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Buying Guide--Multifunction Devices
by Amazon.com
Need office technology for your home or small business? Don't spend
thousands of dollars on a separate printer, scanner, fax, and copy machine--a
multifunction device can do all of these jobs for you at a fraction of the
cost. Multifunction devices take advantage of the overlap between technologies
to bring you an all-in-one office machine.
Overview
Multifunction devices--peripherals that combine printing,
scanning, copying, and faxing capabilities--are excellent examples of
technology convergence taken to its logical conclusion. Separate devices to
perform these common tasks take up more room and cost a whole lot more than a
single unit with integrated features. It used to be that choosing a
multifunction device meant settling for mediocre technology--but not anymore.
Today's multifunction models offer a nice blend of the latest technology at
affordable prices. Our guide will help you decide which multifunction device is
right for you.
The all-your-eggs-in-one-basket disadvantage
Multifunction devices make it possible to equip your office with
printing, scanning, faxing, and copying functionality with a single hardware
purchase. However, there is one fundamental downside. With all of these key
technologies in one piece of equipment, if the unit goes down, you lose your
fax machine, copier, printer, and scanner all at once. More likely is a
scenario where only a portion of your multifunction device will fail, but
you'll still need to get the unit repaired. When shopping for a multifunction
model, take special note of the vendors' warranty and repair policies.
Print technology
Multifunction devices come with either laser or ink-jet printer
subsystems. Which type you choose will depend on whether you need to print in
color; color laser engines are just too expensive to put in an affordable
multifunction. If the unit is going to do heavy duty as a fax machine and you
can do your color printing elsewhere, a monochrome laser-based multifunction
will save you money in cost per page and likely deliver faster printing. For
maximum output flexibility, however, go with a color ink-jet model.
Copying
One of the key functions of a multifunction device is to replace
the standard office copy machine. When copying a document, you're usually in a
hurry, so scan speed, printer speed, and an intuitive control panel all come
into play. Make sure the multifunction you choose has the capability of copying
documents without involving your PC--the last thing you want to do is boot your
computer just to copy a page. Some models can do black-and-white copies alone,
but require the computer's memory to handle the more storage-hungry color
copies. If you go with a color ink-jet model, make sure it can scan in either
24-bit or 30-bit color to deliver color copies. Other copying features to look
for are a wide range of reduction and enlargement settings, ability to print
50-100 copies at a time, and one-touch single copies. .
Fax capabilities
Multifunction devices offer the same long list of features and
capabilities as any mainstream fax machine. Industry-compatible, 14.4 Kbps,
internal fax modems are standard, but there are plenty of other things to look
for. Does the unit have a telephone handset? What is the capacity of the
automatic page feeder? Does the model offer plenty of memory presets for common
numbers and one-touch dial-up capability? Another key feature to look for is
broadcasting--like fax machines, many multifunction devices can be programmed
to fax to several locations in quick succession. Even features like Caller ID
and Distinctive Ring (for sharing a phone line with a telephone) are available
on some models. Since your multifunction will serve for many tasks, it's likely
to run out of paper a lot--how many incoming fax pages can the unit buffer in
memory until you replenish the paper supply? As an added bonus, some models
even utilize the telephone connection to implement voice-mail features.
Resolution
With a multifunction device, you have two resolutions to
consider: printing and scanning. For printing, the resolution indicates the
density of printed dots on the page, measured both vertically and horizontally.
Scanning resolution is just the opposite--it measures the sensitivity at which
the scanning head detects the content on a page. Many multifunction models
offer only monochrome scanning, but some can scan in 24-bit or 30-bit color. If
you're only going to use the scanner on the unit for outgoing faxes and quick
copies, you might not need color scanning. If you want to input photos through
your multifunction device, however, make sure it scans in color.
Look for at least 600 x 600 dpi print resolution, but don't be
put off by 720 x 360 dpi models--they provide similar output quality. Scanning
resolution doesn't need to be nearly as high--200 dpi or 300 dpi is fine for
common tasks. Be skeptical of super-high scanning resolutions such as 1200 x
1200 dpi--these are likely interpolated, meaning input accuracy is augmented
through software. Most of the time such interpolation resolutions just slow
things down and waste disk space, so focus on the optical resolution, which
ranges from 200 dpi and higher.
Ink/toner configuration
Certain configurations of toner and ink tanks can make your life
easier. If your multifunction uses a laser printer engine, note the rated life
of the toner cartridge--they tend to vary quite a bit. Ink-jet models come in
many more configurations. Some ink jets use separate ink tanks for each color;
such models let you minimize consumable waste but usually only include as much
black ink as the other colors (cyan, yellow, and magenta). Since you're likely
to print lots of black-text documents, a configuration that uses a larger black
reservoir is preferable. The best layout for multifunction devices is a
tri-color ink/print head cartridge and a separate black one. Even better are
configurations that let you replace a color cartridge with a high-capacity
black cartridge and quickly swap in the color cartridge only when you need to
print in color.
Speed
Multifunction devices have several speed ratings you should
consider. First and foremost is the rated print speed, since this performance
rating will come into play for copying and receiving incoming faxes as well.
Most of your output will probably be monochromatic--text documents, faxes, and
copies--so focus on the print-speed rating for black documents. Even ink-jet
multifunctions should be rated at six pages per minute (ppm) or better for
black text, and you can find some affordable models rated at more than 10 ppm.
Remember that you're not likely to actually get these rated speeds, but you can
reasonably expect about 80 percent of the listed speed. Color performance will
likely be much lower, depending on coverage and resolution.
Scanning and copying speeds are also critical. Rated scan speeds
are sometimes not easily available, but the units with the faster print engines
are more likely to support quicker scanning as well. Copy speed should be close
to the rated printing speed if not exactly the same. One paper path issue comes
into play here: units that have separate scanning and printing output trays
usually have the ability to print the first copy while the original is scanned,
while those that share an output slot must wait for the original to be ejected
before outputting the copy.
Control panel
Unlike with a regular printer, you'll often work directly at
your multifunction device. Whether you're sending a fax, making copies, or
programming the unit's memory, a well-designed control panel will help you
avoid frustration. A good layout includes a combination of traditional fax and
copy machine buttons, along with a few more to let you set print modes. A
numeric keypad and a large copy button are a must, and an LCD that provides
clear and descriptive messages is important. When you use the unit to make a
quick copy or send a fax, the experience should be nearly identical to using a
traditional device. Multifunction devices have many programmable settings;
setup menus also need to be intuitive to let you sort through the many
configurations.
Cost per page
Since a multifunction device is by definition a frequently used
piece of equipment, ongoing operation cost is a significant concern. As with
any printer, cost per page is the figure you want to get a handle on. This
number is difficult to accurately calculate since it varies according to the
type of documents you print and the paper you use--and vendors typically
underestimate it in their official cost ratings. Some basic rules will help you
keep costs down: look for ink-jet models that include black ink cartridges that
can be changed separately, aim for a unit that can print high-quality images on
plain copier paper, and compare toner cartridge yields between laser models
before you buy.
Paper handling
Paper paths in a multifunction device are trickier to design
than in ordinary printers. Printer documents and incoming faxes essentially
follow the same path from paper source to output tray; however, multifunctions
must also provide a page feeder and separate output tray for fax and copy
originals. Depending on the unit's form factor, this complication can lead to
cut corners on tray capacities, so make sure the model you pick can handle
enough paper for your workload. Also check the number of pages the
copier/outgoing fax feeder can hold and feed automatically; 10 pages or more is
pretty good for this class.
Memory
Multifunction devices with fax capabilities come with different
amounts of memory that can be allocated for various functions. This memory can
be used to store preset fax numbers, incoming fax pages, and, for some models,
even voice-mail messages. Memory can also determine how many pages the unit can
buffer for copying and broadcast faxing. Allocation of the memory is not
consistent between units, so don't get hung up on memory sizes; compare the
number of phone numbers and fax pages the vendor claims to be able to store.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
One of the handiest applications of the scanner is Optical
Character Recognition (OCR). Using OCR, you can scan documents into your
computer and automatically translate them into word-processing documents. Many
multifunction models bundle OCR software in the box; common OCR programs that
do a good job include Caere OmniPage Limited Edition and Xerox TextBridge. If
you plan on utilizing OCR, make sure you get a multifunction device that offers
an automatic document feeder (ADF) that can feed at least 10 pages at a time.
Drivers
Driver software is extremely important to the usability of a
multifunction device. It provides the software interface for your PC or
Macintosh to print, scan, fax, and even copy documents. This commonly involves
a few different drivers: a standard printer driver, a printer driver for
faxing, and a TWAIN-compatible scanner driver. These are merely standard
components; the real test of multifunction driver software is how well it
integrates all these functions. There is usually an integrated control-center
program that furnishes centralized control of the device's input and output
functions. Look for a clean interface that you can work with day to day, as
well as a clear presentation of operational status and hardware problems.
Application software
Multifunction devices not only come with driver software, but
also typically include application bundles as well. A well-balanced bundle
should provide a healthy selection of printing goodies, optical character
recognition (OCR) software for scanning in text documents, and photo
manipulation software. Most ink-jet models that print in color come with
packages that let you design and print everything from cards and banners to
color marketing materials. Programs such as Adobe PhotoDeluxe and Kai's Power
GOO let you edit photos and apply special effects. While many of the software
bundles are primarily home-oriented, some included with laser-based units are
more properly geared toward small businesses.
Pricing
Street prices of multifunction devices have come down
dramatically in recent months, and there are now models available for as little
as $300. Not all printer vendors market multifunction models, but those that do
often offer several models across the performance and functionality spectrum.
You might expect laser-based models to cost more than ink jets, but their more
simplified monochrome nature means they overlap with some ink-jet multifunction
devices in price. $600 will get you either a color ink jet or monochrome laser
unit. When comparing prices, make sure you carefully match capabilities and
specifications. Remember that there are printer, scanner, fax, and copier
features to compare.
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