Decent Home and Home Office Scanner from HP
Written: Jul 25 '00 (Updated Aug 20 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Decent Scan Quality, Low price for an HP scanner, durable quality, multiple easy to use quick buttons, LCD for copier like use, USB and parallel
Cons: Definitely not for professionals, copy machine functions hog up more CPU time, there are other scanners with higher resolution in same price range
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| yusakugo's Full Review: Archived Computer Hardware Reviews |
Leaning towards HP bargain line scanners is the newly released 4300C, 4300Cse, and 4300Cxi ScanJet scanners. They have begun to spring up in your local Staples, OfficeMax, etc..., and even in Wal-Mart! This is basically an overhaul of the 4200 series ScanJet with features towards making the scanner more useful as a color copy machine via your PC. Retail price is around $149, but you can shave a few bucks especially if you look on the web.
The scanner itself is a 600 dpi optical resolution, 600x1200 dpi hardware resolution, and up to 9600 dpi enhanced resolution. It is a one pass color and black-and-white scanner that scans up to 36-bit color. The scanner itself is fairly speedy although nowhere near the speed of the 6300 series and quite a bit slower than the 5300 series. It boasts USB and parallel connections and is Windows compatible. As with 3xxx and 4xxx series ScanJets... there is very little in the way of accessories. The maximum paper size in about 8.5 x 11.7 inches. The scanner weighs 7.5 lbs. The dimensions are 12 x 19.5 x 3.5 inches.
This scanner (like HP recent offerings) uses their new PrecisionScan software... although this is the LTX (i.e. light) version. It still breaks up the scanned item into various sections and scans each at the optimal resolution. This makes scanning very, very easy. However, their is quite a bit less usability than the 5300 and 6300 series PrecisionScan software. You don't have the same flexibility in customizing the regions and their attributes as much... but I have to play with the software some more.
Scan quality is very good... although colors seems to be a bit dark. Scans were for the most part clear and more than acceptable for a scanner in this price range.
The other software that comes with the 4300C includes an enhanced HP Scan Copy Utility, Corel Print House 2000, Adobe ActiveShare image management system, Trellix Web creation software, and ArcSoft PhotoMontage software. A USB and a parallel cable are included in the package. The scanner is compatible with both the ECP and EPP parallel port configurations. You also have the scanner lock switch for transporting the scanner.
Now the interesting item on this scanner is the LCD display with numerous buttons around it. The LCD is a counter that goes from 1 to 99 when you use the scanner in copier mode. You press the buttons until the number of copies you want appears and press the copy button. The scanner will tell the printer to make XX number of copies now... I guess this may be useful if you need it. I wasn't impressed by this since this still hogs up computer processing time. There are also two other buttons (preset to scan and e-mail).
Again, HP continues to make three different packages with the 4300C, 4300Cxi, and 4300Cse. When I find out the additional software in the Cxi and Cse versions, I will update this review.
Overall
This is an okay buy in my opinion. I don't think it's worth the $20 to $30 dollar difference for the additional copy machine functions from the ScanJet 3400C versus the ScanJet 4300C. Black and white copies through a laser printer are much faster than color copies through an inkjet... especially HP inkjet printers (which already have high lag times due to their drivers despite their excellent print output). I think it is easier, faster, more efficient, and more economical to get a copier or an all-in-one solution for the copying... at least it won't hog your personal CPU processing time. There are many out there... HP own OfficeJet 55 and 85 series are nice choices IMO. If you want to use a scanner to make your computer a copier machine, I'd think twice if you have an inkjet hooked up... The cost in inkjet cartridges alone would be devastating to your wallet. If you only need the occasional copy, this scanner still doesn't seem worth it with the ScanJet 3400C just released to market (However it does grow on you when you use it for a while... well it has on me). Overall, for all the features, the quality of the scanner, and scan clarity and definition, I would overall recommend the scanner to friends... however, I would strongly suggest the 3400C first if you're looking for a bargain HP scanner and even the 3300C and the 4200C before this scanner (much better prices with little quality improvement overall except for the 3300C's case). If you want better resolution, you should look at the 5300 and definitely look at the 6300 and 5370 series.
This review is based off setting up a friend's 4300C and playing with it for several days into the wee hours of the night. Personally, I own the ScanJet 5300C and am awaiting the 5370C to arrive. I have access to 6300 ScanJets at work. This is to let you have an idea as to what I'm comparing the 4300 ScanJets to.
Recommended:
Yes
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yusakugo
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Member: Rich Go
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