[G4] Multifunction scanner-printer-fax-copier for Jaguar-- HP 6110 all-in-one

[Steve Goldstein]

I bought an HP 6110 all-in-one from Micro Center when they had a 20% 
off sale.  Their regular price was $299, so I paid $240.  It does 
FAX, Scan, Copy and, of course, print.  I had a lot of trouble with 
the included Mac software, but most of that cleared up when I D/L-ed 
updated software from the HP site.  What it does, it does VERY well, 
and I would recommend it heartily.  In fact, I am rather amazed a the 
good quality of the product.

It is not without problems for me, however.  First, you have to 
understand my setup.  I use a KVM switch that alternates monitor, 
mouse and keyboard between my Quicksilver 800 MHz G4 and an HP 
running Win XP.  The KVM switch has four USB ports on the front, and 
these, too are switched.  So, I plug the HP 6110 all-in-one into the 
KVM switch to make it available to whichever computer I happen to be 
using (I use the Mac more than 95% of the time, of course).  The HP 
all-in-one functions absolutely flawlessly with the HP computer 
running Win XP.

With the Mac, it functions just fine as a printer, but I cannot get 
it to scan with the included HP software: the error message is 
something to the effect of "no scanning device discovered."  HOWEVER, 
I CAN get it to scan using Photoshop Elements. In one experiment, I 
scanned in a 3.5" x 5" color photo and re-printed it at 200%, or 7" x 
10", and the result still looked great with fine color rendition and 
saturation, at least to my untrained eye, and no apparent loss of 
definition.  I also coaxed a picture of me into passport size and 
printed a contact sheet of passport photos that, I am sure, will be 
just fine with the passport office when it is time for me to renew my 
passport.   And also, using the included OCR application ReadIRIS 
(which is pretty good, but not all that simple to use--it will take a 
bit of practice for me).

Last week, I had to FAX an important form to an insurance company, 
and the person at the other end called to let me know that it came 
through just fine.  I have also received a FAX, and that came through 
fine.  I have copied a few articles in color from a health 
newsletter, and the quality was surprisingly good.

I have been in touch with tech support at HP, and after numerous 
trials of this and that, we seem to have narrowed the problem to the 
fact that I have a long run of USB cable (I think it is a 12-foot USB 
repeater cable into which is plugged a 6-foot USB cable that goes to 
the KVM box.  I have to keep the all-in-one on the other side of my 
office at home, as there is no place for it near the computers.  I 
loaded the HP software onto my TiBook and plugged it into the HP 
all-in-one with a short USB cable (6').  The HP software worked just 
fine with that short run of USB cable.  So, I do not know for sure if 
the problem might be software conflicts on my Quicksilver (since the 
Win XP box works just fine at the end of the long run of USB cable) 
or if, indeed, it is the long USB run that is the culprit.

It takes the HP #56 and #57 inks, and the #58 special ink cartridge 
that when substituted for the black ink cartridge, produces 6-color 
prints.  I have not tried the 6-color printing option yet, though. 
The normal printing (black plus 3-color) is good enough for my needs. 
A package of one #56 (black) plus two #57 (3-color) replacement 
cartridges costs $72 at Price Club, as I recall.

Bottom line: the HP 6110 all-in-one is a very able machine, produces 
great quality output, and seems to be a good value.

YMMV,

Steve

At 12:23 AM +0000 3/17/03, Jeremy Allan wrote:
>Any recommendations?