Hewlett Packard Photosmart C6280 All-In-One InkJet Printer
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- Black Print Speed: 34 ppm
- Color Print Speed: 33 ppm
- Output Type: Color Printer
- Technology (Detailed): Thermal Inkjet
- Printer Type: All-In-One Printer
- All-in-One Functions: Copier Scanner
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96
HP Re-Invents the Network Productivity Hub
Pros
Better, faster than previous models, great quality and easy to use.
Cons
Paper capacity is somewhat limited. Many users will require it to be reloaded often.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
The software alone is worth the price. For single user or network, this is the go-to print/scan solution to choose.
I purchased this printer because I liked the specifications. Having never had happy experiences with scanners, I was hoping to be able to drag a few images off the glass as I needed them but did not have high hopes based on past experiences with other scanner products. I was VERY pleasantly surprised. This printer builds upon previous models in this class, adding speed, reliability and easy networking along with improved software applications.
Scanning has come a long, long way since my last flatbed scanner purchase and two weeks later, I am still experiencing jaw-dropping performance from this HP product and learning something each day which makes my office run more efficiently,
The Basics
This scanner is billed as an "all in one". While it does not have built-in fax capability, it makes up for this with its Ethernet networking capabilities. It provides scan, normal print from the main paper tray and photo printing from the second, ingenious photo tray which is pulled in and out of the printer as needed for photo printing so it hides on top of the main tray.
The network capabilities of this printer allow it to serve any number of computers on a network and it can do so very intelligently. Plug it into the router and set up the software (easily worth the price of the printer in itself) and it has full, bi-directional communications with every computer on the network. It gives each user access to print and scan and also provides a suite of tools which integrate neatly into PC and Mac computers.
Styling is excellent. It is small and all controls are clearly labeled and easy to use. A small, easy to read color display can be tilted to a comfortable viewing angle.
Software
The software which HP wrote for this printer is worth the price of the printer. It's simply outstanding on both PC and Mac. The PC version is a long install (about 43 minutes) but it gives the PC access to the HP software update system to update any HP software being used with one click and it also installs HP Scan, HP Photo Express, HP Photo Premier and HP Photo Sharing. It's a bit of a drive-grinder while installing but it is worth the wait as this software adds real capability which is lacking in PCs.
Windows provides only very basic tools for scanning and manipulating photos, often resulting in the need to purchase additional software which may go way over the heads of most users and provide capabilities which just are not needed. If you want to scan, adjust color, clean up photos or documents, crop, export to applications, etc., this is all you will need. It is a very complete suite of tools and they work with the existing Windows directory structure to put your scans and photos in the right places under "My Documents" by default or anywhere else you choose.
On a Mac, installation takes about five minutes. The HP software provides add-ons for the Mac but takes advantage of iPhoto. It can be used as a stand-alone application for its enhancing abilities can be tapped from within iPhoto through the print menu. So, it may be used as a separate entity or integrated or both and the user can decide on the fly how to interface with the software. Integration is so seamless and complete that if the cover of the printer is lifted while it is on, the Mac will display a window alerting the user that the printer's cover is up and that the printer is unavailable for this reason.
This printer makes excellent use of Bonjour technology. For those unfamiliar, Bonjour is a third generation Apple development which all major printer makers have used since the year 2000. It is smart plug and play which allows the operating system and printer to communicate, find each other and fall in love. Plug such a printer/scanner into your computer or network hub and that's about it.
Bonjour for Windows (XP) is a functional work-alike to the Mac version. Install it and you can manage your printers in your browser (IE, Safari, etc.) It also installs a tool for adding printers, completely bypassing all of the set-up needed in Windows. A printer/scanner really puts Bonjour to the test but I am pleased to report that on a variety of PCs, it functions flawlessly across the network.
Printing
The printer installs on the network in a manner which inspires confidence. I still chose to put its assigned DHCP address into my static list on my router so it gets the same IP address on the network each time. This can save some confusion down the road and I think it is just a smart step to prevent possible conflicts.
After the software is installed on each computer, each will have the ability to control every aspect of the printer. The printer can be managed via the embedded web server or through the utilities provided in the HP Printer Toolbox. Mac users can go to the printer directly via Bonjour from within Safari, bypassing the need for the printer's IP address.
From the print menu on the PC or Mac, the user can choose settings and customize any print job to use either paper tray, print quality, etc. The six print cartridges (black, cyan, light cyan, yellow, magenta, light magenta) work seamlessly to deliver fast, high quality output even in draft mode. Put it into photo mode and photos look as if they came from a professional lab. The printer handles the two paper trays so well that it is actually fun to watch. The only caveat is that they do not hold a lot so if there are a number of users, the printer will need to be restocked often. Print cartridges seem to have an amazing lifespan. A set will cost $65 at list but HP is currently offering a promotional pack with a two-inch stack of photo paper for $33 at many retailers.
Controls
Controls of the printer allow the user to scan, copy in monochrome or color, print photos locally without the need for a computer, transfer photos from the card reader to any computer on the network and scan to any computer and to a specific application on that specific computer. Let me explain.
Say you want to scan a check and send it to Sally in Office B. Put the check on the glass, close the cover and select "scan menu". The display asks what you want to do. You can scan to print, scan to share via an HP PhotoShare account or scan to a computer. Select computer and all computers on the network will appear. Select Sally's computer and then Word, Wordperfect, Adobe Photoshop, email, Photo Express, Photo Premier or any other detected applications on that computer. Then press OK. That's it. The scanner will alert Sally's computer that a scan is being sent to that computer and it will run the application which was selected at the scanner to receive the application. The user of the computer has ultimate control and can cancel the send of a scan or accept it. Accepting it will trigger a scan after which the scanner will send the document or photo over the network to Sally and alert the scanner operator that the operation has finished. From that point, Sally can crop, enhance, enlarge, print, email or paste the scan into the selected application or any other.
The same process is used for sending photos from media cars which are plugged into the card reader. Photos can be selected, cropped, enhanced and printed at the printer or they can be directed to any computer on the network - all from the control panel of the C6280.
Print Quality
Print quality is outstanding across the board. This printer is fast and can produce a 4x6" bordered or borderless photo in just a few seconds. Select the "best" print setting and it takes a bit longer but it looks like a professional photo. Routine document printing is fast and efficient. The printer handles envelopes without crunching or curling them. The speed is nothing short of amazing on any print job.
The printer can queue print jobs all by itself. If multiple network users send jobs to the printer at the same time, it will take them one at a time without getting confused.
Energy Efficiency
This is an Energystar compliant printer which will put itself to sleep if it is not being used. It shuts down even the color information display but wakes quickly and without the need to warm up. When in sleep state, the power button has to be pressed once to wake it up and then again to shut it down, but when a command button is pressed or a data card inserted or a print job is received, it wakes immediately.
Value
This printer typically sells for $199. The software is easily worth that because it gives PCs capabilities which they just do not have and it adds functionality to Macs to augment capabilities built into OS X. The software can also link other HP PhotoSmart printers on the network, including wireless printers, giving the user a choice of printers to access. It's a brilliantly-written package and does justice to both PC and Mac platforms.
The software is so good that the scanner/printer can be seen as a nice bonus. The overall package is a real bargain and after a very short learning curve, the user will be singing its praises. It's a printer which just works, does a great job and doesn't take a lot of fiddling on the part of the users. In other words, it's a productivity enhancer, not a productivity killer.
Summary
While my expectations were not high based on experiences with older scanning equipment, this HP C6280 put on a real scan and print clinic for me. The seasoned hardware expert will appreciate its capabilities but the casual user will be able to use it effectively without needing a weekend course and a three-inch-thick manual.
For all it does, the price is a genuine bargain and should not put one off because it doesn't seem spendy enough. It's a high quality office instrument.
Notes specific to Vista and Leopard
HP has done a great job of catching up to Microsoft and Apple with its drivers. Vista and Leopard do present some challenges for HP in this area. For the most part, the drivers for Vista are complete and this printer is shipping with current software. For users of the new Mac OS X "Leopard" (10.5.1), you will need to download the late beta package from the HP website. This adds improved capability over the Tiger/Panther version but HP indicates it is not finished yet and a complete release will be available "soon".
Use of the Tiger version will enable all printer functionality but not scanner functionality. Scan capabilities under the Leopard version of the HP software are significantly improved and I have only found one area in which the software comes up short. This is the selection of the paper tray from iPhoto. If you are running Leopard AND iLife '08, you will not be able to access the section of the print dialogue which allows for selection of the photo paper tray. This will most likely be corrected in the final version from HP but until then, here are two work-arounds:
1) Simply load 4x6" photo paper into the MAIN paper tray. The printer paper guides will permit this and the photo paper feeds very well from the main tray. Then print from iPhoto normally, ignoring the paper tray selection.
2) From iPhoto, drag your adjusted/edited, ready-to-print photos to the desktop and go into the HP Photosmart studio (icon in the dock). In the selection box on the left, click "desktop" and then just highlight the photos you dragged there. Select the print icon at the top of the window and then select paper size, type, and PHOTO TRAY and print.
Scanning has come a long, long way since my last flatbed scanner purchase and two weeks later, I am still experiencing jaw-dropping performance from this HP product and learning something each day which makes my office run more efficiently,
The Basics
This scanner is billed as an "all in one". While it does not have built-in fax capability, it makes up for this with its Ethernet networking capabilities. It provides scan, normal print from the main paper tray and photo printing from the second, ingenious photo tray which is pulled in and out of the printer as needed for photo printing so it hides on top of the main tray.
The network capabilities of this printer allow it to serve any number of computers on a network and it can do so very intelligently. Plug it into the router and set up the software (easily worth the price of the printer in itself) and it has full, bi-directional communications with every computer on the network. It gives each user access to print and scan and also provides a suite of tools which integrate neatly into PC and Mac computers.
Styling is excellent. It is small and all controls are clearly labeled and easy to use. A small, easy to read color display can be tilted to a comfortable viewing angle.
Software
The software which HP wrote for this printer is worth the price of the printer. It's simply outstanding on both PC and Mac. The PC version is a long install (about 43 minutes) but it gives the PC access to the HP software update system to update any HP software being used with one click and it also installs HP Scan, HP Photo Express, HP Photo Premier and HP Photo Sharing. It's a bit of a drive-grinder while installing but it is worth the wait as this software adds real capability which is lacking in PCs.
Windows provides only very basic tools for scanning and manipulating photos, often resulting in the need to purchase additional software which may go way over the heads of most users and provide capabilities which just are not needed. If you want to scan, adjust color, clean up photos or documents, crop, export to applications, etc., this is all you will need. It is a very complete suite of tools and they work with the existing Windows directory structure to put your scans and photos in the right places under "My Documents" by default or anywhere else you choose.
On a Mac, installation takes about five minutes. The HP software provides add-ons for the Mac but takes advantage of iPhoto. It can be used as a stand-alone application for its enhancing abilities can be tapped from within iPhoto through the print menu. So, it may be used as a separate entity or integrated or both and the user can decide on the fly how to interface with the software. Integration is so seamless and complete that if the cover of the printer is lifted while it is on, the Mac will display a window alerting the user that the printer's cover is up and that the printer is unavailable for this reason.
This printer makes excellent use of Bonjour technology. For those unfamiliar, Bonjour is a third generation Apple development which all major printer makers have used since the year 2000. It is smart plug and play which allows the operating system and printer to communicate, find each other and fall in love. Plug such a printer/scanner into your computer or network hub and that's about it.
Bonjour for Windows (XP) is a functional work-alike to the Mac version. Install it and you can manage your printers in your browser (IE, Safari, etc.) It also installs a tool for adding printers, completely bypassing all of the set-up needed in Windows. A printer/scanner really puts Bonjour to the test but I am pleased to report that on a variety of PCs, it functions flawlessly across the network.
Printing
The printer installs on the network in a manner which inspires confidence. I still chose to put its assigned DHCP address into my static list on my router so it gets the same IP address on the network each time. This can save some confusion down the road and I think it is just a smart step to prevent possible conflicts.
After the software is installed on each computer, each will have the ability to control every aspect of the printer. The printer can be managed via the embedded web server or through the utilities provided in the HP Printer Toolbox. Mac users can go to the printer directly via Bonjour from within Safari, bypassing the need for the printer's IP address.
From the print menu on the PC or Mac, the user can choose settings and customize any print job to use either paper tray, print quality, etc. The six print cartridges (black, cyan, light cyan, yellow, magenta, light magenta) work seamlessly to deliver fast, high quality output even in draft mode. Put it into photo mode and photos look as if they came from a professional lab. The printer handles the two paper trays so well that it is actually fun to watch. The only caveat is that they do not hold a lot so if there are a number of users, the printer will need to be restocked often. Print cartridges seem to have an amazing lifespan. A set will cost $65 at list but HP is currently offering a promotional pack with a two-inch stack of photo paper for $33 at many retailers.
Controls
Controls of the printer allow the user to scan, copy in monochrome or color, print photos locally without the need for a computer, transfer photos from the card reader to any computer on the network and scan to any computer and to a specific application on that specific computer. Let me explain.
Say you want to scan a check and send it to Sally in Office B. Put the check on the glass, close the cover and select "scan menu". The display asks what you want to do. You can scan to print, scan to share via an HP PhotoShare account or scan to a computer. Select computer and all computers on the network will appear. Select Sally's computer and then Word, Wordperfect, Adobe Photoshop, email, Photo Express, Photo Premier or any other detected applications on that computer. Then press OK. That's it. The scanner will alert Sally's computer that a scan is being sent to that computer and it will run the application which was selected at the scanner to receive the application. The user of the computer has ultimate control and can cancel the send of a scan or accept it. Accepting it will trigger a scan after which the scanner will send the document or photo over the network to Sally and alert the scanner operator that the operation has finished. From that point, Sally can crop, enhance, enlarge, print, email or paste the scan into the selected application or any other.
The same process is used for sending photos from media cars which are plugged into the card reader. Photos can be selected, cropped, enhanced and printed at the printer or they can be directed to any computer on the network - all from the control panel of the C6280.
Print Quality
Print quality is outstanding across the board. This printer is fast and can produce a 4x6" bordered or borderless photo in just a few seconds. Select the "best" print setting and it takes a bit longer but it looks like a professional photo. Routine document printing is fast and efficient. The printer handles envelopes without crunching or curling them. The speed is nothing short of amazing on any print job.
The printer can queue print jobs all by itself. If multiple network users send jobs to the printer at the same time, it will take them one at a time without getting confused.
Energy Efficiency
This is an Energystar compliant printer which will put itself to sleep if it is not being used. It shuts down even the color information display but wakes quickly and without the need to warm up. When in sleep state, the power button has to be pressed once to wake it up and then again to shut it down, but when a command button is pressed or a data card inserted or a print job is received, it wakes immediately.
Value
This printer typically sells for $199. The software is easily worth that because it gives PCs capabilities which they just do not have and it adds functionality to Macs to augment capabilities built into OS X. The software can also link other HP PhotoSmart printers on the network, including wireless printers, giving the user a choice of printers to access. It's a brilliantly-written package and does justice to both PC and Mac platforms.
The software is so good that the scanner/printer can be seen as a nice bonus. The overall package is a real bargain and after a very short learning curve, the user will be singing its praises. It's a printer which just works, does a great job and doesn't take a lot of fiddling on the part of the users. In other words, it's a productivity enhancer, not a productivity killer.
Summary
While my expectations were not high based on experiences with older scanning equipment, this HP C6280 put on a real scan and print clinic for me. The seasoned hardware expert will appreciate its capabilities but the casual user will be able to use it effectively without needing a weekend course and a three-inch-thick manual.
For all it does, the price is a genuine bargain and should not put one off because it doesn't seem spendy enough. It's a high quality office instrument.
Notes specific to Vista and Leopard
HP has done a great job of catching up to Microsoft and Apple with its drivers. Vista and Leopard do present some challenges for HP in this area. For the most part, the drivers for Vista are complete and this printer is shipping with current software. For users of the new Mac OS X "Leopard" (10.5.1), you will need to download the late beta package from the HP website. This adds improved capability over the Tiger/Panther version but HP indicates it is not finished yet and a complete release will be available "soon".
Use of the Tiger version will enable all printer functionality but not scanner functionality. Scan capabilities under the Leopard version of the HP software are significantly improved and I have only found one area in which the software comes up short. This is the selection of the paper tray from iPhoto. If you are running Leopard AND iLife '08, you will not be able to access the section of the print dialogue which allows for selection of the photo paper tray. This will most likely be corrected in the final version from HP but until then, here are two work-arounds:
1) Simply load 4x6" photo paper into the MAIN paper tray. The printer paper guides will permit this and the photo paper feeds very well from the main tray. Then print from iPhoto normally, ignoring the paper tray selection.
2) From iPhoto, drag your adjusted/edited, ready-to-print photos to the desktop and go into the HP Photosmart studio (icon in the dock). In the selection box on the left, click "desktop" and then just highlight the photos you dragged there. Select the print icon at the top of the window and then select paper size, type, and PHOTO TRAY and print.
