The MFC-8440 prints fine at 600dpi using the MFC-8860DN PPD / brlaser cups filter. However, using 1200dpi produces artifacts along the left-hand-side gutter (randomly shifted lines/blocks of content) and prints too large (looks like it just scales things larger rather than increasing the print DPI). Also, the default gutter size in the MFC-8860DN PPD is a bit extreme: 8 dots. While this region is printable (having lower toner density on the LHS gutter with my printer), it is outside the default 18, 12 dots (horizontal and vertical gutter) of the stock Brother PPD provided by the Brother OEM driver.
It would be nice to get away from the ancient 32bit Brother print driver for Linux. I think the brlaser CUPS filter just needs to add quirks for 1200dpi printing on older laser printers and it can likely support all Brother laser printers with slightly modified PPDs for allowed gutter widths.
% sudo lpinfo --include-schemes usb -l -v
Device: uri = usb://Brother/MFC-8440?serial=000A5J443873
class = direct
info = Brother MFC-8440
make-and-model = Brother MFC-8440
device-id = MFG:Brother;CMD:HBP,PJL,PCL,PCLXL;MDL:MFC-8440;CLS:PRINTER;
location =
The MFC-8440 prints fine at 600dpi using the MFC-8860DN PPD / brlaser cups filter. However, using 1200dpi produces artifacts along the left-hand-side gutter (randomly shifted lines/blocks of content) and prints too large (looks like it just scales things larger rather than increasing the print DPI). Also, the default gutter size in the MFC-8860DN PPD is a bit extreme: 8 dots. While this region is printable (having lower toner density on the LHS gutter with my printer), it is outside the default 18, 12 dots (horizontal and vertical gutter) of the stock Brother PPD provided by the Brother OEM driver.
It would be nice to get away from the ancient 32bit Brother print driver for Linux. I think the brlaser CUPS filter just needs to add quirks for 1200dpi printing on older laser printers and it can likely support all Brother laser printers with slightly modified PPDs for allowed gutter widths.
% sudo lpinfo --include-schemes usb -l -v
Device: uri = usb://Brother/MFC-8440?serial=000A5J443873 class = direct info = Brother MFC-8440 make-and-model = Brother MFC-8440 device-id = MFG:Brother;CMD:HBP,PJL,PCL,PCLXL;MDL:MFC-8440;CLS:PRINTER; location =