Re: Recommend an all-in-one printer, copier, scanner?

From: Doug Laidlaw (laidlaws_at_myaccess.com.au)
Date: 03/20/05 

Date: Mon, 21 Mar 2005 04:15:44 +1100

Rod Smith wrote:

> In article <bmovg2-jsi.ln1@news.heiming.de>,
> Michael Heiming <michael+USENET@www.heiming.de> writes:
>>
>>
>> In comp.os.linux.misc Al. C
>> <no_spam_acanton_takeout@adams-blake.nospam.com>:
>>> I need to replace my ancient HP parallel laser printer that is now 10
>>> years old.
>>
>>> I'd like to get an inexpensive all-in-one machine that prints, copies,
>>> and scans and maybe has a fax.
>> [..]
>>
>>> I understand the Epson CX5200 is very good... but they are hard to find
>>> new having been replaced by a different model I'm told is not so great
>>> with Linux.
>>
>> Dunno where you get this from? Complete rubbish, have an Epson
>> RX600 (usb2) all-in-one printer/scanner/multi-card-reader. Works
>> like a charm, you need a recent kernel + recent gimp-print to
>> make full usage of it's 5760 dpi color photo printing
>> capabilities.
>
> FWIW, I've got an Epson RX500, which is a similar model. It also works
> well, with a few caveats:
>
> - I had to get the very latest (beta) version of GIMP Print. That was
> a few months ago, though; perhaps a non-beta version now works.
>
> - Some of the printer features aren't 100% supported under Linux. The
> borderless printing can be made to work, but was a pain to set up. The
> color balance is supposedly not 100% correct, but it's close enough for
> my purposes.
>
> - I needed to use the SANE drivers from Epson; the ones with SANE didn't
> work for me. The SANE Web page now lists this model as supported,
> though, so I suspect I wouldn't need to resort to the Epson-supplied
> drivers if I were to reconfigure it today.
>
> - It's an inkjet printer, with typical inkjet troubles. See below.
>
>> You can find more info + download-able Linux sw directly from
>> Epson:
>>
>> http://www.epkowa.co.jp/english/linux_e/index.html
>
> That's where I got the drivers I mentioned.
>
>> I'd keep a serious eye on *printer* *cartridges* *costs* before
>> getting one or another or you might be faced with a serious
>> rip-off if you need to buy the first replacement cartridges.
>> Turning the few bucks you saved on the printer into a nightmare.
>
> Indeed. IMHO, that's one of the advantages of at least some of the recent
> Epsons -- they've got separate cartridges for each color, which means you
> don't have to replace the whole tank if you run out of, say, magenta.
> FWIW, I've now replaced most of my cartridges with third-party cartridges,
> which seem to work fine.
>
> I will add a cautionary note, though: IMHO, inkjet printers just aren't
> the best technology around for printing reliably. The nozzles are finicky
> -- they clog up and go out of alignment. The ink cartridges have limited
> capacity, and they ALWAYS run out in the middle of an important job. IMHO,
> if you can live without color, you should stick with a laser printer. If
> you can't live without color, that's tougher. Personally, I've got two
> printers: The Epson RX500 printer/scanner/card reader and an HP LaserJet
> 4000. For those with less desk space or tighter budgets, a single inkjet
> might be the way to go, but with the caveat that you're setting yourself
> up for some headaches.
>
I am using an Epson USB CX 3100 (aka CX 3200) with reasonable success.
Printer cartridges ARE a cost. I don't know of any generic replacements,
and if you refill them, there is an IC that isn't reset, so they still show
as empty. My 1959 model HP 5L LaserJet seems to be failing, but cost per
page is far less (about 0.6 cents Aus). It is no longer in the database on
Mandrake 10.1, and I have to tweak it in CUPS to get it to work properly.
There are some colour lasers around, but at what cost I am not sure.

Has a problem setting it up to scan. In the end I ran the scanner enquiry
command and copy/pasted the result into the Epson scanner config file.
Mandrake's setup doesn't identify it properly, than adds as an afterthought
"You have a CC-570L flatbed scanner" so I just accept that. It isn't even
in the database.

Doug L. 

-- 
ICQ Number 178748389. Registered Linux User No. 277548.
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