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10 Replies Last post: Jan 29, 2007 10:08 AM by orthocross  
Click to view jess2omar's profile New Member 10 posts since
Dec 27, 2006
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Dec 27, 2006 11:41 AM

best printer for latest imac just bought

Newcomer to the MAC world and loving it, but just found out my dell printer AIO 924 (I love) does not support MAC :(. I've been looking for a printer and now am very overwhelmed (which one to choose)??? I want your opinion as to the best printer for my (IMAC OS X 10.4.8) but within the 50 - 150 dollar range AIO including FAX. THANK YOU!
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Click to view kellie's profile Community Manager 3,328 posts since
Jun 27, 2007
1. Dec 27, 2006 11:57 PM in response to: jess2omar
That is interesting... very few printers don't support Mac... most are USB and work perfectly.

I have an HP PSC1610 All-in-one, but it does not include a fax. You could look/ask at the Apple store, on Apple's website, or at the website for the printer manufacturer. You might also want to read the reviews and recommendations at Macworld. (http://www.macworld.com) and ask on their forums.


Kellie Parker | Online Community Manager | PC World
Click to view jimt123's profile New Member 4 posts since
Dec 28, 2006
2. Dec 28, 2006 5:48 PM in response to: jess2omar
re Printer
Hi- I answered your post about your PC/Mac stuff under your other post.
Like Kellie...I kind of think the Mac will "see" your printer if you plug in the USB cable...have you tried?

I did see Dell support does not offer any specific MAC sofware for your printer...but the Mac may well run it anyway. Try. You won't lose anything. There is also a freeware option called "Gimp Print" http://gutenprint.sourceforge.net/p_FAQ_OS_X.php3 which MAY work...

In my other post/response to you, I outlined a few ways to run XP on your new Mac...you can then operate your printer under XP on the Mac. Should work. If not...printers are cheap these daze.

See my reply...good luck! JT (-:

also - I recently got an iMac as well...got a "free" HP AOI (with mail in rebate) at time of purchase...did they not tell you? Or did you buy online? I used a Mac store...the C31180 Hp is pretty sweet...works fine with iMac...virtually all printers should...
Click to view kellie's profile Community Manager 3,328 posts since
Jun 27, 2007
3. Dec 28, 2006 8:52 PM in response to: jess2omar
Yes, I got my HP PSC 1610 when I got my PowerBook a few years ago. It was $20 after the $100 rebate that I got because I purchased a new Mac.


Kellie Parker | Online Community Manager | PC World
Click to view jimt123's profile New Member 4 posts since
Dec 28, 2006
5. Dec 30, 2006 6:12 PM in response to: jess2omar
Hi-
So- to clarify...when to pres "apple-P" for print (or just print from text) nothing happens? The dialogue box you mentioned appears? What? If you try any of the listed printers as an experiment, what happens?

So very hard to "work" on something from afar!:(

I feel for tech support in a new way! Anyway ...I am at a loss. I did research your printer and others seem to be having similar issues.
If it helps...your printer is (likely to be) actually a Lexmark X2350 http://search.lexmark.com/printer/US/en/19M0000

See: http://products.howstuffworks.com/lexmark-x2350-multifunction-office-machine-review.htm
Evidently a "Consumer Expert" review states unequivocally that the product cannot be used on Mac OS.

Have you given thought to running "Boot Camp" on Mac and trying to install the printer under the "windows-on-a-Mac" option? Not a guarantee...and you still need to purchase a separate Windows disk...Xp or 2000 pro...

If it were my choice...I would buy another printer for the Mac.
That is the definitive solution because it will clearly work. The Dell 924/Lexmark x2350 actually is not a cheap printer to operate because it evidently does not use black ink... +"One drawback on the X2350 is that it doesn't use a black ink cartridge. It combines three ink colors (cyan, magenta, and yellow) to create black, which can use a lot of ink (and which can be a costly option) when printing text only.+"

I would look at Epson...I like their scanners...I have had mixed luck w/HP AIO products.

The Epson Stylus CX5000 looks good (90$) and def supports MAC.
Sorry I can't be more help...for the heck of it I would try selecting ANY Dell or Lexmark from that "whole slew of different printer models" 8)...it can't hurt and may help...luck, JT
Click to view orthocross's profile New Member 14 posts since
Jan 22, 2007
7. Jan 22, 2007 3:00 PM in response to: jess2omar
Re: best printer for latest imac just bought
jess2omar wrote:Newcomer to the MAC world and loving it, but just found out my dell printer AIO 924 (I love) does not support MAC :(. I've been looking for a printer and now am very overwhelmed (which one to choose)??? I want your opinion as to the best printer for my (IMAC OS X 10.4.8) but within the 50 - 150 dollar range AIO including FAX. THANK YOU!

The word "best" when used with something people purchase is extremely subjective, and is not easily approached by pointing to this or that printer.

Here are a few things to consider when purchasing a new printer:
1) First and foremost, does your OS/computer support it? If they won't, you have just wasted beau coup bucks. Consider: You purchase a parallel printer, but have no parallel port on your computer. Will that work out? Obviously not. Most printers nowadays are USB printers. As long as the printer driver will support the machine you bought it for, it will be usable. Make sure you go to the manufacturer's website FIRST and investigate whether the manufacturer supplies high-quality drivers for the machine/OS you plan on using iut with. Also investigate whether the manufacturer is going to CONTINUE supporting that particular printer in future OS upgrades.
2) Secondly, are its ink refills reasonably priced within your budget?. The majority of printer manufacturers sell printers cheaply, but charge an arm and a leg for ink refils. In fact, most printers today are just ink-delivery systems for the various manufacturers, who make their profit margins through ink-refill sales. This is why they are all fighting third-party ink suppliers in court so vigorously at the present time, and why printer prices are so "reasonable".
3) Will the printer do what you need it to do? If it won't, don't buy it, since there are hundreds of printer manucturers out there who are anxious to sell you one which WILL do what you need.

Almost all Epson or HP printers are compatible with OS X. Lexmark is a PC devices manufacturer, so I don't advise buying or using one with a Mac. In addition, Lexmarks are notoriously slow, noisy, and ink-hungry on top of their ink refills costing big bucks.

A few hours on the Net researching the matter will pay dividends in the end.
Click to view smax013's profile Member Moderators 3,720 posts since
Jan 28, 2007
9. Jan 28, 2007 9:59 PM in response to: jess2omar
Re: best printer for latest imac just bought
orthocross wrote:

Consider: You purchase a parallel printer, but have no parallel port on your computer. Will that work out? Obviously not.

Not necessarily true. Many parallel port printers will work just fine as a USB printer with a USB-to-parallel cable. That is precisely how I have my HP LaserJet 6MP hooked up to my Mac. Since Macs don't have parallel ports and the HP LJ 6MP does not have a USB port, it would seem that they would not work together (I will note that the LJ 6MP does have an AppleTalk port, but then my Mac does not as is the case with newer Macs). A simple USB-to-parallel cable (about $10 to $15 at some stores) solved that issue. Now, my Mac prints just fine to the LJ 6MP. I would assume that this would work for many other parallel port printers.


[soapbox] Backup good...no backup bad!! [/soap box]
Click to view orthocross's profile New Member 14 posts since
Jan 22, 2007
10. Jan 29, 2007 10:08 AM in response to: jess2omar
Re: re Printer
jimt123 wrote:Hi- I answered your post about your PC/Mac stuff under your other post.

Like Kellie...I kind of think the Mac will "see" your printer if you plug in the USB cable...have you tried?


I did see Dell support does not offer any specific MAC sofware for your printer...but the Mac may well run it anyway. Try. You won't lose anything. There is also a freeware option called "Gimp Print" http://gutenprint.sourceforge.net/p_FAQ_OS_X.php3 which MAY work...


In my other post/response to you, I outlined a few ways to run XP on your new Mac...you can then operate your printer under XP on the Mac. Should work. If not...printers are cheap these daze.


See my reply...good luck! JT (-:


also - I recently got an iMac as well...got a "free" HP AOI (with mail in rebate) at time of purchase...did they not tell you? Or did you buy online? I used a Mac store...the C31180 Hp is pretty sweet...works fine with iMac...virtually all printers should...



Normally, Dell printers require the manufacturer's printer driver before they will be recognized by your OS. NOTE that Dell itself does NOT manufacture printers. They job the manufacturing out to third-parties, then re-brand them under the Dell brand.

Install the proper OS X driver from Epson's drivers download page, and OS X will recognize it.

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