Digital BW, The Print

> 
> As for the Z series, I am not giving HP $3000 or more for a machine I
> know from experience will break down even before it becomes obsolete,
> which will be soon. The first manufacturer who realizes that
> photographers need a machine that will reliably print the way WE want
> it to, not the way THEY want it to, with the inks WE want to use;
> that manufacturer will own the market.
> 
> David Kachel

Not my experience. Two Z's here and one is 3 years old, one GE head
replaced a month ago. Never seen a serviceman. Cheap heads, extra
spindles, ... There are cons but not what you mention. Both print
gorgeous B&W BTW. In my opinion still the best turn key B&W printer. The
only manufacturer that gives at least support for third party media with
information + hardware. With the best ink around you can excuse them for
being less supportive on third party ink. Are Epson and Canon more open
to the use of third party media/ink? Is that a company policy or the
hard work of third party companies and individuals?

Reading the article Clayton gave the link for, yes I guess the B9180 and
related models will not be continued. There have been more signs. And I
recognise the HP desktop printer department policy on sending a new
printer if the first one had a problem and not asking you to send the
first one back.
It happened with an Officejet here 6 months ago. I explained what part
was wrong on the first one and I got the second one in a week without
discussion. I transferred the heads + the dual side printer part from
the first to the second. Don't mind to keep the extra body if another
flaw asks for parts but there was also a free 3 years warranty included
in the deal. I like that printer, fast and reliable, even with the
Vivera pigment inks it has to swallow now.
The article wouldn't influence my opinion on a printer purchase, quite
void of real information it is. He sketched his own subjectivity in the
first part and ended with it too. I think he writes a lot of words to
save up for that 599.

I have not the faintest idea what HP has in mind for the Z series and
desktop models. Photokina 2010 in September will tell. It could be a
disappointment or a revelation. I think they should do something on the
17" wide market, head on with Canon's iPF5100. For speed they could
introduce the Z6100 heads in the Z3xx model line, will give them at
least twice the speed. HP isn't going out of the printer business, they
are the biggest company from desktop printers up to industrial flatbeds,
not to mention their move into the offset market with web inkjet printers.


-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten,   Ernst

Try: http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/Wide_Inkjet_Printers/

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