which printer to get

Computer Forum Printers, Scanners and Digital Cameras
1

i’m wanting a printer, i’ve decided on a cheap laser printer as inkjets eventually empty them selves (to keep the ink flowing) and / or get blocked, i’m not bothered about the print speed, however, the long term costs are very important (as low as possible) & i’m not scared of dismantling one to fix something but there are many many laser printers to choose from, thats why i need help choose one

BTW: i use Kubuntu Feisty, although that shouldn’t be a problem, unless a printer is specifically designed for Win, albeit i can probably find Ubuntu drivers on net, any recommendations ? TIA

Edit: if possible i would prefer to be able to attach the printer directly to ethernet as i will be seting up a small LAN in the next few months

2

someone pwease reply[ot]or i could end up with a crap inkjet[/ot]

3

I have a KONICA MINOLTA magicolor 2400W which I got cheap at staples. It has been a real pain in the ___, but it came with a warranty, so they shipped me a new one that has been working OK, So I would say the support is good, but the printer is a trouble. Oil, it does work and it gives fast high quality color and BW with regular good paper. Lot better that any inject I ever had.

4

[QUOTE=geek9pm]
KONICA MINOLTA magicolor 2400W
[/QUOTE]
yeah, my dad has 1 too, but i only need a mono output, thakies anyway[ot]seem like a waste to have a colour laser & not use the colour output[/ot]

5

.You can find used HP lasers real cheap, but they are very beat up. Tried one once for just $40. Was a waste of time. You get a color any brand thing now for under $100. That is the way the market is. The color is in the heads. The rest of the printer is about the same if it is BW or color.

6

[QUOTE=geek9pm]
The rest of the printer is about the same if it is BW or color.
[/QUOTE]
i’ll include colour laser in my search, although it seem a waste to have 3 extra toners in their[ot]but, oh, well[/ot]

7

I have the Samsung 1750, which has lasted three years of uni printing! excellent printer!

I think the updated version is Samsung ML2010 Laser 22ppm 1200 dpi x 600 dpi USB - Includes Toner you may want to consider it, the case with cheap lasers is that the toner will cost as much as the printer but should print around 3000 pages, depending on the coverage.

The toner that comes with the printer will last you 1000 pages.

8

[QUOTE=Sniper]
I have the Samsung 1750, which has lasted three years of uni printing! excellent printer!
[/QUOTE]
thankies, i’m only wanting to print text, *nix commands[ot]cos i can never remember them[/ot]

9

What ever printer you buy, make sure you check here first to make sure it’s compatible with Linux

10

[QUOTE=mega]
check here first
[/QUOTE]
cheers mega, your a star[ot]donkey attempts to hug mega, but mega punches donkey instead[/ot]

11

Donkey42,

I though inkjets were the cheapest to own, per page! With refilling “the norm” the cost is quite low…
Any laser will be more expensive initially and the toner arrangement strike me as not cheap either.
You don’t say if it’s for a 1-off job or something to keep for some years…yr comment about injets emptying themselves isn’t entirely correct..the amount of ink they waste is very small, although the cartridge that comes with the printer is usually only part-filled to reduce cost and (they say) make sure it is replaced early-on.

Therefore, I suspect toner has a similar issue with the granules sticking together if not used, or in the heat etc.

-What’s the work you intend to print - and how frequently?. I still have a matrix printer (uses a ribbon as u know) that is nearly 10 years old - I bought it when I was using DOS6 a few years before Win3.1 - it needs a fresh squirt of ink and WD40 but that’s it. It is only B&W but perfect for engineering drawings that need to be robust and I can manage “banner-style” several feet long.
However, you don’t say if you are after colour, either…

Linux:
If all other things are equal an HP-printer will be easier to get Linux drivers for. Esp. if a friend already uses it - - - - - - indeed that might be the best way to get a cheap printer - buy one from someone secondhand, so the initial cost is low. I’m not sure about you being willing to take it apart - there are few servicable parts that go wrong…if a fancy ribbon/connector, or chip croaks then it is unlikely to be repairable - that’s the way the makers like it.
Good hunting…

12

[QUOTE=henry]
I though inkjets were the cheapest to own, per page!
[/quote]
no, generally an inkjet page print costs about 30 - 50 pence per page to print (including everything)

a laser printer costs about 2 - 3 pence per page (including everything)

BTW: you usually get about 5k to 10k pages from each full toner cartridge

yes, if you print regularly, but i only want one to print out linux commands, as my memory is is crap due to brain damage

no, laser printer work by firing a laser at the internal drum and the laser oxidizes (not correct but near enough) the drum and passes the toner cartridge and attracting the toner, the toner is then transfered from the drum to the paper

not very frequently, as command only need printing once but can be referred to many times after laminating them with an iron

those were the days, linux is very much like DOS & Win, because i fixed windows from DOS, however, with linux windows is called X and DOS had a CLI (Command Line Interface) and you have to fix X with the CLI, although the commands differ

my mind remembers how to do it but my body is :swear:ed

BTW: it’s just donkey

13

Donkey42, Did I understand that fromyr posted “name” - should I drop the 42, then?
I should read yr preply closely but may I comment on a couple of issues?

You may be right about the cost per page, but to achieve this the initial cost is greater - so it depends upon you using a lot of paper…
I don’t recall exactly how you described the requirement, but it was cheapness over time; rather than over lots of copies and over time…that was my interpretation, anyway.
Laminating rather negates cost issues? Nice though!

Lasers use an electrostatic system, like you describe; but the toner becomes “sticky” and fuses to the paper when heated…that is the mechanism that makes toner an imperfect “ink” - it may be this isn’t an issue in normal use, but your original desciption didn’t exactly describe usage…it seems that you are likely to be a large volume user…and in which case a “workhorse” laser might well be the answer…are you considering a colour laser?
Another benefit of lasers is that they tend to “sharpen” an image since inkjet will bleed and make the image less precise, whereas the electrostatic charge in the laser tend to draw the particles together. However, a laminating process might interfere with the particles on the paper…something worth checking before you part with cash? Only one downside - I find laser-copy more difficult to read - and I suspect it is the sharper image causes this - whereas you get a somewhat stronger image with ink - which as text is easier to read…something worth checking when laminated which adds reflections to the paper surface.

  • Would I be right in thinking you really do favour a laser?

  • the next issue may be the driver-situation (and CUPS ) and here the choice is nearly always HP.

14

[QUOTE=henry]
Donkey42, Did I understand that fromyr posted “name” - should I drop the 42, then?
[/quote]
yeah

[QUOTE=henry]
I should read yr preply closely but may I comment on a couple of issues?
[/quote]
coarse you can, HWF is not like all the other forums i’ve been to

[QUOTE=henry]
You may be right about the cost per page, but to achieve this the initial cost is greater
[/quote]
yeah but lasers don’t dry up, of lose toner (unless you smash the toner cartridge with a BFH (Big F:swear:ing Hammer)

[QUOTE=henry]
I don’t recall exactly how you described the requirement, but it was cheapness over time; rather than over lots of copies and over time
[/quote]
yeah, cheapness is very important…that was my interpretation, anyway.

[QUOTE=henry]
Laminating rather negates cost issues? Nice though!
[/quote]
officially, yes, but not if you buy laminater pouches and seal them with an iron through a piece of cotton cloth

[QUOTE=henry]
Lasers use an electrostatic system, like you describe; but the toner becomes “sticky” and fuses to the paper when heated
[/quote]
:beer: thanks for correcting me, it’s a wonder i remembered, it’s nearly 10 year since i dismantled a laser (i think the last laser i had fun with was a HP LJ 5Si, they were brand new out at the time, a none of the technicians where i worked at the time would take the call because they hadn’t being “trained” on it,
[QUOTE=henry]
are you considering a colour laser?
[/quote]
well i wasn’t
[QUOTE=henry]
laminating process might interfere with the particles on the paper…something worth checking before you part with cash?
[/quote]
good point but i’m well out of date
[QUOTE=henry]
I find laser-copy more difficult to read
[/quote]
thats not a promlem, as i will be keeping a copy on HDD, so, i’ll just print another copy off
[QUOTE=henry]
something worth checking when laminated which adds reflections to the paper surface.
[/quote]
strange, why?, if you know, i don’t think they used to

[QUOTE=henry]
Would I be right in thinking you really do favour a laser?
[/quote]
i did, but now i’m thinking of trying to find an old dot matrix

[QUOTE=henry]
the next issue may be the driver-situation (and CUPS ) and here the choice is nearly always HP.
[/QUOTE]
dunno, never used a printer in linux

:doh: BTW: it’s amazing what crap people like me can remember:doh:

15

You can buy HP laser printer. Its so cheap and easy to use. It’s printing quality is very good.