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Old July 24th 03, 06:19 AM
Henry
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Mat wrote:

I want to buy a multifunction / all-in-one printer. I appreciate that
bundling 3 or 4 functions into 1 machine will give lesser performance than
individual stand alone units. This aside, and having read many varied
reviews I think I have the choice narrowed down to an HP.

Can anyone offer any advice on the HP range. I am looking at the PSC2210 and
the OfficeJet D145. If anyone has any other strong suggestions (apart from
don't buy an all-in-one) I would be really grateful.


(1) Consider carefully what you will actually be using it for.

(2) Read the fine print in the product description AND user manual.

Perhaps my story will give you something to think about. (I actually
reached the point of ordering a 2210 a couple of months ago but before
it was delivered the retailer started jacking me around so I cancelled
the buy and have been stalling ever since.)

A few years ago we needed a printer. I thought a high-quality colour
inkjet would be dandy, but my wife insisted on a laser for text so we
got a nice HP 2100. Happy ever since.

From time to time, the wife talks about how nice it would be to have a
scanner. I'm skeptical because (a) I wonder how much we would actually
use it and (b) our computer room is more than a bit crowded already.

Then, last winter, our old fax-modem craps out. On broadband now, and
with ISDN for back-up, we don't need a new modem. I can't especially see
buying a stand-alone fax machine, as we don't send or receive very many
faxes--but the capability is nice to have, thus the fax-modem.

So, thinks I, is this the time for an all-in-one? I'll get my colour
printing, she'll have her scanner, we'll be fax-ready again and we'll
have a photocopier, to boot. I did my research and, as I said above,
narrowed it down to the 2210--despite a couple of semi-serious
reservations. Well, the reason I have been stalling since my attempted
purchase fell through is that the reservations are now looming larger
and larger, and I'm hoping that something new will come along without
these drawbacks.

I want a flatbed machine, but in fact I expect most of my faxing (up to
now, all) to be generated on the computer. Thus, the 2210's inabilty to
send faxes directly from, and receive them to, the computer is a major
nuisance. Surely this is just a software issue; why is this feature
lacking?

Also, while colour (even photo) printing might be nice, it seems that
these machines _really_ suck the ink, making them very expensive to use.
And if you don't keep using them regularly, you have problems with the
ink drying up and the printheads clogging. No thanks.

So, I'm back...if not to square one, then at least to a place where I'm
watching and waiting again. Maybe a laser all-in-one would be better for
me--but my HP2100 is still cranking out the pages like a champ. And
there's still the computer-fax issue. So, I don't know. And when you
consider that here in Europe everything costs so much more anyway, I
feel...stuck. ***For example, the PSC2210, list price in the US of $299,
available with discounts, rebates, coupons, etc. for $200, over here on
average goes for more like $400.

Good luck in making your decision.

cheers,

Henry