Epson Stylus 1520 - need some help

[ttfg]

I need some help from someone familiar with this printer, please.

I was holding this as collateral, and the borrower has disappeared. I was going
to put it on ebay, but don't want to do that until I know exactly what I have,
and whether it is complete. I hope someone who has experience with this printer
can answer a few questions for me.

Here are the issues:

1) There are blue colored pieces of tape placed to hold all the moving parts
(covers, carts, etc) in place, so it appears to be brand new. But the one thing
that confuses me is that there are also pieces of the same tape on the installed
cartridges, including a piece of styrofoam taped and wedged in there to hold
everything tight, even though the "quick setup" guide suggests that the user
has to actually install the cartridges themselves. So, did someone install the
cartridges and place tape over them, or is the printer sometimes packaged with
the cartridges already installed, but taped securely as described?

2) The power cord is attached, but there are no other cables. Did this printer
come with any other cables, like a parallel printer cable? The "quick setup"
guide doesn't show any other parts, but I want to make sure.

3) Are there any other instruction books, or is the "quick setup" guide all you
get?

4) There is a sealed envelope/license agreement that contains (as far as I can
determine) some 3.5 diskettes and perhaps a CD-ROM. Is that all the software
that came with the printer?

5) There is a small booklet titled "Epson Plot! Printing Utility Installation
Guide" which refers to a CD-ROM installation disc. Is that the disc that is in
the sealed envelope I referred to in #4 above, or was there another one? I don't
want to open the envelope if I don't have to.

6) What was the original selling price for this printer? Also, what year or
years was this model produced? I have been all over the Epson site, as well as a
lot of Google searching, but I can't find any reference to what it sold for, and
when it was being sold. There is no mfg date on the serial number plate. For
that matter, what would be a fair price to try to get on ebay or elsewhere?

Thanks for any help or guidance where I could find more information.

 

[Impmon]

did someone install the
cartridges and place tape over them, or is the printer sometimes packaged with
the cartridges already installed, but taped securely as described?

Probably as ink would cause big mess or even dry out sitting in there.
Someone could have used that printer, then taped it shut with the cart
still installed. Unfortunately with Epson design, removing it after
it has been installed would also cause the printer head's nozzle to
dry out and clog.

2) The power cord is attached, but there are no other cables. Did this printer
come with any other cables, like a parallel printer cable? The "quick setup"
guide doesn't show any other parts, but I want to make sure.

I can't remember if they did. Most printers shipped nowday don't
include any but parallel cable are cheap so don't worry.

6) What was the original selling price for this printer? Also, what year or
years was this model produced? I have been all over the Epson site, as well as a
lot of Google searching, but I can't find any reference to what it sold for, and
when it was being sold. There is no mfg date on the serial number plate. For
that matter, what would be a fair price to try to get on ebay or elsewhere?

I used to have that printer in '97 so it's fairly old model. It was
for several hundreds dollar originally (around $500 I think) but if
it's fully working, in good shape, and the paper tray isn't broken
(they are often broken easily) you can probably get around $100 for it
on eBay.

 

[ttfg]

Probably as ink would cause big mess or even dry out sitting in there.
Someone could have used that printer, then taped it shut with the cart
still installed.

I'm not so sure. There's even a warning label about waiting three minutes once
the carts are installed that is taped OVER where the carts are taped in. And all
the other blue tapes appear to be original and in the original places.

Unfortunately with Epson design, removing it after
it has been installed would also cause the printer head's nozzle to
dry out and clog.


I can't remember if they did. Most printers shipped nowday don't
include any but parallel cable are cheap so don't worry.

Figured as much, just wanted to make sure.

I used to have that printer in '97 so it's fairly old model. It was
for several hundreds dollar originally (around $500 I think) but if
it's fully working, in good shape, and the paper tray isn't broken
(they are often broken easily) you can probably get around $100 for it
on eBay

I wish there was a way to test it out, but I don't want to further mess with
it. I will just disclose what I know and go from there, I guess.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I need some help from someone familiar with this printer, please.

I was holding this as collateral, and the borrower has disappeared. I was going
to put it on ebay, but don't want to do that until I know exactly what I have,
and whether it is complete. I hope someone who has experience with this printer
can answer a few questions for me.

Here are the issues:

1) There are blue colored pieces of tape placed to hold all the moving parts
(covers, carts, etc) in place, so it appears to be brand new. But the one thing
that confuses me is that there are also pieces of the same tape on the installed
cartridges, including a piece of styrofoam taped and wedged in there to hold
everything tight, even though the "quick setup" guide suggests that the user
has to actually install the cartridges themselves. So, did someone install the
cartridges and place tape over them, or is the printer sometimes packaged with
the cartridges already installed, but taped securely as described?

This may be a printer returned from the service depot after a repair.
No, the printers arrive new without cartridges in them.

2) The power cord is attached, but there are no other cables. Did this printer
come with any other cables, like a parallel printer cable? The "quick setup"
guide doesn't show any other parts, but I want to make sure.

Not sure, under any circumstances, a parallel printer cable isn't worth
much... About $5 or less).

3) Are there any other instruction books, or is the "quick setup" guide all you
get?

Usually, there is a complete instruction booklet which is many pages
long, plus a disk with installation programs and drivers.

4) There is a sealed envelope/license agreement that contains (as far as I can
determine) some 3.5 diskettes and perhaps a CD-ROM. Is that all the software
that came with the printer?

Probably.

5) There is a small booklet titled "Epson Plot! Printing Utility Installation
Guide" which refers to a CD-ROM installation disc. Is that the disc that is in
the sealed envelope I referred to in #4 above, or was there another one? I don't
want to open the envelope if I don't have to.

Epson offered a number of different software packages for this and other
printers over the years, so it's difficult to be sure. The packaging
inserts should have listed all the items included, assuming those have
not been lost.

6) What was the original selling price for this printer? Also, what year or
years was this model produced? I have been all over the Epson site, as well as a
lot of Google searching, but I can't find any reference to what it sold for, and
when it was being sold. There is no mfg date on the serial number plate. For
that matter, what would be a fair price to try to get on ebay or elsewhere?

The 1520 came out in about mid-1997. It is an old printer, and what it
sold for originally is really irrelevant today. What it is worth now is
determined by its working condition. If it has been sitting for years
with cartridges installed, they are probably dried out, and you may need
to get the heads unclogged. It is also possible the heads are bad, or
there are other mechanical issues, without testing it, that would not be
possible to know.

I do not think you can represent this printer as new. They did not come
with cartridges installed. Therefore, it would be best to be able to
test it to see if it is working correctly, so you can advertise it
properly. That printer model was sold for quite a few years, since it
was somewhat unique in terms of the carriage size. It was sort of sold
as a color plotter, although it was totally capable of producing near
photo quality images, up to 13.6" wide. It came with the ability, as an
option, to run Adobe Postscript via software., and optional Ethernet and
Localtalk connectivity. It is 4 color and capable iof 1440 dpi
printing. In terms of value, assuming it is working correctly, it is
best to match it to other same model printers on Ebay.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Epson printers are never sold with cartridges installed. The only time
they come looking as you state is if the printer was sent in for repair
and it was repaired and tested. Epson's policy was to always include
new cartridges after a repair (once an Epson printer has a cartridge
installed, it cannot be left without a cartridge in it, as the heads
will dry out and clog badly).

New printers and refurbs come without cartridges installed. The refurbs
have the heads fully flushed clear before packaging.

Art

 

[ttfg]

This may be a printer returned from the service depot after a repair.
No, the printers arrive new without cartridges in them.



Not sure, under any circumstances, a parallel printer cable isn't worth
much... About $5 or less).


Usually, there is a complete instruction booklet which is many pages
long, plus a disk with installation programs and drivers.


Epson offered a number of different software packages for this and other
printers over the years, so it's difficult to be sure. The packaging
inserts should have listed all the items included, assuming those have
not been lost.


The 1520 came out in about mid-1997. It is an old printer, and what it
sold for originally is really irrelevant today. What it is worth now is
determined by its working condition. If it has been sitting for years
with cartridges installed, they are probably dried out, and you may need
to get the heads unclogged. It is also possible the heads are bad, or
there are other mechanical issues, without testing it, that would not be
possible to know.

I do not think you can represent this printer as new. They did not come
with cartridges installed. Therefore, it would be best to be able to
test it to see if it is working correctly, so you can advertise it
properly. That printer model was sold for quite a few years, since it
was somewhat unique in terms of the carriage size. It was sort of sold
as a color plotter, although it was totally capable of producing near
photo quality images, up to 13.6" wide. It came with the ability, as an
option, to run Adobe Postscript via software., and optional Ethernet and
Localtalk connectivity. It is 4 color and capable iof 1440 dpi
printing. In terms of value, assuming it is working correctly, it is
best to match it to other same model printers on Ebay.

Art

Thanks, Art. The most.important thing to me was to not represent something as
new if it wasn't new. You've convinced me that this one is not new. Perhaps
someone intended to sell it off a local shelf after a repair -- thus all of the
tape and wrapping of the trays and guides.

I think since I won't try to sell it as new, I can go ahead and break all the
seals and actually test the thing out and make sure it actually works. Then I
can at least describe it correctly if I sell it. I can't imagine anyone wanting
it if it is used and that old -- since the shipping must be expensive (it's so
big), but perhaps it has some value for its parts.

Thanks to both of you for your input.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

The printer was a robust model and has a few features that might be
attractive to some people. It has a rather large paper transport.
Although it can only print to 13.6" wide, it can accept paper up to 17"
wide, although it cannot print centered on that width. It's a rather
weird thing Epson did with the margins, but for plotting it worked well
for some.

It is before Epson started adding the chips to the cartridges, so the
cartridges are easy to refill and the generic compatibles (3rd party)
ink cartridges are relatively cheap.

The 1440 x 720 dpi printing resolution ability is acceptable, but it is
relatively slow. The 4 color and dot size makes it not quite
photographic, but close with the correct papers.

Art

 

[ttfg]

The printer was a robust model and has a few features that might be
attractive to some people. It has a rather large paper transport.
Although it can only print to 13.6" wide, it can accept paper up to 17"
wide, although it cannot print centered on that width. It's a rather
weird thing Epson did with the margins, but for plotting it worked well
for some.

It is before Epson started adding the chips to the cartridges, so the
cartridges are easy to refill and the generic compatibles (3rd party)
ink cartridges are relatively cheap.

The 1440 x 720 dpi printing resolution ability is acceptable, but it is
relatively slow. The 4 color and dot size makes it not quite
photographic, but close with the correct papers.

Art

Thanks for the info. Here's an update -- I finally had the time to test it out,
and I find that what I THOUGHT were cartridges already installed were only the
cartridge HOLDERS. They were empty!! Shows how much I know about this printer
(Nothing!). Guess since they were taped and wedged in so good, I didn't look
close enough to see that they were just boxes with lids on them.

So, maybe I DO have a new printer? Tell me, if it were used, would I see
evidence of any ink residue in those holders? They are pristine right now. My
other inkjets leave residue in many places, sort of a spray overflow....this one
seems unused, to my layman's eyes.

What do you think?

 

[Impmon]

What do you think?

If there's no ink either the previous owner did a very good job of
cleaning them up or it is indeed brand new.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

It sounds like it may be new or a refurbished model. Take a look at the
cleaning station under the heads (it's the place where the heads park)
To see them, turn on the printer and send it into cartridge replacement
position. If those look light pink or white then chances are the
printer is new (or a refurbished)

Art

 

[Marky]

I need some help from someone familiar with this printer, please.

I was holding this as collateral, and the borrower has disappeared. I was going
to put it on ebay, but don't want to do that until I know exactly what I have,
and whether it is complete. I hope someone who has experience with this printer
can answer a few questions for me.

Here are the issues:

1) There are blue colored pieces of tape placed to hold all the moving parts
(covers, carts, etc) in place, so it appears to be brand new. But the one thing
that confuses me is that there are also pieces of the same tape on the installed
cartridges, including a piece of styrofoam taped and wedged in there to hold
everything tight, even though the "quick setup" guide suggests that the user
has to actually install the cartridges themselves. So, did someone install the
cartridges and place tape over them, or is the printer sometimes packaged with
the cartridges already installed, but taped securely as described?

2) The power cord is attached, but there are no other cables. Did this printer
come with any other cables, like a parallel printer cable? The "quick setup"
guide doesn't show any other parts, but I want to make sure.

3) Are there any other instruction books, or is the "quick setup" guide all you
get?

4) There is a sealed envelope/license agreement that contains (as far as I can
determine) some 3.5 diskettes and perhaps a CD-ROM. Is that all the software
that came with the printer?

5) There is a small booklet titled "Epson Plot! Printing Utility Installation
Guide" which refers to a CD-ROM installation disc. Is that the disc that is in
the sealed envelope I referred to in #4 above, or was there another one? I don't
want to open the envelope if I don't have to.

6) What was the original selling price for this printer? Also, what year o r
years was this model produced? I have been all over the Epson site, as well as a
lot of Google searching, but I can't find any reference to what it sold for, and
when it was being sold. There is no mfg date on the serial number plate. For
that matter, what would be a fair price to try to get on ebay or elsewhere?

Thanks for any help or guidance where I could find more information.

It appears that most of your questions have been answered and I hope you
have all the information you need. Just wanted to mention that the driver
only came on diskette with this printer originally and the other diskettes
are the Epson Plot! program (never saw a CD disk for this, but it might have
come with models released after 2000).

This, if I remember correctly, was an add-on so that you could use the
printer with older AutoCAD programs. It is, essentially, an emulation for
the program so that it recognizes it as a CAD compatible printer.

This was only good for DOS based versions of CAD and is not needed for any
Windows based version of CAD (since you can use the resident driver) from
V14 and up.