My New Toy, the HP PSC 1315 Multi-function Printer
Written: Mar 05 '05 (Updated Mar 10 '05)
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Pros: Inexpensive, not cheap; easy to use, great quality printing, scanning, copying and photo reproduction.
Cons: Hard to access cartridge slots.
The Bottom Line: A great machine, easy on the budget and on the technophobe.
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| renata77's Full Review: Hewlett Packard PSC 1315 All-In-One InkJet Printer |
The HP psc 1315v is the all-in-one printer I have been seeking for the past 10 years. I am SO happy with it, and I can’t believe all the capabilities contained within this compact unit. Printing, scanning, copying, and faxing using the Windows fax utility are seamless, all at a price that won’t break the budget. My "v" model did not include the USB cable that some other variations of the 1315 do. It did include extra software, "Scrapbook Factory" and "Greeting Card Factory." It has an installation CD for Windows and one for Mac. Resolution is up to 4800x1200 using good quality photo paper. It comes with a one year standard type warranty. This is my fourth HP, and the old ones never died, they were recycled with subsequent computer additions.
I have always wanted a multi-function machine because recent experiences with commercial copy machines have not been good, and I wanted a way to scan and fax documents. Since my last office job was about 30 years ago, I am not as conversant as I used to be with office technologies. I would go into Office Max, attempt to use their self-service copiers, and always end up having to ask for help. Something gets jammed, the paper feed is empty, or worst of all, I can’t figure out what other button(s) to push when just hitting the “Print” or “Copy” button doesn’t start the process. The last time, I couldn’t figure out how to get more than one copy at a time to print. Hitting the number buttons didn’t work, pressing the “Copy” button multiple times didn’t work, and trying voodoo combinations of both resulted in much sound and fury signifying nothing. I experimented for 10 minutes while asking the ghosts in the machine to please let me in on the secret, before finally having to beg for assistance in front of several other patrons who were having no problems at all. I hate machinery.
I love the idea of those kiosks for photo processing in Wal-Marts and other stores, but just having stood in front of them a couple of times left me baffled, even though I’ve been printing my own digital pictures from my computer for years. There is nothing on earth that can prod me into letting every Tom, Dick and Harry at the grocery store watch over my shoulder as I demonstrate my incompetence with button-loaded, blinkenlight machines. My husband now has a home office, so I was able to spare myself public humiliation by occasionally using his copier, but that necessitated walking up and down 2 flights of stairs with very bad knees.
The aforementioned is all to demonstrate how the HP has saved my bacon and face. There are eight buttons on this baby, and not one of them leaves the user wondering what the purpose is, nor is there a set of arcane button combinations to try to remember in order to print one or several copies. There is an LED digital display with two buttons beside it for increasing and decreasing the number of copies. Idiot proof! There is a lighted panel area which says "Black" with a button beside it to select for, well, black copies. Underneath that is another selection for color copies. The selected function begins flashing when pressed, so there is a second chance to detect an erroneous selection. One's selection of paper type is clearly evident, as "plain" or "photo" will light up. Another button selects either 100% duplication size, or "Fit to page" choice, which also light up. Yet another button selects the "scan" function, so there is no confusion between selecting copy and scan functions. Also on the display area are idiot lights for paper feed problems and ink cartridge problems - no guessing about what to check if the works get bollixed up.
Set up was reasonably easy, but installation took quite a while from the supplied CD. Unlike my last install CD from HP, this one was not DOA. File copying took about 15 minutes on my Pentium 4. There is an easy to follow, large installation poster included. The 1315v can stand alone without a computer to do all functions except faxing. It also has PictBridge technology, which allows PictBridge compliant cameras to attach directly to the printer via USB, sending pictures directly to the printer without having to go through the computer. (Hark, another toy looms on the horizon!)
There were so many features that I began to worry that ease and/or function would be compromised, but I needn't have. The one drawback I've found is the location of the printer cartridge slots - they are deep inside the machine at the lower half. I had to practically lay on the floor to see the cartridge slots and install cartridges, since I have one of those low-to-the-ground printer drawers.
Once the cartridges are in, alignment takes place nearly automatically. After a one to two minute wait, the machine automatically prints an alignment grid, which is then placed on the copy surface. The user presses the “scan” button and in about 30 seconds more the process is finished, without any other user input.
One reason that I was comfortable returning to HP from Lexmark is that the cartridges are a lot cheaper and last longer. There are two size choices for the black and color cartridges. The smaller sizes run $18 and $22 respectively, as compared to approximately $32 and $35 for similar sized Lexmarks, and they last a good deal longer. There is also an option to use a special photo ink cartridge as necessary, at a cost of $25.
Having never scanned a document in my life, and having heard all sorts of stories about bad copy and temperamental machinery, I decided with trepidation to try this function first, wondering if the scan genie would really pay heed to me. However, I soon found myself, without poring over the manual as I usually need to, scanning a newspaper article complete with graph, copying a document which contained a sketch, and printing my documents, all with flawless ease and perfect results. The speed was reasonable as well, and the noise was minimal except during the actual scanning sequences.
Right after scanning the graphic document, I decided to see if I could then fax it. The HP psc 1310 includes a utility called HP Digital Imaging Monitor with an easy interface which led me through the steps I needed. When I selected “scan” the screen presented me with about 15 options for using the image I would scan, including emailing it, faxing it, placing it on the clipboard, or opening it with one of the imaging programs on my computer. I selected “fax” and when the scanning was complete, the HP Monitor automatically opened the Windows fax utility and I was on my way, harassing my husband by sending my newly scanned document to his work fax. I learned I didn't need a mechanical guru after all - I needed an HP psc 1315 with its intuitive design and excellent reproduction!
The only reason I gave this printer a "jams rarely" rating is that I have never owned a printer that didn't jam sometimes. However, despite ominous sounding noises that sound like paper jams in this one, I haven't had a jam yet.
The most wonderful surprise is that the printer will take one of your old photos and enlarge or shrink it, or just copy it as is, easily and very nicely. I have some old photos of my husband as an infant from his first Christmas that are only a little more than one inch square - barely visible. I put them in the machine, inserted 4X6 photo paper, and selected “fit to page” and “photo” paper buttons as instructed. Within about 45 seconds I had beautiful 3.5" square prints - no more munchkins! If there had not been considerable white areas on the original, the print would have been about 4" by 4". The prints were quite good, with resolution comparable to the originals, and I had not even used the optional photo quality print cartridge. Next, I was able to take one of my wedding photos which I had in only a small 2x3 size, and blow it up to 4X6, also with great resolution and professional looking results. They were far better than any previous attempts at enlarging my digital photos via photo software - not grainy or amateurish looking at all. I began to feel like Joe Flaherty and John Candy on SCTV - I had "Blowed 'em up real good!"
I can see I’m going to be purchasing a lot more photo paper and ink. I knew they were up to something.
Never mind; if you are in the market for a multi-function printer, run, don't walk, to Wal-Mart and pick this up at a newly-reduced price $20 off regular retail. You might try Target as it looks like they have reduced the price to about $79 as well. Hurrah!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): $79
Operating System: Windows and Macintosh
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Epinions.com ID:
renata77
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Location: The Vast Midwest
Reviews written: 23
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
Eccentric, indefinable, not suitable for stereotyping. :)
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