RE: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers
Lynn Allen wrote: (This is a delayed response) Disclaimer: I used to work for HP, but not in the printer/scanner divisions. My only connection is being a (not very satisfied) customer and as a supplier of components to the scanners and printer divisions. Dan wrote: I am looking to buy another printer. I currently have an HP970cxi which has PhotoREt III technology (HP's latest three color + black) and I think it prints great. I have not seen a side by side comparison of the HP's vs the Epson's. This is my first opportunity to sound off on this issue, but after only 18 months my loyal HP Scanjet 6300 is giving me trouble--it needs a good cleaning, but their engineers deliberately made it very hard to take apart. That, IMHO, is bad engineering. So, for that matter, is a product that can't go beyond 18 months without expensive service (changing oil in a car notwithstanding)! The top of the SJ6300 can be removed easily if you pry out the oval shaped screw covers near the front (beside the glass panel). I had to do it when the new scanner arrived with a layer of paper dust on the inside. My point being, re buying an HP printer, is Caveat Emptor. While HP may have a new CEO, their Customer Service is still very In Your Face. They don't want to hear from you to begin with--they have no wats lines, so it's all toll calls; first there's an endless recorded menu and then you're on endless hold. They also have 900 numbers at $2.50 per minute, or you can opt for the flat $25 charge. Once the 90-day warranty is up, they don't help at all. They have turned service into a profit centre. You buy a service pack good for x number of calls. Or an extended warranty. At one stage, they even started charging for printer driver upgrades (I believe this has stopped). While HP's printers are good (Canon manufactures them, I've heard), if you suspect you might need customer service in the future, you've been warned. Actually, Canon manufactures the laser engines. The firmware and final assembly is, I think currently, contracted out. We've got several HP Laserjets in the office, and some certainly don't deserve the good label :-( When I worked with them on the Deskjet 890/895 and 720/722, only the design was done in HP, the actual manufacturing was outsourced. I suspect the other major printer companies also outsource their manufacturing. Back to the original topic, I can't really compare the Epson inkjet performance. My only Epson experience was the Stylus 800 (1992 purchase), and that was an experience I don't want to repeat. Cheers Lawrence -- Sent through GMX FreeMail - http://www.gmx.net
RE: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers
Lawrence wrote: The top of the SJ6300 can be removed easily if you pry out the oval shaped screw covers near the front (beside the glass panel). I had to do it when the new scanner arrived with a layer of paper dust on the inside. Thanks, Lawrence--that's the answer HP should have provided, but they didn't! :-( I finally figured out that the oval covers with holes in them were *not* for the purpose of depressing nasty spring-loaded retainer clips. They're just covers. The screws are designed for star-drivers, but a metric Allen wrench will work (and yes, I totally see the irony, here). It's a bit confusing for the technically-impaired, like me. ;-) Cleaning the underside of the glass (which HP urges you not to do, for some reason) cleared up about 1/3rd of the problem, but I still get color-banding. I suspect the lamp, but HP is silent on that issue, too. They have turned service into a profit centre. You buy a service pack good for x number of calls. Or an extended warranty. At one stage, they even started charging for printer driver upgrades (I believe this has stopped). You can probably see me *burning* from where you sit! I din't cheap out on this purchase--could have gotten nearly as good for a lot less, so I guess I expected better. I can appreciate a company's desire to reduce costs and increase profits, but playing Gotcha with customers and gouging them for service they would normally expect in a well-designed product isn't very smart. If this is a trend, it could use some serious rethinking, IMHO. We've got several HP Laserjets in the office, and some certainly don't deserve the good label :-( I appreciate the warning and the input. Thanks. Best regards--LRA --- FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com
Re: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers
If you use the HP for plain paper text as well as photos I'd stick with the HP as IMHO it does this much better. In my experience I have found Epson photographic type output on specialist papers is slightly better, but I have not seen the same image printed on both printers by a competent operator. One advantage with Epson is the jets are not part of the ink cartridge which I understand leads to more consistant results from one cartridge to the next. I have no idea how significant the difference is but it also means clogging can be fatal. See other reasons below from Art. You can go to a shop and get a test print, but there are all sorts of operator, media and software issues that may influence the result. Your best bet is a friend with an Epson who knows how to use it. That way you can hopefully compare the best possible results from each printer. Steve - Original Message - From: Arthur Entlich [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, May 19, 2001 8:34 AM Subject: Re: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers I don't have either printer. I do have sample prints from the 1270. There are more issues than image quality. In fact, more and more the qualitative differences between basic print output is not the issue with inkjet printers, because, very simply, they are getting very close to one another in output quality. The issues are more complex, and you can't use a loupe to see most of them. How fast does the printer work? Does output take 10 minutes or one minute? What type of paper can the printer use, (surfaces, weight, etc) and how do the inks respond to different paper types? How much do papers cost, if the printer requires a special paper made by a specific manufacturer? What is the maximum print size, versus paper size that can be used? How long do the images last before fading, and under what conditions? Is fading fairly uniform or tend to emphasize one color more then others? How much does the ink cost per print? What is the usable life of the ink carts, once opened? Is there more than one type of ink available for the printer? Will the inks types available fulfill the needs I have in mind? Are the cartridges refillable, or are ink cartridges available by other than the manufacturer? (what would happen if the company went under, decided to stop producing the ink carts, or simply made the carts overly expensive?) Can individual ink colors carts be replaced, rather than having to toss a cartridge due to one color running out? How durable is the printer? Is the ink head permanent or replaceable? Will the head be more apt to clog in the type of climate I will be using the printer in? What is the warranty like? How long is it, what's covered, is shipping included, will they cross ship? Years ago, print quality was a, if not THE major issue in deciding which printer family to buy. With the current quality being offered in that department, other issues become the deciding factors. Art Dan Kimble wrote: I am looking to buy another printer. I currently have an HP970cxi which has PhotoREt III technology (HP's latest three color + black) and I think it prints great. I have not seen a side by side comparison of the HP's vs the Epson's. I have heard a lot of talk about the Epson 1270 on this list, but has any one done a fair comparison?? Any help would be appreciated. Dan
RE: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers
Dan wrote: I am looking to buy another printer. I currently have an HP970cxi which has PhotoREt III technology (HP's latest three color + black) and I think it prints great. I have not seen a side by side comparison of the HP's vs the Epson's. This is my first opportunity to sound off on this issue, but after only 18 months my loyal HP Scanjet 6300 is giving me trouble--it needs a good cleaning, but their engineers deliberately made it very hard to take apart. That, IMHO, is bad engineering. So, for that matter, is a product that can't go beyond 18 months without expensive service (changing oil in a car notwithstanding)! My point being, re buying an HP printer, is Caveat Emptor. While HP may have a new CEO, their Customer Service is still very In Your Face. They don't want to hear from you to begin with--they have no wats lines, so it's all toll calls; first there's an endless recorded menu and then you're on endless hold. They also have 900 numbers at $2.50 per minute, or you can opt for the flat $25 charge. Once the 90-day warranty is up, they don't help at all. While HP's printers are good (Canon manufactures them, I've heard), if you suspect you might need customer service in the future, you've been warned. Best regards--LRA --- FREE! The World's Best Email Address @email.com Reserve your name now at http://www.email.com
Re: filmscanners: Any insight on H.P. vs Epson printers
I am looking to buy another printer. I currently have an HP970cxi which has PhotoREt III technology (HP's latest three color + black) and I think it prints great. I have not seen a side by side comparison of the HP's vs the Epson's. I have heard a lot of talk about the Epson 1270 on this list, but has any one done a fair comparison?? Although this really isn't the place for this discussion, what exactly is it that you would be hoping to accomplish by replacing your present printer? I ask this because you claim your HP prints great, which suggests that you're at least moderately happy with its performance... Jeff Goggin Scottsdale, AZ
