Posted by carol on 6/9/04 12:00pm
Msg #2888

laser, or inkjet

I am a new notary & recently bought a printer, one of the all in one machines, and am wondering if it matters whether my printer is injet or laser? Laser printers are expensive & so are the toner cartridges, but I don't want to have an inkjet printer if I will not be able to use it for work. Please help any thoughts would be great, & thank you very much.

Reply by HisHughness on 6/9/04 12:12pm
Msg #2889

Inkjet impressions are not permanent; they run. Rub your finger over the printing right after the item comes out; it will smudge. After a while, the ink sets and it doesn't run quite as bad. However, water will destroy an inkjet document. Lasers don't do that. If you plan to print e-docs, title companies demand laser capability.

Reply by NotaryML on 6/9/04 3:45pm
Msg #2900

I absolutely luuuuuuuuuuve my HP 3330 Laser printer.

It does everything. Fax/Scan/Copy/Prints. Laser is the way to go!

Reply by HisHughness on 6/9/04 6:42pm
Msg #2911

The HP 3330 has now been replaced by the HP 3380. You can't even buy the 3330 at Office Depot, for example (at least at the three I checked with). I was told they've all been returned to the manufacturer after being replaced by the 3380.

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 6/9/04 9:36pm
Msg #2924

Even though the 3330 has been replaced by HP with the 3380, you can still buy the 3330 at many on-line retailers. And you can buy refurbished (which is not a "used" model) at reduced prices. Check "nextag.com" for a price comparison. Currently, they list 13 different sellers ranging in price from $465 to $797.

Reply by HisHughness on 6/9/04 11:34pm
Msg #2930

Just checked today on a 3380 at Office Depot. Price was $698.

Reply by BrendaTX on 6/10/04 10:13am
Msg #2947

This is not fun. What PCL is the 3330 or 3380, if anyone knows off the top of the head. I can look it up. I like the features on this model, but I realize that it is not what I need if you all are saying to go to the PCL 6 and it is PCL 5e.

I like my Canon ImageClassD761 (PCL nothing). It is an awesome copier and laser printer, however, these folks are right about the PCL. I ran into a situation where the docs come down with no problem to my 4 yr old OfficeJet. I was able to do a down load but to be an honest injun with laser results, that time I had to then make both copies from it on the Canon.

Swiftview is not a problem, but all the others are not going to work for me except in the situation I described. And, if I want to be competitive, I guess, I'll have to squeeze a little on my budget for the HP and suck it up.

I really have a hard time giving into the idea that a clever person will not develop some type of an interface or driver soon that will do 90% of the job... except that I now understand from this board that the word here on HPs will be the last one.

I appreciate that, and PAWs explanation. It was not more than needed to be said. I have the point. Thanks, all.

Reply by HisAntiquatedHughness on 6/10/04 10:19am
Msg #2948

For those of us who retain memories of typing our college papers on a manual Royal (that's a typewriter, young'uns), would someone please explain what PCL is? Then maybe I can make more sense of this whole thread.

Reply by CA Notary on 6/10/04 10:56am
Msg #2949

check this out Hugh http://www.csgnetwork.com/hppclhist.html

Reply by HisHughness on 6/10/04 2:22pm
Msg #2953

THANKS: Re: laser, or inkjet

I now know enough to turn my printer on without shocking myself.

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 6/10/04 2:16pm
Msg #2952

Simply, PCL stands for "Printer Control Language", and with the newer versions, "Printer Command Language". It is a language, much like C++, BASIC, FORTRAN, COBOL, etc., except that it understood by printer drivers instead of the computer operating system. PCL6, the latest version, is a "text" based language similar to C++, where previous version where command based like BAL (Basic Assembler Language).

Files that are sent to PCL generators are then "printed" to the generator which in turn creates the PCL file for interpretation by the printer driver and/or engine. Raw PCL files (usually denoted by an extension of PRN) are directly printable by the printer and don't require any interpretation or parsing by the PC. These files, if properly prepared, will keep a 30ppm printer running at top speed, even when connected to a slow PC.

Reply by Charles ( Notary Plus) on 6/9/04 2:05pm
Msg #2894

If you go to Dell.com for small buss. they have a S2500 Laser printer
for about 600.00 . Not bad prints 22 PPM . Also you can open an account online to get credit . Good luck

Reply by Sylvia/FL on 6/9/04 3:31pm
Msg #2895

A laser printer is a must!
And you will find you are better with an HP with PCL 6 drivers (The HP1300 I have cost about $350 at Sams)
Laser printers are actually less expensive to use than inkjet!
You can refill the cartridges inexpensively. I buy refills at www.tonerkits.com - I paid $84 for a case of 10 refills - but you can buy them individualy for around $7-$8 depending on the model of laser printer. The refills for the 1300 are $6.99 . I also have a HP2100 and the refills for that are $7.99

A a signing service, if Ihave a client that needs edocs, then I only use notaries with the HP laser printers.

Reply by Sylvia/FL on 6/9/04 3:31pm
Msg #2896

A laser printer is a must!
And you will find you are better with an HP with PCL 6 drivers (The HP1300 I have cost about $350 at Sams)
Laser printers are actually less expensive to use than inkjet!
You can refill the cartridges inexpensively. I buy refills at www.tonerkits.com - I paid $84 for a case of 10 refills - but you can buy them individualy for around $7-$8 depending on the model of laser printer. The refills for the 1300 are $6.99 . I also have a HP2100 and the refills for that are $7.99

A a signing service, if Ihave a client that needs edocs, then I only use notaries with the HP laser printers.

Reply by Negretes Notary Service on 6/9/04 4:42pm
Msg #2901

Aggreed Sylvia, FL

I prefer my notaries to have an HP 1300 or the HP1012 will also work as well.
These two printers are very good at printing elynx and other docs that are from propriatory web sites. ie ameriquest and the likes of mortgage companies.

Anthony J Negrete
Negrete's Notary Service Inc.

Reply by CA_Notary on 6/9/04 6:04pm
Msg #2906

I don't get it. If a notary has a laser printer with PCL 6, why do you care that it has to be an HP model? As long as it prints the docs, who cares what brand it is?

Reply by Negretes Notary Service on 6/9/04 6:30pm
Msg #2909

I really don't care what model it is.

I was just mentioning a few models that I know work for the kind of docs I have to have my notaries print.

I guess you would not be the kind of notary I would hire, you seem to know it all.

Anthony J negrete
Negrete's Notary Service

Reply by CA_Notary on 6/9/04 6:45pm
Msg #2912

Know it all? First of all, I was not even responding to your post, I was responding to the same post you were responding to. In her post she stated:

"if Ihave a client that needs edocs, then I only use notaries with the HP laser printers"

I must be missing something if me asking why the specific brand is so important makes me a know it all. Especially since you apparently seem to agree with me that the model isn't important. Does that make you a know it all too?

Reply by Negretes Notary Service on 6/9/04 7:05pm
Msg #2915

I am so SORRY about the know it all piont. I did not notice that you where responding to the post before me.

Reply by Joan Bergstrom on 6/9/04 10:20pm
Msg #2929

I was a notary a few years ago who bought the Brother laser1440 and thought I had the printer for edocs (it was cheaper than a HP). The second company that called me and I could not download the documents I left for Sam's Club and bought the HP 1200 and downloaded the docs. without a problem.
Maybe Negretes Notary Service will comment on my next statement? It seems the title. escrow, and signing companies consider the HP laser printer to be the default printer for our industry and if you don't have an HP you might lose business.

Reply by Negretes Notary Service on 6/10/04 4:35pm
Msg #2965

I personaly prefer HP to any other printer.
I ask that my closers have an hp if they can.
If they have a PCL 6 printer I am more than happy to hire them to do my e-mail docs.

Anthony J negrete
Negrete's Notary Service

Reply by For Anthony on 6/10/04 5:53pm
Msg #2968

What about a Brother HL 5150DLT?

Reply by PAW Notary Services on 6/9/04 9:23pm
Msg #2923

The difference between HP printers and other printers is that HP owns PCL and their printers use a native PCL engine. All other manufacturers (and even some HP lower-end printers) use PCL emulation. In order for a printer to market a PCL emulator, it must meet certain compatibility requirements as established by Hewlett- Packard. However, there are some unique options that are only available in a native PCL engine.

But, on the defense of non-HP printers, I submit that 99.9% of the documents created that require PCL printing will work just fine with a PCL compliant emulation. I personally have not seen of any problems with PCL emulators, but have heard some people say they have not been able to print a particular document on a non-HP PCL compliant printer. (And lacking further clarification, I am not about to say it's because of emulation vs native.)

As new versions of PCL are generated, obviously HP will use their own hardware to ensure the language works flawlessly with their engines. PCL6, the latest incarnation, is a major change in the language from PCL5e. Though not much in the way of new functionality was incorporated, but the whole basic instruction set, language, and interpretation was changed. I don't know of any vendors currently using PCL6 to generate loan docs, so we shouldn't see a problem there.... yet. Only a couple are using PCL5e. Most are based on the first laser version, PCL4. (Prior versions were for inkjet printers only.) PCL5 and above are strictly for laser printers. That's why you normally won't see inkjet (deskjet, bubblejet, officejet, etc.) sporting anything above PCL4.

This is probably more than you wanted to know, but it is the reason that I personally have HP printers for loan docs. That, and their extremely high reliability and duty-cycle capabilities.

Reply by Sylvia/FL on 6/10/04 2:48pm
Msg #2960

Because the other printers do not have PCL6 - they only emulate it, and I have found out that some of those printers that only emulate the PCL6 (or 5) drivers, do not always work with the loan docs. I value my clients business too much to take a chance that the notary can print the docs out on a non-HP laser printer.