bvc Posted March 15, 2003 Report Share Posted March 15, 2003 I need a new printer.....any suggestions? My googling reveals that lexmarks are the more user friendly, epsons are not, and canon sucks.....true? My HP Deskjet 932c just bit the dust and worked ok but wasn't very user friendly. Keep in mind that I rarely print....this is mostly for my wife who wants to dump windows comepletely *sigh* [finally] :) One with software to clean the heads ect....would be nice. Is epson the only one with this software? buget: nothing too fancy....around 100 US. Thanks for any suggestions/ thoughts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aRTee Posted March 15, 2003 Report Share Posted March 15, 2003 Don´t go Lexmark, they have bad quality output and closed source drivers, no good community support. Epson is good (I like the quality on mine, they score quite well in tests, and they give good linux support), some/most HP. Printers are cheap, the ink is almost as expensive as pure gold... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MottS Posted March 15, 2003 Report Share Posted March 15, 2003 Hi bvc My Epson Stylus Color 740 USB is working nicely with the MCC (basically cups). It was detected right at the install. Quality is good.. I don't print that much too so I don't ask much but it's cool. .. My 2 cents .. MOttS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ixthusdan Posted March 15, 2003 Report Share Posted March 15, 2003 I have a Canon S450 that is excellent. I have had experience with both Canon and Epson in Linux, both of which work well. I am not sure why someone said that Canon "sucks". My Canon is running on a network at home, linux from me and windows from my wife's computer, no problems. Lexmark is most certainly a dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SnOwFoRcE Posted March 16, 2003 Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 I think canon is one of the best, great price and printing quality. I thought about buying the new I 320 but can t find any drivers for linux... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtweidmann Posted March 16, 2003 Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 I've just a new Epson, after my Lexmark broke. My Lexmark Z32 was a good printer, it did everything I wanted a good quality. Reason I went with Epson this time is Linux drivers. The Epson installed first time, needing nothing but the MDK CDs. The Lexmark needed properity drivers, and lots of setting up. I don't agree with the people who say Lexmarks are rubbish. They are cheap, and for the price they are good. But if you want hassle free use under Linux then get an Epson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvc Posted March 16, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2003 Thank you very much everyone! I saw mtweidmann post (tittle-as a new post) days ago but for some reason it didn't strike me as asking the same question Sorry! I should have read it. http://www.mandrakeusers.org/viewtopic.php?t=3603 Looks like Epson wins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daveleh Posted March 17, 2003 Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 Looks like Epson wins. Just to add to this. I have an Epson Stylus C60 which works fine. I also like the utility mtink. I run this as root from a console, with the printer turned on and it reports the levels of ink in each cartridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvc Posted March 17, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2003 I got the Epson Stylus C82 (sale 129.00 US + 25.00 mail in Gift card!). Played with it a litttle last night and it sure is nicer than the HP I had....and yes, mtink is nice to have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ral Posted March 18, 2003 Report Share Posted March 18, 2003 I am using a Canon S400 and the Linux dirvers do not give it full functionality, especially with referrence to print quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvc Posted March 18, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2003 Linux dirvers do not give it full functionalityIf someone has a printer that does I'd sure like to here about it. I don't think it's very likely. Companies are out to make money (oh, there's that linux curse again) and therefore the printer drivers that the companies produce are for windows and are more superior. Printer companies aren't going to pay for full time linux devel for their drivers bla bla....you get the point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYinYeti Posted March 18, 2003 Report Share Posted March 18, 2003 Epson printers' drivers by the Gimp-Print project usually are as good as (or better ! than) Windows' drivers, though sometimes slower. For some Epson models, the Epson company makes freely available drivers for Linux, based on the same code as the windows drivers: http://www.epkowa.co.jp/english/linux_e/lsd_e.html (I don't know why I can't access the URL right now...) Yves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bvc Posted March 19, 2003 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 Well as stated above, I got the Epson Stylus C82, it seems either it or Epson AIN'T so friendly. Purchased Epson Glossy paper>printed digital photos>looks like _ _ _ _!....Why? Epson says it's the ink (on glossy paper). The new DURABrite ink for fast drying, waterproof, long life non-glossy pictures. This ink does not print glossy photos and if you try it looks really bad (layered). Epson says they do not currently make a "Photo" printer that will do glossy pictures and do text good as well.. :shock: WHAT :?: I find this extremely hard to believe, so, has anyone purchase an Epson recently that does_glossy and text good?...cuz this isn't doing to cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtweidmann Posted March 19, 2003 Report Share Posted March 19, 2003 My Epson came with some "Photo Quality" paper. Not sure that counts as glossy, but it produces nice quality pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aRTee Posted March 20, 2003 Report Share Posted March 20, 2003 Ixthusdan, must have been me in that other thread saying Canon was maybe not the way to go. Hearsay, I admit, but check the other comments here, canon printers don't perform under linux as under win in some cases. My epson 740 performs the same, and with mtink I have the same usability as under win. As far as I can remember,... don't think I booted win since sometime last year.... Bvc, basically you must read some reviews, Epson people are being honest, they don't have (affordable) printers that are great both on photos and text. (glossy and std paper) Nor does any other brand as I can tell, and I was looking at that stuff quite a bit (thinking of getting a digicam and good printer, but it's too expensive and not yet good enough to replace analogue photography..) The last review I read about the various inkjets had Canon and Epson finish at the top, followed by HP I think; count on spending ~200USD or more for a good machine. Check for the linux support on the Canon, "it prints" doesn't cut it, it should have the same (or more) functionality as under win. (note that sometimes/with some printers you can print under linux, but not at the highest resolution and not with the nice fine tuning that you want if you're printing photos and the like..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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