Sharp AL 1655CS laser copier scanner printer

OVERVIEW:  The Sharp AL-1655CS all-in-one offers the copying, scanning, and printing features of earlier models, plus Ethernet network connectivity and 2-sided printing of 2-sided originals.

PROS:
At 51 pounds, the all-in-one copier has a footprint 20.4” x 19.8”. 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.

Having built-in Ethernet network support and a hi-speed USB, the AL-1655CS is right at home either in the middle of an office floor or connected to a secretary’s computer. It gives an office with multiple computers to be able to utilize one machine for printing instead of having to buy a printer for every workstation.

Sharp has made some major improvements on the AL-1655’s control panel, making it even more useful than before. Now users have more programming preset control at the panel, plus the alpha-numeric display makes troubleshooting easier than with earlier models.

The AL-1655CS 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 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 10MB memory allows the AL-1655CS to produce copies at the rate of 16 pages per minute, up to 99 copies.

Unlike earlier models, the auto-doc feeder of the AL-1655CS 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 AL-1655CS 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 the 10MB memory, then copied in order. This offset sorting feature is rarely found on other desktop copiers or all-in-ones.

The AL-1655CS 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 8 jumps.

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 realty or legal 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:
During its prime, a 16 ppm copy speed was impressive for a small copier. 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.

As this was one of Sharp’s first attempts at network copiers, it runs on the slower 10BaseT and cannot be connected to a hub or switch that cannot auto-switch between the two speeds.

With all the improvements made with the AL-1655CS, it’s strange that Sharp reduced the resolution for the scanning down to 600 x 600 dpi. Older CS models, while having the usual 600 x 600 for printing and copying, could at least color scan images up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

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

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Starter toner cartridge that comes with the AL-1655CS will last for only 2,000 sheets, so it’s a good idea to place an order for more toner when you get the all-in-one.

The AL-1655CS 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.

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.

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Canon Copier ImageClass MF6530

I bought the Canon Copier ImageClass MF6530 to replace a Copystar that had unfortunately ended its useful life. The Copystar served me faithfully for many years until the engine died and it wouldn’t even wake up.

I chose the MF6530 because I trust the Canon name and it offered just about everything I needed from a device. The main reason was the almost instant response when I wanted to use it. It uses the same lower power technology that most electronics do now, with a low power ‘standby’ mode. Canon RAPID toner enables it to warm up almost instantly, certainly within a couple of seconds and is ready for use.

It processes my work at a rate of 23 pages per minute, whatever type of printing or copying I need doing. My stuff is mainly text but there are occasions when I print images or graphs, and the MF6530 doesn’t even blink. The built-in duplexer enables it to print double sided, which is handy for when I print leaflets or handouts. The automatic document feeder also means I can dump a load of copying into it and leave it to it. This simple, effective operation is what I paid for. I don’t want to have to stand over a machine and hand feed it paper, or make sure it’s working properly.

Apart from the quick response, the print quality is also something that made me choose this model over the competition. As I said, I often print leaflets and some of them can be quite image intensive. The MF6530 takes them all in its stride and produces a great quality print or copy. The grayscale makes them almost look colored, and are definitely accurate to the original when making copies. There is no visible banding or artifacts when I do mine at least. All prints look good enough to share with clients and staff alike.

The MF6530 comes with a scanner and fax too, but I don’t use them much. I tested them both when I first got the machine and they worked like a charm. The scanner copies in color and can do so across the USB to my computer. The fax is a G3, which is the fastest out there and sent a test sheet in a little under 3 seconds.

I like my MF6530, it does what I want it to do without any fuss or problems.

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Canon Copier ImageClass MF5770

The Canon ImageClass MF5770 is a step up from the MF5750 in that it offers networking capability as well as monochrome laser multifunctionality. The MF5770 is also aimed firmly at business. This is certainly a business class workgroup machine, and would do well in a small to medium office that weren’t heavy users. It offers a lot and has enough features to keep the most demanding office satisfied.

Out of the box, the device can be configured and functioning in minutes. The configuration process is simple and straightforward, and went without a hitch in our tests. The MF5770 comes with USB, Ethernet and parallel connections built in. Ethernet and USB worked as soon as they were plugged in and the drivers installed on the client PCs. The user guide is clear and easy to follow, which would be suitable for users of all levels.

The control panel is laid out well, with enough space between buttons for even the largest fingers. The layout is logical and easy to follow, each function having its own little are broken up by a little LCD screen.

The build quality is good, with a solid construction that should make owners feel more relaxed. None of the trays feel flimsy or weak, and it looks like it could last a long time.

The standard paper tray holds 250 and the multipurpose tray a further 50. Toner is managed well, and a standard cartridge is good for 2500 sheets. The single cartridge construction means that there is no drum to consider, which reduces maintenance time and cost.

Printing and Copying produced good quality pages. Text was clean and clear, pages containing images were acceptable for a laser multifunction. The speed of operation is also acceptable with a print or copy coming out at up to 20 pages per minute.

Scanning was okay. It can handle resolutions of up to 1200 x 2400 in 48 bit color and seems to produce good clear scans. The only thing you can’t do with it is scan over a network.

This is a versatile machine that has enough features to serve any office well. Good print quality makes this a contender for those who don’t need to print or copy in color. Reasonable toner costs, with no extra expense for drums makes good economical sense. The MF5770 is a good purchase for almost any small office.

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Sharp AL 1631 Laser Copier

OVERVIEW:  While many offices have laser printers that tend to double as copiers, their smaller toners causes an increase in replacing consumables and may exceed the recommended duty cycle. Yet many forgo buying a copier because they think only the large floor models are available. The Sharp AL-1631 is a desktop copier able to handle copy jobs at a lower cost and taking up less space.

PROS:
The 53 pound 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-1631 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 up to 30 single-sided legal-size originals: more originals can be fed in as the level drops. By scanning the original one time and storing the image into its 8MB memory allows the AL-1631 to produce copies at the rate of 16 pages per minute, up to 99 copies.

The AL-1631 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.

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 “toner save” mode. Indicators blink for toner and drum replacement, and paper jams. Unfortunately, the paper jam indicator does not show where inside the copier the misfeed is, so you’ll have to do a little sleuthing to find it.

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 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.

This Sharp model was made for compactness, not expandability. There are no options available to increase its paper or memory capacities, nor to add printer network capability.

CONS:
During its prime, the 16 ppm copy speed was impressive for a small copier. So don’t expect the faster print speeds of 20 ppm that’s typical of newer copiers.

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.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The AL-1631 only comes with a 50-percent full toner cartridge, which will need replacing after 4 reams of paper.  The standard-yield toner can hold 4,000 pages at 5% coverage, the high-yield producing 6,000 pages.

The AL-1631 has separate toner and drum to help reduce overall consumables costs. The front plate flips open, allowing for the toner, then the drum units to be accessed. Since the cartridges have to be slid out sideways, it will take a little bit of practice to get the hang of replacement.

The drum unit will need to be replaced every 18,000 pages, or on the 3rd toner change. 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 machine longevity and print quality.

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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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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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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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