Dual mode laser printer

A laser printer system having at least two operating modes, said modes differing from each other in terms of resolution and speed such that the higher the resolution the lower the speed, comprising:

• a photosensitive medium;
• means for generating a modulated beam of laser light focused onto said medium;
• at least one moving mirror surface located in the path of said focused light beam before said medium for reflecting the beam such that it sweeps across the medium;
• detector means for detecting the start of sweep of the beam across the medium and producing a start of line signal;
• clock means for producing a plurality of related clock signals;
• photosensitive medium motor means for moving said photosensitive medium at a rate determined by a first one of said plurality of clock signals;
• and
• control means for controlling the modulation of said laser beam according to a second one of said plurality of clock signals and the start of line signal, said control means causing the printer to operate in at least (1) a high resolution mode wherein the light beam is modulated at a high rate determined by the second clock signal during fewer than every scan by the moving mirror surface and the first clock signal causes the medium to move at a slow speed, and (2) a low resolution mode wherein the light beam is modulated at a lower rate by the second clock signal during a greater number of scans by the moving mirror surface than the higher resolution mode and the first clock signal causes the medium to move at a faster speed.