Printer purchase help
 

My Epson R300 has decided to give up after only 18 months and a couple of dozen 8 x 10 photos. It comes up with a general error which will not shift. I have tried everything, I can get it to work maybe for one photo then its back to the error. I have stripped it down and re plugged in all cable in case any have come loose.

I thought of replacing the printer with the same if I could get one but am I going to have the same problem in another 18 months, the reason to get same or compatible is, I have about £80 worth of cartridges which won't fit any of the newer models. If I do go for a newer model is epson still the best make or should I go for Canon, I find with epsons everytime you switch them on they use half the ink in cleaning.
Budget price I don't want to go over is about £90 no more but still want the quality that I am getting now.

I recently bought an Epson RX560:
http://www.birdforum.net/showpost.ph...7&postcount=10

and I'm quite pleased with it.

Don't know how reliable its going to be though, as an Epson I bought in 2000 only lasted a couple of years, and I replaced it with a HP which is still working. My first printer was an Epson dot matrix which was indestructable.

I guess that nowadays after 3 years or so they probably need replacing regardless of whether they've actually broke or not. You could get a 3 year extnd warranty £20 or so.

Walwyn thanks for your reply. The rx560 is an all in one printer which is a shame as I already have a scanner so that is a feature I don't need. I have just managed to print out two photos, before coming up with the error so must have done something when I took it apart, LOL! and it has now run out of ink, I only replaced them last night. The dam thing went into cleaning mode everytime I switched it on to try and clear the error.

I only buy HP and they seem to last well. I bought a new one a few weeks ago, a C5180. It has a built in scanner so that free'd up a lot of room on my desk. It has six ink cartridges. My wife has my old 7150 and it's still working fine. Her old printer, a HP 722C, was still working just fine but wasn't compatible with her new computer (new computer only has USB ports and the printer pre-dates USB).
One thing about my C5180 is that it seems quite noisy. I haven't printed many pictures yet but what I have done seems of high quality. The printer is fast for doing doc. etc.

Thanks Snowyowl. Its years since I used HP they were a good printer, thats another make to consider.

The Epson comes in various configurations one of which is minus the scanner part and about £30 cheaper.

I have just read all reviews on the Canon ip6700d. Anyone got one, input wanted before purchase.

No Canon, I'm happy with my HP-3210. I love the scanner mode, it really improves the picture quality when working with old pictures.

I've had HP 3822 4 years with NO problems

Ian

Hi, had 3 epsons in my time, never again. My latest Canon is 2 years old, never a problem....touch wood.
Chris

I have an old HP 5552 which is going strong,but just use now for basic printing and thumbnails etc,but did purchase last year an HP Photosmart 8450.The reason for this particular model,is one just replaces the cartridges,not individual inks.So the ink heads are replaced each time.Not economical for lots of print outs,cheaper to use Photobox,but the quality of prints from this machine is excellent.
When I asked for info re printers on BF most suggested Epson ,a few mentioned Canon,but I would not change from HP.Purchase the cartridges from MX2,their prices are very competetive,and service is spot on,no probs such I have had read about from 7 day shop.But the price is somewhat over your budget ,Christine.

I've had a Epson Photo EX for more than 8 years, it's printed thousands of photo's and other stuff, it still produces first class images. Unfortunately I've now had to replace it due to the difficulty in obtaining original cartridges for it at reasonable prices. My replacement is an Epson R1800, it has exceptional print quality up to exhibition standard, can print up to A3 right to the edges of the paper and whats more you can change individual colour cartridges as they run out of ink, a great cost saving. It can be had for £300 if you shop around.

nirofo

Thanks everyone for your repllies, I am still undecided. I don't want to spend more than £100 I was happy with the results from my R300 but I am getting fed-up with the quantity of inks they use. I don't have it switched on everyday but when I do It uses nearly half a cartridge just setting up. I have found this problem with all the epsons I have had but the quality is good so stuck with them.
I am looking at the Canon on the basis it looks like you can get at the print head to clean it if you don't use on a regular basis so they would be easier to maintain.

Hi Christine
I have the Epson Stylus photo R200 has 6 cartridges for the past 2 years witch I think is grate ok it uses a lot of ink when cleaning but My grad children us it a lot for homework especially my youngest granddaughter so I us compatible inks witch are ok I have only ever had 1 problem twice when it refused to print had to un install then re install the software had to mask shore that I uninstalled everything for the printer before re installing software
Hugh

Thanks Hugh. I have tried re-installing all the software but it still keep coming up with the same error, I have always used compatible inks and never had any problems, when it does print the pictures are lovely. Its this error which won't shift unless I push the paper physically through the rollers to get it started and that take a few tries. Once it has started its works. I have had the printer to bits and cleaned all the rollers in case anything was caught on them but there was nothing, every now and then the carraige bangs on the side.

Hi Saphire

Try disconnecting the printer completely from the computer, cables etc, boot up the computer without the printer connected, uninstall all traces of the printer software, reboot the computer, (still without the printer attached), reinstall the printer software. Shut down the computer completely, reconnect you printer, cables etc. If you're using a parallel cable to connect your printer to the computer, switch on the printer, reboot the computer. Hopefully the computer will find the printer and should reinstall it correctly, they occasionally get out of synch. If you're using a USB connection to connect the printer, don't plug it in to the computer until the computer is fully booted up, when it's fully booted up plug in your USB cable, the computer should then find the printer and go through the setup procedure.

This procedure has worked for me on the odd occasions the printer has become out of synch with the computer.

Hope this helps, nothing to lose anyway!

nirofo.

The Epson manual was very specific about NOT connecting the printer to the computer until after the software had been install. Which I only just read in time.

Nirofo I have tried what you suggested and still no joy I think the printer has definitely developed a fault, I have tried to run it in test mode without the USB lead in and it still does the same, it seems like the rollers don't want to move without help.

Hi Saphire

I'm afraid it looks like your bin is going to be more full than usual, time for a new printer. If it's A4 you're interested in, go for the Epson Stylus Photo R360, it's within your price range and produces good quality photo's up to edge to edge A4's. See attached web link.

http://www.epson.co.uk/products/inkj...Photo_R360.htm

nirofo.

I use a Canon Pixma iP5000. The colours are great and it has 2 paper feeds. I keep A4 Photo paper in the cassette. Its covered and doesn't get dusty. Wish I had bought the A3 version now.:)

I have ordered the Canon ip6700D from misco hopefully they are a good dealer the price with next day delivery is £118, thats nearly £25 cheaper than anywhere else. I looked at this one on the basis the print head can be replaced when worn out. It also means if the head is clogged anytime I could remove it and clean.

My Canon C5180 also has two paper feeds, one for regular paper and one for A4 paper. It also has 4 memory card slots which is really handy.

Christine
Sounds interesting for the future let me know if Compatibles work with it
Hugh

Christine; Don't know at what level of commitment for the new printer purchase you are in. If not too late, you may want to have a look at this, many at your price range (In USA).

LINK

Seems all the serious photographer agree on 6k series of Canon Pixma and these days the printers with blue tooth compatibility, in addition to usual multi memory reader, on printer LCD monitor, free standing print capability (Without computer) are the more popular ones. Though the last one that I got and is collecting dust on my desk is a HP photosmart 7755. So I am really rusty in advising you to a good one of the today's market.

But to be honest as I am not one who use the printer for photoprinting at home, I did not want to just look smart with some un-tested suggestion. I like to express my view point of home photo printing, though may not be at all of concern for you or others. So if you have something important, you may want to stop reading here.

When working the best price per photo picture in long run (About 1-2 years that is usual life of a inkjet printer, and in fact if works for longer, its gonna get more expensive...), a 4x6 is best reported as ~20¢. Well if I close my eyes and get to any nearby store, the usual pay is 20-22¢. Of course my norm for a 4x6 is ~10¢, that is to say when I am in hurry and completely out of one of those 25 to 100 prints for free deals... Larger size are a different story, rarely to be found free. Now this is without hassle of dealing with printer, finding the right paper, play with cable, warm up, clean up, that scary thing called R e f i l l i n g to deal with the cost of cartilage that is more than the printer price itself in no time. I order on line and pick up in store (A tad cheaper and much more time consuming). So I see no reason to have that photoprinter at home. Fortunately I have thought kids that their school project must be done at school library, both good in terms of time efficiency and also for where finding the right printer is not a problem. With regular sales, I do have a few unopened color printer in garage in case an emergency for school work arise. These typically are sold cheaper (Sometimes after Mail in rebate, free) and always the cartilages that come with them on other side of the shelf is more expensive than the package itself..., just with hope that in long run you will use and pay them back by cartilage purchase. So typically once printer's cartilage is finished and injecting them with few drop of water, doesn't rejuvenate the machine, they find their way to trash. The real printer for me is the cheapest B&W laser, right now Samsung 1740 ML that I got some of them as low as 15$ few years back and are reserved only for routine printing and not picture. This works quite well for me. BTW I rarely print my pictures as prefer monitor display on living room or for guests, with easy accessible monitors that are on wireless networking. This comply well with my philosophy of saving the green forest (Paperless anytime and anywhere I can) and lesser pollution of earth, in addition to the fact that light of transmission from a monitor is much vivid and superior to light of reflection from a paper... Not to forget, paper pictures feed in time, burn and are heavy to transport. In short if you really don't need the printer, you might as well treat yourself to lack of it for photo and consider a B&W long lasting toner laser for everything else (I found this particular samsung toner very easy to refill as it has screw top and no need for drill and toner powder re-fill (That is to say once a year).

Thanks sassan for your reply, I ordered the printer Sat so I am expecting it tomorrow Tues. I did think at one point whether to bother buying one or to get photos printed at a print house. I decided that I do need one not just for photos but for lots of other printing as well. I have gone for what I can afford and that fortunately is the Canon ip6700d. It has bluetooth which is an added bonus and a small monitor for quick prints.

I was fed up of epson printheads clogging up and not being able to unclog them. Just bought a canon, at least you can remove the printhead.

That is what I was thinking John. I think if it becomes necessary to thoroughly clean you need to able to get at heads, I think it was two of my epsons I had to throw away because of clogged heads. No matter how much cleaning fluid I put through they it just wouldn't shift. I thought it was time I tried a different make and see if they are any better, I may find another kind of problem, I will just have to wait and see.

I've got a Canon IP3000, not the best looking of printers but it does the job, It's also reatively cheap to run, the cartridges have a good life and with there being three colours become fairly cheap to replace £10.00 for all three at Tescos. Don't forget to get the price of cartridges before you make up your mind on what printer to buy, cheap printers usually come with expensive cartridges that don't seem to last.

Alan

Alan, yes I know what you mean they can be expensive at the moment the cartridges for the ip6600d and ip6700d, the one I am getting there are compatibles on the market for around £15 for all 6 but it does mean I will have to remove the small circuit of the side of the originals each time.

Congratulation on your well chosen printer.
Now you may want to have a look here:

LINK

And I may add one of the best things about canon apart from the head part, is the cheap available refill that make a big difference in long run, but still I would like to draw your attention to a second printer, A B&W Laser printer, that can significantly reduce the bulk of your otherwise day to day printing. You know that you can have both hooked up to the same PC or keep them even on a wireless server (Printer) if you're going to use the printer for several computers. Bottom line, give the rugged cheap laser printer a thought. My suggestion is Samsung ML 1700 series or their today's equivalent that should be about 50 $ or so but not only is faster that jet ink, will serve and save you a lot in long run.

Now that is cheap sassan, the cheapest I can get them is what you pay for a 36 pack. It is a new printer over here so prices may come down soon as it gets established. I don't mind doing it the messy way with a syringe if need be in fact when I have got that low on inks I have scraped the contents out of the supposable empty ones which I never throw away.
I will give it a miss on the second printer idea, I have one already unfortunately that one has dried out completely with not being used if I did a lot of text then yes its a brilliant idea to have a second one.