Epson EPL 5700L

I have used EPSON laser printers for several years. Starting with the EPL5500, I have had experience with EPL5700, EPL5700L, EPL5800 and very recently EPL5900. I am rather confused by the subcategories offered in this section. I cannot find a model labelled EPL5700PTx and assume it to be mixed up with the EPL5700PS which has a PostScript upgrade. The model with the suffix 'i' appear to be designed for the AppleMac computer. The models with the suffix ...
.../> I have installed two Epson EPL5700 printers in the office and am very happy with their outputs. Unfortunately one is the basic ‘L’ model which copes admirably with Windows programs but cannot take the DOS based output. This means that it is not possible to print directly from WordPerfect 5.1 in a Window to a Windows printer on a UBS port. (Well! it is actually if you know how and have a fair amount of programming expertise but that is a different ... more

I have used EPSON laser printers for several years. Starting with the EPL5500, I have had experience with EPL5700, EPL5700L, EPL5800 and very recently EPL5900. I am rather confused by the subcategories offered in this section. I cannot find a model labelled EPL5700PTx and assume it to be mixed up with the EPL5700PS which has a PostScript upgrade. The model with the suffix 'i' appear to be designed for the AppleMac computer. The models with the suffix 'L' are Windows dedicated printers. All these printers are Black and White lasers.

This review is based primarily on my experience of the EPL5800PS.

I was in the need for a new laser printer for my home office situation. My needs are not that uncommon in that I do a lot of repetitive word processing. As I standardised much of my output in the years when WordPerfect for DOS was king my output format was to the Postscript standard of an Apple LaserWriter. When Word became the Windows standard I migrated most of the routine work to this later program but my major reporting format (with its boilerplate libraries and its liberal use of the WP51 macro language) has prevailed. I have not wanted to take on board a full scale conversion of these major documents to Word2000. Consequently my choice of laser printer has had to be capable of adapting to both formats.

I have installed two Epson EPL5700 printers in the office and am very happy with their outputs. Unfortunately one is the basic ‘L’ model which copes admirably with Windows programs but cannot take the DOS based output. This means that it is not possible to print directly from WordPerfect 5.1 in a Window to a Windows printer on a UBS port. (Well! it is actually if you know how and have a fair amount of programming expertise but that is a different story).

My need for a new machine coincided with the introduction of the EPL5800. It has a better resolution and a faster page per minute speed. It is a different shape but (mercifully) it uses the same toner cartridge and photoconductor unit as the 5700 (unlike the previous 5500). I had the optional Postscript board added.

Set up could not have been easier. The machine sits on the parallel port (although is does come with a USB option). Installation of drivers under Windows Me was from the provided CD-ROM (it does not recognise the EPL5700 drivers) and took only a matter of moments. Communication between the printer and Windows is quick and informative (‘paper out’, ‘paper jam’, ‘low toner’ etc) There were no problems in accommodating the LaserWriter formatted output from WP51. It does default to an automatic blank page between print jobs in this mode but WP51 has a software work around for this.

Otherwise performance is fast (10 ppm in text mode) and the printer sounds quieter than its predecessor. It has a fairly small footprint on the desk although the paper feed cartridge (150 sheets capacity) does project a little from the front.

The price for the base machine when I bought it was £236 +VAT. With the PostScript option added it becomes is £ 443 + VAT. I was happy to pay the advanced price for my pedantry!!

Overall I have been very happy with this printer and it has become the work horse of my home office environment. I was even happier when the UK edition of Personal Computer World magazine for March 2001 carried out a group test on the ten most popular entry level Laser printers. Working details and comparative output is published. The Epson EPL5800 was given a Highly Commended. The final assessment concluded: “The final award … for the simple reason that it delivered the best quality text printing we’ve seen in this price bracket. Since high-quality text printing is very important in a business environment, the Epson is an attractive SoHo option”

The magazine runs a Group Test FaxBack service which can be contacted on 09065 600632 quoting reference 2000.

Very recently I have expanded my office activities again and needed another printer. This expansion was based on a small Windows XP professional network and reinstallation of the existing printer stock caused no problem at all. The documentation from EPSON recommends using the EPSON drivers rather than the Windows buolt in ones.

This model has now been superceded by the EPL5900. Being happy with their family to date I have obviously 'stuck to brand'. Apart from a slight change in the shape of the case - smoother and rounder, somewhat different colouring (its got an EPSON flash in blue), performance is virtually the same. The price offered was more or less that which I paid (dabsdirect) for the earlier model. Oh yes! - the main downside: they've changed the shape of the toner cartridge so I'm going to have to carry two lots of supplies. That's a moderately small price to pay for a well designed, utterly reliable, work horse of a peripheral.
 

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