Dell All in One 946 test page

On Dells desktop 946 printer, you can print out a test page that can be used for adjusting or checking color quality, alignment, and image density.  The test page also includes useful information about the printer, such as page count, serial number, and the last error code logged.

To print the test page:

- Press the side arrow button on the printer until "Maintenance" is the active choice on the screen.
- Press the OK button (it has the check mark on it).
- Scroll to the side until "Print Test Page" appears.
- Press OK.

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Toshiba e Studio 162 Monochromatic 3 in 1

OVERVIEW: For light office or personal use, the Toshiba e-Studio 162 is a compact desktop 3-in-1 that can provide monochrome printing, copying, and color scanning right out the box. Options like a 30-page automatic document feeder, Ethernet card and facsimile functions allows the e-Studio 162 to grow into a full-function network all-in-1.

PROS:
The e-Studio 162 uses a stationary 8½” x 14” platen for scanning instead of a sliding platform to keep its footprint no bigger than its physical size. The 37-pound e-Studio’s recessed output tray reduces the overall footprint of the multi-function down to only 20½” x 20”.

The control panel on the e-Studio 162 is straightforward, with indicators and keys for intuitive control and conditions of the copier. To isolate an error, locate an empty tray, or paper jam, the panel includes a diagram of the copier with LED indicators to indicate the area that requires attention. The Mode Select toggle allows for the e-Studio to be just as functional as a walk-up standalone machine, with copy, print, scan, and fax capability right on the control panel.

Copying is as easy as placing the original in the feeder and pressing the “Copy” button. Resolutions of 600 x 600 dpi with settings to adjust exposure and contrast will print up to 99 monochrome copies at 16 pages per minute. Copies can be adjusted from 25% to 400% of the original in 1% increments or in 8 jumps. Copy quality can be set either manually, automatic adjustment of contrast, text or photo priority. The Toner Save feature is best used for draft copies and not for anything you want to distribute.

The scanning feature has support for TWAIN, STI, and Microsoft’s WIA protocols. While printing and copying is in monochrome, the e-Studio can scan in straight black-and-white, 128 grayscale or in color. With the optional automatic document feeder, the e-Studio 162 can scan multiple single-sides pages automatically.

The e-Studio 162 can hold up to 250 sheets of letter-sized or legal-size paper. For even more printing/copying capacity, a second 250-sheet tray can be attached for supporting a ream of paper. The 50-sheet multi-purpose bypass tray on the side allows for of transparencies, envelopes, and labels.

As a printer, the e-Studio 162 connects to your Wintel machine through either parallel or USB cable. Having a maximum resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, the e-Studio prints decent monochrome text and graphics. The resolution isn’t the best for printing from detailed color originals. 10MB of memory enables the multifunction to handle all but the largest PDF text files and graphics and is more than sufficient for personal use. If you want to use the e-Studio162 as a networked multifunction, it has to be shared via somebody’s computer or by buying the optional network card which comes with 64MB of additional memory.

CONS:
Compared to today’s copiers and printers, the 2002 e-Studio 162 shows its age with a 16 ppm copy and print speed, and a maximum resolution of only 600 x 600 dpi. As a printer, its monochrome print speed is slower than some of today’s single-pass color lasers, which offer faster speeds and higher resolutions.

The 250-sheet paper tray while fine for personal use is woefully undersized for business use. It’s typical for even a small office to go through a ream of paper in a single day in copying, faxing, and printing. The second 250-sheet add-on tray would be a good investment for offices that go through a lot of paper in a typical day and are looking to buy this Toshiba

Toshiba uses for its printing emulator the Samsung SPLC for the e-Studio 162. There are no HP PCL or Adobe PostScript emulators available for this model unless you buy the network option and the PS3 kits.

Software, printing, and computer scanning support are for Windows operating systems only. Basic printing functions are possible for Apple and Linux by using their own printing services and built-in printer drivers.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Having the drum as a separate component reduces the overall consumables costs. The Toshiba toner cartridge will last for about 6,500 B&W pages (less if printing or copying graphics), and can be easily accessed by opening the front panel of the e-Studio. The side panel provides access to the fuser, corona, and the drum. The drum has a life of 18,000 pages, or after every 3rd toner change. The Toshiba e-Studio 162 replacement drum is the same type used for the Xerox’s WorkCentre XD 130 and Sharp’s AR 150.

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Sharp AR M207 All In One Full Duplex Copier

OVERVIEW: The Sharp AR-M207 offers the copying, scanning, and printing features of up to tabloid-size. With the choice of options available, this Sharp can become a heavy-duty 4-in-1 copier.

PROS:
The copier is a little large to put on a desk but will feel right at home on any credenza, and the second paper tray brings it at a height comfortable for someone standing next to it to manually make copies or scans. With the addition of the optional dual-cassette tray and cabinet, the AR-M207 can become a floor-model.

Using either Parallel, the low-speed or high-speed USB connections, the AR-M207 can be set up to be a shared printer--provided the computer it’s connected to remains on during the hours the printer would get used. The expandable 16MB of memory allows the all-in-one to easily handle print jobs from many computers, and a network card is an option.

The AR-M207 uses an oversized 11”x17” platen to support scanning ledger or tabloid-sized originals. The automatic document feeder allows for 40 double-sided copies to be made up to legal-size: more originals can be fed in as the level lowers. By scanning the original once and storing the image into its 16MB memory allows the AR-M207 to produce copies at the rate of 20 pages per minute, up to 999 copies.

The auto-doc feeder of the AR-M207 can automatically scan 2-sided originals and create 2-sided copies. When you think of all the times you had 20 pages of 2-sided originals and the hoops you had to jump when a copier could only read one side, this feature alone makes this worth buying.

Another nice feature the AR-M207 has (if you use the automatic document feeder) is the ability to physically shift the position of each set of copies in the output tray for easy collating and stapling. This is achieved by pressing the Electronic Sort (or E-Sort) button on the control panel. The multi-page original is scanned first into memory, then copied out in order. This offset sorting feature was rarely found on other desktop copiers or all-in-ones.

The AR-M207 has three different copy exposure modes & resolutions up to 600 x 600 dpi at 256 grayscale levels. The magnification can be automatically or manually changed from 25% to 400% in 1% increments or in 10 preset ratios.

This Sharp has two sliding paper trays, each holding up to 250 sheets up to 11 x 17” paper. The two-tray feature is especially nice in an office where legal and standard size papers are often used. Non-standard sizes from 3” x 5” up to 11” x 17” can be placed singly on the scanning platform, or up to 100 sheets placed on the multi-purpose flip-tray on the side of the copier. Adding the optional paper trays can expand the AR-M207 to supporting up to 1,100 sheets.

Remember I mentioned options? In addition to additional paper capacity, the AR-M207 has options to add a facsimile machine, LDAP e-mail scanning and printing, 10/100 Base-T Ethernet, and an additional 256MB of DIMM memory.

CONS:
Sharp’s does not offer PCL or PostScript print emulation. Instead, Sharp provides their proprietary GDI and SPLC print emulators. For most printing, users won’t notice any difference in performance. However, with the great memory expandability that available, it would have been nice to have a PostScript option.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The AR-M207 has separated the high-volume toner and drum to help reduce overall consumables costs. The toner cartridge yields up to 15,000 pages. The drum unit is good for 50,000 pages and will need to be replaced after every 3rd toner replacement.

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Samsung SCX 4725FN 4 in 1 Multifunction Network Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Now days, most of the “all-in-one” printers in stores today don’t have “all” the features of the older generation ones. As printers have gotten smaller and sending scanned documents via e-mail has become acceptable for many businesses, the fax feature has been eliminated.  However, there are still times when you run across a client or a business that will only accept faxed documents. The Samsung SCX-4725FN is a 4-in-1 printer that offers network printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.

PROS:
After a 30 second warm-up, the SCX-4725FN prints and copies at 24 pages per minute, with 10-second delays between print jobs. In operation, the 4-in-1 produces 53dB of sound and 35dB when idle. Think of 53dB as the sound of low conversations and 30 decibels as a quiet office.

The control panel on the SCX-4725FN provides functions for the copier and fax including a programmable phone book list. A pass-through external phone jack on the back of the printer allows for plugging a telephone or an answering machine. If a fax comes in while the copier or printer is in use, 4MB of memory is reserved to store incoming faxes until the copying or printing is complete. For security, incoming faxes can be stored in memory, requiring a 4-digit PIN to print out.

The SCX-4725FN comes standard with a 250-sheet tray, capable of handling up to legal-size paper. The single-sheet multi-purpose tray can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in print mode, the SCX-4725FN keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The “N” in SCX-4725FN is for “networking”.  Having built-in Ethernet network support and a hi-speed USB, this multifunction is right at home either in the middle of an office floor or connected to a secretary’s computer. The built-in 32MB of printer memory enables the SCX-4725FN to handle printing workloads from multiple computers.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6 and Samsungs own proprietary print language, SPL.

CONS:
The only downside is the software package seems to skimp on features, especially for Mac OS users. It would be nice if Samsung’s SmartThru4 software expanded its Windows features to Linux and Mac OS systems.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The monochrome toner that is included is only 50% full, which is something to remember before you decide on copying several hundred pages a shot. Samsung’s so-called “high yield” cartridge has an average yield of 3,000 pages. (No standard-yield cartridge is offered.)

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).

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The Sharp AL 1642CS Duplex All In One

OVERVIEW:  With twice the paper capacity of other AL-1600’s, the Sharp AL-1642CS also produces 2-sided copies and printouts.

PROS:

At 51 pounds, the all-in-one copier has a footprint 20.4” x 19.4”. The copier is a little large to put on a desk but will feel right at home on any credenza.

The AL-1642CS uses a stationary 8½” x 14” platen for scanning instead of a sliding platform to keep its footprint no bigger than its physical size.  The automatic document feeder allows for 30 single-sided copies to be made up to legal-size: more originals can be fed in as the level lowers. By scanning the original once and storing the image into its 8MB memory allows the AL-1642CS to produce copies at the rate of 16 pages per minute, up to 99 copies.

The AL-1642CS has three different exposure modes & resolutions (auto, manual, photo). Automatic (or default) resolution is 600 x 300 dpi. “Photo quality” is 600 x 600 dpi at 256 grayscale levels. The magnification can be changed from 25% to 400% in 1% increments or in 6 jumps.

One of the “gotchas” for 2-sided copying is the originals in the ADF must be single-sided. One option rather than burning through paper making the originals 1-sided is if the originals are in electronic form to use the printer capabilities of the AL-1642CS to print them from a computer as 2-sided duplicates.

Using either Parallel or the USB 1.1 connection, the AL-1642CS can be connected to a computer to double as a modest laser printer. In a small office, the Sharp can be set up to be a shared printer provided the computer it’s connected to remains on during the hours the printer would get used. When connected to a computer, the AL-1642CS can scan color images with resolutions up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

The control panel for the AL-1600 series is pretty straightforward, so you don’t need to go to the manual to figure things out. In addition to magnification, quantity, and exposure, you can control which paper tray to use and to switch to the toner save mode. Indicators blink for toner and drum replacement, and paper jams. Unfortunately, the jam indicator does not show where inside the copier the misfeed is, so you’ll have to do the sleuthing yourself.

This Sharp has two sliding paper trays, each holding up to 250 sheets of either letter (8½” x 11”) or legal (8½” x 14”) size paper. The two-tray feature is especially nice in an office where legal and standard size papers are often used. Non-standard sizes from 3” x 5” up to 8½” x 14” can be placed singly on the scanning platform, or up to 50 sheets placed on the multi-purpose flip-tray on the side of the copier.

CONS:

Sharp’s does not offer PCL or PostScript print emulation. Instead, Sharp provides their own GDI print emulator. For most printing, users won’t notice any difference in performance and considering the low printing resolution of this all-in-one, it’s unlikely any high-end Adobe graphics will be put to this unit.

The design of the AL series is primarily based to focus on copier features. During its prime, a 16 ppm copy speed was impressive for a small copier. In printer mode, the touted 12 ppm speed can only be achieved at lowest resolution (but that’s the caveat for any printer specs). Don’t expect the faster print speeds of 20 ppm that’s typical of current monochrome laser printers.

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Sharp AL 2030 Laser 2 in 1 Copier Printer

OVERVIEW: The Sharp AL-2030 comes with a new design, a new look, and faster copying.

PROS:
At 45 pounds, the 2-in-1 (can’t really call it an “all-in-one” since it does not also have a scanner) has a footprint 25.4” x 17.5”. The copier is a little large to put on a desk but will feel right at home on any credenza.

The AL-2030 uses a stationary 8½” x 14” platen for scanning instead of a sliding platform to keep its footprint no bigger than its physical size.  The automatic document feeder (ADF) allows for 50 single-sided originals up to legal-size: more originals can be fed in as the level lowers. By scanning the original once and storing the image into its 8MB memory allows the AL-2030 to produce copies at the rate of 20 pages per minute and up to 99 copies. By using the high-speed USB connection to make it a shared printer, the AL-2030 can handle multiple print jobs at a speed of up to 16 pages per minute.

The AL-2030 has three different exposure modes & resolutions (auto, manual, photo). Automatic (or default) resolution is 600 x 300 dpi. “Photo quality” is 600 x 600 dpi at 256 grayscale levels. The magnification can be changed from 25% to 400% in 1% increments or in 6 jumps.

One of the “gotchas” for 2-sided copying is the originals in the ADF must be single-sided. One option rather than burning through paper making the originals 1-sided is if the originals are in an electronic form to use the printer capabilities of the AL-2030 to print them from a computer as 2-sided duplicates.

The control panel for the AL-20x0 series is pretty straightforward, so you don’t need to go to the manual to figure things out. In addition to magnification, quantity, and exposure, you can control which paper tray to use and to switch to the toner save mode. Indicators blink for toner and drum replacement, and paper jams. Unfortunately, the jam indicator does not show where inside the copier the misfeed is, so you’ll have to do the sleuthing yourself.

This Sharp has a  250-sheet sliding paper trays, capable of holding either letter (8½” x 11”) or legal (8½” x 14”) size paper. Non-standard sizes from 3” x 5” up to 8½” x 14” can be placed singly on the scanning platform, or up to 50 sheets placed on the multi-purpose flip-tray on the side of the copier.

CONS:
The design of the AL series is primarily based to focus on copier features, not so much on the printer side. During its prime, having a 16 ppm speed was impressive for a laser printer. In truth, the touted 16 ppm speed can only be achieved at lowest resolution, but that’s the caveat for any printer specs. Don’t expect the faster print speeds of 20 ppm or more that’s typical of current monochrome laser printers.

The 250-sheet paper tray is woefully undersized for office copy use. It’s typical for even a small office to go through a ream of paper in a single day. And it’s also common for offices buy paper in 500-sheet reams, if not a 10-ream case. For personal and home use, a 250-sheet tray is sufficient, so long as you’re not someone whose home is their office. Having a tray that you can dump an entire ream of paper into would be something any office would invest a few extra dollars for.

The printer emulator doesn’t include PCL or PostScript, but relies on Sharp’s own proprietary emulator. For standard printing, most users won’t notice any difference in performance or print quality.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Starter toner cartridge that comes with the AL-2030 will last for only 2,000 sheets, so it’s a good idea to place an order for more toner when you get the unit.

The AL-2030 has separate toner and drum to help reduce overall consumables costs. Sharp offers a choice for toner: the standard-size toner (4,000 pages at 5%), or the High-yield (6,000 pages) unit. The drum unit will need to be replaced ever 18, 000 pages or every 3rd toner replacement.

During the course of changing toner, people often forget to keep track when it’s time to change the drum.  Combo-packages are available that offer the drum with several toners. By the time the toners are consumed, the remaining drum is replaced. These combo-packages make maintenance easy and increases overall longevity and print quality.

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The Samsung SCX 4300 3 in 1 Multifunction Printer

OVERVIEW:  Once in a while you might need to scan an official document to be e-mailed or you may need to print copies of the neighborhood newsletter for distribution. Rather than drive to the local print store, a personal B&W multifunction printer like the Samsung SCX-4300 can save you time and gasoline while providing monochrome laser printing.

PROS:
A black case and a footprint of only 16” x 15” allow the SCX-4300 to fit unobtrusively in home or office.

The SCX-4300 has a 250-sheet main paper tray. This is almost more than double the capacity many other personal-use laser printers have. The tray has an adjustable rear lever to allow the SCX-4300 to hold 11” x 14” legal-size paper, while maintaining the same footprint on your desk. For heavier paper weights, types, and sizes, the SCX-4300 has a 1-sheet manual feed slot. So if you want to print 30 invitations from a Word mailing list you will have to stay by the printer feeding the envelopes one at a time.

It takes less than 11 for the SCX-4300 to go from Standby to print. Having a print and copy speed of 19 pages per minute, this personal printer has a decent speed for laser printers a few year ago.  However, nowadays current inkjets are pushing B&W print speeds of 20 ppm, and are giving lasers a run for their money.

While in standby or Sleep mode you won’t even know that the multi-function is even on at 28dB. And when it fires up the 53dB, the SCX is no noisier than low conversations. While 53 decibels may not be loud, it is annoying if the printer is sitting next to you printing 99 copies.

The color scanner portion of the SCX-4300 is compatible with TWAIN & and XP/Vista’s WIA standards.  The 600 x 2,400 dpi optical resolution can be digitally enhanced to 4,800 x 4,800 dpi.

The control panel on the SCX-4300 has a 2x16 character LCD display and controls for manual copying.  Copy options include changing image magnification from 0.5 to 2 times the original size, and up to 99 multi-page copying.

CONS:
The 600 x 600 dpi resolution is the lowest printing resolution since the entry-level ML-1430 personal laser printer. At 600 x 600, I would expect print speeds to be a lot faster than the 19 ppm the SCX produces.

It’s funny for a printer to offer the pre-XP TWAIN scanner support (a pre-XP standard) and not have the ability to connect to older computers with parallel ports. While PC’s with a parallel interface have become few and far between, it’s nice to free up a USB port if your computer still has one.

For a multi-function printer, 8MB of non-expandable memory seems a little skimpy.  It’s true that 8MB is large enough to print all but very large scanned images or Acrobat files. However problems may occur if the printer is shared across a workgroup as print jobs fill up the queue. For one office or cubicle, the SCX-4300 can handle most single-user print needs.

There are no PostScript or even the standard HP Printer Control Language (PCL) emulators. Instead Samsung uses a proprietary printer emulator. Most users won’t notice any changes in the way things print, unless they use a lot of advanced features in any high-end graphic or photo editing software.

INK/TONER NEEDS:
The monochrome toner that is included is only 50% full, which is something to remember before you decide on copying several hundred pages a shot. Available standard cartridges give an average yield of 2,000 pages.

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).

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The Samsung SCX 4500 3 in 1 Multi function laser printer

OVERVIEW:  Now that computers are as common in homes as televisions, more people are now looking at ways to get them to blend in with the furnishings. Sleek laptops and wall-mounted displays have replaced nerdy desktops and monitors. So why have a multi-function printer that screams “Geek”? The Samsung SCX-4500 3-in-1 multi-function printer replaces geek with chic.


PROS:
Like the ML-1630, the SCX-4500 has a sleek & slim design with a low profile of only 6½“ and a footprint of 13” x 15½“.

This printer is quiet. How quiet? At under 38dB in standby and 45dB in operation it’s almost as quiet as a whisper. To go from power up to print only takes the SCX-4500 15 seconds.

There’s nothing like class with a touch of sci-fi. The first thing you notice is there are no apparent buttons on this printer. The 19-pound SCX-4500 uses soft-touch sensor panels under the top panel for print and copy controls, plus a display with blue LED indicators. The 100-sheet paper tray is a semi-automatic sliding cassette.

The SCX-4500’s simplified paper feed path means clearing jams are easier and effortless. Replacing the toner cartridge is also straightforward and easy to get to. To reduce jams, Samsung recommends keeping to paper weights that are at least 20 lbs.

The USB 2.0 interface allows the printer to easily connect to a Mac, a PC, or a visiting laptop.

The color scanner portion of the SCX-4300 is compatible with TWAIN & and XP/Vista’s WIA standards.  The 600 x 600 dpi optical resolution can be digitally enhanced to 4,800 x 4,800 dpi.

Copy options include changing image magnification from 0.5 to 2 times the original size, and up to 99 multi-page copying.

As expected for a printer of this type, Samsung only installed a fixed 8MB RAM for the SCX-4500. 8MB is fine for text printing, but large Adobe files and graphics will fill up the SCX-4500’s memory and will slow printing. There is no PostScript or even the standard HP Printer Control Language (PCL) emulator. Instead Samsung uses a proprietary printer emulator. Most users won’t notice any changes in the way things print, unless they use a lot of advanced features of professional graphic or photo-editing software.

CONS:
The SCX-4500 has a small 100-sheet tray capacity that holds letter-size paper or smaller. But then again, the SCX-4500 is designed for the casual printer user--for a home, a dorm, or an executive office, the tray is fine. There is no separate manual sheet feeder slot; transparencies, card stock, and labels must be placed in the cassette one sheet at a time.  The printer’s unique design also doesn’t allow for printing on envelopes.

At 17 pages per minute, this personal laser printer is a little on the slow side of printing speeds for its age. With current inkjets pushing B&W print speeds of 20 ppm, inkjets are now giving lasers a run for their money in performance.

This issue is not so much a problem with the printer, just with the people who use it. One disadvantage to the SCX-4500’s size and appearance is many people think it can be wedged anywhere without regard to its ventilation needs. To keep from cooking its internal parts and to reduce paper jams, Samsung recommends leaving at least a 4” clearance around the printer. The printer must be placed on a level, upright surface not tilting more than 2 mm (that’s less than 1/10 of an inch).

INK/TONER NEEDS:
1000-page starter toner cartridge used in the SCX-4500 is only 50% of standard capacity toner. Unless you plan on going through 2 reams of paper in a week, the starter cartridge should last long enough while you order a regular yield toner.

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).

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Sharp AL 1540CS All in One copier scanner printer

OVERVIEW:  The Sharp AL-1540CS has all the features of its older brother, the AL-1530CS, but includes a 30-page automatic document feeder so you don’t have to stand around the copier all day feeding it.

PROS:
The 42 pound all-in-one copier has a footprint 20.4” x 17.5”. The size is a little large to put on a desk but will feel right at home on any credenza.

The AL-1540CS uses a stationary 10” x 14” platen for scanning instead of a sliding platform to keep its footprint no bigger than its physical size.

With a maximum resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, the AL-1540CS can produce up to 99 copies. Scanning the original once and storing the image to memory allows the AL-1540CS to make copies at the rate of 15 pages per minute. The Automatic Document Feeder (or ADF) can hold up to 30 legal-size originals. The user can change magnifications from 50% up to 200%--not the widest range compared to other models but the most commonly used.

The sliding paper tray can hold up to 250 sheets of either letter (8½” x 11”) or legal (8½” x 14”) size paper. Non-standard sizes up to 10” x 14” can be placed singly on the scan platform.

Using either Parallel or the USB 1.1 connection, the AL-1540CS can be connected to a computer to double as a modest laser printer. In a small office, the Sharp can be set up to be a shared printer provided the computer it’s connected to remains on during the hours the printer would get used. When connected to a computer, the AL-1540CS can scan color images with resolutions up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

This all-in-one Sharp was made for compactness, not expandability. While it offers an automatic document feeder, there are no options available to increase its paper or memory capacities, or to make it a network printer.

CONS:
The design of the AL series is primarily based to focus on copier features. During its prime, a 15 ppm copy speed was impressive for a small copier. In printer mode, the touted 12 ppm speed can only be achieved at lowest resolution (but that’s the caveat for any printer specs). Don’t expect the faster print speeds of 20 ppm that’s typical of current B&W laser printers.

The 250-sheet paper tray is woefully undersized for office copy use. It’s typical for even a small office to go through a ream of paper in a single day. And it’s also common for offices buy paper in 500-sheet reams, if not a 10-ream case. For all you office folk out there: How many times have you taken a ream of paper from the supply cabinet to fill an empty printer, only to find the printer’s tray only has the capacity to hold half that amount? Now, next question: what usually happens to the rest of that ream? By the end of the day you’ll see the remaining ream somewhere near the printer, sheets pulled haphazardly by people who needed just a couple of blank sheets. By the time the printer needs to be refilled again, the state of that paper is now so uneven and disheveled it’s likely to jam in the printer. For personal and home use, a 250-sheet tray is sufficient, so long as you’re not someone whose home is their office. Having a tray that you can dump an entire ream of paper into would be something any office would invest a few more dollars for.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The AL-1540CS has separate toner and drum to help reduce overall consumables costs. Sharp offers a choice for toner: the standard-size toner (4,000 pages at 5%), or the High-yield (6,000 pages) unit. The drum unit will need to be replaced ever 18, 000 pages.

During the course of changing toner, people often forget to keep track when it’s time to change the drum.  Combo-packages are available that offer the drum with several toners. By the time the toners are consumed, the remaining drum is replaced. These combo-packages make maintenance easy and increases overall longevity and print quality.

SOFTWARE:
Included is Sharp’s desktop document management software. The software does a decent job in giving you control of the unit’s various printing and scanning functions.

Unfortunately, the software is only for Wintel machines. Apple machines running OS 10.3 and above may be able to use the printing and scanning functions native to OS X or through 3rd party applications, like Photoshop.

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