OT? I need a printer

Canon or a printer that has separate colour cartridges.. I have a canon multi function and the general operation and scanner is simple and logical.. Michael

Thanks guys, looks like a trip to Frankston,
cheers

The problem with Canon printers is the difficulty of getting non-genuine cartridges because of the tricks they employ to stop you refilling their own cartridges. Brother cartridges are possibly the cheapest. Lexmark are the dearest.

PeterD

Yes , agree with N N .
If you only want to print in monochrome then you can't gp past a brother 2040 Laser which is the cheapest to run. Don't be put off by a laser cartridge because it has the cheapest per copy print price. Cost about $80 at Office Works on special.
Be careful if buying an MFP. some of them don't have separate black tanks and you'll pay squillions to run off stuff.

Thanks guys,
Looks like a laser for my type of use,
cheers,

Yes i agree, If you just want black printing, laser would be cheaper. Michael

This is probably the best model to get. You can get cheaper printers in the ink jet style but these laser printers are much cheaper to run (as the next reply was suggesting.)

PeterD

Hi Nev,
any particular brand?

Hi,
In all my schools we use HP lasers HP2015DN at approx $630 ex GST which are networked full duplex printers with 3 year on-site warranty. Do approx 7000 pages per toner and print both sides so are exceptionally economical. I bought one for home to use on my home network and find them excellent. Daughter prints all her projects and stuff for her masters on it. HP have a cheaper model the HP1505 which is good value as well.
Prior to that I had a Brother Multi-Function Printer/Scanner/Copier/fax which was good but print quality not as good as this HP.
When you go to shops ask them to print a test page for you and you should be able to see the quality.
By the way DO NOT repeat DO NOT put any photo quality paper for ink jet printers through your laser, (if you buy one). It will melt the wax off it and make one helluva mess. Normally means a new printer unless you are very lucky.

Rgds

Agree the continuous ink system is the go. $115 for the system which includes almost 1.5 litres of ink. Works out at about 1/10 the cost of genuine cartridges. I was concerned the ink quality may be suspect but it's almost identical to the brand name & perfect for photos. Check out this mob on ebay.
Cheers Craig......

the continuous is not really the main advantage, only when you print a certain amount. third party ink is .. I run an Epson 9600 Ultrachrome 7 colour. One fill is A$1200 genuine Epson ink and
8 Cartridges at 220ml at 189 US$ + 32$ shipping from the US.
The third party is the main factor, continuous is a convenience and further saving. Convenience in particular when you run a proper profile for paper/ink and need consistency in the ink.

regards
gmd

I work in large format digital print and have owned a pair of ink jet printers worth more than a million each, desk top colour is just to expensive and unreliable, its for the fairies, get a B&W laser printer we use basic Xerox lasers at about $200 each its all you really need, a well prepared assignment or presentation is just as good in quality B&W as it is in ordinary colour.

Thanks Mike,
For my limited(?) use would I not be better off with a Brother cheers,HL2140 laser printer for <$90?

oops Brother HL2140,
cheers,

David, OK, if you realy only want B/W, the Brother might be your best choice. There is a little bit of messing around to set up a cIS and for $90, probably not worth it. I would reckon however that an inkjet with cis anhd 3rd p[arty bulk ink would be cheaper to run than a laser, but at $90 for a laser, the convenience of the laser probably wins.
I also worked in a school and we tried lasers and inkjets(not CIS) The cheap lasers were virtually throwaway items once the cartridge was finished. Most gave problems on second cartridges. We couldn't get an even print colour acrossd the page (check the price of a replacement cartridge for any laser you buy, they used to be almost exactly the same as the printer, for a cheap laser printer. We used the cheapest Canons.This may no longer be the case and I emphasize that I am only talking about the very cheapest"personal" models. I have no experience at all with the Brothers.
Another factor is startup. Both work better if used regularly. A laser has to do a warm up each time it starts that uses quite a lot of power.Not a problem if you do long runs. Inkjets should be used at least every couple of days to minimize the risk of head blockages. There have also been negative reports over the years about the health issues of the powder used in lasers if in a small area.
I have to admit bias, just love my cIS systems and have them on a cheap Canon MP530 which incredibly also faxes and photocopies and a $1000 Epson 1800

Hi Outa,
What I want is one for very intermittent use. one that can lye idle for up to a month and then work.....is there such a beast?

your 5 geniuine Canon cartidges contain 8ml or so of ink each, the CIS style have 100ml or something. I bought the refillable carts (my printer didn't have a kit to hook up the inks for continous supply) and ink (about $299) and haven't bought ink for about 4 years and still have a lot left. However, you do need to use it often to avoid clogged heads, so if you only want to use it occasionly, and have no need for colour output, then the laser is the weapon of choice.

DavidP, I don't use my printer every day, sometimes not even every few days & have not had any problems. Purely from what I have read here, a laser does sound good if you're not firing it up all the time.

An IT guy told my husband once, the more you spend on a laser printer the cheaper it generally costs to run it. I guess there is good reason why most big companies use lasers rather than anything else.

HGMonaro, I thought of that fact afterwards that I didn't know how much ink was in my genuine cartridges - kind of funny that it doesn't say anywhere! 100ml compared to 8ml is definitely worth it, I'd be taking, printing and sending more photos to family for sure, heck it would even make it worthwhile to print some for myself and put in a real photo album like the old days!

So my options then..
*Get a multifunction laser (copy, scan, fax, print - is there such a beast?) and a CIS compatible inkjet for photos (well basically keep the current one for photos till it dies)
*Go for a multifunction bubble jet (some Cannon) and get a cheap laser for b&w printing?

Seems like good Lasers aren't cheap? Both options would cost as much. But am I correct in assuming that for B&W laser is definitely the way to go?

So the Brother HL2140 for<$90 for Officeworks looks to be good value and reliable.....Ta for the help girls&boys (g&b)

Can't see them on special there at the moment, but there will be others doing deals. Do you want me to let you know when I see one. What's your e/mail address?

Thanks wigger,
I have ordered one from office works ($79) plus cable, but thanks for that,
cheers

David
Do you want the code settings so that you can access the counter and other functions. I didn't get this with the instructions(maybe there weren't any in the box) Got them from either Willem or Phil (SA) Will send if you want as email attachment.

Sorry wigger,
I am tech challenged to the point that I don't understand the question.
I pick the printer up on Fri, do you just plug in and the computer recognises it or does it use an installation disk supplied with the printer??
Code settings?
cheers

David,
It's a while since I installed mine but I'm pretty sure there was a driver supplied. i.e your computer will recognise this as being a 2040 that you want to use and will install. After getting message that the installation is complete, (if using Windows) go to your control panel and make this printer your default printer, so that your previous printer is bypassed and it selects your new one automatically. (will give instructions if you're not sure how to do this) What I was talking about (code settings) is additional to all of this and it enables you to see at a glance how many copies you have run off etc If you have a problem with the installation or want the additional stuff , email donnedx@hotmail.com and I'll send it.
Best printer I've ever had.

Thanks wigger,
This is my first computer and will be my first printer when I pick it up tomorrow night and I will get back to you if I have a problem.
Thanks again,