Brother MFC-8840DN Network Multifunction Laser Printer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)After doing a lot of research for multi-function printers I selected this printer and love it! I wanted a laser since it's cheaper to maintain (no $$$ ink cartridges) and didn't really need color (since I have a very nice photo printer for the rare times I want to print in color). I love the duplex mode (double side printing) to save paper and it'll automatically print 'n' pages to one physical page which is also handy. I have it networked between my computer and my husband's so we both can use it. (DSL connection with separate Linksys router and DSL modem.)
All wasn't 100% rosey at first.... I connected it via my network and it worked great but due to a problem using it while connected via VPN to my employer, I decided to use the USB connection (when I was on VPN I couldn't see the printer). I got all features working fine except for the scanning (it wouldn't scan at all). After reading so many bad reviews of Brother's tech support I was leary to call them but after many reinstalls w/o luck, I finally called them. The support folks were GREAT!! I ended up calling twice; one for help uninstalling the network drivers and again for a scanning problem. The second call I was on the phone for almost an hour and they found a patch (from Scansoft) to my original VPN problem as well as a registry patch (from Microsoft) for the USB scanning problem. The fix for the uninstall problem was because I had to log in as Administrator not just be in the admin group (I'm running Win2k) so that's why I couldn't completely switch from network connection to USB (the network drivers were still partially installed). In both calls, the tech support folks were helpful, pleasant, and knowledgeable.
The only remaining problem is configuring the fax with an answering machine. The manual has a lot of info but their explanation of the features for the fax isn't all that clear. Right now I don't need the fax much so I'll wait a bit and call tech support back again later.
I love this printer, I like that it has all the features I need in one nicely packaged unit, and for a change, I have good things to say about a company's tech support. (Every company says customers are number one, but only a tiny % actually mean it.)
Other reviewers have complained about the included scanning software (Paperport 8.0 SE from Scansoft) but so far so good, it works ok for me. I haven't tried the OCR feature though but supposedly it'll let me scan pure-text documents for later edits (like in Word) as well as let me search for docments by providing words inside of the document (not just file name which isn't too useful).
I ended up purchasing this printer at PCuniverse (free shipping and no sales tax) for the same price listed here. The reviews of the MFC 8840 printers in Amazon were a great help in selecting which printer to purchase.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-8840DN Network Multifunction Laser Printer

The Brother MFC-8840DN multifunction laser printer offers fast printing, up to 21 ppm (draft); crisp resolution, up to 2,400 x 600 dpi; plus great copy, scan, and fax performance. A complete range of easy-to-use front-mounted controls facilitateseasy walk-up single-job use, while Ethernet connectivity accommodates workgroup sharing.
With versatile paper handling, the MFC-8840DN performs two-in-one and four-in-one copying, automatic duplexing, poster copying, and reduction/enlargement options from 25% to 400% in 1% increments. It also has a 50-sheet ADF for even greater convenience.
The MFC-8840DN offers your choice of Ethernet (10/100BaseTX), USB (2.0), and parallel connectivity, and is PC and Mac compatible.Fax features include a built-in 33.6 Kbps modem, 300 speed dial locations, 40 one-touch dialing locations, and more.The MFC-8840DN also allows access via PC fax interface.
What's in the Box MFC-8840DN, ADF, power cable, AC power adapter, Quick Reference Guide, CD (software), warranty information

Click here for more information about Brother MFC-8840DN Network Multifunction Laser Printer

Read More...

HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf Printer (CE841A#BGJ) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)My mom just bought this today and I helped her set it up. I'm already thinking about buying one, even though I already have a laser MFC at home. It's that good. The setup is easy, the quality is good, and the price is right.
1. Setup on PC, Mac, and network
It was super easy. HP includes the usual install CD, but you don't need it on PC; they put the files on the machine, and they show up when you connect the USB cable (the same way a USB flash drive would, though this doesn't work on Mac). Just follow the instructions; everything is straightforward.
If you want to use it over the network (i.e., connect it to your router), you still need to connect it via USB first. Before too long, the installation program tells you to disconnect the USB cable, and you don't need to connect it via USB any further. (So if you have a USB cable that you can use temporarily, you don't need to buy another just for the printer to use it over the network.)
If you haven't yet connected the networking cable from the printer to the router, it'll tell you when to connect it, and the router and printer should talk to each other without any difficulty. (My mom's router is a modem/router/wifi hub combo from the Paleozoic Era, issued by a very low-tech rural DSL provider, and it worked just fine.) I expected the networking part to be hard, and it was actually fairly easy. If everything I've written so far makes sense, you probably know enough to set this up on the network.
Once it's set up on one computer and on the network, use the driver CD to install the drivers on any other computers on your network; this is even easier.
Within an hour (half of the time making room for the printer and so forth), we had:
*Installed the drivers on 4 computers (1 Mac and 3 PCs--one is even Vista!)
*Printed test pages from each
*Set up the fax preferences (you can do this on the computer via the device management software, which is WAY easier than navigating the device menus)
*Successfully scanned documents into JPGs and PDFs, via the flatbed and sheetfeeder, over the network (many MFCs print well over the network but make it all but impossible to scan without connecting the USB cable), via Mac and PC
I've connected a LOT of devices to a LOT of computers, and for such a complicated device, this was ridiculously easy. Major kudos to HP's software team.
2. Quality
Print and copy quality are great. That's a given with a laser printer, I suppose. It's only black-and-white, but if you don't need color (e.g., if you print your photos at the pharmacy) or have a separate color printer (e.g., a photo-quality inkjet printer), you're good.
The scanning quality is also very good. 300x300 pixel black-and-white scans of sheet-fed documents make great PDFs. I also did a 1200x1200 pixel color scan of an old sports card, and it's quite sharp. I'm not somebody who works with images for a living, but unless you are (or are a very serious hobbyist), this scanner should suit your needs.
I wasn't able to get the standard Mac software (Image Capture) to operate the scanner (that software is pretty weak anyway), but the HP Director software works well on Mac (genuinely shocked) and PC.
My one complaint about using the HP software for scanning is that it doesn't let you preview-and-crop. If you need cropping (e.g., if you're scanning in 4x6 photos), you'll need to do that with another program. You probably already have something on your computer that will do this, but if not, you can download GIMP (free open source program) or buy something cheap and simple to crop, correct color, etc.
We haven't tried the fax yet.
3. Value
At the list price, this is a steal. Even lower-quality manufacturers (you know who they are) are charging similar prices for laser MFCs with no networking capability.
If you've never bought a laser printer, the toner cost (currently on the HP website at $68 for a cartridge that yields about 1600 pages) might be a turnoff, but on a per-page basis, it's probably somewhat-to-much cheaper than the inkjet you're using or considering. The overall build quality and durability of laser printers is also much better, so your "total cost of ownership" (cost of printer + ink/toner, divided by pages printed before the device dies) is likely much lower.
In short, this printer is a winner, at least based on initial quality.

Click Here to see more reviews about: HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf  Printer (CE841A#BGJ)

HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf

Get 41% OFF

Click here for more information about HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf  Printer (CE841A#BGJ)

Read More...

Samsung Monochrome Multifunction Laser Printer (SCX-4623FW) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This copier/printer/scanner/fax machine is great for the small business owner. The wireless system was easy to set up -- just a few clicks and router info, and it was running. Black ink only, but that is ok - I'm tired of spending $$$$$ on color. I recommend it for home or small business use.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Samsung Monochrome Multifunction Laser Printer (SCX-4623FW)

Simply more. That's what you get with the Samsung SCX-4623F mono laser MFP's ESP Easy Screen Print button, and the SCX-4623FW's One-Touch WiFi button. Using Samsung's AnyWeb Print software, you can select, drag and drop content from different web pages into a new page, then print your screen with the ESP button. Or easily connect to your network wirelessly using the One-touch WiFi button. You also get faxing to and from your PC, print speeds of 23 ppm, 12,000 page monthly duty cycle and a sleek, compact design. Work more, simply. With the SCX-4623F/SCX-4623FW mono laser MFPs from Samsung.

Get 53% OFF

Click here for more information about Samsung Monochrome Multifunction Laser Printer (SCX-4623FW)

Read More...

Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center with Wireless and Ethernet Network Interfaces Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I spent about a week researching for just the right multi-function printer for my needs. I own a small business with about 30 employees so I needed more than an inkjet but didn't require a 'corporate' $1000+ version either. I needed fax, scan, copy, and print capability with laser printing and built-in wireless capability. Suprisingly, there are not that many printers on the market that can give you all of these in one package. Originally I was going to purchase the Brother's MFC-8870 for around $500 which all the reviews on the internet recommend, but I found this while browsing around and realized that it had just come out a few weeks ago. Although there were no reviews out yet for this new printer, it was considerably less expensive than the 8870 and the only thing I seemed to be losing was auto-duplexing so I made the purchase. It took about 15 minutes total for me to set up an ad-hoc wireless printer setup and everything works great. The scans are nice, the printing is very crisp and clear even in very small fonts. The only thing I haven't tried yet is the fax which I won't be using much. I really can't say anything bad about this product. Sure it would be nice to have a legal-size flatbed, auto-duplex, and 64mb memory (instead of the default 32mb) but for the money this can't be beat. Overall, this seems to be a really great product at a great price. I highly recommend this if you need a 4-in-1 with wireless capability. Definitely the best on the market for this niche.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center with Wireless and Ethernet Network Interfaces

The Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multi-Function Center with Wireless Networking is an economical, compact device that can handle all your small office printing, copying, scanning, and faxing needs. With crisp, high-quality output and fast print speeds, you won't be waiting around for the MFC-7840N to finish its job. It is compatible with both Macs and Windows, and built-in 802.11b/g wireless networking makes it easy for you to share the device with everyone in your office.
Compact, Elegant Design and Multiple Networking Options The MFC-7840W measures a compact 16.9 x 15.6 x 12 inches (WxDxH) and tips in at just under 25 pounds, taking up minimal space in your office. Featuring an elegant black color scheme, the device won't look out of place in any office. An LCD backlit display keeps you apprised of the device's status.
With USB, Ethernet and 802.11b/g wireless interfaces, setting up this printer for use with a single computer or with a network is simple. Once connected, everyone in your office can print, fax, and scan. The wireless networking supports WEP 64/128, WPA-PSK, WPA2-PSK, and LEAP for security so you won't have to worry about your sensitive documents falling into the wrong hands.
Fast Print Speeds and Outstanding Output with High Compatibility With crisp black output at 2400 x 600 dpi, no one will be straining their eyes to read your latest report. And with the prints coming out at a speedy 23 pages per minute, you won't have to wait for them either. The printer includes 32MB of memory and has a maximum monthly duty cycle of 10,000 pages. Thanks to support for PCL 6 and BR-Script3 print emulations, the printer will work seamlessly with a large variety of computers.
Flexible Paper Handling with 250-Sheet Input Capacity The MFC-7840N features a 250-sheet paper tray that can be adjusted for both letter and legal size paper. Other media, such as envelopes and labels can be fed through the single-sheet bypass slot. The fold-out rear output tray reduces the possibility of paper jams by allowing for a straight paper path when printing envelopes and other thick media.
Make Copies and Faxes without Turning on the Computer Using the same components that does the printing, you can make copies at the same fast 23 pages per minute. Thanks to a 35-page auto document feeder, you can copy, fax, and scan multiple pages without standing around manually swapping pages. The copier lets you reduce and enlarge from 25 to 400 percent of the original, and you can put 2 or 4 sheets on one page. The copier also supports a sorting function.
A built-in 33.6k bps fax modem lets you fax documents at speeds of up to 2 seconds per page. The device supports Caller ID, out-of-paper reception, external TAD interface, distinctive ring detection, auto fax reduction, fax forwarding, automatic redial, dual access, and fax broadcasting of up to 258 locations at once. Built-in memory allows the device to store up to 600 pages in memory for faxing.
Scan Photographs, Images, and Documents Scan photographs and pictures at a resolution of up to 19200 x 19200 dpi (600 x 2400 dpi optical) at 48-bit color depth for integrating high-quality images into your documents. With the included OCR software for both Windows and Mac, you can also easily change paper documents into editable digital copies.
The Brother MFC-7840N Laser Multi-Function Center with Networking measures 21.7 x 20.1 x 20.5 inches (WxDxH) and is Energy Star compliant. It is backed by a one-year warranty.

Get 47% OFF

Click here for more information about Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center with Wireless and Ethernet Network Interfaces

Read More...