> Could I get a consisus on how well these HP machines hold up in a > rigourous professional working environment? I've heard a lot of > things about poorly manufactured parts from HP in the drive to cut > costs. They are a company that has a lot of irons in the fire...
I can't give you a consensus, but I can give you an informed opinion having had the opportunity to tour the HP R&D facility in Barcelona, Spain and partake briefly in a feedback group prior to the Z series release. I saw a multimillion dollar facility with tools more reminiscent of a NASA research lab than what I had expected for ink jet print design. There were separate labs dedicated to features like ensuring the print head track is true to an incredible tolerance, so that exacting precision is maintained throughout the head travel. There was a series of temperature controlled rooms where printer mechanical function and print output quality were studied under conditions ranging from near desert heat to refrigerator cold. One lab ran a high power industrial microscope attached to a high speed stroboscopic camera to actually film the droplet size and shape characteristics of the ink as it was released from the print head in real time. And repetitive failure testing put critical parts through simulated life spans far in excess of what even a busy studio or lab might consistently perform. And this doesn't even begin to consider the thought put into co-development features such as teaming with Gretag-Macbeth (now X-rite) to incorporate a real full color spectrophotomer for on the fly simplified color calibration, or working with respected paper manufacturers and chemists to craft ink and receiving media which compliment each other for both quality of output and archival stability. Needless to say I was very impressed. I'm not naive enough to think that other manufacturers don't have similar facilities, but the effort expended in seeking and then implementing the feedback from real world professional users set HP apart from what I have seen and heard about Epson. While HP was late in seriously committing to the high end digital photography market, I'm convinced that they produce a quality product. I know that there will be unfavorable experiences for some with any manufacturer's design, but my first hand experience with the 130 and now Z3100 have done nothing but reinforce my positive feelings about HP products. Mark Alberhasky www.imagema.com Website: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPDesignJet_Printers Post message: [email protected] Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] List owner: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPDesignJet_Printers/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/HPDesignJet_Printers/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
