[aclug-L] Re: Which Color Printer?

["James O. Harms" <joharms@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Nathan & Jenny wrote:
> 
> Another question from a Linux novice.
> 
> I need to get a color printer.  I'd like it to be capable of photographic
> quality printing.  I like Hewlett Packard because it seems to be so
> compatible with everything in MicroSoft land.  I've already seen the
> Hardware Compatibility websites for Linux.  That seems to point to the HP
> 600 series first.  What about the HP 700 series?
> 
> What color printers are liked best by the more experienced Linux users?
> 
> Learning Linux for relief.


Check here: http://www.picante.com/~gtaylor/pht/printer_list.cgi

Avoid the HP 700 series, specifically the 710/712 and the 720/722. 
These require windows, altho there is a PBM2PPA driver that makes it
possible to print b&w text (no color, no graphics) in Linux.  

The HP 800 series is more expensive than the 600 series, but the
printers are faster, the ink cartridges bigger, and the technology
newer.  Most of the 800 series are PCL printers, and Linux drivers are
available.  (The HP 820 is an exception.  It requires windows like the
710 and 720.) The HP 810/812 series works fine using the CDJ880 driver
that was written for its big brother, the 880/882.

Epson makes very fine, hi resolution printers that have long been
favored by Linux users (possibly because there were drivers available
early on), but some have had problems with the print heads clogging.  If
this happens, there is no easy solution, since the print head is part of
the carriage.