# Difference between a dye sub photo printer and a thermal photo printer



## Ken Styles (Mar 16, 2006)

Can someone tell me the difference between a dye sub photo printer and a thermal photo printer?

Are they the same thing?

Thanks,

Ken


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

Ken Styles said:


> Can someone tell me the difference between a dye sub photo printer and a thermal photo printer?
> 
> Are they the same thing?
> 
> ...


DyeSub.org - Article - When is a Dye Sub. printer not...


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Basically a dye sub printer use dye sub ink on a regular printer...a thermal printer uses hest sensitive paper to put the image on paper. I think this a process that is not used alot today


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## mgparrish (Jul 9, 2005)

charles95405 said:


> Basically a dye sub printer use dye sub ink on a regular printer...a thermal printer uses hest sensitive paper to put the image on paper. I think this a process that is not used alot today


I have 2 "dye sub photo printers". Both are _thermal_ printers with thermal printheads and use a special coated paper, not a regular paper. Ink is not involved.

In general these printers are not associated with sublimation heat transfer, although once upon a time they were used by some (self included) for heat transfer prior to ink jet sublimation.

Dye-sublimation printer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Now they are basically only used only as photo printers, although they are both "dye sub" and "thermal".

I have seen a newer "thermal" printing technology as of late which puts the inks in the paper prior to printing.


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