Wax Thermal Transfer Printer - Dismantled for reference and curiosity
Released only in Australia (as far as I know) the Commodore MCS 810 is a repackaged and rebadged version of the OKIDATA OKIMATE 20 printer.
Unlike thermal printers using Direct Thermal Printing, the MCS 810 is designed around the Thermal Transfer method. This means that technically users can print on normal paper, however for anywhere near decent results, proper thermal transfer paper is needed.
The printer uses a wax ink in a ribbon cartridge that the print head (once warmed up) transfers to the paper. Due to the way wax printing works the more smooth the paper the better the result. This is largely why using the right paper was essential for anything other than draft quality printing.
As the wax ink is transferred off of the ribbon it means the ribbon can only be used once; IE. you can't sneakily rewind the ink cartridge and use it again to save a buck, as you can with some standard ink ribons; albeit more faint each time.
The 810 is able to output in both black and colour and for its era wasn't too bad for a budget printer. To its credit the printer produced vibrant colours and was almost silent in operation compared to similar period impact printers.
CREDIT:
OKIMATE 20 printer image courtesy of the 'Computer History Museum'.
