I may be in the market for a new inkjet colour MFC for home use (relatively low volume). I currently have an Epson CX5400 which has been great until recently. We use the printer for regular printing as well as the occasional colour project (such as printing calendars and other special small-run projects).
I started out years ago with an HP DeskJet. It was OK, but not great. And the software (drivers) were terrible! After some problems with the printer itself, we decided to switch.
I briefly tried a Canon printer, but could not get it to work at all, and a number of people indicated (at the time) that Canon had a lot of problems and was not completely Mac friendly.
We settled on an Epson printer, which installed and operated flawlessly for a few years. We actually went through a few of these printers of different models, all of which worked well.
One Christmas we decided that we wanted a scanner and copy capability as well, so we purchased a CX5400. This printer has worked extremely well for us for a couple if years, and the software has been fine.
Last Christmas we purchased a second CX5400 for my daughter. It worked well, except she did not use it as much as she should have, and the ink jets got clogged (or that was the symptom). We had purchased an extended warranty, and so they replaced it -- but the store did not carry the CX5400 any more, so she got a CX4800. She has an Intel iMac, so we downloaded the latest drivers from the Epson web site, and it worked fine as well. One thing that I did notice, was that the "Print Settings" option tab, which permits control over the print quality, page order, etc. was disabled indicating it was not supported on this "computer". It still works fine; I have not confirmed whether this restriction is associated with the printer or the computer -- is it the Intel iMac that prevents this or the CX4800?
In the meantime, our trusty original CX5400, which is now out of any warranty support, has commenced printing in false colours, despite the print cartridges being changed and the heads being cleaned several times. Two techs have indicated that they believe it requires repair/replacing -- and the cost of repair will likely be more than the cost of a new printer.
Some comments have been made that the CX4800 and CX5800F (the only MFC Epson models they carry now) are not really robust enough for some of the printing that we do. The tech suggested the Brother units, with which I have no experience.
So....
My options are:
1. Another Epson MFC, although I would prefer something more like the CX5400 than the CX4800 so I have more control, especially as I will be soon replacing my PPC iMac with an Intel iMac.
2. One of the Brother MFC devices, but I have no idea of the quality of the printers, the photo prints, or the software for Mac. Which model would most closely represent the CX5400?
3. A Canon MFC, although I have some reluctance based on previous experience. Which model would most closely represent the CX5400?
4. Last dodge -- an HP MFC, although I will resist this strongly.
What recommendations would people make based on the quality of the printed material, the drivers, support for PPC & Intel, and other factors?
I started out years ago with an HP DeskJet. It was OK, but not great. And the software (drivers) were terrible! After some problems with the printer itself, we decided to switch.
I briefly tried a Canon printer, but could not get it to work at all, and a number of people indicated (at the time) that Canon had a lot of problems and was not completely Mac friendly.
We settled on an Epson printer, which installed and operated flawlessly for a few years. We actually went through a few of these printers of different models, all of which worked well.
One Christmas we decided that we wanted a scanner and copy capability as well, so we purchased a CX5400. This printer has worked extremely well for us for a couple if years, and the software has been fine.
Last Christmas we purchased a second CX5400 for my daughter. It worked well, except she did not use it as much as she should have, and the ink jets got clogged (or that was the symptom). We had purchased an extended warranty, and so they replaced it -- but the store did not carry the CX5400 any more, so she got a CX4800. She has an Intel iMac, so we downloaded the latest drivers from the Epson web site, and it worked fine as well. One thing that I did notice, was that the "Print Settings" option tab, which permits control over the print quality, page order, etc. was disabled indicating it was not supported on this "computer". It still works fine; I have not confirmed whether this restriction is associated with the printer or the computer -- is it the Intel iMac that prevents this or the CX4800?
In the meantime, our trusty original CX5400, which is now out of any warranty support, has commenced printing in false colours, despite the print cartridges being changed and the heads being cleaned several times. Two techs have indicated that they believe it requires repair/replacing -- and the cost of repair will likely be more than the cost of a new printer.
Some comments have been made that the CX4800 and CX5800F (the only MFC Epson models they carry now) are not really robust enough for some of the printing that we do. The tech suggested the Brother units, with which I have no experience.
So....
My options are:
1. Another Epson MFC, although I would prefer something more like the CX5400 than the CX4800 so I have more control, especially as I will be soon replacing my PPC iMac with an Intel iMac.
2. One of the Brother MFC devices, but I have no idea of the quality of the printers, the photo prints, or the software for Mac. Which model would most closely represent the CX5400?
3. A Canon MFC, although I have some reluctance based on previous experience. Which model would most closely represent the CX5400?
4. Last dodge -- an HP MFC, although I will resist this strongly.
What recommendations would people make based on the quality of the printed material, the drivers, support for PPC & Intel, and other factors?