I Scan, Therefore I Am

This is the first scan I have made on the Epson ET-2985.

Everything is working now on the printer. I like the ink tanks. Initializing the printer draws down the ink a bit, but Epson leaves enough in the bottles to top off the tanks. That’s a nice touch.

My only problem during setup was both unexpected and stupid. The opening for the USB Type B connector is too small. Fortunately, rummaging through my large and varied collection of cables, I found one with a plug that fit. Wi-Fi was easy to get going with WPS.

My tax return PDF’s were a good test for 2-sided duplex printing, and I was pleased with the output quality and speed. Scanning is a disappointment, however.

Canon’s automatic adjustments for optimizing scans were almost always spot on. Epson’s images are rather dim by comparison. They remind me a little of the UMAX scanner I had before the Canon. So, I’ll probably be doing a lot more post-scan processing.

Also, it’s very annoying that I can’t specify what part of an image I want to scan with Epson’s software. Microsoft’s own scanning program can do this with the Epson driver, but then I can’t select de-screening or any other advanced option.

Explaining Yesterday’s Posts

Dead Head Printer

The blog has outlasted my Canon all-in-one inkjet printer. The printhead, that was never changed, has died.

Canon Pixma MP600 (February, 2007 – May, 2026)

The error says it’s the wrong printhead, but it’s a dead head. I’ll spare telling you everything I tried, both official from Canon and unofficial from users.

What gets me is the error prevents scanning, and I could live with it for now as just a scanner. My Samsung ML-1710 laser printer, that’s even older than the Canon, continues to chug along, and I have a spare toner cartridge for it.

Duplex printing is a must for a replacement. Consumer Reports had me leaning in the direction of getting an Epson EcoTank. This expertly produced video clinched it.

The least expensive model, the EP-2980, is good enough for my purposes. I’ll get the EP-2985 variation that comes with an extra bottle of black ink and costs ten bucks less at BJ’s than the EP-2980 does at Best Buy.

https://www.bjs.com/product/epson-ecotank-et-2985-wireless-all-in-one-color-supertank-printer/3000000000005988775/

This was the final scan I made on the Canon MP600.

NCC-1701

I have seen one of these very impressive TOMY models* at a friend’s house. You know who you are!

For less ambitious Star Trek fans, for only $13 there is this much smaller model that lights up in a modest way. I have two of them.

Order yours today!

* Note: Powered by USB, not Dilithium crytals. 😉