[ILUG] OT hardware recommendation?

[Niall O Broin]

On 9 Feb 2006, at 22:14, Bernhard Rohrer wrote:

> I am looking for a printer which needs to fulfill the following 
> requirements:
>
> - less than 500 yoyos

The Dell 3000cn or 3100cn might suit - the 3100cn has an extra tray, 
and is supported under Linux (which the 3000cn is not, though they're 
the same printer - go figure). I have a 3100cn which I bought because 
it's networked and supports Linux, OS-X and Windows but be warned - 
it's a BIG printer.

> - colour laser

Check.

> - can use 200g paper

They can take paper up to 216gsm via their multipurpose input tray, but 
only up to 90 gsm in the normal drawers.

> - can be shared for win on samba for linux via USB

ENOPARSE - did you want to host the printer on a Linux or Windows box? 
Academic with the 3100cn, as it's networked. I suspect that you could 
use the 3000cn attached to a Windows box, and use Linux to print to it 
with Samba, but it might be an expensive esxperiment :-)

> - reasonable cost for consumables

Ah well, there's the rub. The business model for low cost printers is 
the razor model, more so with inkjets, but it's also true for lasers. I 
heard a story from a large company with which you would be familiar 
which was offered Dell colour laser printers FREE if they would sign a 
contract to buy toner.

These printers have 4000 page cartridges available (usual nominal 5%) 
for 39 EUR (black) and 75 EUR for each colour. The life of the drum is 
45K - 10K5 pages (black only - full colour) and a replacement costs 145 
EUR so each colour page is costing 15c in drum life, which is expensive 
enough, + toner costs depending on usage.

> I like the small Samsungs, but the cost of consumables is prohibitive 
> :(

Define prohibitive?


Niall