Plotters?-Canon?

[Stephen Dolbee]

Can I get some opinions on the best plotter for the money? We currently use an HP Designjet 250C. It's on it's way out and we need a new one soon. We plot 24"X36" sheets. Color is not a requirement, but speed is.

Thanks,
Steve

[Anonymous]

I have heard a lot of good things about the Epson large format printers. The smaller ones (up to A2 on the 3000) have been good to me since they sorted out their drivers a few years back. The 7600 would probably work for you.

Océ machines are great but are probably more than you are looking for.

The HP line is still good but I have been getting disillusioned with them lately.

[Anonymous]

HP's are cheap, and great until they go wrong. Then you're stuck. Some machines break after 6 months, some go for years without a problem. They call it the 'one strike and you're out' rule.

Epson's are cheap and not bad. Even if they go wrong they're fixable. Nice colour but they can take their time.

Oce aren't cheap and don't break often. The Mercedes of printers?

- Stuart

PS. You may be well advised to check out what people use _locally_ and get their opinion on available service contracts.

[Karl Ottenstein]

StuartJames wrote:
HP's are cheap, and great until they go wrong.

Our HP 500 recently 'went wrong', first occassionally having bouts of printing 2 inches, then cutting, then 2 more, then being fine after a power cycle. After a couple of months of that, it died with a bizarre system error. Googling it led to not much, nor did online HP support help.

Fortunately, the day I phoned HP support, they couldn't charge for the support call because their billing computer was down and we got a free incident ... and the answer to the cryptic 'system error (at line xxx of module yyy.c) message was to replace the black printhead. Has been fine since.

The plotter was cheap, and has performed well, but we are definitely disgusted that HP's firmware and 'informative' LCD panel that can tell you how to load paper, change ink, etc. chokes over a bad print head. No new firmware or drivers to make it better. Hmm. Wonder what system error code means to change one of the color printheads.

If we had needed a techie to come look at the plotter, it would have cost $1,300 for the site visit (for an $1,800 plotter). Hmm.

Buyer beware, I guess.

Karl

[Anonymous]

Karl wrote:
After a couple of months of that, it died with a bizarre system error. Googling it led to not much, nor did online HP support help.l

Next time (?) your HP printer decides to misbehave you might like to check out the HP online forums ... on occasion they have even been helpful!!

... it would appear that error messages are a popular subject of discourse

HTH - Stuart

[Stephen Dolbee]

Thank you all for your input. We have been considering the HP 500, but are worried about service and support (as some of you mentioned). Does anyone know anything about Canon's imagePrograf W7250 or W6200? We have a dealer/rep. in our area (which is a rare thing for us). I saw them on their website, but no prices.

Thanks,
Steve

[aahatimo]

Stephen wrote:
Thank you all for your input. We have been considering the HP 500, but are worried about service and support (as some of you mentioned).

the 500 comes w/ a one year onsite warranty and can be extended to 5 years w/ various "care pack" options. not sure how much it costs but check out: http://www.hp.com/hps/carepack/print/cp_large.html
i had a problem with ink delivery during my 1st year and hp sent someone from grand junction, about 4 hrs away the next day. recently i had the "service station" replaced ($285). besides that i have had no major hardware incidents in 4+ years. hp drivers in general are another topic...

[Stephen Dolbee]

Tim,
We will probably go with the HP500. We had good success with our last one (HP250). I'm still trying to find out more about Canon's line of wide-format printers, though. If anyone knows about them, your input would be most appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

[Anonymous]

Can't comment on Canon's (had a good experience 7 years ago but may not be relevant today).

IF you go with an HP do get an extended-super-fixes-everything-included service option. You should try and get a heavy discount on this.

aahatimo wrote:
hp drivers in general are another topic...

Hmmm... we have a HP10PS (A3 - 17x12") 6-cartridge printer (renderings & brochures) but have been waiting more than 12 months for HP to supply us with the (not-downloadable) windows XP drivers. UUuuuffff..... But here is Turkey, you're in Carolina.

Cheers - Stuart

[Stephen Dolbee]

StuartJames wrote:
IF you go with an HP do get an extended-super-fixes-everything-included service option.

Thanks for the advice.

Steve