I have always gone for the Epson printers for some unknown reason and when my latest printer, an Epson Stylus PHOTO RX425 started playing up i thought it about time i upgraded, also the playing up of the printer was causing a problem with the childrens homework so needed to be sorted ASAP. ... Read review
Advantages: Easy to use, cheap and good quality printing Disadvantages: Does use quite a lot of ink whilst printing
...have always gone for the Epson printers for some unknown reason and when my latest printer, an Epson Stylus PHOTO RX425 started playing up i thought it about time i upgraded, also the playing up of the printer was causing a problem with the childrens homework so needed to be sorted ASAP.
So off i went to my local PC World on the hunt for a bargin, not that you ever get any of those in PC World!! But i was in luck there was an offer on the ... ...the European version of the Epson Stylus DX4000 which is the UK model, however you can buy the European model cheaper - typical that is for UK.
So i marched off down to the check-out as quick as possible without trying to attract any attention to myself, just in case they'd priced it wrong and they'd realise before i got to the checkout - lol!!
~~~~ In the box ~~~~
On getting the printer home i opened the box ... more
I have always gone for the Epson printers for some unknown reason and when my latest printer, an Epson Stylus PHOTO RX425 started playing up i thought it about time i upgraded, also the playing up of the printer was causing a problem with the childrens homework so needed to be sorted ASAP. So off i went to my local PC World on the hunt for a bargin, not that you ever get any of those in PC World!! But i was in luck there was an offer on the Epson Stylus DX4050 at only £39.99 for an all in one printer. I was chuffed as i'd expected to be spending around £70 - £80 for a new one. Apparently this model is the European version of the Epson Stylus DX4000 which is the UK model, however you can buy the European model cheaper - typical that is for UK. So i marched off down to the check-out as quick as possible without trying to attract any attention to myself, just in case they'd priced it wrong and they'd realise before i got to the checkout - lol!!
~~~~ In the box ~~~~
On getting the printer home i opened the box to find:
1. The printer 2. Power lead 3. 4 ink cartridges 4. Installation CD 5. Info sticker 6. Instructions
The printer was well protected in the box from any damage by polystyreen ends and as usual i removed the printer from the box and kept the box and ends, putting it all in the loft for what? Why don't i ever throw them away as i'm never going to need them again.
~~~~ Installation ~~~~
This was a simple task, but to ensure that i didn't encounter any problems i uninstalled my last printer first and re-started my computer just to be on the safe side.
The first thing to do on removing the printer from the box is to removed the end polystyreen panels and the plastic bag. Then you need to ensure you remove all of the blue plastic sellotape transit strips, which the locations are clearly shown on the "Start Here" instructions.
Next you need to plug the power lead into the back of the printer first and then connect to your power wall socket. NOTE: do not connect the printer to the computer at this stage!!!! Now turn the printer on and allow it to start up and we are now in a position to add the ink cartridges. There are 4 ink cartridges and are black (T0711) , cyan (T0712), magenta (T0713) and yellow (T0714).
First you need to give the cartridges a shake and then remove them from the vacuum packed bags. Open the top of the printer, and then open the cover on the ink cartridge holder inside the printer. Next remove the yellow tape that is covering the ink hole on the bottom of the cartridge and then place the cartridges in the holder one by one, ensuring you push them fully home until you hear them click in to place. It is easy to ensure you get them in the right place as the holder is colour coded to show which colour goes where. Once all are in and clicked home, close the holder cover, the top printer cover.
Now press the ink button on top of the printer and this then loads the ink so it is ready for printing. This can take a few minutes so please be patient.
Now we install the drivers for the printer (still do not connect to your computer yet). This is done by placing the enclosed cd in to your computer and closing the tray, most atuo run so when the screen comes up just press the "Easy Install" tab and follow any on screen instructions. It's as easy as that. During the driver install it will tell you to connect your printer to your computer. Please not the only connection on this printer is via a USB cable, there is NO printer cable connection. At the end of the driver installation you will be asked to re-start your computer which is done automatically for you when you press the tab on screen.
Finally, stick the sticker on the printer in the position shown on the instructions and your hot to trot.
~~~~ Technical Specification ~~~~
~ Print Technology ~
Printing method EPSON Advanced MicroPiezoTM head Nozzle configuration 90 nozzles Black / 29x3 nozzles Colour Droplet size 4pl Print Resolution 5760 x 1440 optimised dpi
~ Print Speed ~
Black text A4 23ppm Colour text A4 12ppm Photo 10x15 approx. 94 secs
~ Copy Speed ~
Black text A4 approx. 5.3 secs Colour text A4 approx. 12.1 secs Scanning Technology CIS with CCD sensor Scan Resolution 600x1200 DPI
~ Scan Speed ~
Black A4 A4 600dpi 5msec/line Colour A4 A4 600dpi 15msec/line
~ Standalone Functions ~
LCD screen no Supported memory cards no PictBridge no Bluetooth no USB direct print no Interface USB 1.1
~ Paper Handling ~
Capacity 100 sheets A4 Media size A4 , Letter , Legal , 10x15cm , 9x13cm , 13x20cm, 20x25cm, A6 , A5 , B5 Print margin 0mm top, left, right, bottom via custom settings in printer driver
~ Electrical Specification ~
Power consumption Approx. 10W (Standalone copying, ISO10561 letter pattern) Approx. 3W (Sleep mode) Voltage AC 220-240V Operating Systems Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/XP x64 Edition, Mac OS 10.2.8 or later
~ Warranty ~
1-year standard warranty
~ General ~
Dimensions (WxDxH) 430(W) x 345(D) x 172(H) mm Weight 5.7 kg
Ok you can wake up now, the tech specs are over with. Hope they helped and didn't make you want to jump from a tall building - lol.
~~~~~ In Use ~~~~~
This printer was designed with the small business and for in the home. I personnaly love these all - in - one printers as it means you have everything you want in one small neat little package rather than several machines all over, escecially if space is a premium. This printer is fantastic for my kids and doing there school home work, as they can print, scan and copy (not other peoples homework - i hope!!) and it so easy to use.
~~~~ Photo Printing ~~~~
The printer appears to print photo's without very much fuss, and although this isn't the primary aim of the printer. Because of the 4 colours used it can't quite match up to the quality of dedicated photo printers, but it will still do a good enough job that most people will never notice a problem. One issue is the ink type, and the fact that it doesn't appreciate being used on gloss paper. It doesn't appear to smear under standard use, but there is an indication of bronzing, which can make an image look very strange when viewed from an angle. For this printer I would recommend using a good quality Matt paper for the best results.
~~~~ Document Printing ~~~~
The printer is basically aimed at this type of use. Where the text is concerned there isn't much problem as far as I can see. The text is accurate, with no missfires, and there is very little in the way of bleeding due to the ink type used. This also goes for graphics printing. The printer seems to handle any charts or graphs with ease, and with the accuracy of the machine it seems to be very good for this function. Again the ink type helps as this sort of printing is generally done on matt paper.
~~~~ Scanning and Photocopying ~~~~
Again the printer performs admirably in this role. The scanner is easy to use and is quick. Also the copying settings are quick and intuitive so after very little use you can knock out copies without any issues. You can also choose to vary the quality and colour settings direct on the unit, so overall it does its job very well in this department.
~~~~ Overall ~~~~
Again Epson have done a good job with the DX4050 printer. It's scans and prints relatively quickly as well. The quality is good and it is clear and simple to use. Unfortunately it has the same achilles heel as its large brother the DX6000, and that is the heavy ink use. After scanning and printing a few full A4 pages the ink was already beginning to shoot down, and very quickly you seem to have run out of ink. Now this wouldn't be too bad if I was using compatible cartridges, but with Epson originals you are looking at £7 per cartridge this can mount up. Although it is slower than a lot of printers, it is quite a cheap printer and makes an excellent entry level multi-function printer. Therefore it worth it at the price it is currently being offered at, so if you're after a new printer and want an all - in - one and you don't want to print lots of photographs then this printers the one for you.
~~~~ After Note ~~~~
Sorry forgot to add in that if you are using the Vista operating System then you will need to download your drivers from the Epson support websight and you must not use the cd that comes with the printer.
The web address is http://esupport.epson-europe.com/en-GB
Advantages: Great prints, great speed, AMAZING price Disadvantages: Honestly? Printing at least fifty sheets a week, I've experienced NONE!
The Stylus DX4050 from Epson represents great value for money, ease of use and a very strong name behind it. Epson have been going since the 1940's, and first entered a printer device to the market in the 70's. I have always used an Epson printer and found them to be very long-lasting and excellent value for money. From a technical point, the printer is great for home use. Excellent quality, fast speeds, flexible software enabling you to produce ... ...only a beginner, this Epson printer will provide you with everything you need. And the best part? I buy ink for this printer for less than £3 per cartridge from a reputable company online - send me a private message on Ciao and I will give you the website address! ...
olliebradley 05.01.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Epson Stylus DX4050
Advantages: Ease of use, good quality prints, priced right. Disadvantages: none I have found
...of the printer and the Epson name. Also information about the printer.
The All in one, Four ink cartridges yellow, magenta, cyan and black. Drivers disc and set up instructions. The USB lead is not included and must be bought seperately.
This printer is very good and prints pages at a good speed ( black A4 at 23 ppm, colour A4 at 12 ppm and a 10x15 cm photo in approx 94 secs. It prints clearly.
The scanner ... ...value for money.They are also Epson DuraBrite inks for sharper colour.
This is a very good all in one and is easy to use and set up. The only problem I found is when using Vista you must download the drivers from the Epson website and must not use the driver disc that comes with it. I £44.99 and then an extra £1.99 for USB cable.
I bought mine at PC World, but they are available from many other retailers including Comet and Curry's.
...
tigerthecat 27.06.2007 (18.10.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Epson Stylus DX4050
Picture quality
Printing speed
Colour sensitivity
Ease of use
Value For Money
Quick review of Epson Stylus DX4050
On receiving this printer, I found it very easy to set up and use all of its functions. Although the speed of printing is rather slow, the printing of colour or black and white was thorough and did not produce lines or "drop-outs" (faded areas on the printjobs). All in all a very good buy and the ink is long-lasting and cheap too which means the consumables are easy on the pocket! ...
northstar65 24.10.2007
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Epson Stylus DX4050
Advantages: Excellent quality all-round printer/copier/scanner machine Disadvantages: Had to hunt down OCR software for scanner but otherwise none
...always had good experience with Epson printers, particularly in terms of long life and consistent quality of printing - especially when using colours. So when it was time to get a new printer, this particular model seemed a good bet. It was easy to get started, the instructions are basic but pretty fool-proof and I was particularly pleased with the results I got from using the copier facility. Great to be able to specify whether you want b/w or colour. ... ...that from the (very helpful) Epson site and it is working just fine. Colour reproduction and general quality is great for photos - particularly in compination with Epson's speciality papers. It isn't the fastest printer I have worked with but my volume of work can cope with that, someone needing to print off maybe 50 or so sides at a time might want to look elsewhere. All in all a great buy for your average user both in terms of value for money and ...
Maestrolover 02.11.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Epson Stylus DX4050
Advantages: GREAT QUALITY PRINTOUTS Disadvantages: NOISEY WHEN LOADING PAPER
I\'ve owned a Epson Stylus DX4050 for around 6 months, unlike the printer in the image above i have the white version, i think this is a great all in one printer/scanner/copier. The multi functional product can run standalone, at the touch of a button you can copy in either black or white, or you cabn print using the four fantastic quality colours that print out photos absoulutely superb quality. I am that happy with purchasing this printer that ... ...quality of printouts are just mind blowing. I have one problem to the 100,000\'s of great things i can say about it. When the printer loads paper it makes quite a noise! think of someone opening your front door then slamming it next to your ear! but on the otherhand after the paper is loaded it prints really quite its just those 2-3 seconds of NOISE =@ No matter what if this printer broke on me after purchasing it just a week before i would still ...
kjcsupplies 02.09.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Epson Stylus DX4050
Picture quality
Printing speed
Colour sensitivity
Ease of use
Value For Money
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Advantages: last long, can be bought from many electrical shops, uses Durabrite ultra Ink Disadvantages: a bit expensive when outght as a multi pack
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Advantages: cheaper to buy 4 but can also buy singly Disadvantages: you have to look around for the cheapest as prices do vary
ink at least until the guarantee was up.
Before you buy the multipack though it really is worth looking around to find the cheapest site or shop selling it.
For instance, and I expect a lot of dooyoo readers will not be in the bit surprised by this, is that PC World is quite expensive. In fact £7 or £8 more expensive.
Of all places to find exactly the same product and at the cheapest price was yes Tescos at £22.00. Plus of course you do get tesco card points!
Yes even that sounds a lot of money but if you break it down to price each that is um £5.50 each which isnt bad.
The Epson TO715 pack is for EpsonStylus D78/D92/D120/DX4000/DX4050,DX4400/DX4450/DX5000/DX5060/DX6000/DX6050/DX7000F/DX7400/DX7450/DX8400/DX8450/DX9400F/S20/SX100/SX105/SX200/SX205/SX400/SX405/SX600FW
EpsonStylus Office:
B40W?BX300F/BX600FW ...