Thinking of a New Printer/Scanner Read this.

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V

Many years ago I bought HP.... I was very happy with it but after reading
the reviews of Print quality I was convinced that Epson was the printer for
me..... BIG MISTAKE.

I have now gone back to HP and is Happy Printing again. The thing I like
best about HP is that eachtime when you change the Cartridge, you get a new
print head.... and anyone who knows anything about printing will tell you
that your print quality is only as good as the print head....

With Epson CX5200, which is what I had. The print head got clogged on its
very 1st ink change... I spent mega bucks on solutions etc to clean the head
etc... but could never get it to print again, you might think that this is
covered by Epson warranty.... but clogged heads is not only confined to
Epson printers.... ;-)

So I am back with HP and my life is soo much better.... apart from having to
fork out for a new printer twice in the same year. So if you are thinking of
a reliable good quality printer then HP is DEFINITELY the way to Goooooooooo
 
I do not like HP... I hate that I have to waste ink every time one color is
gone. I would rather deal with print heads getting clogged. I owned HP
because every time you go to buy a printer the sales people (no matter what
store you go to) insist that HP is the way to go and always put down Canon
and Epson. I finally went and bought a Canon i9900 and I am amazed at the
print quality. Something HP has never done for me. I like that I am not
wasting ink and if the heads should clog I will either clean them or put new
ones in.(thinking that is possible)
Peg
 
I agree that the color cartridge does need replacement when one color has
gone but anyone who uses a 3 ink cart system will tell you that when one
color runs out it is very soon after that the others will run out too and if
you just change the one ink cart then you do risk clogging the other ink
carts as they dry out.... You obviously have not had to clean a clogged head
before..... or even change one....I STILL RECOMMEND HP.....Disposable Head
is the way to go.... IT MAKES SENSE.
 
Great Choice. The i9900 is the best for home use. Since I have an
IP4000, my next printer will most likely be (WISH) the successor to the
i9900 the IP9900 PIXMA will all of the PIXMA features.
 
HP uses obsolete printhead with 5 pl droplets! It's worse than that - not
only drops are hudge but per volume visual impact of HP ink is higher,
because of using colorant-dense ink. Thats why it cannot reproduce fine
details and edges correctly, printing artifacts instead.

Examples - look at them at full resolution:

This is HP. Look at the lower left edge of the glass. Notice how the
lower-right edge of the umbrella looks.

http://www.tomshardware.com/consumer/20041229/images/8450_orange_big.jpg

Compare this to the print from Epson.

http://www.tomshardware.com/consumer/20041229/images/r800_orange_big.jpg

Now, this is Canon. You can clearly see that there are drops of water on the
ball. Everything is sharp, clear & shining.

http://www4.tomshardware.com/consumer/20041229/images/ip8500_bleu_big.jpg

HP version - the ball looks like it has a coarse surface. There's definitly
a color problem with almost all the edges where different ball colors meet.
It looks ugly!

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consumer/20041229/images/8450_bleu_big.jpg
 
I'm sure Epson and Canon prints are better at high resolution.... but hand
on heart..... my HP prints just as good to the naked eye.... how many people
do you know with high resolution eyesight???? unless we all have high
resolution visual acuity... I'd go for HP with Disposable head rather than a
high resoulution disposable printer....
 
mpx said:
HP uses obsolete printhead with 5 pl droplets! It's worse than that - not
only drops are hudge but per volume visual impact of HP ink is higher,
because of using colorant-dense ink. Thats why it cannot reproduce fine
details and edges correctly, printing artifacts instead.

Examples - look at them at full resolution:
[..]

HP version - the ball looks like it has a coarse surface. There's
definitly
a color problem with almost all the edges where different ball colors
meet.
It looks ugly!

http://www6.tomshardware.com/consumer/20041229/images/8450_bleu_big.jpg
Click to expand...

Looks more like a printer driver bug. I've never seen printouts from
anything the manufacturer claims is a photo printer looking so obviously
'off' as that. Even my old (and worn out) HP 890C does a better job on
colour transitions than that.

As the 8450 is sold as "eight-ink color printing" and "over 72 million
colours", if it really does prints as obviously bad as that I really fail to
understand why none of the reviews I've just read though have indicated any
problems.

As an example:http://www.photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/printers/HP 8450/page-3.htm
says: "The HP has produced some of the smoothest tones I have seen on any
inkjet printer. " and the example images of the eye on that page seem to
back that up.
 
Unless you want to print accurately in a color managed environment.
Click to expand...
...or are prepared to pay for an HP130 (the exception that proves the
rule).

--

Hecate - The Real One
(e-mail address removed)
Fashion: Buying things you don't need, with money
you don't have, to impress people you don't like...
 
Another, how should I politely put this...?

Epson warrants their printers for one year. Either you didn't use this
printer very much, or you foolishly tossed a printer that was under
warranty, a warranty that covers a free exchange at Epson's expense.

I don't know what you are "on" about below, but Epson warrants their
printers during that year for head clogs, since the head in integral to
the printer.

I'm glad you are happy with your HP printer. The models they produce in
the last number of years make good prints, and indeed, if you wish, you
can toss the cartridge (and the attached head) each time you run out of
ink. Some people have them refilled several times until the head fails.
Unlike Epson heads, which can print for years without degrading, thermal
inkjet printer heads get used up with use.

You are correct that a printer is only as good as the print head, and
that is why all serious inkjet users who sell their work use Epson
printers, because it has the best head design. And a review such as
yours, is only as good as your understanding of the product you are
using, which I'm afraid, is limited.

For a person such as yourself, you have indeed selected the better printer.

Art
 
Ever wonder WHY most big box stores tend to downgrade Canon and Epson
over HP?

Next time you are in one of these stores, first look at how much shelf
space is filled with HP and Compaq printers, computers, cameras,
projectors, and compare to Canon or HP.

See if you can get a straight answer as to if the store is paid for the
use of their shelf space by the manufacturers they carry. Guess who
pays most for shelf space?

Also, take a guess which printers and ink cartridges the retailer make
the best mark up on...

It should start making sense about now...

Art
 
Or it makes non-sense.

All these printers produce WAY too much waste trash that ends up in the
landfill. At least the EU has begun to put their foot down with some
stricter legislation. Now if only North Americans had the same sense of
outrage at the incredible waste.

Art
 
I STRONGLY DISAGREE with you. Epson never honored my warranty for a clogged
head within the 1st year. I should know its my printer and warranty. They
accused me of not printing on a regular basis as recommended in their
manual. Why should I print something just for the sake of it..... that to me
is a BLOODY WASTE of ink. Like I said anyone knows higher dpi means better
resolution.... SO WHAT if you have a higher resolution, If to the naked eye
my HP prints just as good as or even better than my EPSON CX5200 even
photographs, than why should I deny HP for their EXCELLENCE. I don't usually
look at my prints with a microscope to spot the difference in droplets...and
neither does most of the population. As to wether I discarded a good priter,
it was on the advice of an EPSON apointed service engineer, who told me it
would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one....so I VERY WISELY tossed
it in the dumpster. atleast with HP I print what I need to print and not
print garbage on a regular basis just to keep my printhead working.... that
too me is an Ink saving feature which HP has over Epson which many people
overlook..
 
V said:
I STRONGLY DISAGREE with you. Epson never honored my warranty for a clogged
head within the 1st year. I should know its my printer and warranty. They
accused me of not printing on a regular basis as recommended in their
manual.
Click to expand...

That wouldn't matter for a warranty claim. It may be recommended, but its
not compulsory.
Why should I print something just for the sake of it..... that to me
is a BLOODY WASTE of ink.
Click to expand...

Exactly. Its so much better to waste a complete working print cartridge,
head and however much ink is left every time - isn't it.

Like I said anyone knows higher dpi means better
resolution.... SO WHAT if you have a higher resolution, If to the naked
eye
my HP prints just as good as or even better than my EPSON CX5200 even
photographs, than why should I deny HP for their EXCELLENCE. I don't
usually
look at my prints with a microscope to spot the difference in
droplets...and
neither does most of the population.
Click to expand...

I can't really disagree with that.. I have an old HP 890C that I use for
junk, and photo's printed on that *from a distance* look as good as those
printed on my Epson R200. That distance is about 6 feet :| - holding an A4
at normal viewing distance you can begin to see the specks on the 890C's
printout; but then its only 300dpi and 3 colours.

As to wether I discarded a good priter,
it was on the advice of an EPSON apointed service engineer, who told me it
would cost more to fix it than to buy a new one....
Click to expand...

It would. But it was under warranty so it wouldn't of cost you anything.
so I VERY WISELY tossed it in the dumpster.
Click to expand...

Your choice. Myself I would of insisted Epson honour their warranty.
atleast with HP I print what I need to print and not
print garbage on a regular basis just to keep my printhead working....
Click to expand...

You do know HP ink cart's expire after a certain date and just refuse to
work anymore don't you? Have a read of
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=9220 if you don't.
 
Arthur said:
Another, how should I politely put this...?

Epson warrants their printers for one year. Either you didn't use
this printer very much, or you foolishly tossed a printer that was
under warranty, a warranty that covers a free exchange at Epson's
expense.

I don't know what you are "on" about below, but Epson warrants their
printers during that year for head clogs, since the head in integral
to the printer.

I'm glad you are happy with your HP printer. The models they produce
in the last number of years make good prints, and indeed, if you wish,
you can toss the cartridge (and the attached head) each time you run
out of ink. Some people have them refilled several times until the
head fails. Unlike Epson heads, which can print for years without
degrading, thermal inkjet printer heads get used up with use.

You are correct that a printer is only as good as the print head, and
that is why all serious inkjet users who sell their work use Epson
printers, because it has the best head design.
Click to expand...


I only agree with part of what you just said. I would say that quite a
few serious inkjet users who sell their work use CERTAIN Epson printers
(models that use pigmented ink) because the think (and in many cases
that is so) they last longer without having to be coddled. I do not
think many of the artistic types know or give a rats ass about good head
design.
And a review such as yours, is only as good as your understanding of
the product you are using, which I'm afraid, is limited.

For a person such as yourself, you have indeed selected the better
printer.
Click to expand...


Yes, I think he did. I do think that the HP design with the built in
print head may be the best design but it just is too expensive to use
for photos if you print many.
 
Costco must be the exception. Some times Canon has the monopoly and
other times it is Epson. HP is usually their also because HP, in the
minds of many users, is associated with inkjet (deskjet).

The ink section appears to be evenly split between HP, Epson, and
Canon. I hear Costco takes the same % markup on all of their products
so they really do not make more on a specific item in any significant
percentage.
 
Just came from Costco. It seems that California is charging a disposal
fee on Computer Monitors that the user pays in advance. On the Costco
tags it is listed separately so the user is aware. It is a matter of
time before printers will have the same fee. Of course you can get
around it by buying on the Internet from out of state.
 
I just get the feel that Epson, outside of the USA, appears to be more
lax in honoring their warranties. I know people who have had 3 R300
printers replaced in less than 12 months without any bickering.

It seems that most of the problems with Epson come from Epson UK. Why
would that be the case?
 
You do know HP ink cart's expire after a certain date and just refuse to work
anymore don't you?
Click to expand...

This is not true for any HP DeskJet, Photosmart or PSC printer. It is not
true for any of the HP printers that use integrated printheads and ink supplies
such as the #41, 45, 23, 78, 15, 25, 56, 57, 58, 59, 94, 96, 97, 99, 100 or any
of perhaps a hundred other print cartridges.

- Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP
 
Arthur said:
Ever wonder WHY most big box stores tend to downgrade Canon and Epson
over HP?

Next time you are in one of these stores, first look at how much shelf
space is filled with HP and Compaq printers, computers, cameras,
projectors, and compare to Canon or HP.

See if you can get a straight answer as to if the store is paid for the
use of their shelf space by the manufacturers they carry. Guess who
pays most for shelf space?

Also, take a guess which printers and ink cartridges the retailer make
the best mark up on...
Click to expand...


Hey, I've got a Lexmark, which I thought was the markup champ. Of couse,
I buy my carts at Target on sale, where they are more reasonably priced.

Brendan


It should start making sense about now...

Art
Click to expand...


--
 
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