Advice on printers | Golden Skate

Advice on printers

Grgranny

Grgranny

Da' Spellin' Homegirl
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
My printer is acting up again. It is a Bubble Jet (Cannon). I'm thinking it's probably cheaper to get a new one as opposed to getting it fixed. Also, I tried to unplug it and see if that helped. I couldn't get the big plug out. Also, I am fed up with the poor quality of my Scanner, a Mustek 600. What do I look for? I thought they probably have them with both the printer and scanner in one machine. Any ideas? I can't spend a whole lot. I know nothing about what brands to get and not get. :sheesh: :scowl: :frown: :scowl: :eek: Thanks bunches. :boohoo:
 
Grgranny said:
My printer is acting up again. It is a Bubble Jet (Cannon). I'm thinking it's probably cheaper to get a new one as opposed to getting it fixed. Also, I tried to unplug it and see if that helped. I couldn't get the big plug out. Also, I am fed up with the poor quality of my Scanner, a Mustek 600. What do I look for? I thought they probably have them with both the printer and scanner in one machine. Any ideas? I can't spend a whole lot. I know nothing about what brands to get and not get. :sheesh: :scowl: :frown: :scowl: :eek: Thanks bunches. :boohoo:
Click to expand...

Yep, time for a new one. GODD TO HEAR FROM YOU!!!! HP HAS A GOOD line of "ALL IN ONE."Scanning, faxing, printing like a madman (about $150) - yet the scans are not superb yet good enough. That's MO.

Good to see your posting!
 
Grgranny said:
My printer is acting up again. I thought they probably have them with both the printer and scanner in one machine. Any ideas? I can't spend a whole lot. I know nothing about what brands to get and not get. :sheesh: :scowl: :frown: :scowl: :eek: Thanks bunches. :boohoo:
Click to expand...
Grgranny, great subject, thanks for posting it. Sean, when you say.... yet the scans are not superb yet good enough......what do you actually mean. I know with scanners there are DPI and the less dpi's the less quality but what is a good scan dpi?? I think Grgranny could get a good one maybe on sale or something. Can anyone go into more detail about scanners, please?

Dee
 
Sean - I disagree I love the HP scanner/printers... and I think they do a great job...

GrGranny I say go for the HP Scanner/printer!!! it's a great deal/program :)

HP rules all baby!
 
Tonichelle said:
Sean - I disagree I love the HP scanner/printers... and I think they do a great job...

GrGranny I say go for the HP Scanner/printer!!! it's a great deal/program :)

HP rules all baby!
Click to expand...
Toni, can you elaborate on the HP scanner/printer. When you scan, what do you use the scanned pic for?? For printer purposes, what do you print besides normal text, pics??

I work a lot with photos so would want good scanned photos and a good printer to print them.

Dee
 
Tonichelle said:
Sean - I disagree I love the HP scanner/printers... and I think they do a great job...

GrGranny I say go for the HP Scanner/printer!!! it's a great deal/program :)

HP rules all baby!
Click to expand...

I am surprised to hear "disagree" because I recommend it.

The photos that I put one line are scanned on the 5610, which I do think is a fantastic deal.

Specs.
• Print, scan, copy, and fax in color
• Up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi color (HP Premium photo paper, 1200 x 1200 dpi input)
• Up to 13 pages per minute color, 20 black
• 8.5 x 11" flatbed
• Automatic document feeder (25 pages)
• Six-ink color (cartridge sold separately)
• Borderless photo printing (4 x 6" with tab)
• Junk fax barrier

I still have a 1350 because the ink is cheeper and can use it just for Black print outs - hence only having to replace the one cartridge. The 1350 - Now called the 1410 - is a great deal too, around $90. This would be my specific recommendation for Grgranny. I think the 1510 has the "card" ports in the front (for easy access to download images) that the 1350 of mine does. I don't know why the took them off and called it a 1450? I have not used them yet because I am still without a digital camera, but if you have one this might be useful.

The 4890 which I was looking at recently has and input of 4800 x 9600 dpi. So it has a higer quality image but I have used the 5610 with "adequate" results. No complaints here.:)

Also the HP Device manager and Imaging software that comes with it are easy to use and reliable.

So incase I said something that made it sound like I don't like them, I really do. They also do have all in one HPs that have a higher input - but right now $190 to get a high input and hold on to the HP I have is probably the way I am going to go.
 
Dee4707 said:
Toni, can you elaborate on the HP scanner/printer. When you scan, what do you use the scanned pic for?? For printer purposes, what do you print besides normal text, pics??

I work a lot with photos so would want good scanned photos and a good printer to print them.

Dee
Click to expand...

Dee, I know you asked Toni and they are more then likely using photos for more what you sound like you would need them for. I am now starting to contract photographers with the higher end equipment so I can tell you that one of them - Rodeo Photographer - uses a HP 5500 prints at work and scans he takes (although hardly ever necessary) to Mikes Camera in Boulder which he "thinks" they use a Hp 815 or something. He uses a HP 3055 at home, just asked him.

So I really don't know why Toni appeared to think I don't recommend HPs, it would appear they have a lock on my immediate market right now. I guess I should have ran my photos I posted over to KCs house because his scanner does have a higher input dpi then mine.

Sorry for the delay in responding, I wanted to talk to him first - and from what I have seen and heard, Toni is a reliable source of info as long as they ( I believe she) understand my gibberish.:)
 
sean - you said something along the line that they don't take great but they take good photos... I was replying to that... I disagree in that I think they do great work with scanning and printing...

Dee - I scan photos to put online... and the digital photos I take I print on my HP all in one printer (though I don't like the cheap photo papers they sell up here, and don't want to spend the money on high end, so for more professional work I normally send out and use Shutterfly lol)

I also love that it can be used as a copier and so if I want to share notes or whatever with someone it's easily done...
 
Tonichelle said:
sean - you said something along the line that they don't take great but they take good photos... I was replying to that... I disagree in that I think they do great work with scanning and printing...
Click to expand...

Oh, I looked back and I said "not superb but good enough." I can see why you would think that. I think? I still belive mine are good on my machine and there are supurb quality machines from the same company. Kinda like saying one restaurant has good food and another is really good. Anyway I will take the blame on that. :biggrin:

I do think there are better scan dpi - as explained above - then what I have. Also It can depend on my own settings, in scanner my default is 300x300 to Photoshop - what res the scans are being imported at - and I rarely bump it up to the 1200s and also had mixed results with the enhanced settings.

I think the rule of thumb is still in play on this one, " you get what you pay for." And HPs currently the best bet for the whole spectrum of application.

BTW, which one do you have?
 
OK, thanks a bunch. You realize I'm not very "up" on stuff and don't have a digital camera and don't plan to get one. I would have to read instructions. :rofl:
I use it mostly for printing off the computer and copying stuff like checks, etc. My daughter puts in the pictures for me. They have a digital camera so my pictures are usually great grand and grand children, etc. Hope I have time to look it up soon. I kind of looked when I was at Walmart yesterday but really need someone who can explain things to me. I find that if you can find one of the teenagers to ask a question, they really like letting someone know how much they know. And I haven't found one yet that doesn't know his stuff. I'm not so sure about getting one from Walmart as I know that their appliances, sweepers are made special for them and are of a lesser quality. I have no idea if they do that with these kind of things or not. I did buy one of their own brand tv's and it has been great.

I've just been too busy to be online much. So far, I've planted 5 long window boxes and have more to go. The next one is a challenge as it gets no sun at all. Still have a lot to pot up. I lose all senses when I go to buy plants. Now, I go out on the patio and see what I bought and I think "what in the world were you thinking". :rofl:
 
I have an Epson RX600 all-in-one. It's considered a photo printer - even has the option to scan from 35mm negatives. It's also got all the various slots for various memory cards. Small LCD screen to view scans. You don't have to have it hooked up to computer. You can scan and it'll save to whatever memory card inserted if you don't want to connect to laptop. It will also copy in b/w or color.

The only fault with it compared to some is that the pages per minute is lower because it is a photo printer. I usually print larger documents at work; so, the speed is not an issue for me.
 
Can you help me understand something about scanners. I made a video of my mom with still images. Many of the pics I scanned especially the ones of her as a little girl. I used the scanner at work that was just so-so. Now we have a really good one and it's an HP, I just don't know which one but can check tomorrow. Anyhow, I had scanned many of the stills on the older scanner. When I uploaded them to the movie program some of them were not very good and looked splotchy because the movie program blows them up. What I had to do was use the pan and zoom feature on the program to make the pic smaller, which was OK but my mom was such a cute little girl. Anyhow, I was not satisfied with that so I scanned the same pic in on the newer scanner and now it's perfect blown up and all. Now, my questionis ........does that have to do with the dpi's???

I would appreciate all feedback about the dpi's and scanner. I can scan a lot of the pics again if that's the case.

Dee
 
I want to clarify first - DPI stands for Dots Per Inch - you may know this. But dpi in reality ONLY has to do with printing. The comments of "dpi" is relating to a resolution capability is used because it is the normally the intent to print. Dpi has to do specifically with printing, a photo that is made directly from a negative has no dots per inch. A good exsample is look at a newspaper with a magnifing glass and see all the "dots." Scanning you are acutely going to pixels.

Answering the question.
That is likely due to the resolution capability of the older scanner or the program it was scanned into. So there are two possibilities and maybe more. Side note - I have found a number of issues with moving a high resolution picture - as in zoom or a moving picture - in videos. So I have had the best luck with a picture I have scanned at the same resolution as I have the video formated for. Also note that a "Computer Monitor" has a much higher resolution then a "basic" TVs. So watching on a computer, images will appear much less "sharp."

You may know some of this but I just thought I would throw it all out there and see from there.
 
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heyang said:
I have an Epson RX600 all-in-one. It's considered a photo printer - even has the option to scan from 35mm negatives. It's also got all the various slots for various memory cards. Small LCD screen to view scans. You don't have to have it hooked up to computer. You can scan and it'll save to whatever memory card inserted if you don't want to connect to laptop. It will also copy in b/w or color.

The only fault with it compared to some is that the pages per minute is lower because it is a photo printer. I usually print larger documents at work; so, the speed is not an issue for me.
Click to expand...

The Negative scanning capability, does that have to do with the software - you lay it on the same flat top? Or is it feed into a slot, is the scanner light different when doing so, just curious.

Also does it have different "ink" cartridge for photo paper / regular?
 
Sean, thanks for all the information. Yes, I did know that dpi meant dots per inch. Can you give me more information about the resolution. I think I understand what your're saying about the programs for the scanner. What I want to know is can you change the resolution and if so how do you do that.

The scanner we have at work is an HP Scanjet 8200.

Dee
 
I thought you would know what dpi is, but terms get convoluted there fore can be missleading.

You can in the scanning in, HP Scan. The setting of resolution is under Image type and pick custom, That should give selections, the point where the list "enhanced" is the point where your actual scanner stops it's built in abilities. Like the "digital zoom on a camera opposed to optical - optical is "real" and digital is it's "interpretation."

One thing that may have happened too is...well. Let me start over, the ability to enlarge and reduce give the opposite results. You probably know this too. But taking a little pic and making it bigger will force a program to "interpret" what needs to be added or stretched to make the pic larger (this can give exactly what you were talking about earlier). When I worked for a printing company that we often did posters and "Artist Prints," we would scan at a larger size than we would be printing out - say 2-3% larger. and reduce to sharpen the image. Not always, but most of the time.

I probably said more then you asked, but I am just trying to be as helpful as possible. Maybe I should change my custom title to "TMI."
 
Last edited:
Seanibu.

I haven't tried the negative feature, yet. I'll probably get to it this weekend and will let you know.

The negatives are inserted into a holder, which is placed on the scanner. The reflective mat used for regular scanning is removed.

This printer can also print thumbnail sheets.
 
seanibu said:
When I worked for a printing company that we often did posters and "Artist Prints," we would scan at a larger size than we would be printing out - say 2-3% larger. and reduce to sharpen the image. Not always, but most of the time.

I probably said more then you asked, but I am just trying to be as helpful as possible. Maybe I should change my custom title to "TMI."
Click to expand...
Sean, thanks for all the information. I think where I made my mistake was I cropped most of the photos I used which made them smaller so when I uploaded to the movie program the program enlarged them and that's why some were not good.

In your opinion after cropping should I resize maybe to a 5X7? If not what do you suggest I do??

I do appreciate all your help.

Dee
 
heyang said:
Seanibu.

I haven't tried the negative feature, yet. I'll probably get to it this weekend and will let you know.

The negatives are inserted into a holder, which is placed on the scanner. The reflective mat used for regular scanning is removed.

This printer can also print thumbnail sheets.
Click to expand...

I wonder if this "item / holder" could be used with other scanners, with the prober adjustment to the initial scan?
:scratch:
 
Dee4707 said:
In your opinion after cropping should I resize maybe to a 5X7? If not what do you suggest I do??


Dee
Click to expand...

I am not positive I understand but will give this answer and hope it helps.

If it is 5x7 and you are going to crop, proportionally scale the area you are going to crop it to (Measure it on the pic and then enlarge scan to percentage necessary).

If it is "in" already that would be the choice if you need to print it out - sometimes results are acceptable and sometimes they look really bad (can also depend on originals clarity). If it is going into a movie then adjust the pixels of the picture before using it in the move to the settings of the movie regardless of the size - the pic size will adjust to necessary size.

Rule of thumb (NOT ALWAYS THE CSE BUT MOST OFTEN) scan it slightly biggerr then you need and make the size you want the output - output with reduce or enlarge is not perfect. But when input it is verifiable in the application.

Scan the picture larger then the finished size by a little bit. Image reduce or enlarge 103% for example. When I scan in a pic of 3x5" at a resolution of 1200x1200 it comes out around 25" inches wide .jpeg in photoshop but 3x5" in HP photo smart.:scratch:

There are al sorts of free "proportion scale or conversion charts" online you can download.

I really hoped this helped, if not write again. Friends are backing out of the weekend camp because of the fire danger restrictions in the backcountry. More then likely we will get an overnight.
 
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