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Question

Can you help our band find the right printer?

by Feb 18, 2014 5:42AM PST

New to this site and hoping to find the right printer for our needs. We're a local band trying to take the DIY route in most everything we do. This includes poster art, which we would like to start printing on our own (rather than paying per sheet at the local print shop).

So we're looking for a printer that can do a standard print page as well as 11x17 (envelope printing and more odd sizes would be nice too--not sure if there's a printer that can do all of these--11x17 and standard are the priorities though). We will be using color, so we would like to know what type of printer is most cost effective for this (laser, ink, etc). We don't need extreme speed as part of our consideration though some would be nice--we won't be doing huge runs of printing. It's more or less a printer that will be used for a home office that is fairly artsy and colorful in its graphic approach. Also! If a component that matches the above criteria includes a quality scanner--this would be ideal.

Thank you!!

Discussion is locked

4 Posts
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Answer
For the search.
by Forum moderator Feb 18, 2014 5:57AM PST
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_8?url=search-alias%3Delectronics&field-keywords=11x17%20color%20laser%20printer&sprefix=11x17+co%2Celectronics%2C195&rh=i%3Aelectronics%2Ck%3A11x17%20color%20laser%20printer

OK I see this pegs it in the 300 to 500 buck range so let's FORGET ENVELOP PRINTING!!! I can't emphasize that you never want to use a production printer for mundane use that a sub 99 buck BW laser printer can do as that envelope can leave a small mark in the drums and more.

-> I'm not sure what you pat at the copy shoppe but if you can't stand 2 to 5 bucks a page printing costs (figure that for the first year operation to amortize the printer cost) then you need to re-think if the copy costs are really a bargain.
Bob
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Answer
For your cost analysis.
by Forum moderator Feb 18, 2014 6:03AM PST

Find any printer that fits then make up a spreadsheet to calculate the cost.

Figure a year to get a good number of dollars per page.

I can't do this for you as I don't see how many prints a year plus ink coverage.
Bob

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Stolen from the web.
by r. proffitt Forum moderator Feb 18, 2014 6:16AM PST

"Cost of color page, 20% coverage $0.17"

OK, that's for 8.5x11 so 5 times that for 100% coverage and then 2 times (11 x 17 is twice the size) gets me to ....

$1.70 per page for full color coverage. That number was years ago and if we amortize the printer cost you can see how we have to be ready for 2 dollar printing costs.
Bob

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Answer
HP Printer
by Feb 21, 2014 4:54AM PST

Hi,
HP LaserJet Pro 200 color MFP M276nw
Key Features:
HP ePrint, Print, Copy, Scan, Fax, Wired Networking, Wireless Printing, Easy Access USB 2.0 Port, Business Apps, 3.5"" Color Touchscreen, Automatic Document Feeder LEARN ABOUT HP ePRINT (link to HP Showcase ePrint campaign page)

Thanks.

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