One unpleasant surprise with this all in one is the lack of manual duplexing option. Since this feature could have been implemented entirely in software, this appears to be a deliberate attempt by HP to create different segments. Note that MS Word offers manual duplexing outside of the printer driver, so this is not an issue. Unfortunately, this means that all _application_ software will have to support this. Caveat Emptor would be the comment by many, but you have to consider the present scenario where this is something taken for granted.
And if you attempt to print back to back manually, you run into difficulty as the pages are printed last page first, so that you end up with a blank second page. That is to say, if you have 2n + 1 pages to print, the first paper to come will be 2n+1 and 2n, and the next will be 2n-1 and 2n – 2 etc. The nth paper will be 2 and 3, and the first page will have to be printed on one side of the page. Perhaps you can now write “this page unintentionally left blank” on the other side. 😦
The documentation (printed) that comes with the system is not much. Most of it is an exhortation by HP to buy “original” cartridges. They have supplemented these by stickers on the machine itself, so it’s got something of a NASCAR look.
The cartridges are of the starter variety, and they come packed in plastic, which is surprisingly easy to open. If you have had the misfortune to try and open an HP cartridge packaging you will know how much suffering you have been spared.
The packaging is using recycled cardboard rather than thermocol. Environmentally correct or just being cheap? I am guessing the latter.
The print head calibration is performed using software. You take a printout and then the scanner loads it to memory where the configuration program aligns the print head. Those of who have had older HP printer will remember the lines printed on the calibration sheet which you had to pore over and analyze to perform this task. A welcome change indeed.
The scanner mechanism has its own issues. At the middle of the scan, there is a squeaking sound, where I suppose the fit is rather too tight. The default scanning settings start from 200 dpi.
An output tray is provided, and it actually works. Many low end machines don’t come with an output tray and this means you have to either catch each page as it comes out, or provide a large table for the printer.
Feature wise, this printer is just about OK. The only question is reliability. This is not meant for heavy duty work, but will it print / scan for at least a year? Only time will tell.
Update: The printer has stopped working. Previously when it was out of ink, a warning light on the printer would indicate which cartridge needed replacement (color or black and white). However, this time it just keeps printing blank pages. The ink level check in the software shows adequate ink in both the color and black and white cartridges.
Update 2: Having replaced the black cartridge, it is able to print black ink only pages.
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