Star Micronics America Offers "Built-In" Microsoft® Vista Drivers
Star Micronics is pleased to announce it is the first POS printer manufacturer with "built-in" (Inbox) Microsoft® Vista Drivers. This means that the Vista Operating System is shipped to your customer with Star Micronics drivers already embedded. No CD or download is needed. A Vista "built-in" or "Inbox" Driver indicates that the appropriate printer driver is installed without any user-intervention.
With this new operating system, comes lots of additional terminology. To help you navigate through the new terms and Star's driver compatibility, Star has put together the below list of FAQs. Also, see table below for list of Vista drivers for Star Micronics printers.
1) What is a built-in (Inbox) Vista Driver?
A Vista Inbox Driver indicates that the appropriate printer driver is installed without any user-intervention (this driver is known as Inbox driver or 'built-in' driver). This means that Vista is shipped to your customer with Star Micronics drivers already embedded. No CD or download is needed.
2) What is WHQL?
Short for Windows Hardware Quality Labs, a Microsoft facility that tests and certifies third-party hardware and driver products for compatibility with Windows operating systems. Products that meet the compatibility requirements are then allowed to display Windows logos on product packaging.
WHQL is actually available for printers that have one of all of the following communication interfaces: USB, Ethernet, WIFI, FireWire, Bluetooth. Serial, parallel and IRda cannot receive WHQL certification.
Drivers that are not WHQL-certified are known as unsigned drivers. Drivers that are WHQL-certified are known as signed drivers.
WHQL means:
- The driver has been tested by Microsoft program and it is certified to be bug free.
- The driver has been optimized in its development to work with a specific operating system. Drivers with WHQL certification perform the best.
- The driver has passed testing to ensure that the solution is user-friendly, stable and compatible with other applications.
- You do not get a warning message during driver installation
3) How many different WHQL certifications exist today?
- WHQL XP family
- WHQL Windows Server 2003
- WHQL Vista
To receive WHQL Vista certification, the driver must support both 32 and 64 bit hardware. This is not the case with XP or Windows 2003 server.
Available VISTA drivers for Star Micronics printers:
| Printers | InBox (Built-in) | On Driver CD (in printer box) |
| SP500 | Yes | |
| TSP600 | Yes | |
| TSP700 | Yes | |
| TSP800 | Yes | |
| TUP900 | Yes | |
| TSP1000 | Yes | |
| TSP828L | Yes | |
| TSP100 | Yes: Availability: April 07 on CD March 07 for download |
About Star Micronics
Star Micronics America, Inc., is a subsidiary of Star Micronics Company Ltd., a world-wide leading producer of POS printers, audio components, high-precision machine tools, and precision parts. For more information, contact Star Micronics America, Inc., at 800-782-7636 or visit www.starmicronics.com.
SOURCE: Star Micronics