[sf-lug] More laser printers

Sun Jan 27 14:23:49 PST 2019

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/3-hp-laserjet-3390-multi-function/6799359372.html

   (3) HP LaserJet 3390 Multi Function Printers Copier Scanner Fax -
   $125 (San Francisco Bay Area)

B&W, 1200x1200 dpi, ethernet, USB, duplex. HP PCL5e, HP PCL6 and HP
postscript level 3 emulation.  Standard RAM is only 64MB, but can 
be maxed to 192 MB.  

http://www.openprinting.org/printer/HP/HP-LaserJet_3390 says te
recommended filter (driver) is pxlmono from the Gostscript set, but you
can use any Postscript or PCL driver.  For advanced functionality such
as printer status, maintenance features, scanning and photo card unload
use the proprietary hplip driver collection.  Openprinting notes that
the printer ships with insufficient RAM for image printing at 1200x1200,
which you can deal with by reducing resolution to 600x600 dpi or doing
PCL instead of Postscript printing.  Me, I'd just shell out the $13 
required to by a 128 MB stick of RAM to max out the unit's memory.

To my surprise, this bundle of three LaserJet 3390 printers hired out as
rental computers sounds like a hell of a deal.    They're not the
greatest thing ever and won't last forever, but they're only about $40
each.

(Note:  In this and the prior message, I'm giving little attention to
scanning.  You're mostly on your own with that subtopic.  I'm discussing
these printers as Linux printers.)

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/san-francisco-hp-laserjet-4200dtn-black/6800022614.html

    HP LaserJet 4200dtn Black & White Printer - $75 (haight ashbury)

B&W.  Duplex.  1200x1200 dpi.  2 paper trays, 'up to' (weasel phrase) 35
ppm speed.  Comes with 64 48 or MB standard (skimpy).  Ethernet and parallel
ports.

http://www.openprinting.org/printer/HP/HP-LaserJet_4200 says best 
driver/filter is hplip because it gives access to advanced functionality
such as printer status, maintenance features, scanning and photo card
unload, but printer does good ol' PostScript Level 3, PCL5, PCL6,
HP-GL/2.  Says you can max out the printer to 416 MB.  There are three
empty RAM sockets, each of which accepts a PC100 SDRAM 100-pin DIMM of
up to 128 MB each.  Each of those (128MB) costs $39.  $117 to max out
RAM.

Openprinting notes that toner and drum get replaced as a single
cartridge (each rated for 12,000 pages).  Hmm, need to check on
cartridge cost.  Single cartridges (HP-branded) at Staples are $217,
and a two-pack is $389.  Third-party compatibles are available online
for $54 that print 20,000 pages.  So, that's OK.

So, hey, if you have the $75 to spend, this is a really top choice.
I'd also spring the $117 to max out RAM.  It should be noted that,
because of the two paper drawers, this is a _tall_ workgroup printer
for people serious about having robust business printers.  Dimensions:
16.2" wide, 20.5" deep, 19.2" tall.  66.14 lb.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/san-francisco-hp-laserjet-p2015dn/6800024605.html

  HP LaserJet P2015dn Duplex Printers. - $50 (haight ashbury)

This might be the same seller in the Haight, hm?  Seems similar.

Again, the 'd' and 'n' in the HP model name are good to see, because the
'd' is duplex printing (both sides of a sheet), and 'n' is network
meaning ethernet.  Two paper trays.  B&W.  27 ppm speed.  Base RAM is
32MB (skimpy!), expandable via one DIMM slot taking up to a 256 MB
144-pin DDR2 DIMM.  1200x1200 dpi.  PCL 5c, PCL 6, HP Postscript level
3 emulation.  USB in addition to the ethernet.  Dimensions 16.8" wide, 
14.2" deep, 10.0" tall.  23.6 lb.

http://www.openprinting.org/printer/HP/HP-LaserJet_P2015 says hplip is
recommended printer for access to advanced functionality such as printer
status and maintenance features, but it's also good 'ol Postscript and
PCL fully compatible.

So, again this is an exceptionally nice printer for $50.  I'd also spend
the $22 to max out the RAM, as one would be happier over the long run.
It's not the hulking, bulletproof beast that the prior one is, but is
maybe even a tiny bit better in other ways.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/fs-lexmark-t620-laser-printer/6800353394.html

  Lexmark T620 Laser Printer - $70 (sunset / parkside)

B&W, 30 ppm speed, 1200x1200 dpi.   USB, parallel,  and RS-232C serial(!).
Ethernet is an option for these printers, so it may have such a port, or
may not.  Dimensions 16.5" wide, 20.2" deep, 15.9" high.  45 lb.   PCL6
and PostScript 3.  Comes with 16MB RAM (super-skimpy), expandable to 384
MB by putting 128MB PC-100 100-pin DIMMs in each of the three memory slots
($28).

There's no openprinting page for this specific model, but there is one
for the apparently similar Lexmark T650.
http://www.openprinting.org/printer/Lexmark/Lexmark-T650

I'm not wowed by this, but it seems a reasonable choice at $100
including added RAM.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/san-francisco-canon-image-class-d420/6796016688.html

  Canon Image CLASS D420 Laser ‑ Printer / copier/ scanner - $40 (bernal
  heights)

B&W.  Claimed 23 ppm speed.  1200x1200 dpi (but the manual says 600x600
dpi).  USB.  15.4" wide, 17.0" deep, 12.0" high.  27.3 lb.  What types
of printing (printing control languages ) does it support?  Who knows?
There's no openprinting page for this or any of the other multifunction
devices in this model series.  I stumbled across a Linux Mint Web forum
discussion saying people were able to print with it by downloading
proprietary drivers off Canon's Web sites, but there appeared to be a
lot of problems getting scanning going.  I'd avoid this one.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/san-francisco-hp-m2727-printer/6800706092.html

   HP M2727 printer - $100 (pacific heights)

Further text on the craiglist page clarifies that this is an HP LaserJet
M2727NF multifunction device.  USB, ethernet.  27 ppm speeed, 1200x1200
dpi.

http://www.openprinting.org/printer/HP/HP-LaserJet_M2727 says est
driver/filter is hplip because it gives access to advanced functionality
such as printer status, maintenance features, scanning and photo card
unload, but printer does good ol' PostScript Level 3, PCL5e, PCL6.
64MB RAM expandable to 320 MB (by adding one 256MB DDR2 144-pin DIMM,
$17).  19.7" wide, 16" deep, 18" high.  38 lb.

This seems OK at $100 plus $17 to expand the RAM, but there are better
values.  Online discussion about getting the network-scanner functioning
working on Linux suggests it'll hassle you, at minimum.

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/sys/d/san-francisco-canon-mf4370dn-laser/6795790584.html

  Canon MF4370DN laser printer with extra cartridge - $110 (glen park)

This is another Canon multifunction unit like the other one.  In fact,
seller says the full model name is Canon ImageClass MF 4370 DN.  Bundled
with a second, new cartridge and all cables.  B&W.  23 ppm.  600x600
dpi.  Watch out for this weasel-phrase:  '1200x600 quality', which means
they're using pixel-sizing tricks, but it's still basically 600x600.
USB, ethernet.  Dimensions 15.4" wide, 21.0" deep, 17.9" high -- that's
pretty darned high.  27.6 lbs not including cartridge (another cheap
game with numbers some manufacturers pull).

Nothing at all on openprinting.  There's mention in various places of a
driver directly from Canon that may or may not be still available.  Lots
of reports of no luck with scanning.  I would avoid.

That's literally all laser printers currently offered on Craigslist in
San Francisco.  I hope going through this exercise has been useful to
people.

Broad themes:  Ethernet is a big plus.  Postscript is a win, PCL is an
almost as big win, and both is ideal.  The phrase 'personal printer' is
a yellow flag.  Tiny amounts of RAM are common but fixable at low cost.
And it's a really good idea to check the aftermarket for the going rates
on toner cartridges (and don't forget to consider that capacities and
therefore estimated page count differs widely).  Distrust printers that
appear to require manufacturer secret-sauce drivers (though a statement 
that such a driver is recommended doesn't mean it's necessarily the only
option).  And Openprinting.org is your friend.  And _never, ever_ just 
buy one and worry about OS support afterwards.