< hardware , printer > A kind of printer with a vertical column of up to 48 small closely packed needles or "pins" each of which can be individually forced forward to press an ink ribbon against the paper. The print head is repeatedly scanned across the page and different combinations of needles activated at each point.
Dot matrix printers are noisy compared to non-impact printer s.
[Other pin arrangements?]
(1995-03-14)