Laser printer use question

[Gene Heskett]

On Sunday 09 June 2013 08:43:53 Johnny Rosenberg did opine:

> 2013/6/9 Gene Heskett <gheskett at wdtv.com>:
> > On Sunday 09 June 2013 07:41:47 Phil did opine:
> >> On 09/06/13 16:43, Gene Heskett wrote:
> >> >> Have I misunderstood the specs and will I run into problems if I
> >> >> only print a few, or no, pages per month?
> >> > 
> >> > Well I had a reply composed, but this is kmail, and its getting
> >> > more funkity as time goes by.  No clue where it went, it just went
> >> > away as I was typing.
> >> > 
> >> > I don't think a laser actually has a minimum per month, and if you
> >> > are energy conscious, it could even be turned off between jobs. 
> >> > Just be aware that the turn on surge when the drum is cold, can be
> >> > circuit breaker tripping.
> >> > 
> >> > With that HP MFP device though, its an inkjet, and I can well
> >> > believe the 250 pages quoted.  I have an Epson NX-515 I gave up
> >> > on, even a full bleed color print a day cannot keep the nozzles
> >> > clean.  Its scanner is decent though, so it won't get binned
> >> > anytime soon.
> >> 
> >> Thanks for taking the time to answer. The printer in question really
> >> is a laser model, even though it's multi function, and it will most
> >> certainly be turned off between uses.
> >> 
> >> I have a need to print something at this very moment and being fed up
> >> with waster ink jet cartridges a laser looks like a good option. I'm
> >> keen to hit the purchase button but the idea of a minimum use spec is
> >> a major concern.
> > 
> > Well, if its actually stated in the sales propaganda, then before I
> > clicked that button, I would for sure question someone at HP about
> > it.  It wouldn't be the first time that HP has rigged something to
> > expire so as to keep the sales channel activity up.  From my
> > observations of their printers where all the brains are in the
> > cartridge, I know very well that I've been forced to bin cartridges
> > that were still half full or more, a timer in the cart had expired.
> 
> That sounds horrible. I hope it's not true, but I wouldn't be
> surprised if it is…
> I can not see any signs of that in my printer though. The levels seems
> to decrease linearly for every time I print, and the black one, which
> I replaced a while ago, seemed to be empty, or next to empty, when I
> replaced it. Those cartridges doesn't last nearly as long as those in
> the old black and white laser printers in the 1990's though, which for
> private use could last for lifetimes… And the are expensive. If I
> replace all of them I have to pay more than I did for the printer
> itself…
> 
> 
> Johnny Rosenberg

That, in the case of a laser, is a fact of life.  Remember when the drums 
would get scratched and it cost so much to replace them that it was almost 
cheaper to just buy a new printer?  I sure do.  You don't see either 
situation in todays printers because that drum has been shrunk about 5" and 
is now part of that gawd-awful expensive ($70 to $98 USD for the Brothers 
for instance, Lexmark of course brings a $250 gun to the knife fight) toner 
cart.  So you have a better functioning color printer today because that 
drum gets changed with the toner cartridge.  And they still give the 
printer away at half its cost in order to be able to sell the toner carts 
for it.  That toner/drum is the profit center, not the printer.  We may as 
well get used to it, it will continue that way at least to the revolution. 
:)

> > IOW, demand some honesty. Does this low usage limit actually exist?
> > 
> > Cheers, Gene
> > --
> > 
> > "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
> >  soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
> > 
> > -Ed Howdershelt (Author)
> > My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
> > My views
> > <http://www.armchairpatriot.com/What%20Has%20America%20Become.shtml>
> > Everything will be just tickety-boo today.
> > A pen in the hand of this president is far more
> > dangerous than 200 million guns in the hands of
> > 
> >          law-abiding citizens.
> > 
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Cheers, Gene
-- 
"There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty:
 soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order."
-Ed Howdershelt (Author)
My web page: <http://coyoteden.dyndns-free.com:85/gene> is up!
My views 
<http://www.armchairpatriot.com/What%20Has%20America%20Become.shtml>
Q: What do Windows NT and frozen pizza have in common?
A: They're both half baked. 
A pen in the hand of this president is far more
dangerous than 200 million guns in the hands of
         law-abiding citizens.