Need printer advice

I am getting in a new HP Color laser printer tomorrow. I does not come supplied with a cable. I have a late model Dell 8300 and it has both a parallel and many USB-2 ports available.
I have a good quality parallel printer cable on hand but no USB cable. I can buy a good quality USB cable at Staples for about $26 after tax. So my question is: Is the USB-2 sufficiently better than the parallel setup to make it worth the extra cost? Thanks

 

You can get a three pack of gold plated USB cables at Sam's for about $10. All of the major retailers will pick your pocket on cables.

 

I believe you. I do almost all my buying at COSCTO, unfortunately we don't have a SAMs here, and COSTCO doesn't carry cables. I live in the sticks. I could order on line but its not worth the trouble for such a small order.
The next time I go into the Bay area I will pick up a pack. In the meantime I will use the parallel cable I have on hand. Thanks

 

If you're not on a tight budget, I would just go ahead and buy the USB cable for it. There are many advantages of using a USB connection, the most noticeable being the speed. Even if you plan to do minimal printing, it would still be good to have a USB 2.0 cable around the house. Many peripherals and external devices currently support that speed.

 

There is a huge advantage to a USB cable. I would suggest just going out and spending the money. It's an investment you will never regret. If $26 is to much I suggest shopping around a little more. I work in retail and we sale ours for $19.99. Not a huge difference but its lunch money.

 

Totally agree with the rest. I would definatly suggest goig the USB 2.0 route.

 

It may not fit the case here. BUT.

If you have a Local Network I would suggest you go for a Networkable Device.

A SHARED Device requires that the machine it is hooked to be on all the time. A network Printer plugged into to a switch ( Router for me ) does not require this.

I do have a Network Printer and am going for a Network Scanner next.

That way if I am gone or working on my machine it does not effect the other two machines.

BillyBob

 

I think that I am in aggrement with most here. I bought the cable on the way home from jury duty today. UPS says it will be here today and they deliver around 5PM---Can't wait to give it a try. Thanks.

 

Boy you sure do love to hear yourself talk. Nothing like having something useful to add to the thread. The user posts about usb cable vs. parallel and you go off talking about networking. BillyBob, you do realize he already has a printer don't you?

 

Only suggesting something that I have found to be FAR MORE RELIABLE than sharing.

BillyBob

 

Yes, I do have another printer, in fact I have three other printers. You can fault me for that if you like. I will explain. (Just for the fun of it and maybe edify someone).

I have an ink jet for my computer and then one day bought a HP B & W laser. I have used that for about three years, maybe four. The paper transfer mechanism became worn and I must now feed one sheet at a time. I chose not to order the parts for a fix. When I bought my new computer Windows complained about my printer driver (recently updated and using the same OS---Win XP home. Grrrr. So I gave it to my wife who already had a ink jet.
Then I ordered a color laser jet from HP. I unpacked it, fired it up and the first thing I did was print out the manual from the disk, approx 160 pages--Nice layout--But much of the credit has to go to PDF format.

Now I find out that this machine has a drum that wears out and costs around $150 plus. So I added up the cost of the drum, a black ink cartridge, three color cartridges and a summed up the total and it was only $11.00 short of the cost of a new machine. I am most disappointed.
So now you have it all. I will probably dump the thing once the ink runs out.
The HP site did not offer a manual for this machine, an HP2550L, now I think I know why.

 

Good advice is always welcome. Been fighting Hp OfficeJet shared in networked. Once configured, it generally works reliable for a number of months. Then it just stops working and becomes very uncooperative. It went offline about a week ago, have not been able to get it back into the network. Next printer WILL be a Networkable Device type printer.

 

Thank you Dennis L

I have the same problems myself with my SHARED USB Scanner. It will no longer work from either of the other two machines.

But to get one into the LAN I will need to get a switch. My 4 four port Router has no free ports.

BillyBob