New Oki, Kyocera Printers Race To Produce Output

Oki C9800hdn Oki&s new C9800hdn single-pass color printer uses LED technology instead of laser to generate images. Oki has always focused on LED print technology, which long ago evolved to easily compete with laser technology. The C9800hdn is intended for busy workgroups, with features such as Auto Media Detect and Auto Color Balance to help produce consistent output from all users.

The C9800hdn prints up to 36 ppm in color and 40 ppm in monochrome. It has a print resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and a duty cycle of 150,000 pages per month. The large-format printer can handle a wide variety of media including cover stock up to 270 grams per square meter and banner paper as large as 12.9 x 47.24 inches. When all optional paper drawers are in use, the printer holds up to 2,880 sheets.

Oki partnered with EFI, a leader in network imaging solutions, to make the C9800hdn as fast and as accurate as possible. A 20-Gbyte hard drive is standard.

Standard ports include USB 2.0, parallel and 10/100 Ethernet. A new image drum basket allows all four toner cartridges to be lifted out of the machine at once for easy access to the transfer belt and fuser in case of paper jams. The consumables now include RFID technology to prevent inappropriate consumables from being used.

The C9800hdn is easy to set up, but it weighs 152 pounds and seems even heavier. Regardless of weight, the C9800hdn is small in size for a large-format printer. Output from the C9800hdn is quite sharp with excellent contrast. Pages leap out of the printer as fast as Oki claims, without taking into account a delay of at least 30 seconds before the printer starts to do anything. For example, it took 46 seconds for the first page of a 10-page monochrome Word document to print, but only 58 seconds to print all 10 pages.

Output from the C9800hdn is arguably as good as that produced by other high-end printers, but with an MSRP of $8,989 and an estimated street price of $4,099, it faces some stiff competition.

Within Oki&s channel program, Standard Partners must sell a minimum of $2,000 per month in Oki hardware, accessories and consumables, while Premier Partners must sell a minimum of $5,000 per month. Standard Partners earn average margins of 12 percent while Premier Partners can earn an additional 7 percent to 10 percent, plus 3 percent co-op. Partners also can earn a $75 spif for every C9800 printer sold, with a maximum of $5,000 in claims per quarter.

Kyocera FS-C5030N Kyocera&s new FS-C5030N is one of the smallest single-pass color laser printers ever seen by the Test Center. The 600 x 600-dpi unit can print up to 26 ppm in color or monochrome, and comes standard with 10/100 Ethernet, USB 2.0, parallel and CompactFlash interfaces, along with a 500-sheet paper drawer and a 100-sheet multipurpose tray. Standard memory is 128 Mbytes, which is upgradable to 1,024 Mbytes. To cut down on waste and reduce toner costs, the FS-C5030N&s toner cartridges can be replaced independently of the print drum. Setting up the FS-5030N is easy; four toner cartridges and a waste toner bottle are all that have to be installed. Weighing just 52 pounds, the printer is small enough and light enough for one person to set up. Performance is excellent for a printer this small. A 10-page monochrome Word document took just 36 seconds to print, while the same document with color headings took 37 seconds to print; in both instances the first page printed in 14 seconds.

The FS-C5030N has an MSRP of $2,625. It&s not inexpensive, but if this tiny color printer proves to be reliable in the long run, its size and performance make it an ideal choice for use in individual offices. Like most other vendors, Kyocera ships the 5030 with starter toner cartridges that last for only 4,000 pages. In contrast, standard cartridges can be purchased separately and are good for up to 8,000 pages; black costs $72 while CMY cartridges cost $109 each.

Accessories for the 5030 are numerous. A DU-301 automatic duplexer costs $299. Optional PF-60 500-sheet paper draws also cost $299 each; up to three drawers can be added to the printer for a total paper capacity of 2,100 sheets. An EF-60 envelope feeder costs $219 and can hold between 15 and 60 envelopes, depending on size. Users that want their printout facing up when they&re done will want to have the PT-301 face-up tray added for $40. An IB-22 802.11b enhanced wireless NIC can be added for $419.

Kyocera does not have a traditional reseller channel program in place. Only authorized Kyocera dealers can sell these printers, but it&s easy to become one. Resellers and solution providers can purchase these printers from authorized Kyocera dealers, and the dealers are free to work out whatever sales arrangements they care to.