wide format color printer recommendations

[Lighthouse 3]

I'm about ready to give up on my designjet 500.  Even though the machine operates perfectly, I cannot figure out a way to consistently get it to work with my computer.  It's mystifying how a driver can work one day and not the next, when nothing has changed, but I have wasted too many hours downloading and deleting new drivers to want to continue on this route.  Planned obsolescence!  Tragic to take a perfectly good machine to the dump.

 

Anyway, I'm looking for printer recommendations.  I print 24x36" prints, and like to use color to highlight various things.  Not high volume, but I like to do test prints before sending files to the copy shop, and my copy shop charges an absurd amount for large format color prints.   If I'm going to upgrade, I would ideally get something that could printer color well enough that I could do a page of renderings that wouldn't look like crap.

 

Now the hard part- I would prefer not to spend more than $1500, but am happy to get a used machine, provided it's not so old that I have the same kind of driver problems that I have now.  I would like at least windows 7 compatibility, without having to use some aftermarket driver.   While I have owned HP for many years, I'm very open to trying a new brand.

 

Thanks much for any suggestions!

[jscussel 36]

David,

 

I have a HP DesignJet T520 that works great for light duty.

 

Brand new it's in your price range. Comes with the floor stand.

 

Look into HP Designjet large format printers.

[JLDrafting 11]

I've had the HP T120 for a couple of years now and like it very much. It replaced a 110R that I had for several years. The T520 would have been my first choice (faster and has stand), but I needed to save on the price at the time (on sale for $800). I'm not familiar with any other brands as a comparison. I love the wi-fi instead of hard wire connection.  

[Lighthouse 3]

I've had the HP T120 for a couple of years now and like it very much. It replaced a 110R that I had for several years. The T520 would have been my first choice (faster and has stand), but I needed to save on the price at the time (on sale for $800). I'm not familiar with any other brands as a comparison. I love the wi-fi instead of hard wire connection.  

Hey Jim, thanks for the reply.  Do you think this printer would fit on my old designjet 500 stand?  Seems redundant to buy a printer with a stand when I have a good one already.  My stand measures 31 1/4" outside to outside, and seems to clip into the bottom of the printer.  But maybe the 120 has no provision to sit on a stand?  Also, how is the color quality for a rendering? (if you use it that way).  thanks

[lbuttery 167]

David:

 

do you print straight to the printer from layout ??

 

if so, try creating a PDF first - seems to cure many print driver issues

 

using PDF's also have many other advantages

can email to others

can keep an archive of exactly what you printed/sent

 

and many other benefits

 

I still use PDF995 which use to come with Chief

 

others like Bullzip and Nitro and ....

 

Lew

[Lighthouse 3]

David:

 

do you print straight to the printer from layout ??

 

if so, try creating a PDF first - seems to cure many print driver issues

 

using PDF's also have many other advantages

can email to others

can keep an archive of exactly what you printed/sent

 

and many other benefits

 

I still use PDF995 which use to come with Chief

 

others like Bullzip and Nitro and ....

 

Lew

Hi Lew,  

Yes, I always create a pdf first with PDFill.  What is frustrating is that it will work one day and not the next, and nothing has changed (not even restarting the computer).  It's not a mechanical issue, just some driver problem.  It either shows the printer offline, or prints half a sheet, and then prints the other half of the drawing on another sheet.

[Lighthouse 3]

Hey Jim, thanks for the reply.  Do you think this printer would fit on my old designjet 500 stand?  Seems redundant to buy a printer with a stand when I have a good one already.  My stand measures 31 1/4" outside to outside, and seems to clip into the bottom of the printer.  But maybe the 120 has no provision to sit on a stand?  Also, how is the color quality for a rendering? (if you use it that way).  thanks

Jim, one other question, as that looks like a good printer for me-  can it print 24 x36?  it seems from the literature that the max size is 22x34.  I do some big houses that need the larger size in order fit on a sheet at 1/4" scale.

[JLDrafting 11]

It has a 24" roll feed.

http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/hp-designjet-t520-24-in-eprinter

 

 

[Gawdzira 177]

I replaced my 110 with a 120 recently. What a great change. It is pretty fast and easy to load the roll. Color out put is good for condocs.

[ShaneK 84]

HP Designjet - T790ps HPGL2

[Lighthouse 3]

I ordered the HP T520 from Amazon today for $1200.  It was a tough decision, as craig's list had a lot of used high-end plotters for half the price.  I decided to go new because I have reached my threshold for time-wasting printer problems.  We shall see.....   Thanks to all who made recommendations.

[jscussel 36]

Good choice....

[JLDrafting 11]

Wish I had ordered when this topic was current. Price is back to full now.