Weaknesses: slow, takes forever to startup, paper feeding issues
Bottom Line:
I'm writing this as a swansong. I used this printer a fair amount over the years, not a huge amount, but had enough success to want to see if I could repair it, even though I know it doesn't use archival inks. Anyway, it no longer feeds glossy paper properly, which is its real strength. I did some banner printing with it, which was useful. Its really hard to find any printer this format size that doesnt cost almost 2k now. 17 x 22 is a great size. My prints onto Ilford matte have not faded at all, though they're not in sunlight and its only been a few years. I was pretty happy with my prints, and I have to say they failed less than Epson's newer consumer printers which are such garbage they should be outlawed as threats to the environment, since all you can do with them is throw them away.
When I got banding with the 1520, it would go away with cleaning, and the inks drained slower than Epson's newer printers. However, this printer wont load paper properly, and has started to stop printing halfway into a print, then drag paper through, and print on the bare roller, which then smears on everything afterwards. In short, its ill. Oh well, off to the recycler. Epson should be brought up on charges of malfeasance for not making these printers upgradeable, and producing so much garbage, in addition to their great, and insanely expensive top-line printers.
I would say if you can get your hands on one that's working for cheap, it could be worth it.
It is nice to be able to print larger format work, in particular architectural drawings up to a C-- size. The printer is very flaky at paper feeding, however. Even with simple letter size sheets it tends to form feed sheet after sheet, announcing after each one that it is 'out of paper' and therefore requiring operator attention. Then, for no reason that I can discern it will start printing 5 or 10 sheets without a problem. Except for the large format capability I would recommend something else.
The worst printer I've ever owned. Paper jams are frequent, print quality is ok but not great. Gives "out of paper" messages when paper is full. Sprays ink even when no paper is fed. Gets itself into a "cover open" condition that the manual and website do not address.
Similar Products Used: Many HP, Brother and even Epson printers used since I've owned this. Relegated to a back-up which I only use when I need to refresh my disgust.
Overall Rating:
Value Rating:
Submitted by
Rick Drew
a
from Oak LAwn, IL
Date Reviewed: August 26, 2002
Strengths: Decent color, handles large media sizes.
Weaknesses: No paper jam sensor - it just keeps on spraying ink onto the feed roller. Overpriced ink.
Bottom Line:
Expensive ink, poor quality drivers, paper jams often. Had it for under a year and am literally throwing it away. Imagine having to babysit the thing so you don't come back to a puddle of ink under the printer. Imagine having a printer that feeds a dozen or so blank sheets until it finally decides to print. I was happy at first with this printer. But after about 6 months the thing started to jam like crazy - whats worse, it can't tell when it jams!
Submitted by
Michael Anderson
a
from New Orleans, LA
Date Reviewed: December 14, 2001
Strengths: It is pretty, and sometimes it works.
Weaknesses: Takes large paper that it won't print upon. Very noisy. Wastes lots of paper, and can easily cost more in wasted specialty paper that you save by not getting a better printer.
Bottom Line:
Although the quality is wonderful when I can get it to work, usually I can't. The paper feed jams consistently, gives "Out of Paper" messages when it has paper, and the occasional gobbledegook printed on repetative sheets of parer with the only way to make it stop it to turn it off.
