BOO! HP Printers

In article , lid
says...

On 2/3/2016 9:11 AM, Pfsszxt wrote:
Recently bought and installed new "all in one" HP printer.
It claimed to have a "scan to e-mail" feature which was
one reason I chose it (to send photos to family, friends, etc.
So, I installed and tried to use said feature. Claimed it
couldn't find any e-mail client. Finally, I was able to get a
person in their "help" group.
It turns out, this HP printer "feature" only works if I
have Outlook installed on my computer! It won't even use the
on-line access to Outlook! No such info was previously given!
How's that for getting in bed with MS?


Actually, I avoid any multi-function (e.g., "all-in-one", "3-in-one")
peripheral device. If it is a scanner, printer, and fax device, one of
those functions will die before the others. Then you either have to
replace the entire device or else buy just a device to replace the
failed function.

I have a printer; all it does is print. I have a scanner; all it does
is scan. I do not have a fax machine because fax functionality in
built-in for Windows 7; I only needed a dial-up dongle to connect to my
phone line.

Because Capitalism works on the principle of get as much for something
as you can, nothing else matters. Surely self-destructive in the end but
not without a lot of pain and suffering at some point.

| Actually, I avoid any multi-function (e.g., "all-in-one", "3-in-one")
| peripheral device. If it is a scanner, printer, and fax device, one of
| those functions will die before the others.

That used to be sound logic, but these days
the multi-purpose machine is often the cheapest.
I recently bought an HP Envy 5660 for $80.
(Allegedly about 1/2 off, but then everyone
was selling it for 1/2 off.)

That HP was one of the cheapest models
available.

Now the next issue, when I run out of ink, is
whether it's cheaper to buy more ink or just buy
another HP Envy.

pjp wrote:


As another example, I was given one of those "woods/animal" motion cams
to tie to a tree back in woods etc. It has a USB connector on it.
Unforetunately out of the couple dozen USB connectors I have NOT ONE is
the specific style this camera uses. OK, argh no included cable BUT
there's no mention anywhere of what the USB connection can be used for.
Not even their phone call tech suport seems to have any answers. I was
kinda hoping it would provide a live feed similar to a webcam but
without knowing beforehand it's hard to put out the effort when it's
100Km drive to find a cable for it.

It's a Moultir A-8 Gen 2.

It's hard to get pictures, but a related A-5 product
has SD slot, and what looks like mini-USB B type ?

http://www.advancedhunter.com/wp-con...trie-A5-08.jpg

The mini-USB B type, is the mini equivalent of the square
B type on your USB printer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb#/m...connectors.JPG

Just a guess,
Paul

Mayayana wrote:
| Actually, I avoid any multi-function (e.g., "all-in-one", "3-in-one")
| peripheral device. If it is a scanner, printer, and fax device, one of
| those functions will die before the others.

That used to be sound logic, but these days
the multi-purpose machine is often the cheapest.
I recently bought an HP Envy 5660 for $80.
(Allegedly about 1/2 off, but then everyone
was selling it for 1/2 off.)

That HP was one of the cheapest models
available.

Now the next issue, when I run out of ink, is
whether it's cheaper to buy more ink or just buy
another HP Envy.

Some of the multi-function printers, the scanner
stops working if they're out of ink, or if the
ink throws any sort of error at all. So while
you get a "free" scanner, it is often shackled
to a working set of ink cartridges. If you were
thinking "Oh, I'll just use the scanner when
the thing won't print any more", um, think again.

Paul

On 03 Feb 2016, "Mayayana" wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

That used to be sound logic, but these days
the multi-purpose machine is often the cheapest.
I recently bought an HP Envy 5660 for $80.
(Allegedly about 1/2 off, but then everyone
was selling it for 1/2 off.)

That HP was one of the cheapest models
available.

Now the next issue, when I run out of ink, is
whether it's cheaper to buy more ink or just buy
another HP Envy.

HP has a program for that printer where they send you periodic ink
cartridges when you need them. It's MUCH cheaper than buying the
cartridges separately at retail. That was one of the main reasons we
bought this particular printer.

On 02/03/2016 06:08 PM, Nil wrote:

[snip]

HP has a program for that printer where they send you periodic ink
cartridges when you need them. It's MUCH cheaper than buying the
cartridges separately at retail. That was one of the main reasons we
bought this particular printer.


I don't want to get into anything where I'm sold stuff I didn't order.

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"Ultimate office automation: networked coffee."

On 03 Feb 2016, Mark Lloyd wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

On 02/03/2016 06:08 PM, Nil wrote:

HP has a program for that printer where they send you periodic
ink cartridges when you need them. It's MUCH cheaper than buying
the cartridges separately at retail. That was one of the main
reasons we bought this particular printer.

I don't want to get into anything where I'm sold stuff I didn't
order.

That's your perogative, of course, but the terms of the agreement are
quite clear about what you're paying for and what you'll get for it,
and after using it for almost two years I haven't been charged for
anything I didn't expect. The savings are dramatic. It's worth it to
me.

In article , says...

pjp wrote:


As another example, I was given one of those "woods/animal" motion cams
to tie to a tree back in woods etc. It has a USB connector on it.
Unforetunately out of the couple dozen USB connectors I have NOT ONE is
the specific style this camera uses. OK, argh no included cable BUT
there's no mention anywhere of what the USB connection can be used for.
Not even their phone call tech suport seems to have any answers. I was
kinda hoping it would provide a live feed similar to a webcam but
without knowing beforehand it's hard to put out the effort when it's
100Km drive to find a cable for it.

It's a Moultir A-8 Gen 2.

It's hard to get pictures, but a related A-5 product
has SD slot, and what looks like mini-USB B type ?

http://www.advancedhunter.com/wp-con...trie-A5-08.jpg

The mini-USB B type, is the mini equivalent of the square
B type on your USB printer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usb#/m...connectors.JPG

Just a guess,
Paul

Basically same thing. SD card works fine but that connector is an odd
one for my collection of usb cables and I have more than a few as I
never throw them (or power adapters etc.) away

I have two with same footprint but the male part is offset to one side
in the unit where-as the cables have the slot in their center, e.g.
cable will fit outside edges but insert doesn't match up.

I'll have to go look taking unit with me someday.

On 2/3/2016 11:18 AM, PAS wrote:
On 2/3/2016 12:11 PM, Pfsszxt wrote:
Recently bought and installed new "all in one" HP printer.
It claimed to have a "scan to e-mail" feature which was
one reason I chose it (to send photos to family, friends, etc.
So, I installed and tried to use said feature. Claimed it
couldn't find any e-mail client. Finally, I was able to get a
person in their "help" group.
It turns out, this HP printer "feature" only works if I
have Outlook installed on my computer! It won't even use the
on-line access to Outlook! No such info was previously given!
How's that for getting in bed with MS?

The help desk rep may be mistaken. I think this feature will work with
any email client that you have installed on your computer, such as
Thunderbird. There must be an email client installed on the computer
but I don't think that limits you only to Outlook.

I'm only reporting what HP folks told me!

On 2/3/2016 5:27 PM, Mayayana wrote:
| Actually, I avoid any multi-function (e.g., "all-in-one", "3-in-one")
| peripheral device. If it is a scanner, printer, and fax device, one of
| those functions will die before the others.

That used to be sound logic, but these days
the multi-purpose machine is often the cheapest.
I recently bought an HP Envy 5660 for $80.
(Allegedly about 1/2 off, but then everyone
was selling it for 1/2 off.)

That HP was one of the cheapest models
available.

Now the next issue, when I run out of ink, is
whether it's cheaper to buy more ink or just buy
another HP Envy.


One reason I'm partial to Epson printers is the availability of 3rd
party ink cartridges that are far cheaper than OEM cartridges. I don't
print anything that's "critical" like photos that would require the best
inks. The new Epson ecotank printers are nice, it's about time a
printer manufacturer made a printer that uses refillable tanks rather
than having to replace cartridges. They aren't cheap, though.

On 2/3/2016 1:25 PM, Nil wrote:
On 03 Feb 2016, Mike Easter wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

'You people' who whine about a hardware which doesn't work for you
as expected who also fail to mention which specific hardware it is
need to characterize the hardware in question.

In this case, the OP has a long history of doing exactly that: whining
about some vague problem but never giving pertinent details, even after
being asked to do so many times. It's become obvious that he comes here
to play games with us.

If you're talking about the HP gripe, I was quite specific make, model
and exact problem!

On 2/3/2016 1:37 PM, Nil wrote:
On 03 Feb 2016, Pfsszxt wrote in
alt.windows7.general:

Recently bought and installed new "all in one" HP printer.
It claimed to have a "scan to e-mail" feature which was
one reason I chose it (to send photos to family, friends, etc.
So, I installed and tried to use said feature. Claimed it
couldn't find any e-mail client. Finally, I was able to get a
person in their "help" group.
It turns out, this HP printer "feature" only works if I
have Outlook installed on my computer! It won't even use the
on-line access to Outlook! No such info was previously given!
How's that for getting in bed with MS?

My HP Envy 5530 will use just about any email client I want for it's
"Scan to e-mail" feature. I've tested Thunderbird and Pegasus.

Unfortunately, I guess I picked the wrong model ---OfficeJet 3830

On 2/3/2016 2:10 PM, Mike Easter wrote:
Pfsszxt wrote:
Claimed it couldn't find any e-mail client.

Windows 7/ Start/ Default Programs - doesn't have a default email
program unless you install one.


I have an installed one --- the infamous AOL--but HP
named a specific one that had to be present for the
named feature to work

| Now the next issue, when I run out of ink, is
| whether it's cheaper to buy more ink or just buy
| another HP Envy.
|
|
| One reason I'm partial to Epson printers is the availability of 3rd
| party ink cartridges that are far cheaper than OEM cartridges. I don't
| print anything that's "critical" like photos that would require the best
| inks. The new Epson ecotank printers are nice, it's about time a
| printer manufacturer made a printer that uses refillable tanks rather
| than having to replace cartridges. They aren't cheap, though.

I had actually bought an Epson because they make
a respected, high-end photo printer and because
their ink seemed to be cheaper. Never again. The ink
was cheap because there was so little in it. And the
printer refused to work if even one cartridge ran out.
Additionally, the draft setting was still a high quality
print, using a lot of ink. And the ink cartridges seem
to time out if not used up. I looked into alternatives
but from what I found it seemed that I wouldn't
be able to use 3rd-party ink, as Epson had changed
their chips on the cartridges. I also had trouble with
printing getting skewed on the page. Finally, the ink was
drying out because I don't use the printer a lot. None
of those problems was true with HP, so I went back to
an HP product this time. The HP ink is expensive, and
I'm hesitant to use 3rd-party cartridges, but now I'm
not so sure that HP ink is more expensive than Epson.

On 02/04/2016 08:23 AM, PAS wrote:

[snip]

The new Epson ecotank printers are nice, it's about time a
printer manufacturer made a printer that uses refillable tanks rather
than having to replace cartridges. They aren't cheap, though.

That sounds like a good idea. However, I wonder it if would still print
after not being used for a month, and wound it do so without using an
excessive amount of ink to clean the heads?

--
Mark Lloyd
http://notstupid.us/

"The human mind treats a new idea the way the body treats a strange
protein. It rejects it." [P.B. Medawar]