printer/scanner

[Sebby]

I have tried most makes Baz, my favourite is Brother All in Ones, cheap compatible cartridges readily available, I did list one in the Bargain Basement section on here, but I reckon the offer has now ended.

I second this. They're not the greatest in terms of quality, but they're good value, and even the genuine cartridges are quite cheap. They're very easy to setup, too.

[Baz]

latest update on my daughters new HP printer.

Over the moon when it came on time from Ebuyer. Got a call from her on the night telling me about it and that she was going through setting it up but there was no USB lead in the box. Now I have heard of this before from some manufacturers not including leads and it really annoys me, but myself I have bought from other online companies and have had everything included. So all I could say was that she would have to buy one the next day......cost her £5.

The next day I got in from work and after stewing on it all morning thought to myself, s*d it and got on the phone to Ebuyer. (this is the first time I have actually used them, heard loads of good stuff so ...give them a go). Explained to the guy what had happened, I was online at the time so he said can I go to their site and look at the description of the model,I had already checked this just in case, can you scroll to the 'extra technical stuff' part and look at the 'Whats in the box' section. yes.

Well in there Sir, it says what you get, printer...DER!!!!!.... software, cartridges, power lead, etc. told me the bit about most manufacturers  do this now, we are not opening boxes and taking leads out. Told him the bit that yes I understand you are not doing that but seen as I have paid £265 for a printer I expect to be able to use it, also that I have never  experienced this from all the other places I have bought from and I cannot find in the description that it says you will need to buy a lead. He put me on hold for a while and came back and said they would send one out for me and yes it was a bit mis-leading (no pun intended there  ) that it doesnt mention you will need to buy one anywhere on their site and they will be changing the description for similar items (havent done so yet though). Just before he went I said that you had been highly recommended and I was a bit surprised  at this and wondered if any of there other stock items would be the same as I was looking to buy more things soon. He didnt know if that was the case or not.

So bit of a initial set back from my first Ebuyer purchase. And on top of it all when my daughter rang me she said it wouldnt install  and she kept getting a message window saying something on the lines of usb port could not detect external device???

got me stumped at the moment and cant just pop round to fix it for her. 

will see how it goes today. told her to uninstall it all, Some software is in there but no entry for the printer in C. panel etc, and try again and to follow the instructions exactly.

could it be a dodgy lead?  is that possible?

[Rik]

It's common industry practice not to supply a USB cable, Baz, and I don't think it's fair to pick on a retailer for that - it's the manufacturers who decide what to put in the box. My Laserjet, for example, didn't come with either an ethernet or USB cable, nor did I expect it to (I have a cable 'shelf' iac). Similarly, camera manufacturers often don't include a memory card these days.

The installation problem could be down to not following instructions exactly. These hydras are very fussy about doing things in exactly the right order. It's unlikely that a USB cable would be faulty, though it can happen. OTOH, if your daughter is trying to use a USB hub, that's much more likely to be the cause.

[Baz]

Hmmmm strange though Rik.To me its like buying a car then getting it delivered to find out it has no engine. I bought my own Epson all in one about two years ago and that included every thing needed to use it. Ok I bought it from a fair, but the dealer has shop outlets too so it wasnt a one off, hadnt been open to add a lead...it was included. Thought the model I got was ok so pointed a mate to Amazon for the same model and that too had it all.

Got our son a Samsung camera for xmas and that too had a card included. Just looked around for the right deal. Unless I'm just lucky.

No usb hub Rik, straight from her lappy to the printer. Yeah the correct order thing may be the catch.she says her lappy has been slow lately but wont go take the time to 'tidy it up '  I said maybe she skipped a bit too quickly. you get the option of plugging it in when it asks or waiting till later, may be that. Dont know

[Rik]

Hi Baz

Some manufacturers include cables and cards, some don't. My point was that's it's unfair to blame the retailers - as the man says, they don't go through boxes removing cables.

It's worth checking that the lappy can support the current drain of the printer, it's one case where a powered hub might actually help.

[Inactive]

I have never had a USB lead with any printer that I have purchased, so it isn't just HP or eBuyer, I keep a stock of 49 pence ones, just in case.

I agree it is so annoying tho'.

As Rik says. I have found that if printers are not installed " to the letter " they play up, usually if the USB is connected to soon in the process.

I too have on occasions got a memory card with a camera, however, it was usually too little capacity to be of any real use.

Good luck with the printer.

[Baz]

Hi Baz

Some manufacturers include cables and cards, some don't. My point was that's it's unfair to blame the retailers - as the man says, they don't go through boxes removing cables.

It's worth checking that the lappy can support the current drain of the printer, it's one case where a powered hub might actually help.

didnt mean it to sound that way, but it should be made clear too, IMO

powered hub Rik?  as in a plug into socket power.Dont think Ive come across one of those

[Rik]

Hi Baz

I read descriptions as saying 'no cable' unless it says otherwise, it's the safest way.

This is a typical powered hub. If you go for one, make sure it's USB2, not 1.1, dtr of 480, not 12 Mbps.

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/57714