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macman247 · Nov 3, 2003, 03:20 AM

I use a hp PSC 2110 USB printer/scanner/copier, and have always noticed an app in top (or process viewer / activity monitor) called "HP Communications" that is constantly sucking up about 3 to 4% of my CPU! I always kill it whenever I restart, and launch it manually whenever I need it. It is installed from the gargantuan hp driver download. Using Panther I noticed that the printer part is supported natively, and worked smoothly, but lacked scanning ability and required the install. I would much rather just have a simple TWAIN driver and/or the ability to just use image capture and avoid this clutter! It installs all these slow crappy little apps and a cpu hogger that I don't want. Any work arounds or insight on how hp's scanning system works? Sadly I am not impressed with hp's sloppy effort at all.

macman247 · Dec 6, 2003, 04:13 AM

Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

Back up 15 and punt · 11:13 AM

Sadly there is no work around for HP's sloppy drivers. I ought to know, I was an HP representative for three years and it got to a point were I wouldn't recommend HP products to Mac users.

niji · Dec 6, 2003, 08:44 PM

hidden, yes, but necessary for hp all in ones to work.
if you sufferered through os x's 10.0 and 10.1 TOTAL lack of support by HP, when the drivers ate up 55% to 70% of total processor time (!), and still didnt work (!), you will appreciate how far HP has come.
killing the backdround process and starting it only when you need it is a nifty solution for those who dont print very much.
in actuality, the current drivers for HP all in ones are stable, and dont cause problems now, even when being run on cube 500 mghz.
I am not a huge fan of HP due to the severe lack of respect for mac overall. however, when compared to epson or cannon, HP is better.
HP (at least here in Japan), has come out with about 5 or 6 new models within the last 2 months, and they all have mac drivers. even the networkable ones.

Sven G · Dec 8, 2003, 01:27 PM

Yes, I agree that the latest version of the HP AIO drivers is much, much better than before, even if they say that it isn't 100% Panther-compatible, yet.

One thing I would like to see ASAP, however, is that HP and other manufacturers begin to use the standard, built-in OS X apps like Image Capture, instead of relying on their own scanning interfaces, for example: there should indeed be a more standardized interface (see, again, Image Capture), capable of adapting itself to any kind of scanner, camera and multifunction device, with a plug-in based architecture.

Back up 15 and punt · Dec 8, 2003, 03:51 PM

Originally posted by Sven G:
Yes, I agree that the latest version of the HP AIO drivers is much, much better than before, even if they say that it isn't 100% Panther-compatible, yet.

One thing I would like to see ASAP, however, is that HP and other manufacturers begin to use the standard, built-in OS X apps like Image Capture, instead of relying on their own scanning interfaces, for example: there should indeed be a more standardized interface (see, again, Image Capture), capable of adapting itself to any kind of scanner, camera and multifunction device, with a plug-in based architecture.

It would make a lot of sense but don't count on it. This is because HP wants you to use their software for their products. In other words they don't want you to use Apple software if they can help it. HP does the same on their camera's. However, their cameras just happen to be iPhoto compatible.

Sven G · Dec 9, 2003, 01:42 PM

Originally posted by Back up 15 and punt:
It would make a lot of sense but don't count on it. This is because HP wants you to use their software for their products. In other words they don't want you to use Apple software if they can help it. HP does the same on their camera's. However, their cameras just happen to be iPhoto compatible.

Yes, I understand, but of course it's rather irrational: it would be much less of an effort for HP (or Palomar, if I'm not mistaken, to which they delegate their Mac software) to simply write an Image Capture plugin, than to write a whole scanning program!

Oh well - the mysteries of the "business is more important than common sense" world, I guess...

McNugget · Dec 9, 2003, 07:02 PM

So my iMac DV 400 is not the cause of a 17 page, text-only Word X document getting printed in around 1/2 an hour using an HP 3420 printer??? Terribly annoying, BTW...