality, retail and specialty store markets.

"Unlike other POS inkjet printers currently available, the TM-J2000/2100 use technology specifically designed for the retail market," said Bud Weist, director, sales and marketing, Epson. "As a leader in inkjet printing, Epson developed its SEAJet technology to meet the needs of the point-of-sale market."

Superior Printing Technology and Speed

In contrast to other printers that use thermal inkjet technology, which sprays fewer, more irregular dots, Epson's SEAJet technology uses a precision nozzle to produce a very high concentration of uniform dots resulting in a visible difference.

The TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 produce crisp, clear, easy-to-read text, bar codes and graphics, in single color and two-color, respectively. Based on a new principle and construction, SEAJet technology provides an unprecedented 360 x 360 dpi (dots per inch) resolution mode giving retailers a powerful business-building tool as well as a high-quality POS printer.

Additionally, these printers offer print speeds more than twice as fast as any POS inkjet printer available today. With speeds up to 17 lines per second, retailers can print receipts, coupons, bar codes and complex graphics without causing customers to wait. The TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 also provide retailers with a full 385KB of user-available memory to store complex graphics and logos.

"We know that all retailers are looking for that competitive edge," said Weist. "Our TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 printers answer that need, allowing retailers to quickly and easily turn their receipts into high impact marketing tools and unlike other inkjet POS printers, they can do it at top speed."

With the TM-J2100, retailers can choose from three color options to create brighter, better looking logos, pictures and graphics that will add life to any marketing program from customer retention to customer-specific coupons. Colors available are red/black, blue/black or green/black.

Lower Total Cost of Ownership

For any retailer, especially those with high-volume printing needs, the TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 printers are an economical solution. Because SEAJet technology uses electrostatic power to drive the print head, retailers will realize a power savings of at least 40 percent, which adds up to a significant savings over the life of the printer.

Additionally, with an MCBF of 50 million lines, an MTBF of 180,000 hours and an autocutter life of two million cuts, the TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 offer the highest reliability available on today's market.

The TM-J2000 ink cartridge has a 24 million character life which is more than three times the cartridge life of other POS inkjet printers. The TM-J2100 features independently replaceable black and color ink cartridges with a combined character life of 17 million characters which significantly lowers consumables cost. Both printers feature ink near-end detectors that display remaining ink cartridge life, preventing wasteful printing of blank receipts.

Versatile, Quiet and Easy to Use

The TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 feature drop-in paper loading, easy to load ink cartridges, a paper near end sensor and a built-in counter that automatically monitors printer functions which simplifies maintenance. The printers have four different paper width settings and their autocutters can be set to full or partial cut.

Both printers support RS-232 and bi-directional parallel interfaces as well as RS-485 and USB, allowing retailers to select the interface that meets their current needs and the ability to upgrade as their needs change. Additionally, their open architecture design and compatibility with Epson's line of Connect-It(TM) interfaces protect the customer's investment by making it compatible with proprietary systems as well as today's best-of-breed solutions.

Retailers and hospitality providers will appreciate the quiet operation that is integral to the SEAJet technology used in the TM-J2000 and TM-J2100. Because the printers are virtually noiseless, they can be placed anywhere without disrupting the flow of business.

The TM-J2000 and TM-J2100 carry an MSRP of $625 and $657, respectively. For specific information about SEAJet technology, visit http:pos.epson.com/inkjet. For more information on Epson POS products, call 562/981-3840 or visit Epson's website at http://pos.epson.com.

Epson offers an extensive array of image capture and image output products for the consumer, business and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of a diverse line of component, system and electronic device products.

Founded in 1975, Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America Inc. has headquarters in Long Beach.