-
Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.
We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team
Computer help
- Thread starter GER22VAN
- Start date
- Status
Daisy Wheel was something I only ever heard of used in typewriters and, maybe, some early word processors. Once we got to PCs it was dot matrix printers. All of them used to use ribbons rather than ink tanks and you'd have to change ribbons fairly often depending on how much you used the printer. Then you got laser printers and ink-jet printers that used either large toner cartridges or small ink cartridges. If you used an inkjet, you got used to changing the cartridges regularly. Then the companies got to cutting the prices of the printers so that they could tie you to buying their own cartridges and the price of cartridges went up. Nowadays, so much is "paperless" so you don't use the printer so much you just keep some file on your computer.
Chunky AC
master brummie
For years I have only ever used Hewlet Packard printers, the last one cost £300 and over its life I had spent over £2000 on ink. (Work related use as well as private use.) almost three years ago I bought an Epson ecotank printer, it was supplied with two sets of ink. I have only recently started using the second set of ink After 34 months. They really are economical. It appears now that the printing paper is more expensive than the ink. Highly recommended Especially for high quality photo printing.
Eric Gibson
master brummie
My old friend here still uses a Brother typewriter with daisy wheels.
I used to use a dot matrix with continuous paper in my business, the paper sat on a shelf under the printer and was fed through a slot I cut in the table top, Still got that small table,
I used to use a dot matrix with continuous paper in my business, the paper sat on a shelf under the printer and was fed through a slot I cut in the table top, Still got that small table,
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
My old friend here still uses a Brother typewriter with daisy wheels.
I used to use a dot matrix with continuous paper in my business, the paper sat on a shelf under the printer and was fed through a slot I cut in the table top, Still got that small table,
Back in the late 1980 we used a pair of Diablo 630 Daisy Wheel printers for all the best quality print jobs in the company. A bit bulky for home use though.
I find black and white 'laser' printers best for home use. Most of my printing is text and unlike ink-based printers the toner doesn't dry up or require the printer to run head-cleaning cycles. For anyone doing mostly text, especially if it is infrequent usage a laser is best as the toner lasts 'for ever'. The laser is best for printing in volume too. I would leave photo printing to the shops, I have wasted far too much ink and photo paper on failed prints at home.
I find black and white 'laser' printers best for home use. Most of my printing is text and unlike ink-based printers the toner doesn't dry up or require the printer to run head-cleaning cycles. For anyone doing mostly text, especially if it is infrequent usage a laser is best as the toner lasts 'for ever'. The laser is best for printing in volume too. I would leave photo printing to the shops, I have wasted far too much ink and photo paper on failed prints at home.
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I used to print photos but have not done so for at least five years. I use my phone or tablet to show photos to others in the family and transfer them if necessary. I seem to print mainly receipts and similar items these days.
Over the last two years I've used the 'screenshare' function on Zoom with others in the family. They can see exactly what I see on my screen and folders of photos and videos can be displayed and discussed. If they like a photo I can quickly send it to their devices. They can also do screen captures or snips.
If I have the BHF on screen they can see it in real time as I see it. We have spent many happy hours viewing the 'Old Street Pics' and 'City Centre Photos' etc. We look at old maps and Google Earth and just about anything.
Over the last two years I've used the 'screenshare' function on Zoom with others in the family. They can see exactly what I see on my screen and folders of photos and videos can be displayed and discussed. If they like a photo I can quickly send it to their devices. They can also do screen captures or snips.
If I have the BHF on screen they can see it in real time as I see it. We have spent many happy hours viewing the 'Old Street Pics' and 'City Centre Photos' etc. We look at old maps and Google Earth and just about anything.
Chunky AC
master brummie
I admire your ability to master the technology, I am also a little bit of a technology guru. However I realised some time ago that digital images are fine nowadays but what will we be leaving for our grandchildren and great grand children. It’s far better to leave them with a box of pictures that they will be able to view in 20,30, or 40 years time. What use will our treasured images be if they were stored on floppy discs or corrupted USB sticks. Hard drives fail, SSD‘s have questionable shelf lives. Images stored in the cloud can be hacked. A picture stored correctly will last 40 or 50 years. We have to be thankful for our grandparents foresight in leaving US pictures, where would BHF be without pictures Left by our grandparents.
Having spent all my working life in the photographic industry, I have worked with all formats, and realised that negatives and transparencies recording the important history of me and my family have an untold value, and should be preserved.
During lockdown I have been converting these valuable images to digital, but the originals are still stored safely.
Take a few minutes to consider the value of your images, and back them up by whatever means you can. Someone in the future will be internally grateful for your forethought for actions today.
izzy eckerslike
master brummie
After endless problems with dried up printing heads I got a Xerox mono laser printer/scanner and am well pleased with it, it also prints on both sides of the paper if required so more often than not it saves wasting paper
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
I put the cartridges shown below in my low cost Epson XP-335 printer and they produce satisfactory prints.Anyone used these type in there printer?
but the printer detected that they were not Epson cartridges and put up quite a fight to prevent me using them. I eventually won by uninstalling and reinstalling the printer.
I generally only print a one or two document pages in a week so printing is not important to me.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
As previously mentioned I installed lower price compatible cartridges in my Epson XP335 printer and after some fiddling got the printer working satisfactorily.
I decided to try lower price cartridges in my Canon TS5051 printer which uses 5 cartridges. I had read that Canon printers do not take kindly to compatible cartridges so prepared for much fiddling. I was surprised to find that the printer didn't even notice the non standard cartridges and started printing perfectly.
All good so far ...
I decided to try lower price cartridges in my Canon TS5051 printer which uses 5 cartridges. I had read that Canon printers do not take kindly to compatible cartridges so prepared for much fiddling. I was surprised to find that the printer didn't even notice the non standard cartridges and started printing perfectly.
All good so far ...
I use an Epson 342, it’s getting on a bit now but still works well. I’ve used ‘copycat’ cartridges for some years, but recently it’s started playing up. It keeps rejecting the copycat cartridges and everything I try won’t solve it. So I’m back to using the expensive Epson ones again.
Of course this is what Epsom wants. Selling you a new printer is peanuts income to them, it’s the cartridges where they make the money. Hence why many printers seem cheap when you first buy one. Viv
Of course this is what Epsom wants. Selling you a new printer is peanuts income to them, it’s the cartridges where they make the money. Hence why many printers seem cheap when you first buy one. Viv
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
yes thats correct the cartrige have just enough ink in them to print a test page and set it up,a right con. i have a printer on my other laptop it is NOT conected to the internet i have took the wifi chip out of it i use it a lot and the printer ink last a long time strange hey.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
Pete, maybe we could start a new thread on this if members wish to contribute.
The loss leader sales technique was pioneered by King C Gillette over 115 years ago with his safety razor. Due credit to him, he endeavoured to keep improving his designs until no further improvement was possible. The safety razor certainly gave you a good shave for your money. The body was sold quite cheaply and, in some cases, given away. You then spent a lifetime buying blades. American WWI soldiers were issued with safety razors, whereas we have cutthroats. I do have a WWI issue cutthroat.
Now we spend a fortune on replacement ink.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
its up to you you
Richard Dye
master brummie
Exactly Mort, that’s what we have the old give you the razor and you buy the blades! In the US they basically give you the handle when you buy a pack of blades, which by the way the prices has gone way high.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
i am sure that they change the firmware in the printer grrr
oldMohawk
gone but not forgotten
Regarding my Epson XP335 resisting compatible cartridges, I rolled back the Win11 printer driver but Microsoft later updated it. I then uninstalled the printer and made Win11 forget it ever existed. I powered down the computer, restarted, reinstalled the printer and set Win 11 not to update drivers.
My Canon TS5051 was a Christmas present and came with 5 partially filled cartridges hoping I would buy new ones. The cartridges (high capacity) are currently priced as shown below. I didn't buy any
In the past I've bought printers for less than that price!
The 5 compatible cartridges I've just bought cost half that price!
My Canon TS5051 was a Christmas present and came with 5 partially filled cartridges hoping I would buy new ones. The cartridges (high capacity) are currently priced as shown below. I didn't buy any
In the past I've bought printers for less than that price!
The 5 compatible cartridges I've just bought cost half that price!
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
Richard Dye
master brummie
Mike, I had the same thing with an Eason printer before it gave up. I put in a third party cartridge and it would not run. I called Epson and they knew which cartridge and how much ink was in the other cartridges. After that they would send my a pop up to order ink directly from them.
mw0njm.
A Brummie Dude
they can read and write to the cartridge chip.
- Status