For example, maybe scan in pdf and then fax the
pdf? Can that or something similar be done? If so, it would
be a PITA but not a big deal since I don't fax all that much.
I rather thought the dell a950 employed a workaround like the a940.
Press the scan button and a window pops up and asks the destination.
But needless to say you can "print" to fax in windows without a problem
if your scan software doesn't support scan to fax. The machines with
fax modems on board have the benifit of faxing plain paper without the
pc being on.
Given the price difference between the 750 and the 780,
though, I suspect I could do without fax if it came down to
it. I use that the least of any of the functions I'm looking
at.
Inbound fax, you can use your own fax modem. Outbound fax you can get
away with using your fax modem as well. But you are interested in OCR
software, i.e. scanning to RTF the mp750 comes with Omnipage SE8 and,
Presto! PageManager, the mp780 comes with the newer version of ScanSoft
Omnipage SE11 and also Presto! PageManager. I can't be 100% sure as
the Omnipage is a downgraded sold to canon version, but the true blue
software does support PDF and RTF.
I can't speak personaly about any of the above as well, I seem to have
misplaced my offical disc. I'm just using the scan driver and the
print driver. I'm a control freak anyway and often get annoyed with
software included.
Now... this is where my information gets vague as I never really used
the dell a940/lexmark x5150. It might have come with Abbyy
FineReader, might have come with Presto! OCR Pro 4.0. I could be very
much mistaken as I've never owned or even used these devices for much
longer then figuring out how to scan pics to e-mail.
I don't know what you were using for specificly converting scans to
PDF/RTF but chances are you can buy it if you really like it and don't
like what comes with what ever you buy. Nothing wrong with being a
control freak and long as you're willing to spend $50, $100, $150,
$300 depending on which software you need.
I don't use odd sized paper (haven't to date, at least), but
I do need to do envelopes. The HP Laserjets that we have at
the office (which are pretty old as these things go, and
were expensive at the time) do envelopes just fine. Do you
know if the envelope problem is specific to particular laser
printers, or is the problem somewhat common among them?
A laser with a U turn path is simply no good for envelopes. The old HP
laserjets you describe might have a pull down door in the rear so
envelopes didn't hit the u-turn. My envelopes on the HP II did curl
slightly but that was the limit to the effect. Someone else described
the fuser pinching the envelope too tightly in some lower end lasers.
The Konica Color laser (too lazy to look up model number) had a complex
process to do envelopes which involved popping the cover and raising to
control arms which I presume was to the fuser. But regardless lasers
heat paper hot enough so that the toner fuses on the paper, and this
can have a negative effect on envelopes esp on the lick glue but
generally the worst thing that happens is it becomes slightly sticky
and needs to be peeled apart. Self adheasive and ones with windows
well, plastic melts and is no fun.
But inkjet companys are big on offering photo paper in sizes as small
as 4"x6", and being designed to do that makes a #10 envelope a snap,
even smaller ones. Someone else said they put 15 in the rear feed on
their canon with no problem. I can only speak personaly for single
envelopes in rear feed. I never tried the lower feed as well, that's a
U turn and doesn't look happy for envelopes. But hey put your envelopes
in the rear, put regular paper in the bottom, either hit the feed
switch on the printer to switch between them or choose it in software.
It's been years since I looked at this, but way back when, I
was told by several people -- and fairly emphatically --
that refills weren't that good. Can't remember if they were
supposed to gum up the printer or whatever, but as a result
I never used them.
From what you say, though, they're just fine in your
experience? No downside?
I have 0 experence on the canon with 3rd party ink. My order for MIS
ink has yet to come in. In my case I bought their advanced kit which
ended up costing a tad more then if I bought the same amount in offical
Canon inktanks at Costco. But the extra cost was refillalbe carts with
plugs on them, which seemed to me a good investment rather than
bothering drilling a hole and plugging them up with hot glue. After
that if I continue buying MIS inks, the cost is about $2.50oz (about
30ml) Given the big black is $12 per 25ml, and each of the 4 colors is
$10 per 13ml there is huge price difference. Others here have thier
own brands they go with. $30 of bulk ink (2oz x 5) = 2.4 big blacks
($28.80) and 4.6 small black cmy ($46.00) = $74.80 or a savings of
$44.80. Much greater savings if one buys more than 2oz at a time.
Prefills seem to average $5 each, which averages to a $25 savings/pop.
One gent said he was very happy buying 50 carts at $1.00 a pop.
The worst thing that can happen in the Canon is a clogged head.
Assuming you can't clean it with windex no drip formuma which I believe
was the reccomended medium the QY6-0049-000 (ip4000 print head, same
engine should fit) is $54.00 on e-bay, but I think it's like $85.00
from canon or other resourses. Even saving as little as $25 a pop
after the 4th refill you break even and anything after is a bonus.
Best to ask around first and find someone else who already has used at
least 5 or 10 refills just to be safe.
There are some generic solutions available localy that I wouldn't try
that average in price to about $1.00/oz. The $2.50 stuff is at least
formulated to be a close match to the OEM ink and presents a lower risk
of odd behavier like clogging, leaking, and perhaps faiding.
But it's up to you. The canon stuff isn't bad and priced at the
reasonable price of only about $2000/gal black, $3000/gal color. Much
better than Epsons and HPs that are often in the $4000 range, or
lexmarks which can easily be $10,000/gal.
