When the Atari ST series of computers were introduced in 1985 Atari promised an assortment of peripheral accessories which would boost their value and productivity.   The STC504 color thermal printer was one such promise.   The printer used thermal wax transfer cartridges to melt colors onto the paper.   The printers are slow and other then initiating a test page, printing without the proper drivers can only done in Black & White.    At a time when Dot Matrix printers ruled and laser printers were just beginning to become mainstream in printing shops and high end organizations, the possibility of printing in color from an Atari computer system capable of high resolution graphics were very appealing.   Unfortunately for one reason or another (perhaps costs runs or funds being diverted to the manufacture of the ST's and their monitors), the STC504 printer never made it to users hands.