Re: [tlug] [tlug-digest] Multi-function printer/scanner. Buy in Japan,Debian.

[Raphael Plasson <plasson@example.com>]

David Riggs wrote:

> I need a printer that will also do stand-alone copy-- i.e. like one of 
> the new all-in-ones from HP or Epson.
>
> Has anyone successfully bought an all-in-one ( or multi-function if 
> you wish) in Japan and installed it? I am running the current 
> Debian/Sarge.


Yep. I have bought (recently) the HP PSC 2355 all-in-one, and all is 
working here (Debian/Sid). Easily configured by CUPS through the 
Konqueror printer interface, using hpijs and hpoj, with PSC-2350 series 
driver (just don't forget to install cupsys-bsd if you want to be able 
to print by lpr commands, which is default for most applications). 
Scanner usable through sane. Gimpprint OK with the HP Deskjet 900 series 
driver. There is an LCD panel for stand-alone use, with no computer 
(direct copy for example). Initially all in japanese, of course, but it 
can be easily set into many languages. It is just a little hard to 
figure out how to do it if you can't read japanese, but the english (or 
other language) manual that can be downloaded on the HP website is quite 
helpful for it. There are slots for reading all kind of cards (SD, SM, 
CF, etc..) and they are just seen as regular USB mass storage by Linux, 
immediatly after they are plugged in the printer.
However, comparing to the Epson you are describing, there is no double 
side printing (gosh, this sounds great... it's a pity I don't have it. I 
didn't know this was existing for non-laser printers). And I don't know 
if there is a difference in printing costs (but I must recognize that I 
find that HP ink cartridges are quite expensive :-/ ).

However, it should be noted the printer that are referenced as "mostly" 
in linuxprinting.org will probably work well ("perfectly" really means 
it), but just few little things not working. Read well all informations 
on the site to be aware of the problem to be expected. Actually, my 
printer is also referenced as "mostly" (and it is actually the PSC-2350 
that is referenced, and not exactly the PSC-2355)... but I couldn't 
really figure out what is lacking. Maybe it should be possible to ask 
the printer to perform direct copy from the computer rather than from 
the printer buttons and panel... I do not have any commercial OS to try 
and see the differences, but they are probably quite useless.

Raphaël