Entry level laser printer that can handle Booklet mode

[Booklet]

Hi,
I'm going to have to buy a new printer and I need some advice.
Here's the specs :
It's going to be a laser monochrome

(unless ... some of these ads I've been receiving are actually true and it
is possible now to print in colour for the same price as mono. I guess some
manufacturer has come up with a colour *printer* that is maybe as cheap as
someone else's mono printer. But when cost per page - including toner - is
added in, I can't really see how colour can be as cheap as monochrome. But,
I'm willing to learn.)

And .. it will have to be able to print in Booklet mode.

All advice, experiences, horror stories or success stories appreciated,
Also, I can wait a month or two, if there's some amazing machine in the
pipeline somewhere.

Thanks in advance,

Booklet

 

[Arthur Entlich]

You are wise to question the pricing on color laser printers, versus
monochrome models.

What has happened is that the manufacturers of color laser printers have
decided to use the inkjet printer business model that has worked "so
well" for them, and transferred it to the color laser printers.

This business model is basically to sell you the printer near cost, and
include some partially filled toner cartridges. Then, they sell you
their propriety replacement cartridges as such a high cost, that the
cost of the cartridges is more than the printer and partially filled
cartridges you bought.

As an example, a certain laser printer (color) is selling in Canada for
under $250 with cartridges included that will print 1500 copies at 5%
coverage per color. 5% is equivalent to the text of a very short
business letter.

The 4 cartridges each cost about $100 to replace, or about $400. The
replacement cartridges have a yield of about 4500 copies at 5% (or three
times as much as the original installed ones).

There are also other consumables in color copies, including the transfer
belt, fuser oil for the fuser, etc. If you are printing photo-like
images, the coverage can be 60% or more per color, depending upon the
subject matter. That places cost per copy up above the cost to have it
done at your neighborhood color copy place, or wherever you go.

Some things to consider.

These printers tend to be relatively slow. Some literally have suicide
chips in the cartridges so they cannot be refilled without replacing
those chips.

These printer aren't typically built for heavy use. SOme have limited
memory and some use propriety memory at a cost.

Although the monochrome laser printers use a similar business model,
they often are easier to refill, and the cost per copy is much less.

Art

 

[Booklet]

OK, Thanks you, Arthuur.
So let's cut out the "unless" section and rephrase the question as this :




Hi,
I'm going to have to buy a new printer and I need some advice.
Here's the specs :
It's going to be an entry level laser monochrome and it will have to be able
to print in Booklet mode.
If it can handle A3 it wil also get extra points.


All advice, experiences, horror stories or success stories appreciated,
Also, I can wait a month or two, if there's some amazing machine in the
pipeline somewhere.

Thanks in advance,

Booklet

 

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

If you are printing photo-like
images, the coverage can be 60% or more per color,

240% ink coverage?

That would be VERY rare.

Of course, you may choose to believe what you want. Some folks, though,
have analyzed ink coverage. What you'd think would be heavy coverage
like 60% per color, is actually significantly less.

 

[[L.]]

And .. it will have to be able to print in Booklet mode.

If you are using Windows, you can buy FinePrint, a printer driver
which adds booklet mode to _any_ printer, from www.fineprint.com.


[L.]

 

[Booklet]

Dear Mr Shagnasty,
you are totally off-topic.
You are dismissed.
Booklet.

 

[Booklet]

Now you're talking !

I didn't know about this.
I will check it out and maybe post a 4 page review (on one page).

BCNU

Booklet

And .. it will have to be able to print in Booklet mode.

If you are using Windows, you can buy FinePrint, a printer driver
which adds booklet mode to _any_ printer, from www.fineprint.com.


[L.]

 

[Elmo P. Shagnasty]

Dear Mr Shagnasty,
you are totally off-topic.
You are dismissed.
Booklet.

(top posting fixed)

Booklet,

Someone mentioned, within the context of YOUR discussion of color
lasers, a wrong notion. I went with that discussion.

Now **** off.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Since you have access to this type of analysis, what type of coverage
(per color) would a low key image use? I realize the amount of toner
required on an image depends upon both the color hues and the amount of
density/coverage. My work tends to be highly saturated and in the
darker hues. What range would you estimate full bleed dark key color
photo images would use up?

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

How large a booklet are you speaking of, how many folds, what size?

What type of binding are you thinking of, staple, stitched, glued, or
just folded? What type of cover? How many copies total?

All this will help to determine what printer would be most useable for
your needs.

Art

 

[Booklet]

Dear M. Shagnasty,
You are still off topic.
If you really need to branch off onto colour coverage percentages, then
start a new topic.
It's as simple as that.
Being obnoxious doesn't help.
You were dismissed from this topic yesterday.
Thank you.

Booklet.