Older HP laserjet dilemma

[john-o]

I'm looking for advice about which of these printers to keep for my primary (b&w) printer.

I've been using (and perfectly happy with) an HP Laserjet 6MP, which I had connected to my network via an old SMC wireless router with a built-in print server (the 6MP only has parallel and serial ports).

I just snagged (for free) a Laserjet 4MV, with ethernet and 11 x 17 capability. The only problem I have with it is that it's much louder than the 6MP. It seems to have a fan that runs constantly, even when it goes into "power save" mode. It's also about three times bigger than the 6MP, but I have a spot for it.

What would you do? It's not like I need 11 x 17 very often, but seems like it would be nice to have. I have the thing turned off now, and will just turn it on when I need to print. I like being able to eliminate the SMC router from my network, since it serves no other purpose (it's 802.11a/b only), but I just can't decide.

I don't know anything about the relative strengths of these two models in other areas. I know they both do 600 dpi. Does one have a much better reputation for durability than the other? Are there other factors that I'm not aware of?

Thanks for your thoughts,
John

[Buzz]

[quote john-o]I'm looking for advice about which of these printers to keep for my primary (b&w) printer...

Does one have a much better reputation for durability than the other?
The fact that they're already both older than dirt ought to tell you enough about durability. The constant fan on the big puppy would be annoying, so that really means figuring out what your real needs are for 11 X 17, and what your options are for satisfying them. I'm guessing from post, that your needs aren't that great, and that if you can salvage any value from the 4MV, it would likely support, or exceed, your real needs for 11 X 17. If you truly had a real need for 11 X 17, you would have had a bigger printer long ago. Maybe trade it for a large format [quiet/fanless] inkjet.

[jdc]

4mv is a tank x 10 - not all of them made noise

i had 2, one was quiet, one was loud when sleeping, but both were loud when printing, no real way around that

i ended up putting mine in a closet to keep the noise down...

[john-o]

Thanks for the input.

I'll just have to continue to weigh my needs versus my options. I like the closet idea!

[will2000]

Dump them both and get a Brother 5250DN for letter/legal, and get an inkjet for the occasional tabloid.

The Brother is mouse quiet when sleeping, and not noisy when printing. You get 1200x1200 dpi, duplexing, and just plug it into your network. Power consumption is low too.

[john-o]

I have an inkjet that does tabloid. I'd just like to occasionally do tabloid on the laser. I'd probably do it more if I could!

Another question: is toner cheaper or easier to find for one vs. the other? I've been searching on this, but haven't found a definitive answer.

Thanks again!

[anonymouse1]

Does the 4mv do automatic duplex? That would answer the question for me--duplexing is cheaper on paper, more environmentally friendly, easier to carry around, etc.

[deckeda]

[quote john-o](the 6MP only has parallel and serial ports).
Really? Mine also has a LocalTalk port --- as I recall the MP was the Mac-friendly version of the LaserJet 6, adding LocalTalk and Postscript 2 in hardware. I don't use a print server with mine, but an Ethernet-to-Local talk solution and activate AppleTalk on the Mac.

Keep in mind the 4MV probably also uses more electricity. The fan always running may mean the fuser is always kept hot. (The 6 may be this way as well; I don't know.)

At work we just retired a slew of 5MPs, oddly enough due to a phone upgrade. They're replacing all of the standard phones with VoIP phones, and no one thought to configure them so as to not conflict with AppleTalk on the network ... so out the printers go.

Our new small printer is an HP 2015dn, not as cheap as the Brother. It has built-in Ethernet, duplexing, is very quiet and recognized by Bonjour (but you'd still want the HP driver that comes on the CD.)

[Paul F.]

Once you've gotten used to printing stuff on 11x17, you'll never go back to not having that capability.

I'd just get used to leaving the printer turned off when you're not using it, and turning it on for it's warm-up a little before you actually need it.

Saves power, and doesn't get on your nerves.

That's what I do with my HP 5si MX.. which is a BIG honkin beast.

[mattkime]

I'd turn it off when not in use - it probably still uses a significant amount of electricity in sleep mode.

The noisy fan can probably be replaced if you're willing to pop open the machine.