Hewlett-Packard Business Inkjet Printers

Richard Price
7 November 2000

Hewlett-Packard has recently released a new range of printers --- the business Inkjet --- that offer high quality, laser-like performance.

I was fortunate enough to have a close look at the HP 2250TN, the top-of-the-range model, which is an impressive colour inkjet printer.

The printer is designed to be used on a network. Overworked network administrators should appreciate the new HP Install Network Printer Wizard. It simplifies the installation process and can detect and configure other HP printers on the network as well.

It is also just as easy to install as a standalone printer. Although, if that is what you are looking for the 2200 is probably a better option.

The HP Business Inkjet 2250TN ships with the HP JetDirect 600N EIO internal print-server card. This supports all major networking protocols and operating environments. The 2250 can be upgraded with the internal print server.

These printers use HP's High Performace Architecture (HPA) which improves print performance by dividing processing functions between the PC and the printer. System operation and image-processing tasks are also split between the two onboard 96MHz RISC processors.

HPA also helps minimizes network traffic by using compression algorithms and proprietary imaging to reduce file sizes.

Print quality impressed me more than the network capabilities, but that may be a result of my personal interests as a designer.

This print quality is achieved with HP PhotoREt 3 colour-layering technology that produces photo-realistic, vibrant images even on ordinary paper.

HP ColorSmart III colour optimization technology improves picture quality, while HP SmartFocus enhances low-resolution images used on Web pages.

The printer is intelligent enough to automatically adjust color settings to achieve the best result on all types of paper.

The modular ink-delivery system used in these printers is similar to that used by HP DesignJet large-format professional graphics printers.

The modular ink delivery system uses smart chips to fine-tune the printhead, report on cartridge levels, and detect when they need replacing. Because there are four separate high-capacity ink cartridges each with a separate long-life printhead, only depleted components need be replaced.

The printers also support PCL 5C and Postscript 2 emulation languages.

The LCD panel on the printer displays ink levels and makes setup, configuration and troubleshooting easy.

Unfortunately, these printers cannot take A3 paper, but the multi-purpose tray handles envelopes as well as trancparencies. A second 250-sheet paper tray gives 2250TN has a maximum capacity of 500 pages --- enough to satisfy most business users.

Overall, the printer performance is outstanding. Like a workgroup laser printer, it is capable of 14 ppm in colour and 15 ppm in black.

The administrative software has also been improved. HP Web JetAdmin is now an intuitive, browser-based tool for installing, managing and diagnosing network printers. Printer status can even be monitored in real time.

Being Web-based means these functions can be performed remotely. Printer problems can now be fixed no matter where the administrator chooses to hide.

But that is not all! Printing functions are not restricted to some little LAN. Providing the printer is set up on the network correctly it becomes a Web-based printer.

It doesn't matter whether it is in another office, another building or on the other side of the world. Anybody with access to the network can send documents to print over the Internet.

www.hp.com/go/businessinkjet
HP Business Inkjet 2200 printer AU$1049
HP Business Inkjet 2250 printer AU$1479
HP Business Inkjet 2250tn printer AU$2099

By Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com

For information on getting a product reviewed email richard@energyme.com