So, you want a large format printer?

[keith_cooper]

After some recent experience changing a print head on our iPF8300, and chatting to quite a few people in the business of selling/maintaining big printers, I realised just how many people buy LF printers (and there are some pretty good deals around) without thinking through what it entails.

I've written up some questions/thoughts that I hope will be of use for those thinking of dipping their toes in the waters of 'Big Prints'

'So, you want a large format printer?'

Of course if you're in this forum section, then you're already in the right place to find an awful lot of experience to take note of ;-)

It comes down to whether you want a delivery van, or a classic car?

Even though I do a fair bit of printing, my usage patterns fall more in the 'classic car' bracket, so I keep a roll of cheap proofing paper in our iPF8300, and set a diary reminder to do a thin wide print every 4-5 days.

[Jason DiMichele]

Nice article Keith. Great info for the newcomer to serious printing.

[Benny Profane]

Thanks

[wolfnowl]

Thanks for sharing!

Mike.

[mvsoske]

Excellent article!

Mark

[keith_cooper]

Thanks - glad to hear it's been of interest!

I just had a reminder to do an 'exercise print' and remembered that since the 8300 has an internal disk, I don't even need to open the file in PS to print it. I just go to the printer's web page and select the test print from the stored print jobs.  This makes it even simpler to do it remotely (via our VPN) if I'm out of the country :-)

[Benny Profane]

Your printer has a web page? Please explain.

That's my concern. Making this "exercise" print if I'm away.

[howardm]

most every ethernet network based printer these days has a builtin mini webserver to access settings and maint. info.

You just point your browser to http://whatever_the_IP_address_of_the_printer_is

I'm not sure how this would work if the printer is attached via USB

Your printer has a web page? Please explain.

That's my concern. Making this "exercise" print if I'm away.

[shadowblade]

Your printer has a web page? Please explain.

That's my concern. Making this "exercise" print if I'm away.

http://www.harveyheadcleaner.com/

[Benny Profane]

Cool. I love modern technology.

[BarbaraArmstrong]

Well, I'm sure I'll run into problems because I am the occasional user.  But I do absolutely love my 8300.  Keith, when I noticed that the smallest print you have exhibited in yea-many-years was 17" on the short side, I thought, add any margin to that and you have your argument for the large format printer.  I have to say I like large margins on my prints for stability behind the mat.  YMMV --Barbara