Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Price Paid:  $399.00

Model Reviewed:
ALPS MD-1300

Summary:
Slow, expensive to feed, perfect otherwise. The ultimate printing device.

Strengths:
The best print quality I have ever seen, bar none, regardless of price or pedigree. Incredibly versatile.

Weaknesses:
Supplies relatively difficult to find, and this printer goes through them quickly. If it prints so slowly, how can it use ribbons so fast? Media handling could use improvement.

Similar Products Used:
HP (various) Xerox Docucolor Fiery QMS Tektronix

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 Year

Model Reviewed:
alps 1300

Summary:
Overall and very impressive product and did what it claimed to do. If you print high quality text and photos it is very hard to beat. If you print a lot of text then stick to an inkjet or laser, it will be cheaper in the long run.

Strengths:
Great color and clarity. Very sharp letters for text and very real photo like images.

Weaknesses:
It goes through ribbons like they are going out of style.

Similar Products Used:
Epson stylus pro

Customer Service:
Very good and helpful

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
2 Years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

Model Reviewed:
ALPS MD-1300

Summary:
Outstanding print quality, especially in dye-sub mode.
Extremely versatile with multiple printing modes.
Dry ink never runs, never dries out.
Great value.

Strengths:
This printer has more functions and printing options than I can count! It prints at 600 DPI on plain paper in full color or B&W. It can print at 1200 DPI on special "smooth" paper. It has a TRUE DYE SUB mode (at 600 DPI) using special print cartridges and paper (only $2-3 for a full 8x10" photo that is indistinguishable from a traditional photo). Each color is a separate cartridge that can easily be swapped out by opening the front cover--even if one runs out in the middle of a print job! The cartridges themselves are like typewriter (or mini cassette) ribbons--they're not liquid so they can't dry out, and they never run (waterproof prints). The printer accepts white ink (to print on colored papers), and metallic gold, silver, magenta, and cyan ink (nice highlights for your prints). You can feed in up to 120# paper (for cards, etc.). It also accepts t-shirt transfers. You have the option of a glossy overcoat on plain paper prints, or leaving it matte. All in all, you can do almost anything with this printer! I've printed photos, made invitations, greeting cards, t-shirts, etc., with the best output I've seen. Photographic output in dye-sub mode is perfect--far better than the ink-jet competitors, regardless of their DPI or claims.

Weaknesses:
Seems slow when printing full page color (only prints one "plane" at a time, then sucks the paper back into the machine). But, after using an Epson Stylus, it's not significantly slower (and the output is more impressive). Extremely rare banding visible in photo mode. Highly textured papers can have a detrimental effect on ink coverage if printing large solid areas. The sheer number of options and printing modes sometimes can be confusing.

Similar Products Used:
Epson Stylus printers. HP ink-jets.

Customer Service:
Excellent. I had a problem with banding on my MD-1300. Tech support asked me to try several different things, none of which worked. So, AT ALPS' EXPENSE, they sent me a new printer, and had my old one picked up. I've had no problems with the new one.