[G-mac]

Anyone have experience with multifunction printer/scanner/copiers?

Epson released new multifunction printers that seem like great deals. The $199 one has 1200x2400 scanning, etc. which makes it pretty capable.

My concern is whether all-in-one devices malfunction frequently, are hard to deal with, don't work properly, etc. Anyone have any experience or words of caution? Thanks!

[xyber233]

I was about to buy a lexmark printrio. I was sad because Epson didnt make a multifunction printer. That changed today! I want to check them out first but I'm pretty positive I'll be buying one. I love Epson . I am not sure but I think the Epson software only works in classic whereas Lexmark is X native. Dunno about HP.

[xyber233]

Hmm, I wonder why the Epson isn't on the US site.

[G-mac]

Epson's UK site is better organized than the US version!

I too thought only Lexmark would be an option for a multifunction device and am glad Epson's released their own versions. Hopefully, they will produce some good OS X.2 drivers and software so we can get out of Classic!

Here are more details about the cheaper CX3200 multifunction device:
http://www.epson.co.uk/product/allin...3200/index.htm

For some reason, they haven't posted any details about the higher end CX5200 version with 1200x2400 scanning.

Anyone out there have any horror stories or positive experiences?

[slider]

Well I can comment on the HP psc 950. First I would like to say I love it. But, there is a problem with multifunction printers, they are almost the last to get drivers, that's it. It took long time to get the drivers for Jaguar, but now that it's out it's great. My model has a built in modem so your computer doesn't need to stress about it when you want to send or receive a fax. The printer feature has been indispensable, as a college student. Scanning works well, but I would like better software, it does work fine though. This model also has flash media ports for your camera, not that it's really needed on a Mac. It does a great job printing picture, really good quality. I don't use the flash media, btw it takes three different kinds, so I don't know if you can just use it as a reader.

[slider]

Need to make a correction, their latest drivers have greatly improved the interface. Nice and smooth operation too, no hangs.

[PHoynak]

I have a Lexmark X83 but I am not too happy with it. Printing is painfully slow in OS X. It is so bad I am considering selling it and trying the new Epson all in one printers.

[xyber233]

I was thinking about the Printrio but I heard that a lot of people have problems with Lexmarks. Epson is my favorite company so I am delighted to hear they came out with them. Still not on the US Epson site or at Best Buy though. I did run into it at Target the other day. I want to test it out before I buy it. Also, aren't ink cartridges for the Lexmark multifunctions expensive?

[digitalcowboy]

Funny you should ask...

After Epson promised that they were behind OS X 100% (back before it was released) I bought an Epson printer (standard inkjet, not an all-in-one). When OS X 10.0 was released, I discovered there were no drivers for my model. Shortly thereafter, though, I found a tip online (at macosxhints.com, I believe) on how you could hack a supported Epson printer driver to work with a non-supported model. It basically involved opening the driver package and replacing the model number everywhere it appeared -- about 20 places many levels deep in the package. Doing this manually took me about 45 mins. but sure enough my printer worked flawlessly. Until... I installed the 10.1.3 update (or was it 10.1.5, I forget) a couple months later. Suddenly my printer no longer worked. I went back and did the hack again and... nothing. Whether it was Apple's fault or Epson's (or both in cahoots) they had broken a working driver for my printer with a minor OS update. Not long after that Epson announced that they would NEVER produce an OS X driver for my printer because it was "too costly and time-consuming" to support them all. Mind you the 45 min. hack I did worked because my printer was internally identical to a model they *did* have a driver for AND the printer was less than a year old.

I vowed to never buy another Epson product because this was obviously planned obselescence.

Around that time I started seeing that Lexmark was aggressively supporting OS X and every product they were currently producing (in the consumer market, at least) had OS X drivers available. They had even gone through Apple's cert process and proudly displayed "OS X compatible!" stickers with the blue "X" logo on the boxes. They also had MUCH higher resolution and print quality than comparably priced Epsons -- a bonus.

So... last January I bought a Lexmark X73 all in one scanner, copier, printer. I was thrilled with it. The software was excellent, the print quality was amazing and FAST and the thing only cost $149!

I was thrilled with it, that is, until I upgraded to Jaguar in August. The current drivers are not Jaguar compatible and their web site has been saying Jaguar compatible drivers are "coming soon" for 2 and a half months now.

I finally called them today and got no more info than the web site offers. A very polite tech support person told me "they are working on them" but he had NO information at all about when they would be available and he was "sorry for the inconvenience."

He logged a complaint for me and I told him I'm perturbed that they are not available yet but far more upset that I can get no commitment or info about even a ball park of when they will be. This is starting to look like the Epson situation all over again.

This time I won't be so charitable as to just stop buying their products -- I will fight back. This thing was only 7 months old when Jaguar came out, for crying out loud! And you can go to Office Max, Wal-Mart and Sam's Club (just three places off the top of my head) and still find the very same device being sold with an "OS X compatible!" sticker on the box.

Bottom line of this long whining session: The Lexmark X73 is great in my opinion, as long as you're willing to stay on 10.1.5 and/or they get some Jaguar drivers out pretty soon.

[xyber233]

How much do you pay for ink for the Lexmark?

[proux]

These new Espon combos look unbeatable in price/quality.

[G-mac]

Is anyone selling these new Epson multifunction printers or at least displaying them on store shelves? I hope they weren't solely released in the UK (like it seems to be) and scheduled to be released in the US in late 2003!

[xyber233]

When I went to Target, they had boxes of them on the shelves. I can't find it anywhere else. Oh, and you can buy them online too.

[pmcd]

Originally posted by xyber233:
I was thinking about the Printrio but I heard that a lot of people have problems with Lexmarks. Epson is my favorite company so I am delighted to hear they came out with them. Still not on the US Epson site or at Best Buy though. I did run into it at Target the other day. I want to test it out before I buy it. Also, aren't ink cartridges for the Lexmark multifunctions expensive?

Epson is nice but it shares the same problem as Canon in that the printheads clog if the printer isn't used a lot. I have been struggling for a week trying to get my 850N working again after I left it for 4 months. It's a pain and I wouldn't bother except for the network convenience. There are horror stories all over the place about clogged printheads from Epson and Canon (although you can access the Canon one's more easily). The site fixyourownprinter.com has lot's of sad tales (including mine)


The upside is that the ink cartridges cost a lot less than say Lexmark or HP. The X750 from Lexmark is really nice however and if ink costs aren't a big issue it's a bargain and OSX support is great.

philip