Which HP Printer?

[Karen Wheless]

My Canon i560 just died, and I'm looking to replace it with a fairly
inexpensive (under $150) inkjet printer. Although most of my printing
will be text, I need color often enough to make an inkjet a necessity.
Because of compatibility issues (I must have a printer that's compatible
with Mac OS 9), I don't have many options. Most currently available
printers are not OS 9 compatible.

I'm looking at two HP printers - both all in one models. (I'd rather
have just a printer, but I can't find one that's compatible.) The two
models are HP Officejet 4215 and the HP PSC 1610. I've been researching
them online, and both of them got reasonably good reviews at computer
sites, but have some significant negatives from consumers at places like
Amazon and Epinions. I'm not sure how seriously to take these comments.

Does anyone have experience with either of these two printers?

There's also the possibility of an older Canon Pixma model (iP6000D) but
I'd have to order it online, and I'm reluctant to do that at the moment.
I'd like to be able to buy the printer locally so I can return it if
necessary. I've also been frustrated by perpetually backordered
printers at a couple of online computer stores - I've spent the last
month trying to order a printer online and even printers claimed "in
stock" seem to actually be indefinitely backordered.

If the Pixma is significantly better than the HP, I'd be willing to take
the chance - but my recent experience with Canon hasn't made me very
happy, and it doesn't seem like Pixma's strength is text printing, which
is the primary use for the printer. (But I still need color often
enough not to get a laser.)

Karen

 

[D. Kirkpatrick]

My Canon i560 just died, and I'm looking to replace it with a fairly
inexpensive (under $150) inkjet printer. Although most of my printing
will be text, I need color often enough to make an inkjet a necessity.
Because of compatibility issues (I must have a printer that's compatible
with Mac OS 9), I don't have many options. Most currently available
printers are not OS 9 compatible.

Look around.

I have an HP 3550 that runs on USB. USB cards are cheap.

I think we OEM's it for under $100 but I have seen comparable models
for much less at places like Target and Overstock.Com

 

[zakezuke]

My Canon i560 just died, and I'm looking to replace it with a fairly
inexpensive (under $150) inkjet printer. Although most of my printing
will be text, I need color often enough to make an inkjet a necessity.
Because of compatibility issues (I must have a printer that's compatible
with Mac OS 9), I don't have many options. Most currently available
printers are not OS 9 compatible.

I'm looking at two HP printers - both all in one models. (I'd rather
have just a printer, but I can't find one that's compatible.) The two
models are HP Officejet 4215 and the HP PSC 1610. I've been researching
them online, and both of them got reasonably good reviews at computer
sites, but have some significant negatives from consumers at places like
Amazon and Epinions. I'm not sure how seriously to take these comments.

Does anyone have experience with either of these two printers?

There's also the possibility of an older Canon Pixma model (iP6000D) but
I'd have to order it online, and I'm reluctant to do that at the moment.
I'd like to be able to buy the printer locally so I can return it if
necessary. I've also been frustrated by perpetually backordered
printers at a couple of online computer stores - I've spent the last
month trying to order a printer online and even printers claimed "in
stock" seem to actually be indefinitely backordered.

If the Pixma is significantly better than the HP, I'd be willing to take
the chance - but my recent experience with Canon hasn't made me very
happy, and it doesn't seem like Pixma's strength is text printing, which
is the primary use for the printer. (But I still need color often
enough not to get a laser.)

Canon, not an option, unless you go for the
ip3000/ip4000/ip5000/ip6000/ip8500. The i560 IIRC is onpar with the
ip3000. The only "other" option is the mp780 which is the all in one
version, but given the $300 price tag you might as well spend a little
more and get either the ip8500, the 8 tank model, or the i9900 the wide
8 tank model.

The ip6000D is NOT the printer you want if your application is document
printing. It's simply not geared for it. The ip3000/4000/5000 are but
are high demand items you'd be lucky lucky lucky to find on sale. I
like the text printing on the pixmas, but in all fairness text printing
has not improved much years, and I doubt a new pixma would be better
than your i560 in this regard.

On the HP front I believe the 7660 has os 9 drivers, again double check
with a mac authority.
http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2.cgi?PAGE=PRODUCT&PROD_ID=1953228&cid=25608&fp=F
Now a good deal on the ink, but likely to be os 9 compatable.

HP businessjet 1200 Printer
http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=1733805
this *does" have os9 drivers. It is $146 from overstock.com, shipping
IS $2.95 (they must be nuts). It has network, parelell, and network,
two trays and duplex printing. It has huge honking cartridges from
hell. It will cost you double what it would cost to refill and average
inkjet. The yield is tripple that of an average inkjet. 1500pages for
the black cartridge at $35, and they are seperate cartridges. It's a
good deal, it's a good deal at double the price. It's a good deal for
just the ink, heck buy two... it's as cheap as the ink when you take
tax into account.

Look at some other HPs if you like, but if you want good text, get the
HP BusinessJet 1200.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/famiDocument?lc=en&cc=no&dlc=no&product=15100&docname=bpm35007

 

[kwheless]

My Canon i560 just died, and I'm looking to replace it with a fairly

zakezuke wrote:
Look at some other HPs if you like, but if you want good text, get the
HP BusinessJet 1200.

I just wanted to thank you for recommending the HP 1200. I never would
have looked at it if you hadn't posted about it, because it's a
"business" printer, and because the new ones were far above my price
range. But the refurb unit from overstock was just what I needed.

I just received it today, and I'm happy with it already. The text is
great, and the color printing is very good too - maybe not like some of
the photo printers, but fine for what I'm doing. ]

I hope I'll be using it for many years to come!

Karen

 

[Fenrir Enterprises]

zakezuke wrote:
Look at some other HPs if you like, but if you want good text, get the
HP BusinessJet 1200.

I just wanted to thank you for recommending the HP 1200. I never would
have looked at it if you hadn't posted about it, because it's a
"business" printer, and because the new ones were far above my price
range. But the refurb unit from overstock was just what I needed.

I just received it today, and I'm happy with it already. The text is
great, and the color printing is very good too - maybe not like some of
the photo printers, but fine for what I'm doing. ]

I hope I'll be using it for many years to come!

Karen

I had an 1100d until recently, and I think you'll be quite happy with
your printer. I'm not sure if the refill kit I bought ruined it, or if
it was just that the black printhead had expired in 2003, combined
with the printer being the display model. I have a suspicion that I
was sent the wrong ink. The giant ink tanks really bring the cost
down, even with OEM printing and the text quality is as good as a
laser printer.

The only reason I bought a C88 instead of repairing the 1100d is
because the bottom margin is .55", which limited my ability to print
3-fold brochures. Otherwise I would have kept it running.


--

http://www.FenrirOnline.com

Computer services, custom metal etching,
arts, crafts, and much more.

 

[zakezuke]

zakezuke wrote:
Look at some other HPs if you like, but if you want good text, get the
HP BusinessJet 1200.

I just wanted to thank you for recommending the HP 1200. I never would
have looked at it if you hadn't posted about it, because it's a
"business" printer, and because the new ones were far above my price
range. But the refurb unit from overstock was just what I needed.

I just received it today, and I'm happy with it already. The text is
great, and the color printing is very good too - maybe not like some of
the photo printers, but fine for what I'm doing. ]

I hope I'll be using it for many years to come!

No worries. Shockingly enough the officejet and businessjet series
start at only $200, parelell or usb only at that price. It's when you
tack on network we start talking $300/$350. The K550 is somewhat new
and i'm not all that sure that OS9 would be supported, but the
businessjet 1200 has been around long enough that OS9 isn't an issue.

Do keep in mind that keeping with OS9 does have it's drawbacks, one of
which is hardware might be more spendy than that for newer models, but
at least with the HP 1200 you can replace the heads if need be.
Ecconomicly given printheads are about $30 per, OEM ink is also $30
per, provided the printer is still on sale one might as well consider a
new printer which comes with ink. But if the printer is no longer sold
and you still want to run OS9, $120ish for continued operation isn't
horrible.

The raw numbers are somewhat deceptive as replacement heads = the same
cost as your basic photo printer. But the printer will outlast your
basic photo printer, and savings in terms of ink, even OEM ink, is high
enough to consider maintaining the printer. And canon, if you blow
the cyan nozzles, the whole printhead is $60ish to $80ish, where this
is only $30 for a single head.

 

[classyrosel]

My Canon i560 just died, and I'm looking to replace it with a fairly
inexpensive (under $150) inkjet printer. Although most of my printing
will be text, I need color often enough to make an inkjet a necessity.
Because of compatibility issues (I must have a printer that's compatible
with Mac OS 9), I don't have many options. Most currently available
printers are not OS 9 compatible.

I'm looking at two HP printers - both all in one models. (I'd rather
have just a printer, but I can't find one that's compatible.) The two
models are HP Officejet 4215 and the HP PSC 1610. I've been researching
them online, and both of them got reasonably good reviews at computer
sites, but have some significant negatives from consumers at places like
Amazon and Epinions. I'm not sure how seriously to take these comments.

Does anyone have experience with either of these two printers?

There's also the possibility of an older Canon Pixma model (iP6000D) but
I'd have to order it online, and I'm reluctant to do that at the moment.
I'd like to be able to buy the printer locally so I can return it if
necessary. I've also been frustrated by perpetually backordered
printers at a couple of online computer stores - I've spent the last
month trying to order a printer online and even printers claimed "in
stock" seem to actually be indefinitely backordered.

If the Pixma is significantly better than the HP, I'd be willing to take
the chance - but my recent experience with Canon hasn't made me very
happy, and it doesn't seem like Pixma's strength is text printing, which
is the primary use for the printer. (But I still need color often
enough not to get a laser.)

Karen