Which Printer?

Chronic Tech · 05-11-2006, 05:26 AM

Here is an easy one, I hope.

I am interested in your opinion of which printer to buy. I currently have an HP 990CXi, which is fine, and the print quality is very good. However, I would like to print more greetings cards, and the duplex unit does not like the heavy card that you need for that. This involves some fancy footwork with Publisher to get a good print.

I am looking at buying a printer that can exceed the print quality of my machine and do the new 4800X1200 standard of resolution, and can handle heavy media. I notice that some HP printers have a 'through path' from the back to the front, hence avoiding the duplex unit, and one could use media up to 280 gsm. I am also considering having the capacity to do A3 as well.

HP seem to be very good. I wonder about Canon, though they seem 'lightweight' by comparison.

I know that inkjets are still way in front when it comes to photo printing, which I do some of.

For me perfect photos, and the capacity to do greetings cards, is the most important thing. I may use my next machine as supplementary to my existing one, as this one does a great job on normal printouts.

Any printer experts like to offer a view?

Chronic Tech · 05-11-2006, 02:48 PM

Goodness! I thought there would be a barrage of replies from all sorts of loyal users of a particular brand of printer by now!

Geekgirl · 05-11-2006, 03:08 PM

Im no printer expert by far, but I am loyal to HP.Their normally easy to install and the quality is subperb over a Canon IMO

ebackhus · 05-11-2006, 03:42 PM

I'm with TJ. Hewlett Packard computers suck but their printers are top notch.

**Terrister** · 05-11-2006, 08:50 PM

Try one of these. They have the print path you want and print up to 13x19. I have an older version of these at work and print lots of card stock and posters with them.

Also, HP is the best printer on the market. I have work on all of them, and always buy HP printers.

**oldmn** · 05-11-2006, 10:03 PM

I presently have a HP Business ink-jet 1100D that has the duplexer installed and it handles the card stock fine.
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...32-306733.html
I also just got a HP Color Laser jet 2600 that is faster with the color but you have to do the duplex manually.

Chronic Tech · 05-12-2006, 01:02 AM

Thanks. I would tend to go for HP, but something in an article about the ink just wiping off photos with a damp tissue when it didn't on other printer's work made me look at others.

I am looking at all sorts, including an HP Officejet K850, which seems to be able to handle what I want to do to the standard I want.

My machine (HP 990CXi) is great, but it struggles with the card I use for greetings card, the last couple of inches of printing gets compressed and distorted as it is affected by the tail end of the card coming 'round the bend' in the duplex unit. I like the idea of a straight through path that you can use for card, and they say that on the machines I am looking at that you can use card of up to 280 gsm, which is very heavy indeed, and above what I would normally use.

I guess most of you are in the US and use imperial measures, and I wish we still did. The standard paper in the UK is A4, which is a little bigger than what the Americans call 'letter', and we used to call quarto. 'gsm' stands for 'grammes per square metre'.

I wonder if an HP K850 fitted with a duplexer is going to handle as heavy card as one without, using the rear paper tray.

05-11-2006, 05:26 AM	#1 (permalink)
Chronic Tech Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 97 OS: xp	Which Printer? Here is an easy one, I hope. I am interested in your opinion of which printer to buy. I currently have an HP 990CXi, which is fine, and the print quality is very good. However, I would like to print more greetings cards, and the duplex unit does not like the heavy card that you need for that. This involves some fancy footwork with Publisher to get a good print. I am looking at buying a printer that can exceed the print quality of my machine and do the new 4800X1200 standard of resolution, and can handle heavy media. I notice that some HP printers have a 'through path' from the back to the front, hence avoiding the duplex unit, and one could use media up to 280 gsm. I am also considering having the capacity to do A3 as well. HP seem to be very good. I wonder about Canon, though they seem 'lightweight' by comparison. I know that inkjets are still way in front when it comes to photo printing, which I do some of. For me perfect photos, and the capacity to do greetings cards, is the most important thing. I may use my next machine as supplementary to my existing one, as this one does a great job on normal printouts. Any printer experts like to offer a view?

05-11-2006, 03:08 PM	#3 (permalink)
Geekgirl Assistant Manager, Microsoft Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Six-burgh, Pennsylvania Posts: 14,186 OS: XP Home SP3/XP Pro SP3/Vista Ultimate SP2/Windows 7 Professional	Im no printer expert by far, but I am loyal to HP.Their normally easy to install and the quality is subperb over a Canon IMO __________________ Compare NOD32 to your current antivirus and anti-spyware solution, HERE How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista Or Windows 7 How to back up and restore the registry in Windows 98/ ME / NT 4.0 / 2000 I DO NOT ACCEPT EMAILS AND WILL NOT REPLY TO THEM !!!!! TSF DOES NOT SUPPORT ASSISTANCE THROUGH EMAIL OR PRIVATE MESSAGES, PLEASE KEEP ALL QUESTIONS IN THE OPEN FORUM *The Pittsburgh Steelers - 6 X Superbowl Champions !!!!!!!* *The Pittsburgh Penguins - 2009 Stanley Cup Champions !!!!!!!*

05-11-2006, 03:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
ebackhus Manager, Design Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: SATX Posts: 14,303 OS: WinXP Pro SP3/Windows 7 RTM My System Blog Entries: 28	I'm with TJ. Hewlett Packard computers suck but their printers are top notch. __________________ ----------------------------- There are no dumb questions, unless a customer is asking them. Help in the fight against cancer and other serious illnesses.

05-11-2006, 08:50 PM	#5 (permalink)
Terrister Moderator Hardware Forum Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: West Georgia, USA Posts: 7,098 OS: Xp	Try one of these. They have the print path you want and print up to 13x19. I have an older version of these at work and print lots of card stock and posters with them. Also, HP is the best printer on the market. I have work on all of them, and always buy HP printers. __________________ Last edited by Terrister; 05-11-2006 at 08:51 PM.

05-11-2006, 10:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
oldmn TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gig Harbor Wa Posts: 2,150 OS: XP Pro SP3 X 3 My System	I presently have a HP Business ink-jet 1100D that has the duplexer installed and it handles the card stock fine. http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en...32-306733.html I also just got a HP Color Laser jet 2600 that is faster with the color but you have to do the duplex manually. __________________ AVG \| MEMTEST86 \| Zone Alarm \| XXCLONE \| Adaware \| Beyond Compare \| Everest If TSF has helped you, Tell us about it! or Donate to help keep the site up! Sorry no PM's for problems.[/center]

05-11-2006, 02:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Chronic Tech Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 97 OS: xp	Goodness! I thought there would be a barrage of replies from all sorts of loyal users of a particular brand of printer by now!

05-12-2006, 01:02 AM	#7 (permalink)
Chronic Tech Registered User Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 97 OS: xp	Thanks. I would tend to go for HP, but something in an article about the ink just wiping off photos with a damp tissue when it didn't on other printer's work made me look at others. I am looking at all sorts, including an HP Officejet K850, which seems to be able to handle what I want to do to the standard I want. My machine (HP 990CXi) is great, but it struggles with the card I use for greetings card, the last couple of inches of printing gets compressed and distorted as it is affected by the tail end of the card coming 'round the bend' in the duplex unit. I like the idea of a straight through path that you can use for card, and they say that on the machines I am looking at that you can use card of up to 280 gsm, which is very heavy indeed, and above what I would normally use. I guess most of you are in the US and use imperial measures, and I wish we still did. The standard paper in the UK is A4, which is a little bigger than what the Americans call 'letter', and we used to call quarto. 'gsm' stands for 'grammes per square metre'. I wonder if an HP K850 fitted with a duplexer is going to handle as heavy card as one without, using the rear paper tray.