OT: Looking For An All In One Printer/Scanner

[Haydon]

After installing Vista, my printer and scanner are now obsolete, as I can't
get compatible drivers. Any recommendations on an all-in-one
printer/scanner.

I am currently looking at the Dell 946/966 (which I understand are made by
Lexmark). I am also looking at the Hewlett Packard 7210, as I have had
Hewlett Packard printers in the past and have got on really well with them.

I am looking for one with a sheet feeder, as well as flatbed capabilities,
and pretty quick. Anyone have any advise?

 

[Adam Albright]

After installing Vista, my printer and scanner are now obsolete, as I can't
get compatible drivers. Any recommendations on an all-in-one
printer/scanner.

I just got a Canon MP600 a few weeks ago and LOVE it. Can't praise it
enough. Great print quality, fast, quite, does nice flatbed scanning,
does copying, besides printing from either your computer or directly
from build-in memory card slot, even plug in some digital cameras so
it is a true free standing printer not needing a computer.

It has both a sheet feeder and a second paper source.

Plus a hidden bonus... switching to invisible ink mode...

OK, nobody can see now unless you print this and hold under a black
light right? (just kidding)

Canon builds two versions of this printer and several similar models.
One version for sale in North America, another in Europe. Why? Epson
whom I'll NEVER buy a damn thing from ever again BECUASE of their
greedy business practices, holds the patent on disc printing and being
greedy refuse to license this "technology" in the United States to any
other company saving it for themselves which explains why Epson
printers can print directly on CD/DVDs while most other makers can't
at the consumer level. So while you won't see it advertised as such
in North American it has build in firmware that supports printing
directly on blank media in full rich color! In Europe, they've told
Epson to stick their patent on this "feature" where the sun don't sign
and refuse to enforce it. So if you don't mind bending the law if you
live in North America and doing a minor tweak, you can too.

I have a older Epson and comparing the print quality to this new
Ccanon the difference is like night and day with the Canon blowing the
Epson out of the water, way better, way faster, uses less ink and even
that is cheaper. Even plain paper output is very good, with high
resolution printing on glossy paper actually rivals or on some prints
betters commerical print labs. So too with full color printing
directly on blank media.

One little catch. You need to know the secret handshake which is just
a series of button combinations to push on the printer's front panel
(it has a LCD screen to control the printer) which changes the
firmware from the shipped US mode to Europe mode and you also need to
buy a disc tray, which several people sell on EBay for about $25 then
take off a little piece of plastic that otherwise blocks where the
disc tray for printing directly on DVD and CD's slides into. Again,
multiple web sites give the step by step. So easy, even Justin could

I am currently looking at the Dell 946/966 (which I understand are made by
Lexmark). I am also looking at the Hewlett Packard 7210, as I have had
Hewlett Packard printers in the past and have got on really well with them.

I am looking for one with a sheet feeder, as well as flatbed capabilities,
and pretty quick. Anyone have any advise?

I've used HP and Epson printers in the past. Over a decade ago they
were decent. Now, not only has Canon caught up, I would say they
surpassed them not only in features, price, but the all important
print quality, speed and how well build they are. I was shocked at how
flimsy some HP and Epson models now are. Canon seems more sturdy.

Yep, it COMES with Vista drivers in the box. My MP 600 anyway. Look
for the sticker on the carton, older verson may have to have a Vista
driver from their web site.

 

[Steve Vogel]

I second the vote for Canon. I got a pretty low-end Canon a few
months back and am quite happy.

 

[Rick Raisley]

I'll agree with the Canon, MP600 in particular. I now own 2 of them.

Previously, I bought an HP 6180, and had jamming problems. Ended up
replacing it twice. It was a struggle all the time, fought me every step of
the way. I've always used HP, but the new printers think they're smarter
than you are. Mine kept telling me my label paper was inserted incorrectly,
and refused to print (I use Stomp CD labels, which have printing on the
/front/). Or envelope was wrong size, and refused to print. After telling it
to Copy at draft speed, maybe 1 in 10 would be draft, the others very slow.
Quality of photos was excellent, but normal copies (like CD labels) weren't
as dark and clear as on my 10 year old HP printer. Tech support, despite
HP's claim to be first with J.D.Powers was HORRIBLE! Obviously outsourced,
the people were very difficult to understand, and had NO knowledge about the
printer. Each time, they'd put me on hold, while they obviously went and
asked the, possibly, one person who knew what to do, and I spent hours
trying to get things like printing envelopes right, only for them to tell me
it couldn't do it. That's right, despite the fact that there is a printer
diagram molded in the plastic to show proper orientation, they said the
printer wasn't guaranteed to print envelopes!

With the Canon, it JUST PLAIN WORKS! Tech support is out of Virginia, and
has been excellent. The HP was prettier, smaller, faster, but just a royal
pain in the ass. The Canon (okay, Canons, as I have two), just do what
they're told, with no protest, and give excellent results. I'm a convert.