Hi Folks, Some of you seem to know your way well around the hardware jungle, so I'm asking for views on the following.
I'd like a reasonably priced colour LaserJet, which performs well and reliably (but would not be getting a heavy load, say some dozens of pages per week), which has builtin PostScript (i.e. will print if it is sent raw PostScript) and which has duplex capability.
I'm not fussy about whether the duplex would be under software control (provided that can be done from Linux) or set by hand from a control panel on the printer. Indeed, I think I'd prefer the latter.
I've seen an HP CM 1312 MFP at a reasonable price. but online reviews are not all enthusiastic. Also, the best I can find out about the duplex is that it is "manual" -- I can't find out whether that means "manual setting on control panel" or whether it means that you have to manually reverse and turn over the sheets of paper, after printing the odd page numbers, in order to print the evens! (Since that is precisely what I do right now, it would not be an advance).
Thanks, Ted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 20-Mar-09 Time: 18:16:42 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------
On Fri, 2009-03-20 at 18:16 +0000, Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk wrote:
... Also, the best I can find out about the duplex is that it is "manual" -- I can't find out whether that means "manual setting on control panel" or whether it means that you have to manually reverse and turn over the sheets of paper, after printing the odd page numbers, in order to print the evens! (Since that is precisely what I do right now, it would not be an advance).
Knowing what salesmen write my guess is it would be the latter.
At this point you'd be wondering what the difference is between a simplex printer and "manual duplex" one is. Perhaps none at all but it should mean the manufacturer has tested that when you feed the pages that have been printed on the first side back in to get printed on the reverse side they don't jam.
Steve.
On 20-Mar-09 18:51:23, Steve Fosdick wrote:
On Fri, 2009-03-20 at 18:16 +0000, Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk wrote:
... Also, the best I can find out about the duplex is that it is "manual" -- I can't find out whether that means "manual setting on control panel" or whether it means that you have to manually reverse and turn over the sheets of paper, after printing the odd page numbers, in order to print the evens! (Since that is precisely what I do right now, it would not be an advance).
Knowing what salesmen write my guess is it would be the latter.
At this point you'd be wondering what the difference is between a simplex printer and "manual duplex" one is. Perhaps none at all but it should mean the manufacturer has tested that when you feed the pages that have been printed on the first side back in to get printed on the reverse side they don't jam.
Nicely put ... ! Which means that the one I'm using at the moment (B&W HP LJ 1300, basically a very decent printer) is a "simplex printer" and not "manual duplex" in that sense -- though, more prcisely, jamming is rare; what happens is that if the sheets are put back in for the other side, you are likely to get 2 pulled through at once, which spoils the effect, as it were ...
I think this has something to do with static on the sheets, since leaving them lying loose for an hour or so alleviates it (without eliminating it).
The real work-round is to print the side 1 series, reverse the order and turn upside down, then empty the paper tray, place top sheet in the empty tray, initiate printing of the evens, and manually feed the sheets one by one into the paper tray once the previous sheet is pulled through.
Which possibly makes it a "manual duplex printer", in much the same sense as a dustpan & brush constitute a "manual vaccuum cleaner".
Thanks for the comments, Steve! Ted.
-------------------------------------------------------------------- E-Mail: (Ted Harding) Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk Fax-to-email: +44 (0)870 094 0861 Date: 20-Mar-09 Time: 19:45:24 ------------------------------ XFMail ------------------------------
On Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 07:45:28PM -0000, Ted Harding wrote:
On 20-Mar-09 18:51:23, Steve Fosdick wrote:
On Fri, 2009-03-20 at 18:16 +0000, Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk wrote:
... Also, the best I can find out about the duplex is that it is "manual" -- I can't find out whether that means "manual setting on control panel" or whether it means that you have to manually reverse and turn over the sheets of paper, after printing the odd page numbers, in order to print the evens! (Since that is precisely what I do right now, it would not be an advance).
Knowing what salesmen write my guess is it would be the latter.
At this point you'd be wondering what the difference is between a simplex printer and "manual duplex" one is. Perhaps none at all but it should mean the manufacturer has tested that when you feed the pages that have been printed on the first side back in to get printed on the reverse side they don't jam.
Nicely put ... ! Which means that the one I'm using at the moment (B&W HP LJ 1300, basically a very decent printer) is a "simplex printer" and not "manual duplex" in that sense -- though, more prcisely, jamming is rare; what happens is that if the sheets are put back in for the other side, you are likely to get 2 pulled through at once, which spoils the effect, as it were ...
I think this has something to do with static on the sheets, since leaving them lying loose for an hour or so alleviates it (without eliminating it).
The real work-round is to print the side 1 series, reverse the order and turn upside down, then empty the paper tray, place top sheet in the empty tray, initiate printing of the evens, and manually feed the sheets one by one into the paper tray once the previous sheet is pulled through.
Which possibly makes it a "manual duplex printer", in much the same sense as a dustpan & brush constitute a "manual vaccuum cleaner".
Exactly my take on "manual duplex" too. It simply means you do it yourself with, possibly, some help from the printer manual.
I spent some time choosing my current printers (both HP) to make sure I got 'real' duplex printing. What I have is a mono laser printer with duplex (an HP1320) and a colour inkjet with duplex (an HP7310).
What was actually a big surprise is that the HP7310 can do double sided *copying*, it actually turns the sheets you're copying over and copies the other side! I only discovered this when it appeared to 'eat' a sheet I was copying and wouldn't give it back, until I copied the second side.
On Fri, 2009-03-20 at 18:16 +0000, Ted.Harding@manchester.ac.uk wrote:
I've seen an HP CM 1312 MFP at a reasonable price. but online reviews are not all enthusiastic. Also, the best I can find out about the duplex is that it is "manual" -- I can't find out whether that means "manual setting on control panel" or whether it means that you have to manually reverse and turn over the sheets of paper, after printing the odd page numbers, in order to print the evens! (Since that is precisely what I do right now, it would not be an advance).
I have direct experience of that print engine (but not in a MFP) and I say walk away, it is heavy on consumables, very clunky in operation and just generally not nice.
Generally manual duplex just means a printer driver function that prints odd or even pages and the mechanical ability for the printer to pass the paper again after it has been printed on one side (this wrecks the fuser on some colour lasers)
Also afaik it is not a true postscript printer
Cheap colour lasers tend to be a bit of a minefield because many of then turn out to be very expensive to run, can't really advise on a specific model except saying I would avoid HP at that price range.
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Chris G -
Steve Fosdick -
Ted.Harding＠manchester.ac.uk -
Wayne Stallwood