Tom Apiaceae
- التعليق
I BOUGHT my HP 1102w about five years ago. It replaced my model 1012, which was very similar. The older machine lasted but a few years. The replacement ended its service life in an even shorter time. I had hopes for the "wireless" feature, which came with the new machine. A few hours of fruitless experiments dashed those hopes. I connected the USB plug and that was that. FIRST THE GOOD: The print is surprisingly sharp. The speed of rasterizing and output is admirable. The price is right. I LIKE the open paper drawer: I can easily load in a few pages for a quick job. Envelope loading is also fairly easy. To avoid confusing the sensor, remove paper before inserting envelopes. Printing *standard,* number 10 envelopes causes the printer to grind and complain. But the envelopes usually come out fine. There might be a little stray toner and some curled paper, but the result is usable. With the right software, you might be able to print short envelopes, such as number 6. Oddball envelopes (such as greeting card envelopes) might be more difficult: With these, positioning type in the right place is tricky. (Microsoft Word has custom settings that might help.) USB CUTOUT. On the printer cabinet, I like the small cutout for the USB connector. The cutout makes the connector easy to plug in or remove. (Some printers actually dont have this appreciated feature.) The cutout eases jimmying the cable, which becomes necessary when documents refuse to print. NOW THE BAD: In many ways, this machine is the "little print-engine that could." But its toy-like. Youre kidding yourself if you depend on it for anything beyond casual use. Even so, it will wear out in record time. Despite occasional and undemanding use, my printer died after about two and a half toner cartridges. The output paper table is flimsy and particularly annoying. Only two scrawny plastic tabs hold it in place. The table tends to fall off. When it does, it often pries the cartridge door open. The open door sets off an annoying error that stops the printer. Of course, printouts fly in every direction. Such events become more common as plastic parts loosen with wear. WIRELESS, HA! As many have reported, the wireless capability is a major disappointment. We never managed to coax this printer to work with cell phones. When the 1102w drops into "sleep" mode, it vanishes from the network. Try to find it! Sometimes a print command over the USB can arouse the printer. Sometimes, even the USB has no effect. And there goes the admirable speedy output! What if one needs a print for an immediate meeting? That situation initiates FWM (Frantic Workaround Mode): Start jiggling the on-off button. Disconnect and reconnect cables. Cancel and resend documents, etc. A computer reset plus a long wait is often necessary. Under your breath, grumble a few Saxon expressions. Maybe theyll serve as incantations to the Data Demon and revive the machine. No? Miss the meeting. Your boss is giving you the hairy eyeball. Throw up your hands in dismay. Never mind the HP manual. Its hopeless! (What else would you expect in these days of IT illiteracy?) To the uninitiated, the process recalls Fawlty Towers: The Complete Collection Remastered . (Mr. Fawlty had no end of equipment problems. If hed owned an 1102w, all of these troubles would have befallen him.) DOES ALL THE FIDGETING produce results? Sometimes YES! But in those less patient, more frenzied times (when you most need results), NO! Documents can disappear into a data black hole and never be seen again. In the most recent instance here, the black hole claimed the printer itself. Maybe a transient hit the wee HP and an invisible fuse popped. Ill never know. (HP doesnt reveal fuse locations. Dont bother researching in the book or on the Web. HP fuse locations are as secret as nuclear codes.) HP, RIP. After two and a half toner cartridges, fade to black forever. Ironically, the cadaverous printer remains shiny and new. Id like to say "it was fun while it lasted." Instead I say this: I was about to rectify the matter with TBM (the big mallet). This mallet is the universal fixative. I reserve it for use with delinquent IT products. The 1102w denied me that final pleasure. Summing up: Despite its cherubic cuteness and snappy print output, the 1102w is the opposite of dependable. I replaced it with an M402dn ( HP LaserJet Pro M402dn Monochrome Printer (C5F94A#BGJ) ), which definitely isnt a toy. I hope it will have more stamina. I hope I dont rue the day I bought it. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, three stars and two big mallets for the HP1102w.