Sharp AL-1642CS Duplex All-In-One Printer

OVERVIEW: With twice the paper capacity of other AL-1600’s, the Sharp AL-1642CS also produces 2-sided copies and printouts.

PROS:
At 51 pounds, the all-in-one 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-1642CS 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 single-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 8MB memory allows the AL-1642CS to produce copies at the rate of 16 pages per minute, up to 99 copies.

The AL-1642CS 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 electronic form to use the printer capabilities of the AL-1642CS to print them from a computer as 2-sided duplicates.

Using either Parallel or the USB 1.1 connection, the AL-1642CS 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-1642CS can scan color images with resolutions up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

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

The design of the AL series is primarily based to focus on copier features. During its prime, a 16 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 monochrome laser printers.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The AL-1642CS 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-1642CS 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.

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.

The AL-1642CS combines all the features of it’s predecessors and adds 2-sided copying and printing.-- Mel Myers

Sharp AL-1641CS

OVERVIEW:  The first all-in-one of Sharp’s AL-1600 series, the Sharp AL-1641CS offers computer printing and scanning, as well as the original copier features found in their AL-1631.

PROS:
The 53 pound all-in-one 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-1641CS 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 single-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 8MB memory allows the AL-1641CS to produce copies at the rate of 16 pages per minute, up to 99 copies.

The AL-1641CS 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.

Using either Parallel or the USB 1.1 connection, the AL-1641CS 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-1641CS can scan color images with resolutions up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

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 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.

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 network capability.

CONS:
During its prime, the 16 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 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.

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:
The AL-1641CS 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-1641CS 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 longevity and print quality.

SOFTWARE:
Included is Sharp’s own 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.

The AL-1641CS is Sharp’s next generation in all-in-one compact desktop machines-- Mel Myers

Sharp FO-4470 Business Fax System

OVERVIEW:  A desktop facsimile system, the Sharp FO-4470 handles high-distribution faxing and basic copying. 8MB of expandable memory enables 500 faxes to be securely stored, to be retrieved by password.

PROS:
The top of this desktop machine contains the 4470’s full-house control panel. The prominent LCD display tilts from 10° to 65°. The pseudo-QWERTY keyboard doubles for 1-touch rapid dialing, with cover letter creation, and machine status. The lower panel has your traditional 10-key phone pad and basic menu for 2-sided faxing and copying.

For distribution lists and faster transmitting, the FO-4470 allows programming up to 134 fax and phone numbers. It also can hold up to 10 personal phonebooks, each one password-protected and able to hold up to 75 programmable numbers. Combining the broadcasting feature with a programmed distribution list, one fax can be transmitted to up to 134 numbers (but no junk faxes, please).

With all of these features, Sharp understands there will be times when you only want to send a single fax to a single number. With Quick Scanning, a fax can be transmitted with a couple of button presses in under 2 seconds.

A speakerphone on the fax actually allows you to talk to someone before sending out or receiving a fax. If you prefer a standard phone, the back of the FO-4470 does have a pass-through phone jack for connecting a phone without needing another wall jack.

The FO-4470 can hold up to 250 sheets of letter-sized or legal-size paper. For even more capacity, a second 500-sheet tray can be attached for over 750 sheets.

In the event the FO-4470 is unable to print, up to 500 incoming faxes are automatically routed to the Sharp’s built-in 8MB flash memory (an additional 8MB can be purchased for increased storage). If a sender transmits a confidential fax, it too will automatically get stored into memory until a password is entered to print it out. The Print Hold function allows you to manually reroute faxes to memory. This can save on paper for overnight faxes, allowing the user to filter out spam before printing, or to prevent reading of faxes without the proper security password. There is also a “Junk Fax” blacklist for up to 50 numbers.

The FO-4470 has transmission speeds up to 33.5Kbs for a 2-second transmission rate per page. Printing and copy speeds reach up to 16 pages per minute of 64-level grayscale images at 400 x 400 dpi resolutions. For single-feed faxing, original documents can be as small as sizes 5.8” x 5” up to 11” x 38”. Using the automatic document feeder, up to 50 letter-size or 20 legal-size pages can be scanned on both sides.

Its large paper capacity makes the FO-4470 a fine office copier. Copying is as easy as placing the original in the feeder and pressing the “Copy” button. Resolutions of 600 x 600 dpi with settings to adjust exposure and contrast will print up to 99 copies at 16 pages per minute. You can choose if copies are to be collated or stacked.

CONS:
With less professional fax machines capable of handling phone services that may be on the same line, it’s surprising the FO-4470 can not support lines with services like call waiting or call forwarding.

More companies rely on digital lines for phone support, but the FO-4470 is not compatible with digital telephone systems and must be connected into traditional analog phone line.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Indicators on the Control Panel will blink when 100-pages are left for the toner, 1,000 pages remaining for the drum before replacement. Both drum and toner can be easily accessed through the top cover.

Sharp ships the unit with a 50% full toner cartridge that will last for about 3,000 pages.  Unless you plan to go through 6 reams of paper in one week, you will have enough time to order a full toner cartridge before the starter cartridge runs out.

Having the drum as a separate component reduces the overall consumables cost, but toner and drum combos are available. The drum is good for 20,000 pages, or 4 cases of paper.


The FO-4470 is a medium-duty desktop facsimile machine with the chops to handle small-office copying needs. -- Mel Myers

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.


Compact copying with no extra frills make the Sharp AL-1631 a good choice for an office that already has computer printers. -- Mel Myers

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.

For a bare-bones all-in-one, the Sharp AL-1540CS delivers the features most small offices want. -- Mel Myers

Samsung SCX-4725FN 4-in-1 Multifunction Network Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Now days, most of the “all-in-one” printers in stores today don’t have “all” the features of the older generation ones. As printers have gotten smaller and sending scanned documents via e-mail has become acceptable for many businesses, the fax feature has been eliminated.  However, there are still times when you run across a client or a business that will only accept faxed documents. The Samsung SCX-4725FN is a 4-in-1 printer that offers network printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.

PROS:
After a 30 second warm-up, the SCX-4725FN prints and copies at 24 pages per minute, with 10-second delays between print jobs. In operation, the 4-in-1 produces 53dB of sound and 35dB when idle. Think of 53dB as the sound of low conversations and 30 decibels as a quiet office.

The control panel on the SCX-4725FN provides functions for the copier and fax including a programmable phone book list. A pass-through external phone jack on the back of the printer allows for plugging a telephone or an answering machine. If a fax comes in while the copier or printer is in use, 4MB of memory is reserved to store incoming faxes until the copying or printing is complete. For security, incoming faxes can be stored in memory, requiring a 4-digit PIN to print out.

The SCX-4725FN comes standard with a 250-sheet tray, capable of handling up to legal-size paper. The single-sheet multi-purpose tray can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in print mode, the SCX-4725FN keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The “N” in SCX-4725FN is for “networking”.  Having built-in Ethernet network support and a hi-speed USB, this multifunction is right at home either in the middle of an office floor or connected to a secretary’s computer. The built-in 32MB of printer memory enables the SCX-4725FN to handle printing workloads from multiple computers.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6 and Samsungs own proprietary print language, SPL.

CONS:
The only downside is the software package seems to skimp on features, especially for Mac OS users. It would be nice if Samsung’s SmartThru4 software expanded its Windows features to Linux and Mac OS systems.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The monochrome toner that is included is only 50% full, which is something to remember before you decide on copying several hundred pages a shot. Samsung’s so-called “high yield” cartridge has an average yield of 3,000 pages. (No standard-yield cartridge is offered.)

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).

For an office or small business, the Samsung SCX-4725FN provides economy by combining four key pieced of office equipment into a single footprint. -- Mel Myers

Samsung SCX-4725F 4-in-1 Multifunction Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Now days, most of the “all-in-one” printers in stores today don’t have “all” the features of the older generation ones. As printers have gotten smaller and sending scanned documents via e-mail has become acceptable for many businesses, the fax feature has been eliminated.  However, there are still times when you run across a client or a business that will only accept faxed documents. The Samsung SCX-4725F is a 4-in-1 printer that offers of monochrome laser printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.

PROS:
After a 30 second warm-up, the SCX-4725F prints and copies at 24 pages per minute, with 10 second delays between print jobs. In operation the 4-in-1produces 53dB of sound and 35dB when idle. Think of 53dB as the sound of low conversations and 30 decibels as a quiet office.

The control panel on the SCX-4725F provides functions for the copier and fax including a programmable phone book list. A pass-through external phone jack on the back of the printer allows for plugging a telephone or an answering machine. If a fax comes in while the copier or printer is in use, 4MB of memory is reserved to store incoming faxes until the copying or printing is complete.

The SCX-4725F comes standard with a 250-sheet tray, capable of handling up to legal-size paper. The single-sheet multi-purpose tray can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution in print mode, the SCX-4725F keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

USB 2.0 connections allow for direct computer connection. With the 32MB memory the printer can handle additional workloads if set up as a shared printer.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6 and Samsungs own proprietary print language, SPL.

CONS:
With all of the large memory and printer emulation support, it was a surprise to learn Samsung does not offer a network card option for the SCX-4725F.  As it is, a computer it’s connected to via the USB will have to be set up to share the printer and remain on during the time

If you think you’ll need a network all-in-one in the future, you might want to save your money and buy the network-enabled SCX-4725FN instead.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The monochrome toner that is included is only 50% full, which is something to remember before you decide on copying several hundred pages a shot. Available standard cartridges give an average yield of 3,000 pages.

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).

For an office or small business, the Samsung SCX-4725F provides economy by combining four key pieced of office equipment into a single footprint. -- Mel Myers

The Samsung SCX-4500 3-in-1 Multi-function laser printer

OVERVIEW:  Now that computers are as common in homes as televisions, more people are now looking at ways to get them to blend in with the furnishings. Sleek laptops and wall-mounted displays have replaced nerdy desktops and monitors. So why have a multi-function printer that screams “Geek”? The Samsung SCX-4500 3-in-1 multi-function printer replaces geek with chic.


PROS:
Like the ML-1630, the SCX-4500 has a sleek & slim design with a low profile of only 6½“ and a footprint of 13” x 15½“.

This printer is quiet. How quiet? At under 38dB in standby and 45dB in operation it’s almost as quiet as a whisper. To go from power up to print only takes the SCX-4500 15 seconds.

There’s nothing like class with a touch of sci-fi. The first thing you notice is there are no apparent buttons on this printer. The 19-pound SCX-4500 uses soft-touch sensor panels under the top panel for print and copy controls, plus a display with blue LED indicators. The 100-sheet paper tray is a semi-automatic sliding cassette.

The SCX-4500’s simplified paper feed path means clearing jams are easier and effortless. Replacing the toner cartridge is also straightforward and easy to get to. To reduce jams, Samsung recommends keeping to paper weights that are at least 20 lbs.

The USB 2.0 interface allows the printer to easily connect to a Mac, a PC, or a visiting laptop.

The color scanner portion of the SCX-4300 is compatible with TWAIN & and XP/Vista’s WIA standards.  The 600 x 600 dpi optical resolution can be digitally enhanced to 4,800 x 4,800 dpi.

Copy options include changing image magnification from 0.5 to 2 times the original size, and up to 99 multi-page copying.

As expected for a printer of this type, Samsung only installed a fixed 8MB RAM for the SCX-4500. 8MB is fine for text printing, but large Adobe files and graphics will fill up the SCX-4500’s memory and will slow printing. There is no PostScript or even the standard HP Printer Control Language (PCL) emulator. Instead Samsung uses a proprietary printer emulator. Most users won’t notice any changes in the way things print, unless they use a lot of advanced features of professional graphic or photo-editing software.

CONS:
The SCX-4500 has a small 100-sheet tray capacity that holds letter-size paper or smaller. But then again, the SCX-4500 is designed for the casual printer user--for a home, a dorm, or an executive office, the tray is fine. There is no separate manual sheet feeder slot; transparencies, card stock, and labels must be placed in the cassette one sheet at a time.  The printer’s unique design also doesn’t allow for printing on envelopes.

At 17 pages per minute, this personal laser printer is a little on the slow side of printing speeds for its age. With current inkjets pushing B&W print speeds of 20 ppm, inkjets are now giving lasers a run for their money in performance.

This issue is not so much a problem with the printer, just with the people who use it. One disadvantage to the SCX-4500’s size and appearance is many people think it can be wedged anywhere without regard to its ventilation needs. To keep from cooking its internal parts and to reduce paper jams, Samsung recommends leaving at least a 4” clearance around the printer. The printer must be placed on a level, upright surface not tilting more than 2 mm (that’s less than 1/10 of an inch).

INK/TONER NEEDS:
1000-page starter toner cartridge used in the SCX-4500 is only 50% of standard capacity toner. Unless you plan on going through 2 reams of paper in a week, the starter cartridge should last long enough while you order a regular yield toner.

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).




The SCX-4500 offers multi-function printing capability without sacrificing style or elegance.-- Mel Myers

The Samsung SCX-4300 3-in-1 Multifunction Printer

OVERVIEW:  Once in a while you might need to scan an official document to be e-mailed or you may need to print copies of the neighborhood newsletter for distribution. Rather than drive to the local print store, a personal B&W multifunction printer like the Samsung SCX-4300 can save you time and gasoline while providing monochrome laser printing.

PROS:
A black case and a footprint of only 16” x 15” allow the SCX-4300 to fit unobtrusively in home or office.

The SCX-4300 has a 250-sheet main paper tray. This is almost more than double the capacity many other personal-use laser printers have. The tray has an adjustable rear lever to allow the SCX-4300 to hold 11” x 14” legal-size paper, while maintaining the same footprint on your desk. For heavier paper weights, types, and sizes, the SCX-4300 has a 1-sheet manual feed slot. So if you want to print 30 invitations from a Word mailing list you will have to stay by the printer feeding the envelopes one at a time.

It takes less than 11 for the SCX-4300 to go from Standby to print. Having a print and copy speed of 19 pages per minute, this personal printer has a decent speed for laser printers a few year ago.  However, nowadays current inkjets are pushing B&W print speeds of 20 ppm, and are giving lasers a run for their money.

While in standby or Sleep mode you won’t even know that the multi-function is even on at 28dB. And when it fires up the 53dB, the SCX is no noisier than low conversations. While 53 decibels may not be loud, it is annoying if the printer is sitting next to you printing 99 copies.

The color scanner portion of the SCX-4300 is compatible with TWAIN & and XP/Vista’s WIA standards.  The 600 x 2,400 dpi optical resolution can be digitally enhanced to 4,800 x 4,800 dpi.

The control panel on the SCX-4300 has a 2x16 character LCD display and controls for manual copying.  Copy options include changing image magnification from 0.5 to 2 times the original size, and up to 99 multi-page copying.

CONS:
The 600 x 600 dpi resolution is the lowest printing resolution since the entry-level ML-1430 personal laser printer. At 600 x 600, I would expect print speeds to be a lot faster than the 19 ppm the SCX produces.

It’s funny for a printer to offer the pre-XP TWAIN scanner support (a pre-XP standard) and not have the ability to connect to older computers with parallel ports. While PC’s with a parallel interface have become few and far between, it’s nice to free up a USB port if your computer still has one.

For a multi-function printer, 8MB of non-expandable memory seems a little skimpy.  It’s true that 8MB is large enough to print all but very large scanned images or Acrobat files. However problems may occur if the printer is shared across a workgroup as print jobs fill up the queue. For one office or cubicle, the SCX-4300 can handle most single-user print needs.

There are no PostScript or even the standard HP Printer Control Language (PCL) emulators. Instead Samsung uses a proprietary printer emulator. Most users won’t notice any changes in the way things print, unless they use a lot of advanced features in any high-end graphic or photo editing software.

INK/TONER NEEDS:
The monochrome toner that is included is only 50% full, which is something to remember before you decide on copying several hundred pages a shot. Available standard cartridges give an average yield of 2,000 pages.

SOFTWARE:
Being a multi-purpose printer, one would expect the software to provide full functions for all the computer platforms Samsung claims it supports.  The software in the CD-ROM is primarily for Windows compatible machines. For Windows users, the SmartThru4 software provides the most features, supporting not only scanning and printing, but offering an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The Linux software package is not included with the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s website to support printer and scanning functions. The Linux Unified Driver Configurator software allows for scanned images to manipulated and edited.  For Macintosh users, the CD-ROM has a couple of basic drivers for printing and a TWAIN driver for scanning. There is no additional software support: you either must have a 3rd party application that manages scanners or use the Mac’s own Image Capture (only available on Mac OS 10.4.7 and higher).


For a home that occasionally needs functions beyond basic printing, the SCX-4300 provides those features without looking like an obvious piece of office equipment. -- Mel Myers

Samsung ML-3561ND Network Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  You know that old saying about “Things going in threes?”  Well that saying is not just all about gloom and doom. In Samsung’s case, the best things come in threes. The latest in Samsung’s ML-3560 trilogy contains the best of the first two, and adds 2-sided printing: Meet the Samsung ML-3561ND.

PROS:
The “D” in ML-3561ND is for “duplexing”. Two-sided printing is an economic and environmentally friendly way to save on paper. This feature, along with the options to print pages either Long Edge or Short Edge, enables the printer to be used for desktop publishing of bound booklets, catalogs, and calendars.

The ML-3561ND prints fast--be it single-sided or 2-sided. It does take almost 50 seconds for the printer to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser starts chugging letter-size prints at 35 pages per minute. Even duplex printing of 19 double-sided pages a minute, the ML-3561ND is one of the fastest of the ML series. There’s an additional 9 second delay between print jobs and high-resolution printing.

This printer has some serious paper capacity. The ML-3561ND comes standard with a 500-sheet cassette tray, capable of holding an entire ream of letter or legal-size paper. The flip-door reveals a 100-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, the ML-3561ND keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The “N” in ML-3561ND is for “network is built in”.  The Ethernet 10/100 Base TX interface makes it ready to support networked computers in an office, department, or a classroom. You can choose between Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connectivity. So, no matter how old or new your computer is, the ML-3561ND can handle it.

This laser printer packs 32MB of memory. The ML-3561ND can easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to 288MB.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

The control panel on the ML-3561ND has a multi-line LCD Display, plus buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, emulation, and network settings can be done. Administrators can also perform these changes remotely with Samsung’s SyncThru web application.

If you think this printer has it all, there are still more options you can add to the ML-3561ND. To reduce workload on the printer’s RAM, print jobs can be queued into a 40GB hard disk module. For laptop printing support, Samsung offers a wireless LAN card that supports a, b, and g-band standards. A second paper tray can be stacked under the ML-3561ND to provide 500 sheets of additional paper capacity.

CONS:
This is not a small, compact printer. At 40 pounds and a footprint that takes up just over a 2 square-foot area, the ML-3561ND will need a permanent and a sturdy place to stay.

The printer produces 55dB of sound printing, idling at 35 dB. To give you an idea of what that means: 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 30 decibels is a quiet office. You probably don’t want to have this network printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3561ND’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 6,000 pages.  A 12,000 high-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements. This is great for a department or an office with heavy printing demands.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3561ND has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3561ND. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

To make network printer configurations and notifications easy, Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service allows printer changes to be made using your IE, Safari, or Firefox browser. The software is not part of the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s web site.

The ML-3561ND is a serious printer for serious business workloads, with the ability for additional expansion for future longevity. – Mel Myers

Samsung ML-3561N Network Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Many owners of double-duty printers also need to have the ability to handle print requests across a network. While network options can be purchased separately, it’s usually faster to buy a printer built-in than wait for installation. The Samsung ML-3561N provides built-in network support right out the box.

PROS:
The ML-3561N prints fast. It does take almost 50 seconds for the printer to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser starts chugging letter-size prints at 35 pages per minute, making it one of the fastest of the ML series. There’s an additional 9 second delay between print jobs and high-resolution printing.

This printer has some serious paper capacity. The ML-3561N comes standard with a 500-sheet cassette tray, capable of holding an entire ream of letter or legal-size paper. The flip-door reveals a 100-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, the ML-3561N keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The “N” in ML-3561N is for “network is built in”.  The Ethernet 10/100 Base TX interface makes it ready to support networked computers in an office, department, or a classroom. You can choose between Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connectivity. So, no matter how old or new your computer is, the ML-3561N can handle it.

This laser printer packs 32MB of memory. The ML-3561N can easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to 288MB.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

The control panel on the ML-3561N has a multi-line LCD Display, plus buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, emulation, and network settings can be done. Administrators can also perform these changes remotely with Samsung’s SyncThru web application.

There are still more options you can add to the ML-3561N. A duplex attachment can be purchased for 2-sided printing. To reduce workload on the printer’s RAM, print jobs can be queued into a 40GB hard disk module. For laptop printing support, Samsung offers a wireless LAN card that supports a, b, and g-band standards. A second paper tray can be stacked under the ML-3561N to provide 500 sheets of additional paper capacity.

CONS:
This is not a small, compact printer. At 40 pounds and a footprint that takes up just over a 2 square-foot area, the ML-3561N will need a permanent and a sturdy place to stay.

The printer produces 55dB of sound printing, idling at 35 dB. To give you an idea of what that means: 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 30 decibels is a quiet office. You probably don’t want to have this network printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3561N’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 6,000 pages.  A 12,000 high-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements. This is great for a department or an office with heavy printing demands.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3561N has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3561N. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

To make network printer configurations and notifications easy, Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service allows printer changes to be made using your IE, Safari, or Firefox browser. The software is not part of the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s web site.

The ML-3561N is a serious printer for serious business workloads, with the ability for additional expansion for future longevity. – Mel Myers

The Samsung ML-3051ND Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Samsung offers a laser printer that is big enough to handle the demands of over 20 networked computers, but still be reasonably compact and priced. At the top of Samsung’s ML-3050 Series, the ML-3051ND is a monochrome laser with a built-in Ethernet network and duplex printing capability.

PROS:
The ML-3051ND’s compact design & footprint takes up only a 1.9 square foot area on a table, while able to still hold legal-size paper within its tray.

The “D” in ML-3051ND is for “duplexing”. Two-sided printing is an economic and environmentally friendly way to save on paper. This feature, along with the options to print pages either Long Edge or Short Edge, enables the printer to be used for desktop publishing of bound booklets, catalogs, and calendars.

The ML-3051ND prints fast--be it single-sided or 2-sided. It does take 44 seconds for the printer to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser starts chugging letter-size prints at 30 pages per minute 1-side. Even printing on both sides of a page at 24 ppm, the ML-3051ND is as fast as many single-side laser printers.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi B&W resolution, the ML-3051ND keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The ML-3051ND comes standard with a 250-sheet cassette tray, with an optional second 250-sheet stacking cassette. The flip-door reveals a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

The control panel on the ML-3051ND has a multi-line LCD Display, plus several buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive, including a “duplex” button for on-the-fly double-sided printing. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, emulation, and network settings can be done. Administrators can also perform these changes remotely with Samsung’s SyncThru web application.

The “N” in ML-3051ND is for “network is built in”.  The Ethernet 10/100 Base TX interface makes it ready to support networked computers in an office, department, or a classroom. You can choose between Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connectivity. So, no matter how old or new your computer is, the ML-3051ND can handle it.

This laser printer comes stock with 64MB of memory, allowing the ML-3051ND to easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to a whopping 320MB.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

CONS:
If you’re used to the smaller ML laser printers, get ready to flex your biceps. At 33 pounds, the densely-packed ML-3051ND will need a study place to stay.

The printer produces 54dB of sound printing, idling at 39 dB. To give you an idea of what that means, 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 40 decibels is the level of whispering. You probably don’t want to have this network printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.

With more bells and whistles than other ML printers, warming up takes the ML-3051ND about 35 seconds -- 44 seconds if in Sleep mode. From Standby it takes 8.5 seconds between print jobs. Delays like this are unacceptable if the printer was for a single user, but in a network environment where it usually takes the user about 3 to 5 minutes to pick up their printout, the delay is hardly noticeable.

INK/TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3051ND’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 4,000 pages.  An 8,000 double-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3051ND has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3051ND. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

To make network printer configurations and notifications easy, Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service allows printer changes to be made using your IE, Safari, or Firefox browser. The software is not part of the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s web site.






The mid-range ML-3051ND offers the features of its more powerful cousin, the ML-3561ND, but at a more modest cost.  -- Mel Myers

Samsung ML-3051N Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Samsung offers a laser printer that is big enough to handle the demands of over 20 networked computers, but still be reasonably compact and priced. At the top of Samsung’s mid-range ML-3050 Series, the ML-3051N is a monochrome laser with a built-in Ethernet network.

PROS:
The ML-3051N’s compact design & footprint takes up only a 1.9 square foot area on a table, while able to still hold legal-size paper within its tray.

Prints come out at an impressive 30 pages per minute. It does take 44 seconds for the ML-3051N to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser will start chugging away.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi B&W resolution, the ML-3051N keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The ML-3051N comes standard with a 250-sheet cassette tray, with an optional second 250-sheet stacking cassette. The flip-door reveals a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

The control panel on the ML-3051N has a multi-line LCD Display, plus several buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, emulation, and network settings can be done. Administrators can also perform these changes remotely with Samsung’s SyncThru web application.

The “N” in ML-3051N is for “network is built in”.  The Ethernet 10/100 Base TX interface makes it ready to support networked computers in an office, department, or a classroom. You can choose between Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connectivity. So, no matter how old or new your computer is, the ML-3051N can handle it.

This laser printer comes stock with 64MB of memory, allowing the ML-3051N to easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to a whopping 320MB.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

CONS:
If you’re used to the smaller ML laser printers, get ready to flex your biceps. At 33 pounds, the densely-packed ML-3051N will need a study place to stay.

The printer produces 54dB of sound printing, idling at 39 dB. To give you an idea of what that means, 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 40 decibels is the level of whispering. You probably don’t want to have this network printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when it’s placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.

With more bells and whistles than other ML printers, warming up takes the ML-3051N about 35 seconds -- 44 seconds if in Sleep mode. From Standby it takes 8.5 seconds between print jobs. Delays like this are unacceptable if the printer was for a single user, but in a network environment where it usually takes the user about 3 to 5 minutes to pick up their printout, the delay is hardly noticeable.

INK/TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3051N’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 4,000 pages.  An 8,000 double-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3051N has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3051N. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

To make network printer configurations and notifications easy, Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service allows printer changes to be made using your IE, Safari, or Firefox browser. The software is not part of the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s web site.


The mid-range ML-3051N offers the features of its more powerful cousin, the ML-3561N, but at a more modest cost.  -- Mel Myers

Sharp AL-1551CS Duplex All-in-One Printer

OVERVIEW: 
In the Beginning, Sharp created the AL-1530CS, and it was good. Next, an auto-feeder was attached and the AL-1530CS became the AL-1540CS, and that was good. Then Sharp decided to create from the 1540CS a machine that could print on both sides. It was called the AL-1551CS and it was very, very good.

PROS:
The 53 pound all-in-one copier has a footprint 20.4” x 18.8”. The size is a little large to put on a desk but will feel right at home on any credenza.

The AL-1551CS uses a stationary 10” x 14” platen for scanning instead of a sliding platform to keep its footprint no bigger than its physical size.

Sharp claims the unit has no warm-up time--copying can start immediately after the power is switched on. With a maximum resolution of 600 x 600 dpi, the AL-1551CS can produce up to 99 copies at only 40dB. Scanning the original once and storing the image to memory allows the AL-1551CS to make copies at the rate of 15 pages per minute. The Automatic Document Feeder (or ADF) can hold up to 30 legal-size 1-sided originals. The user can change magnifications from 50% up to 200%, and manually or automatically adjust exposure settings.

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 electronic form to use the printer capabilities of the AL-1551CS to print them from a computer as 2-sided duplicates.

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. A 50-sheet multi-purpose flip-tray is on the side of the machine for making copies on transparencies, cardstock, or other specialized paper.

Using either Parallel or the USB 1.1 connection, the AL-1551CS 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-1551CS can scan color images with resolutions up to 600 x 1,200 dpi.

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-1551CS 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.


The best of the AL-1500 series, the AL-1551CS combines all the features of it’s predecessors and adds 2-sided copying and printing.-- Mel Myers

The Sharp FO-DC535 Business Fax System

OVERVIEW: 
A desktop facsimile system, the Sharp FO-DC535 handles high-volume, high-distribution faxing and basic copying. Optional network attachments expand its functions to include e-mail, scanning, and printing.

PROS:
The top of this desktop machine contains the DC535’s full-house control panel. The prominent LCD display tilts from 10° to 65°, with automatic energy-saving backlighting. The pseudo-QWERTY keyboard doubles for 1-touch rapid dialing, with cover letter creation, and machine status. The lower panel has your traditional 10-key phone pad and basic menu for 2-sided faxing and copying.

For distribution lists and faster transmitting, the FO-DC535 allows programming up to 159 fax and phone numbers. It also can hold up to 20 personal phonebooks, each one password-protected and able to hold up to 75 programmable numbers. Combining the broadcasting feature with a programmed distribution list, one fax can be transmitted to up to 179 numbers (but no junk faxes, please).

With all of these features, Sharp understands there will be times when you only want to send a single fax to a single number. With Quick Scanning, a fax can be transmitted with a couple of button presses in under 2 seconds.

A speakerphone on the fax actually allows you to talk to someone before sending out or receiving a fax. If you prefer a standard phone, the back of the FO-DC535 does have a pass-through phone jack for connecting a phone without needing another wall jack.

The FO-DC535 can hold up to 750 sheets of letter-sized or legal-size paper, through a 250-sheet and 500-sheet trays. For even more capacity, a second 500-sheet tray can be attached for over 2½ reams of paper-packing capacity.

With the paper and toner capacity, it’s unlikely the FO-DC535 will ever run out of supplies. But in the case of a possible paper jam, the built-in 8MB flash memory can store about 500 pages. If a sender transmits a confidential fax, it will automatically get stored into memory until a password is entered to print it out. The Print Hold function allows you to manually send faxes to memory. This option can save on paper for overnight faxes, allowing the user to filter out spam before printing, or to prevent reading of faxes without the proper security password. There is also a “Junk Fax” blacklist for up to 50 numbers.

The FO-DC535 has transmission speeds up to 33.5Kbs for a 2-second transmission rate per page. Printing and copy speeds reach up to 16 pages per minute of 64-level grayscale images at 400 x 400 dpi resolutions. For single-feed faxing, original documents can be as small as sizes 5.8” x 5” up to 11” x 38”. Using the automatic document feeder, up to 50 letter-size or 20 legal-size pages can be scanned on both sides.

Its large paper capacity makes the FO-DC535 a fine office copier. Copying is as easy as placing the original in the feeder and pressing the “Copy” button. Resolutions of 600 x 600 dpi with settings to adjust exposure and contrast will print up to 99 copies at 16 pages per minute. You can choose if copies are to be collated or stacked.

Network options for the FO-DC535 allow for expanding its features to include scanning, printing, and e-mailing.

CONS:
With less professional fax machines capable of handling phone services that may be on the same line, it’s surprising the FO-DC535 can not support lines with services like call waiting or call forwarding.

More companies rely on digital lines for phone support, but the FO-DC535 is not compatible with digital telephone systems and must be connected into traditional analog phone line.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Indicators on the Control Panel will indicate when 100-pages are left for the toner, 1,000 pages remaining for the drum before replacement. The drum and toner can be easily accessed through the top cover.

Sharp ships the unit with a 50% full toner cartridge that will last for about 2,000 pages.  Unless you plan to go through 4 reams of paper in a week, you will have time to order a full toner cartridge before the starter cartridge runs out.

Having the drum as a separate component reduces the overall consumables cost. The drum is good for 20,000 pages, or 4 cases of paper.

The FO-DC535 is a heavy-duty desktop facsimile machine with the props to handle small-office copying needs. -- Mel Myers

Sharp AL-1530CS All-in-One Printer

OVERVIEW: 
When you’re looking for an all-in-one, you have two choices: either buy a printer that happens to scan and copy, or buy a copier that happens to print and scan. The Sharp AL-1530CS is a 15 ppm copier, a 12 ppm printer, and color scanner all in one compact design.

PROS:
The 40 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-1530CS is a single-feed copier, using 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-1530CS can produce up to 99 copies. Scanning the original once and storing the image to memory allows the AL-1530CS to make copies at the rate of 15 pages per minute. The user can change the magnification from 50% 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-1530CS 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-1530CS can scan color images with digitally enhanced resolutions up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi.

This all-in-one Sharp was made for compactness, not expandability. There are no options available to increase its paper or memory capacities, to add an auto-feeder, or to make it a network printer.

CONS:
The design of the AL series is primarily based to focus on copier features. During it’s 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-1530CS 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.

For a bare-bones all-in-one, the Sharp AL-1530CS delivers the features most small offices want. -- Mel Myers

Samsung ML-3560 Network Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  If a company relies heavily on printing throughout the day--or across shifts, buying a fast, higher capacity business printer is a sound investment. The heavy-duty Samsung ML-3560 monochrome laser printer is the first step to serious printing, providing additional options for this printer to continue to meet your future needs.

PROS:
The ML-3560 prints fast. It does take almost 50 seconds for the printer to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser starts chugging letter-size prints at 35 pages per minute, making it one of the fastest of the ML series. There’s an additional 9 second delay between print jobs and high-resolution printing.

This printer has some serious paper capacity. The ML-3560 comes standard with a 500-sheet cassette tray, capable of holding an entire ream of letter or legal-size paper. The flip-door reveals a 100-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, the ML-3560 keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

This laser printer packs 32MB of memory. The ML-3560 can easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to 288MB.

Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

The control panel on the ML-3560 has a multi-line LCD Display, plus buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, and emulation settings can be made.

The ML-3560 support Parallel and USB connections. When connected to a network computer, the printer can be shared by other computers in the same domain or workgroup.

There are options you can add to the ML-3560 to bring it up to the level of a full-house ML-3561ND. Network support can be added with an Ethernet LAN card. A duplex attachment can be purchased for 2-sided printing. To reduce workload on the printer’s RAM, print jobs can be queued into a 40GB hard disk module. For laptop printing support, Samsung offers a wireless LAN card that supports a, b, and g-band standards. A second paper tray can be stacked under the ML-3560 to provide 500 sheets of additional paper capacity.

CONS:
This is not a small, compact printer. At 40 pounds and a footprint that takes up just over a 2 square-foot area, the ML-3560 will need a permanent and a sturdy place to stay.

The printer produces 55dB of sound printing, idling at 35 dB. To give you an idea of what that means: 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 30 decibels is a quiet office. You probably don’t want to have this printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.

INK / TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3560’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 6,000 pages.  A 12,000 high-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements. This is great for a department or an office with heavy printing demands.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3560 has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.

The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3560. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

The ML-3560 is an excellent entry-level printer for serious business workloads, with the ability for additional expansion for future longevity. – Mel Myers

Brother MFC-8840D 5-in-1 Printer

OVERVIEW: 
Now days, most of the “all-in-one” printers in stores today don’t have “all” the features of their older brethren. As printers have gotten smaller and sending scanned documents via e-mail has become acceptable in many businesses, the fax feature has been replaced with slots for Flash memory media.  However, there are still times when you run across a client or a business that will only accept faxed documents. The older Brother MFC-8840D 5-in-1 is a full-house, all-in-one printer that offers two types of faxing, scans, copies, printing, and automatic duplexing. Drivers are included for Mac as well as Windows users. With added options the MFC-8840D can have an extra-capacity tray, or be a LAN or wireless network printer.

PROS:
If you don’t want to turn on the computer every time you want to make a copy, or a fax, you don’t have to.  The MFC-8840D has a full control panel with an on-screen menu for printer setup and full operation without the need for software.  A pass-through external phone jack on the back of the printer allows for plugging a telephone or an answering machine. Twenty, one-touch programmable keys allow speed-dialing for up to 40 fax numbers. To protect unwanted access to the 500 fax pages that can be stored in the MFC-8840D’s 32MB memory, a 4-digit security password can be activated.

Both the 250-sheet lower and the 50-sheet flip tray can support paper sizes up to Legal size. This allows for double-sided copying, scanning, and printing up to 8½ x 14 inch paper. The MFC-8840D gives choices that allow you to make a double-side copy from a single-sided original, double to double, or multiple pages on a single sheet. The flip tray can hold envelopes, transparencies (remember to use transparencies made for laser printers or bad things can happen to your printer), labels, and slightly heavier paper.

While PC’s with a parallel interface are becoming few and far between, with the increase of USB devices, it’s nice to free up a USB port if your computer still has a parallel interface. The MFC-8840D gives you that choice with USB and Parallel connectivity.

The 18s warm-up time is reasonably fast, compared to other laser printers that can take twice as long. In operation, the MFC-8840D produces 53 dB of sound, and 30db in standby. Think of 53dB as the sound of low conversations and 30 decibels as a quiet office. While 53 decibels is not loud, you still wouldn’t want this printer in a corner of a conference room chugging out a 100-page report during a meeting. Print speeds of 22ppm are average to many similar-priced printers.

The large footprint and overall size of this printer makes it pretty difficult to justify adding to your home décor (unless your home looks more like an office). Often home computer workstations barely have enough space for an inkjet printer, much less a laser printer.  But sitting on an office table, the height and size of the MFC-8840D is just right for someone standing next to it to manually use the on-screen display for making copies or to fax using the speed-dial features on its panel.

Brother recommends using either Hammermill or Xerox brand paper. However, other brands work fine as long as the paper weights are between 20 and 24 pounds.

CONS:
Speaking of paper, the 250-sheet paper tray is woefully undersized for office use. It’s typical for even a small office to go through a ream of paper in a single day. It’s also common for offices buy paper in 500-sheet reams, if not a 10-ream boxes. 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 here’s the $24,000 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. A second add-on tray is available as an optional purchase, but it’s still limited to a 250-sheet capacity.  Having a tray that you can dump an entire ream of paper into would be an option any office would invest in.

Personally, I find it’s kind of a cheat to count software as part of a printer’s hardware functions, but Brother decided the addition of PCFax software (which is not a needed installation) counts as the 5th feature in their “5-in-1” title. So does that also mean when a printer comes with, photo editing, a MP3 library, a DVD player, and Julia Childs Recipe Bonanza software that those should count as added features of the printer too?

INK / TONER NEEDS:
Unlike many laser printers which come with a partially filled “starter” toner, right out of the box Brother gives you their Standard Yield toner and drum.

The MFC-8840D has separate toner and drum to help reduce overall consumables costs. Brother offers a choice for toner: the Standard toner (3,500 pages at 5%), or the High-yield (7,000 pages) unit. The drum unit will need to be replaced ever 20, 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:
All the software included fully compatible for both Mac and PC computers. Scansoft PaperPort SE software allows for Optical Character Recognition (OCR) of text. Page management is handled through Presto! PageManager.  Scanned documents can also be exported and saved to standard BMP and TIFF formats. PCFax,  the “5th” feature of the 5-in-1, also Mac and PC compatible.

For an office or small business, the Brother MFC-8440D provides economy by combining four key pieces of office equipment into a single footprint, allowing for future expansion to a network printer. -- Mel Myers

Samsung ML-3051N Laser Printer

OVERVIEW:  Samsung offers a laser printer that is big enough to handle the demands of over 20 networked computers, but still be reasonably compact and priced. At the top of Samsung’s mid-range ML-3050 Series, the ML-3051N is a monochrome laser with a built-in Ethernet network.

PROS:
The ML-3051N’s compact design & footprint takes up only a 1.9 square foot area on a table, while able to still hold legal-size paper within its tray.
Prints come out at an impressive 30 pages per minute. It does take 44 seconds for the ML-3051N to warm up from a cold boot, but once it’s up this laser will start chugging away.

At 1200 x 1200 dpi B&W resolution, the ML-3051N keeps text sharp--even at 6-point font sizes--and does a decent job with graphics. To keep from consuming too much toner, the printer has a 600 dpi resolution with a text-enhance or image-enhance switch.  The Toner Save feature allows for a 40% toner life increase while keeping images clear and readable.

The ML-3051N comes standard with a 250-sheet cassette tray, with an optional second 250-sheet stacking cassette. The flip-door reveals a 50-sheet multi-purpose tray that can handle transparencies, labels, post cards, envelopes, 3” x 5” postcards up to 8½” x 14” legal paper of various bond weights.
The control panel on the ML-3051N has a multi-line LCD Display, plus several buttons that make manual control of the printer relatively intuitive. Through the control panel, printer information, configuration, emulation, and network settings can be done. Administrators can also perform these changes remotely with Samsung’s SyncThru web application.
The “N” in ML-3051N is for “network is built in”.  The Ethernet 10/100 Base TX interface makes it ready to support networked computers in an office, department, or a classroom. You can choose between Parallel, USB, or Ethernet connectivity. So, no matter how old or new your computer is, the ML-3051N can handle it.

This laser printer comes stock with 64MB of memory, allowing the ML-3051N to easily handle workloads from multiple computer requests. An additional DIMM RAM slot is available to expand printer memory up to a whopping 320MB.
Understanding the printing needs of today’s businesses in providing support for the major software applications, Samsung has installed a full set for print emulators that should satisfy the most diverse office. Emulators include PostScript3, HP PCL6, IBM ProPrinter, and EPSON.

CONS:
If you’re used to the smaller ML laser printers, get ready to flex your biceps. At 33 pounds, the densely-packed ML-3051N will need a study place to stay.

The printer produces 54dB of sound printing, idling at 39 dB. To give you an idea of what that means, 60 decibels is the level of typical conversations and 40 decibels is the level of whispering. You probably don’t want to have this network printer stationed in a conference room printing when a meeting is in progress. But when it’s placed in the copy room or in the middle of a busy office floor, the noise is barely noticeable.
With more bells and whistles than other ML printers, warming up takes the ML-3051N about 35 seconds -- 44 seconds if in Sleep mode. From Standby it takes 8.5 seconds between print jobs. Delays like this are unacceptable if the printer was for a single user, but in a network environment where it usually takes the user about 3 to 5 minutes to pick up their printout, the delay is hardly noticeable.

INK/TONER NEEDS:
The ML-3051N’s toner and drum are integrated in a single cartridge, making it easy to maintain. Right out the box, the printer comes with the standard size toner, able to print up to 4,000 pages.  An 8,000 double-capacity toner option is also available to double the time between toner replacements.

SOFTWARE:
The ML-3051N has one of the better software packages. Not only does it have the basic printing properties for Mac and Linux, but for Windows users there’s an advanced printing section that allows for booklet printing, creating a large poster mosaics, and watermarks.
The drivers also enable 64-bit and Microsoft Server operating systems to be able to use the ML-3051N. This may be considered a no-brainer, but there are printers with software that absolutely will not install on Server 2003 & 2008.

To make network printer configurations and notifications easy, Samsung’s SyncThru Web Service allows printer changes to be made using your IE, Safari, or Firefox browser. The software is not part of the CD and has to be downloaded from Samsung’s web site.