Robert_Charlton - 8:30 pm on Jul 22, 2003 (gmt 0)

gsx - Thanks. I'm not a large volume printer, but wouldn't consider an ink jet because of the operating costs. The laser costs seem to all range in the 2.4 to 2.8 cents/page range, excluding maintenance. Right now, I'm only considering Samsung and HP. Lexmark gets bad press all around. I've been researching both by phone and on the web.

HP has a bewildering number of models, and their recent machines seem to lack manual feed slots. I can't believe how sketchy everybody's product specs are.

The HP 5L gets scathing comments on some of the more technical online printer forums because of its gravity feed... with some recommendations to buy an HP 1200 instead. Can't find out whether the 1200 has a manual feed slot, though.

A complete overhaul on the 5L is going to be somewhere close to $200. I hate to put money into it, but my system is set for it, so I won't be spending a lot of time getting it going.

A couple of repair guys suggested to me that I'd have trouble getting local techs to work on the Samsungs.

One intriguing possibility... one tech has an unused HP 220D for $450, more printer than I need, with not much info about it that I can find online. One has to wonder why it's been sitting around. Info I can find is all on European sites. It looks like an impressive machine at a bargain price; but it will take some time to set up, and, when all is said and done, I'll be spending an extra $300.

Does anyone know anything more about this printer, and about whether the LaserJet 1200 has a manual feed slot?