Multi-function Printer Recomendations? 37
worm eater asks: "My office is thinking about purchasing a multi-function printer/copier (MFP). We are currently looking at the Panasonic Workio 3510, but there is a surprising lack of reviews on the internet (there is one at ePinions). Has anyone had any experience with this model (which went on sale last month) or other similar machines? We are looking for a good B&W copier / laser printer capable of connecting to our LAN. The ability to interface with Exchange and send internet faxes would be nice, but not essential. As with pretty much any copier, we will need high quality support. Thanks in advance, Slashdot."
Find something with Jet Direct/network (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Find something with Jet Direct/network (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Find something with Jet Direct/network (Score:2, Offtopic)
Thank you.
Re:Find something with Jet Direct/network (Score:1)
HP! (Score:4, Informative)
I don't know anyone who's regretted going HP and I know a great many who have regretted going with other brands.
If you absolutely MUST use somebody else Lexmark and Canon sometimes have decent product.
Re:HP! (Score:3, Informative)
I generally tend to stay away from multi-function machines, if it runs out of toner (needs maintenance, whatever) not only have you lost your printer, but your copier, fax and so on.
A few refurbished HP 4000-series [hewlett-pa...inters.com] with jet direct cards can serve well as network printers.
If you need the multi-copy collating features of the Panasonic you showed, consider sending the job to Kinkos or the like, you just need a day or two notice, and it often turns out to be cheaper (cost of ownership) unless you want to pr
Re:HP! (Score:2)
A print job on the Canon can be set up to insert tabs, covers, slipsheets, etc.
Re:HP! (Score:2)
The cheapest in HP laserjets is the 1000. The multifunction is Laserjet 3200. We've been using it quite heavily for all its purposes and it has never given way. Ive seen the performance of other inkjet all-in-ones and theyre all crap. This one is really heavy duty and reliable and the cheapest of such machines from HP. The second best is lexmark.
Re:HP! (Score:2)
Here's one. The OfficeJet (print / scan / copy / fax) + JetDirect I recently acquired is OK in & of itself, but the software that came with the printer is horrible. On each of the three win2k workstations upon which I loaded it: tripled startup times; one module grabs 100% CPU for several minutes after startup; two others refuse to terminate gracefully at shutdown; occupies 20-odd meg of RAM (a print driver!?); scan function works when it feels like i
Re:HP! (Score:2)
ONE function failure takes out ALL, 'til repaired! (Score:5, Informative)
When are we going to be able to use something
(eg a further developed e-Smith server/g'way)
to reduce the cost of sharing such functional-
ity across a LAN?
If we -could- connect & share single-function
devices to a network, ie -via- separate ports
of an old Pentium II running e-Smith software
(now known by Mitel Networks as "SME Server")
when any of them failed, only its functional-
ity would disappear until it got fixed.
An "All-In-One" boxs cost effectiveness comes
from sharing an expensive single network port
across the different functions (print, FAX, &
scan, to name a few), but at the expense of a
big loss whenever the single unit "broken" or
having its (typically small) toner cartridge
replaced, not to mention paper jams & conten-
tion for any two of the functions provided...
I say Make a simple (eg e-Smith-style) server
with lotsa ports (printer, USB, etc.) do what
an e-Smith box can do for printer/FAX sharing
work interface), single-function peripherals,
that can be used -simultaneously- by multiple
Users.
Too easy, eh?
Re:ONE function failure takes out ALL, 'til repair (Score:3, Informative)
Clarkconnect is by far more up to date than the newest release of e-smith, which uses numerous packages that are known to have security holes.
Clarkconnect makes most of the software choices that were finally defaulted in RH 9 on the les
one GREAT function (Score:2)
Some buying suggestions (Score:1)
Re:Some buying suggestions (Score:1)
Besides, the guy is looking for a lazer printer/copier.
HP OfficeJet (Score:4, Insightful)
The Fax functionality works without the computer on, which is another plus that you do not find with other multi-function printers with software drivers that process the fax messages. You just have to plug the printer into the phone and away you go.
Hint: if you want to color print stuff, the computer should be on at the time of printing.
Re:HP OfficeJet (Score:1)
I got saddled with a LaserJet 3150 and it's totally useless from my Linux machines... I have to keep an old laptop with Windows on it hooked to the printer to route print jobs through, and even then it always bitches about improper codes etc.
MFP's suck and I'll tell you why. (Score:5, Informative)
2. The quality is significantly lower than having a seperate scanner/printer/fax modem
3. A seperate scanner/printer/fax modem is more versitle and not limited to the cookie cutter software and functions of a MFP.
4. MFP's typically requirely highly proprietary software so they aren't cross platform friendly.
5. The software typically gums up your system, stand alone copies work but you have more durability, cheaper supplies, and less hassle in general with a real low end copier.
6. All hp mfp's (and some of their other usb printers) have a known problem with jobs getting stuck in the print queue which they have not resolved. As an authorized reseller/repair center when I call support they are allowed to read me the red text which indicates the known issues that "don't exist", that's one of them. Officially it's a resource problem, unofficially it's just a problem.
6. MFP's aren't nearly as durable, one your fax load in addition to your print. They are made as cheaply as possible an equivelent stand-alone printer is ALWAYS built with more durable parts, so a high end MFP compares with low end lasers in this department.
That said, if you absolutely insist on an MFP, go with a high end hp, other manufacturers MFP's suck even more.
Re:MFP's suck and I'll tell you why. (Score:1)
Multifunctions have come a long way (Score:4, Informative)
We settled on a Gestetner 4502 [gestetnerusa.com] (Ricoh 1045) after looking at HP and several other vendors. The Ricoh line took a dependable copier and added print, scan and fax capabilities.
We have been running for almost a year with this model. We ran for three years with it's predecessor. The only calls I have had to make are to order new toner and to have a tech come out for the 6-month cleaning.
We did have one problem with the NIB not detecting the network when it was first delivered. Our users were able to use it as a stand alone fax and copier until the tech came out with a new board the next day.
The major drawback is it only has the printer drivers for UNIX / Linux. Faxing is not supported from a Linux desktop.
Lexmark X125 (Score:1)
However, I found the price to be right for the Lexmark X125. And, it had exactly what I needed: a low cost sheet-fed scanner.
Sheet-fed scanners are impossible to find for under $200 and are usually only available on massive multifunction printer/copiers. I have to say that this is the only thing that drew me to buying it, and it works OK, as long as you ch
Xerox, as strange as it may sound. (Score:4, Informative)
Having just recently configured another Xerox Document Centre on our network, I must say, they are a breeze to configure and print to.
They are a true network printer, they talk LPR, SMB, and, not that I've tested, apple-talk and netware.
I use to have trouble finding drivers, and configurating them, but then I discovered a few settings here and there that made them work right (to do with the hi-cap feeder, fax, and duplex).
The document centres come with various options, but we've got two (a 250 and a 400 model) that have the fax, duplex and high cap feeder options.
Oh, and they talk postscript. *REAL* postscript.
They print, scan, and fax, and I've heard some of the xerox boys at the R&D labs hooked up a coffee maker, so it can even do that *GRIN*.
The only thing I'm not sure about is the network scanner side. There is a windows client that interfaces to it, but I've never tried with linux.
Re:Xerox, as strange as it may sound. (Score:2)
I've scanned with one of these at a client's location, and in the sense it scanned really fast it was great. In the sense that it only scanned 10 pages or so before the memory was full, it had a problem. The interface I used scanned as a batch job rather than as a streamed job across the network. Things may have improved since then, but what it needed was a pile of extra memory, plus the ability for me to walk back to my computer, hit the scan ke
Re:Xerox, as strange as it may sound. (Score:2)
Avoid personal MFCs for a network (Score:1)
At the high end the Xerox Document Centres are very good and now include colour laser options. Most vendors have something at the 20ppm end. Toshiba have some good models in their eStudio range.
Cheers
VikingBrad
Don't Buy It (Score:2)
You are forced to purchase redundant units when you (inevitably) have to upgrade a component.
Quality is nearly always poorer than standalones.
The inconvenience of not being able to use the scanner or printer or copier or fax at the same time can VERY quickly make the "multi" part of MFC seem a bit of a misnomer.
Q.
3510SS (Score:2)
If you really need it as a heavy-duty scanner, the 50-80 page limit on the ADF may be a problem.
I think the remote management utilities are Windows & Mac only.
On the printing side, Panasonic seem to have been regarded as higher than average per-page costs. I don't know if Kyocera have any
www.linuxprinting.org (Score:2, Insightful)
Ed Almos
Did anyone read the submission? (Score:1)
He's not looking for a $349 inkjet/fax/copier combo from MegaOffice.
We use the Canon Imagerunner line.
As far as the machine being down, your local service reps can get the thing back up and running in a few hours. All fax and print jobs can be stored in memory, so when it is running again, they won't be lost.
Keep your costs per page down... (Score:1)
Brother makes solid stuff, and their
cartridges are pretty reasonable.
Re:Keep your costs per page down... (Score:1)
A unit like the MFC-8600/9600 is NOT priced like an inkjet printer but gives you a real flat-bed which when combined with a real laser engine gives you a ture copy machine with the added bonus of real fax and your-mileage-may-vary scanning (especially on a Mac) factory print servers are available but the LPT port should allow any of your choice, or a linux box etc.
I seriously considered the HP one given that it uses cartridges from their desktop laser models BUT the thi
Re:Keep your costs per page down... (Score:1)
>cartridges are pretty reasonable.
However, their drums normally cost more than the printer itself and the printer is programmed to bitch at between 10k to 20k pages (depending on your printer model). Even used ones are extraordinarialy expensive [allmostnew.com].
That and my Brother HL-760 blew up it's thermistor after printing a small book. It took over 3 weeks for Brother to ship replacement parts from Quebec to Ontario. I have a donated HL-1060 (under 10,000 pages) and the r
Re:Keep your costs per page down... (Score:1)
Re:Keep your costs per page down... (Score:1)