Need Printer Help!

frank_tfrank_t
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I am new and want to buy a printer but i'm going nuts as there are so many out there...and i hear that some don't work as well in os x as they do in os 9....



I was looking at the HP Deskjet 5550 but i see it came out 6 months ago...i hate to get this and find out that new one is going to come out.....



Is there better than the HP Deskjet 5550? Please post as i'm going mad trying to see what is best for around the $200.



Thanks all



Frank_t

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 12
    proxyproxy Posts: 232member
    Hi frank_t

    I find my epson870 works fine in OSX. The 890 is the updated 870 and it gives amazing borderless prints in pretty good time, and if you use epson's semi-gloss paper you can get at least 27years lifespan before fading. It's about the price you want as well (£150 here in the uk)



    I just want the epson 2000P now for archival prints but it's pretty pricey



    [ 01-21-2003: Message edited by: Proxy ]</p>
  • Reply 2 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" /> I see that that brand doesn't work will with os x yet as the drivers are buggy....not sure about the HP brand....but haven't heard much bad news about them... <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />



    Keep posting still open.



    Frank_t
  • Reply 3 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    I'm being told that the HP 5550 can print on both side of the paper? Is this true? or does the user need to do it by hand?



    Frank_t
  • Reply 4 of 12
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    It is an optional feature on the 5550, you have to buy a duplexer to do this. I forget how much it costs.
  • Reply 5 of 12
    proxyproxy Posts: 232member
    [quote] I see that that brand doesn't work will with os x yet as the drivers are buggy <hr></blockquote>



    Never had a problem with the epson drivers myself but must admit that HP 5550 looks rather nice..especially in the light of this <a href="http://www.wilhelm-research.com/pdf/PCWorld_FadeFactor_Nov_2002.pdf"; target="_blank">768k PDF</a> report that puts the lifespan of prints from the 5550 at 73 years! That's pretty impressive for a printer of that price.



    [ 01-22-2003: Message edited by: Proxy ]</p>
  • Reply 6 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    Hmm...is there anyone out there that has this printer that can post what they think of it? I'd love to know as i can't find any mac reviews of it



    Frank_t
  • Reply 7 of 12
    scott2scott2 Posts: 39member
    Bought it last September when I got my MDD.



    On the up side: prints look nice in terms of color and resolution, most people think it is photo quality.



    On the down side: ink is expensive and have found no third party suppliers. Having to swap cartriges to print B&W is a nuisance. Apparently the HP driver (version 2.0) does not print post card size paper.



    I bought it because I have been told that the jets are in the cartriges. If you do not print regularly you run the risk of gumming them up. I had to toss my Epson because of that.
  • Reply 8 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    That isn't such good news....i want to print BW most of the time....but i hate to find that i can't use other brand inks in it or that they clog up after a few weeks of not useing it.....



    What should i do? there is alot of brands out there but it's hard to put my foot down on one.



    Frank_t
  • Reply 9 of 12
    mcqmcq Posts: 1,543member
    Huh, are you kidding me? It doesn't have a spot for both a B&W and a color cartridge?
  • Reply 10 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    I would think there would be more people around here that could help me but i guess not



    Frank_t
  • Reply 11 of 12
    noseynosey Posts: 307member
    Hi Frank_t

    I have a Epson 870 like Proxy and it has served well for two or three years now.



    A nice thing is the ink cartridges are relatively cheap if you know where to buy them, there is a large-scale resevior for the printer from a third party, and you don't have to worry about the volume of ink in the cartridge you buy (All cartridges have only one volume)



    With the HP you do... one cartridge has 78ml for 75+CDN and another has 37ml for 55. Always have to watch which one you are buying.



    If you have the time, make a list of the costs for the various inks in your area. The HP's can give a 'kinda' total of the volume left (the photosmart can, anyway) and try buying one at a place which has a 1-week return policy so you can try it out for yourself. (I think Staples does this.)



    'guestimate' how much ink you would use for a full 8*10 photo and work out the cost per print for color ink.



    Here is a site (I never read) which has a bit of info...



    <a href="http://yianni.hypermart.net/printer/inkjet/newtech/printcost/inkconsume.html"; target="_blank">http://yianni.hypermart.net/printer/inkjet/newtech/printcost/inkconsume.html</a>;



    I used to get between 30 and 40 full color prints out of my Epson870... using a few odd little tricks... It worked out to ~50 cents or so an image (Thankfully I sold quite a few for $10 to make up for my personal printing )
  • Reply 12 of 12
    frank_tfrank_t Posts: 428member
    I'm going nuts looking for the right printer...i know that most of them can print photos but i'm looking more for a better BW printer than photo....and not one that drinks ink every day like water....but i guess that would be asking to much as it is...but no....then there is the thing with os x.....AAAARRRRRHHHHHHHHHHH <img src="graemlins/bugeye.gif" border="0" alt="[Skeptical]" /> <img src="graemlins/oyvey.gif" border="0" alt="[oyvey]" /> <img src="graemlins/surprised.gif" border="0" alt="[surprised]" /> <img src="graemlins/lol.gif" border="0" alt="[Laughing]" /> <img src="graemlins/cancer.gif" border="0" alt="[cancer]" />



    Frank_t
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