Help me choose between Canon MP990 or Epson TX810FW Multifunction Inkjets

[Ian Robinson]

My faithful and venerable Epson Stylus CX6500 is dead and I am looking at replacing it with new multifunction inkjet combo , I've got it down to a choice between two units.

EPSON TX810FW see <http://www.epson.com.au/products/multifunctional/StylusPhotoTX810FW.asp>
not released in Australia yet so I have to settle for the EPSON TX800FW see <http://www.epson.com.au/products/multifunctional/stylusTX800FW.asp>

Or a CANON PIXMA MP990 see
<http://www.canon.com.au/en-au/For-You/Printers/PIXMA-InkJet-Printers/MP990.>

I am not completely driven by best price.
BUT the best cash prices I have been quoted are :

EPSON TX800FW = $320

CANON MP990 = $249 (on SPECIAL and only 2 left at that store).
Best cash prices from everyone else in the range $350-360.

If anyone has one of these - how well does it reproduce photo colours in prints up to A4 ?
How good is the scanner ?
How well do the cartridges last ?

Both are 6 colour printers.

PC World is critical of print speeds on the Canon and of photo print colour and scan accuracy on the Epson see
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/printers_scanners/canon/pixma_mp990/327792
http://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/review/printers_scanners/epson/stylus_photo_tx800fw/268842

[OneOfOne]

Do they both have separate ink cartridges? Having always owned printers with individual ones, I know just how much of one colour you use compared to the others. When I replace just one colour, I usually find the others are still quite full, I would be throwing that ink away if they had a single colour cartridge.

[MikeyB]

The only Epson inkjet I will ever own was appallingly noisy and died very young (but that was a long time ago). I have no personal experience of Canons, but my ex has had a very good run with a couple of mid-range Canon Pixma multifunctions - although she complains about their appetite for ink cartridges, the photo print quality is astonishingly good.

[Ian Robinson]

Yes, 6 ink cartridges each.

The Epson offers standard life and extra long life cartridges.

The CX6500 lasted me nearly 8 years and now I'm stuck with 3 unused spare ink cartrides and I'd just put a new Y ink cartridge into it. Guess I'll be selling them on Ebay unless I locate the docket.

[Ian Robinson]

I read a review that said the MP990 sucks the ink dry in not time if you are aways turning the printer off, so if I buy the Canon I'll be leaving it turned on. (I don't fancy spending $23 per cartridge more often than necessary).

[Barrykgerdes]

"Hobsons Choice"
Where is the option for neither

Baz;)

[kustard]

I own the Epson TX800FW along with the duplexer unit. We bought it about 12 months ago and it's been a good unit.

Being wireless we have it in another room (well the garage actually) so we walk to the garage, turn it on and pull out the paper catch tray, walk back and print then go pick it up and turn the printer off.

It has separate cartridges for each ink (6 all up) and you can get normal and high capacity versions.

The scanner works nicely (we don't have any issues with it).

Print quality is very nice, photo's on photo paper is good though I believe not as good as a dedicated photo printer.

When I was looking for a new printer it came down to the Epson and a Pixma and the duplexing unit was the deciding factor, I often like to print double sided documents.

[Ian Robinson]

Bought the MP990 and discovered it isn't exactly user friendly putting the it together and installing. Not as quick and easy as I remember the Epsons being to install and get started with. I'm hoping I didn't make a bad decision here.

Followed the instructions and finally got it to the print of the alignment test and a colour copy of the result.
The plugged in the USB and connected it , the computer could see until I had EASYINSTALL done the it no longer saw it, made the mistake (I think of selecting the wrong LT Port ???), so suddenly the 4:1 Logitech USB port no longer showed that the printer was connected.
BUGGER!!!

So I've uninstalled all the new stuff and unplugged the MP99O USB cable and will have another go at installing it after I'll have another look at the manual (and after tea) .

:sadeyes: Maybe I'm just getting think now I'm getting old.
Crossing fingers !

The ink cartridges are about 1/2 the size of the ones I used to use on the Epson.

[MikeyB]

I wouldn't think that connecting a printer via a USB extension multiport, would be a good idea. Best of luck making it work if that's what you're doing, anyway!

[Ian Robinson]

Bingo - 3rd time lucky - I've cracked it and managed to get it properly installed and printing stuff from the computer (via the multiUSB port).
Still don't know what I did wrong before.

Will sort out the WiFi networking tomorrow (maybe) , can't face that right now after spending most the evening installing it on ONE COMPUTER via USB !

I've done very little printing and the M , Gr and C have levels have dropped by one bar !! This has me worried !

You guys who have other Canon printers - do you use lots of ink cartridges ?

[Jeffkop]

Ian. I have owned an i3000 Pixima for some years. Its not dead but I tired keeping ink up to it. Have a colour laser now.
The one TIP I will give you is dont think about using anything other than the canon ink when its time to replace a cartridge. I had no end of trouble trying different 3rd party ink. It was a disaster the main problem being one of the colours would end up leaching into one of the others and so some psycodelic printing happened. I never find out why but this problem occurred with at least 3 different types of 3rd party ink but NEVER with canon ink.
I think an extraordinary amount of ink gets wasted in the cleaning processes that inkjets go thru virtually everytime you start them up too.

That all said, when the inks werent mixed I had great results from the Canon.

[Ian Robinson]

I've had 2 Epsons over the last 15 years and never used non-genuine inks in them.
I'll only use Canon inks in the MP990.

Been looking around at the Canon Solution Centre thingy , at the options for scanning stuff , and I can't see how to push the scanning resolution for an image to above 4800 (and that only shows up as the max option on the monitor for 35mm film scanning) , do you have to go the printer and select the resolution manually somehow if want to do higher resolution scanning of photos etc ?
Not as easy to do this on this Canon from the computer as it was on the old Epson Stylus CX6500 but if it's doable I'll get used to it, I have to now - I've spent my money and I'm stuck with the MP990.
I read somewhere that it's doable but you have to enter the resolution manually somehow ? Anyone know how to do this ?

[mswhin63]

I have the TF610TW and I also use re-fill ink cartridges. The Epson I can also get 3 level of ink for them from generic ink to high quality inks. So far with the amount I printing I do everyday we have save a bucket load on ink.

I like the wireless feature saves so much room dont need it close to the computer.

I haven't used Canon but IMO they are all the same as far as quality, service and manufacturing level.

One thing I really like about the Epson TX series is the print speed. I can print many documents compared to previous models I have purchaced and the price is not bad either.

[marki]

Hi Ian

I have had a MP970 for yonks now and have found it to be excellent value. The scan settings are set from the software. I know the max for film only shows 4800 dpi but the 9600dpi is automatically set at the same time (eg max res = 4800 x 9600dpi). My printer does not use an excessive amount of ink, certainly no more than any other ink jet I have owned ( I use a black and white laser for text etc) and the photo print quality is excellent. Only annoying thing is when one tank runs dry the printer will not print until you replace it but I believe that is pretty much standard for all inkjets now. I have mine setup through a network and used the wizard to detect all the settings. Only took a minute to setup and my laptops (work and private) connect through the wireless router and cause no problems at all.

Mark