Archive for May, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Can I get some tips on how to make ink cartridges for printers last longer. They are too expensive.
Naomi
Columbia, MO
Here are some tips to save on you ink cartridges:
1. Only print documents that are in black and white with a black ink cartridge. If you print black with a color ink cartridge, different colors are mixed to create the black ink. This would definitely deplete your color ink cartridge a lot faster than it would deplete a black ink cartridge.
2. Printing rough drafts in draft mode which is the lowest resolution setting will use up your precious ink cartridge much slower than a higher quality setting. When you are already ready to print the final version you can switch back to high quality mode.
3. If you will be needing a copy of a document for archival purposes only (for instance a receipt where you paid a bill online), use the lowest resolution possible.
4. Do not print the entire document if you only really need to print a part of it. If you print half of a document every time, your ink cartridges will last twice as long and if you can skip printing the images your ink cartridges will last even longer!
May 16th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I read something somewhere about the findings that show that researchers have found that laser printers are responsible for a significant amount of potentially carcinogenic emissions? Is this true?
Martha
Bloomington, MN
According to a recent study some printers emit sub-micrometre particles which some suspect may be associated with respiratory diseases. It is said according to the study that 17 of the strongest emitters were made by Hewlett-Packard and one by Toshiba. However, the machine population studied, was only those machines already in place in the building and was thus biased toward specific manufacturers. It was noted that particle emissions varied substantially even among the same model of machine. According to Professor Morawska of Queensland University the health effects from inhaling ultrafine particles depend on particle composition, but the results can range from respiratory irritation to more severe illness such as cardiovascular problems or cancer
Also a study in Japan found that laser printers increase concentrations of styrene, xylenes, and ozone, and that ink-jet printers emitted pentanol.
May 16th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I am thinking of purchasing a printer but I am not sure what to buy. What is the difference between laser and inkjet printer?
Rita
Fargo, ND
Laser printers, in general terms, have higher resolution so they have better print quality. Inkjets provides images by spitting out tiny droplets of ink, so their resolution is lower. You will be able to see that the laser has smoother edges to the fonts if you look closely at a page printed on a laser printer and the same page printed on an inkjet,
Inkjets are the way to go (as of 2003) for affordable color printing. Most of the more recent inkjets provide excellent color clarity and brightness, and are very well suited for printing photographs. In addition, inkjets are usually quite a bit cheaper than lasers, and color inkjets are MUCH cheaper than color laser printers.
While inkjet printers themselves are economical, their ink is much more expensive. Ink cartridges need to be replaced fairly often if you print a lot, and especially if you’re printing pictures, and ink cartridges are cheap. On the other hand, toners for laser printers is pricey, but are changed occasionally. If you are using a laser at home, you may never need to change the toner.
May 16th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I think ink cartridges are ridiculously expensive! Can someone tell me why it is so expensive? is it really that valuable?
Kelly
Atlanta, GA
Ink cartridges are typically very expensive. Most people, therefore, use compatible ink cartridges (those made by a company other than the printer manufacturer) that can sometimes match the quality and much cheaper.
Consumers are usually surprised at the price of replacing their printer cartridges, especially when compared with that of purchasing a brand new printer. The major printer manufacturers, Lexmark, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Canon, Epson and Brother, often break even or lose money selling printers and expect to recoup their losses by selling cartridges over the life span of the printer. Since much of the printer companies profits are made up of ink and toner cartridge sales, some of these manufacturers have taken various actions to limit the options of consumers in using aftermarket cartridges.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Can you please tell me what inkjet printer is and how does it work?
Janice
Austin, TX
Inkjet printers functions by propelling variably-sized droplets of liquid or molten material (ink) onto almost any medium. Inkjet printers are the most common type of computer printer for the general consumer[citation needed] due to their low cost, capability of printing in vivid color, high quality of output, and ease of use.
Like any modern technologies, the present-day inkjet has built on the progress made by many earlier versions. Among many contributors, Hewlett-Packard , Epson and Canon can claim a substantial share of the credit for the development of the modern inkjet. Consumers in a worldwide market, four manufacturers account for the majority of inkjet printer sales: Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Epson, and Lexmark.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Is it true some computer printers print tiny tiny microscopic text on your printing with identifying information on it?
Allan
Denver, CO
Recently a research team led by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) broke the code behind tiny tracking dots that some color laser printers secretly hide in every document.
The U.S. Secret Service admitted that the tracking information is part of a deal struck with selected color laser printer manufacturers to identify counterfeiters. But, the nature of the private information encoded in each document was not previously known.
Xerox previously admitted that it provided these tracking dots to the government, but said that only the Secret Service had the ability to read the code. The Secret Service maintains that it only uses the information for criminal counterfeit investigations purposes. But, there are no laws to prevent the government from abusing this information.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I see some printers are 1200×1200 dpi and others are 2400×600. What type of printer would produce the best looking monochrome images? Is there any B/W printer that have higher resolution than 2400×600 or 1200×1200?
Angel
Albany, NY
The number of dots per square inch are the same so the rendering
algorithm of the printer is what should matter most.
Generally, Xerox is regarded to be tops in this area for small to
medium business. I think that purpose specific INKJETS are still superior to lasers for photographs which were primarily designed with text and simple graphics in mind.
May 8th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I think there is something wrong with my printer. What safety measures or precautions should be taken when checking a problem on a laser printer?
Chelsea
Helena, MT
Although modern printers now include many safety interlocks and protection circuits, it is still possible for a high voltage or a residual voltage to be present on the various rollers, wires, and metal contacts inside a laser printer. It is important that care should be taken to avoid unnecessary contact with these parts to reduce the potential for painful electrical shock.
Most importantly, unplug the printer first. Do not perform any service or maintenance on an equipment that is plugged in. Printers can also have very hot surfaces (used to melt the print media into the paper) so there is a possibility for burns, so let the equipment cool for at least an hour or so before opening it up.
Another thing is to remember to close everything up before plugging the equipment back in. Never assume equipment is de-energized just because you turned an on/off switch to the off position. Most electrical equipment nowadays uses some power even when turned off.
May 7th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
Can you please explain to me briefly how a laser printer works?
Jim
Indianapolis, IN
A drum is charged up with electrostatic charge. Then, the laser writes the image onto the drum, discharging the bits where it shines but leaving the remainder still charged. The toner is then put on the drum, and sticks where the charge remains, but falls off where the laser has discharged it. Pressure and heat are then used to transfer this ink to the paper and fuse it on.
May 7th, 2008
Reader’s Question:
I am planning to purchase a laser printer to print checks. Is laser printer the best to purchase for this? What is a laser printer?
Ann
Des Moines, IO
A laser printer is a common type of computer printer that quickly produces high quality text and graphics on plain paper. Laser printers, like photocopiers, employ a xerographic printing process but differ from analog photocopiers in that the image is produced by the direct scanning of a laser beam across the printer’s photoreceptor.
Laser printers can print up to 100 standard 8 1/2″ x 11″ pages per minute. To be able to print checks, the printer must be fitted with a magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) font cartridge. This apply the scientific principle of static electricity. A revolving cylinder or a drum develops an electrical charge. Laser printer is page printer, printing a complete page at a time. The printed images, which can take the form of pictures or text, is made up of tiny dots, or ink particles.
May 7th, 2008
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