Epson DX4800

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The Epson brand is well known in computer circles having been one of the early front runners back in the dot matrix glory days of the late 70s early 80s. Times have changed and the improvement in output quality is only matched by the increasing range of facilities available. The Epson Stylus DX4800 is a mid-range all-in-one machine with a fair range of facilities. Its photo output quality is limited by the use of a four ...
...yellow). Unlike many other manufacturers, Epson ink cartridges are simply boxes full of ink. The print head is a permanent fixture (although it could be changed this is likely to be uneconomic). The advantage is that the cartridges are much less costly than those which include the print head (e.g. most HP), the disadvantage is that the print head becomes the machine's Achilles heel. Any problem there will ultimately consign the printer to the bin.
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Does all-in-one mean jack of all trades… and master of none? Having resisted these hybrid monsters for many years I have now owned one for the last year so what changed?

The machine
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The Epson brand is well known in computer circles having been one of the early front runners back in the dot matrix glory days of the late 70s early 80s. Times have changed and the improvement in output quality is only matched by the increasing range of facilities available. The Epson Stylus DX4800 is a mid-range all-in-one machine with a fair range of facilities. Its photo output quality is limited by the use of a four ink system (as opposed to the six or more inks used by top of the range photo printers) but, as we shall see, is more than good enough for most users.

The flat bed scanner lives under the top lid of the machine. The mechanism has an optical resolution of 1,200 dpi (dots per inch) which is more than enough for reflective media (photos or printed documents). There is no facility to scan transparencies or negatives. There is also no option to have a document feeder.

As mentioned, the printer is a four colour inkjet and uses separate tanks for each colour which reduces the wastage inherent in combined tanks (for various reasons I find that I use twice as much cyan ink as yellow). Unlike many other manufacturers, Epson ink cartridges are simply boxes full of ink. The print head is a permanent fixture (although it could be changed this is likely to be uneconomic). The advantage is that the cartridges are much less costly than those which include the print head (e.g. most HP), the disadvantage is that the print head becomes the machine's Achilles heel. Any problem there will ultimately consign the printer to the bin.

The maximum resolution is given as 5760dpi and uses variable droplet sizes to enhance the performance (called Resolution Performance Management by Epson). The printer can handle paper up to A4 and can print borderless sheets from 10x15cm all the way up to this size (on suitable media).

The machine also features a number of memory card slot to suit most popular cameras: CompactFlash (I&II), xD-Picture Card, xD-Picture Card TypeM, SmartMedia, SD Memory Card, MultiMediaCard, Microdrive and Memory Stick. You can print directly from the cards or use the machine as a card reader when attached to a computer. The machine need not be connected to a computer to print from the cards. Unfortunately the lack of an LCD screen means that using the printer stand alone is not entirely straightforward. Epson get around the issue by a clever compromise; the machine prints an index sheet of thumbnails which the user marks to show the required prints (up to three copies), the sheet is placed in the scanner and the machine will automatically print the right pictures.

Both colour and monochrome photocopying are available in standalone mode with a small range of options available; the user can set zoom and the number of copies.

Connection to the computer is via USB 2.0. There is also a front mounted USB 1.1 port which is PictBridge compatible to allow direct connection of cameras or storage devices.

In use
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The overall construction is good with a satisfactory degree of solidity. The paper feed is rather less convincing. The paper input tray, extending at about thirty degrees from the rear is both flimsy and too small to fully support A4 sheets. The strange telescoping plastic design, while necessary to allow neat packaging when closed, would probably have worked better, mechanically, as a solid clip on tray (after all, who has the thing folded closed once in use?). At the other end of the paper feed is the output tray. Once again, effectiveness is sacrificed for neatness in the closed position. Another flimsy telescoping design which is too small to fully support the output sheets in this case exacerbated by the exposed position (or maybe that's my fault for having it overhanging the front of my table). A further issue is that there is no protection in place to stop the printer operating if the output 'door' is closed. This can lead to a very messy paper jam for the tidy but forgetful user. The addition of a simple micro switch costing about 10p would have solved this issue.

Once in use the paper feed seems to work despite itself. Examination shows that there is only a single pick up wheel to take the paper from the rear tray. This can look very disconcerting as the paper is initially dragged at an angle but always seems to straighten by the time it reaches the mechanism. Double-sided printing, always a good indicator of feed accuracy, shows a fair degree of consistency - at least as good as my HP 990.

Photocopying works very well - far better than I would have ever expected. Black and white copies of a printed document are indistinguishable from the originals. Speed is adequate - basically the printer just about keeps up with the scanner mechanism. A document feeder would have been a useful addition for home-office use but I guess this didn't fit the design concept.

Printing of text documents is good with crisp well-formed characters and no bleeding evident even on poor quality paper (i.e. my usual stock!). On glossy paper the machine meets my occasional needs for photo printing adequately. Compared to top end printers costing the prints may be slightly less vivid and, under a magnifying glass, slightly grainier but in any normal situation they are fine. Certainly they are better than some prints I've had from 35mm processors.

As you might expect, the quoted print speeds are not nearly approached in real life. Epson claim up to 20 pages per minute and this can be achieved in mono draft mode, in fact the speed at which the paper is pulled through the machine is almost unnerving. Back in the real world, most of us rarely use draft mode and a more pedestrian two pages per minute is typical in my experience.

The manufacturers claim around 200 pages capacity for a set of cartridges and this seems to be about right for me but it should be remembered that virtually all my work is text-based with very few photos. The individual ink cartridges make for some savings where colour use is not even. The system design with the print head being a part of the printer mechanism makes for cheaper cartridges and 'compatibles' can be found for well under £10 per set of four through eBay or similar sources.

Users of non-Epson cartridges should be aware that the driver software flashes an annoying message every time you print which needs manually cancelling before the print will proceed (words to the effect that non-Epson cartridges may damage your machine). You may call me an old cynic but this seems to me to be a straightforward attempt to spoil the market for third party suppliers. There is no known way to turn off these warnings unless you plan to start hacking the driver code. For some reason Tesco brand cartridges seem to be accepted as genuine by the system - I'm not sure what the Tesco suppliers have done differently.

The scanner works quietly and effectively and returns clear results with no real issues. Not exciting but effective nonetheless.

One point worth mentioning is the profusion of buttons and lights on the control panel; ten buttons, eleven lights plus a number (used to show the number of copies etc). Epson evidently realised it was getting a bit cryptic and added a sticker to the scanner lid which rather spoils the clean lines but does make things a little clearer! While speaking about the scanner cover I should note that it is not a good idea to put things on top, the plastic is easily scratched.

Epson's attempts to make this machine usable totally free-standing probably contribute to some of the excesses in the control department. It is possible, for example, for the machine to tell you which cartridge needs replacing without recourse to a supporting computer (involves a nifty bit of carriage shuffling to line up with pointers on the printer casing) but is it really necessary?

The conclusion
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I have used this machine for almost a year and have had no problems. The flimsiness of the paper feed is perhaps more in the eye of the beholder than in actuality, it hasn't caused an issue yet although I've knocked the front paper support numerous times with my chair. Similarly, the disconcerted 'crooked' paper pick up actually works fine - it just doesn't look good.

Use as a standalone photocopier is excellent for the price and would justify purchase for this feature even if you didn't have a computer. The memory card slots are less useful as a standalone feature. Most users will surely use the attached computer to check and edit their works before printing. It might help with visiting family or friends who want to quickly produce prints as the contact sheet idea is quite nice and works surprisingly well.

Running costs are low (for an inkjet) to the point that I have not even considered refilling cartridges. For those who are considering saving a few pounds, remember that the cartridges are chipped so you will need to buy a resetter as well as the ink.

Oh and for those who are still wondering what changed my mind about all-in-ones, simply my office space got smaller!

© Paul Morris 2007

Information is believed to be accurate at the time of writing. Readers should always check with the supplier of goods or services to confirm current prices and specifications.

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