HP DeskJet 6122 Color Printer

• Up to 4,800 x 1,200 optimized dpi color, 600 x 600 dpi black
• Up to 20 ppm black draft print speed, 13 ppm color
• Built-in two-sided printing, automatic paper-type sensor
• High-volume duty cycle, optional 250-sheet paper tray
• USB, parallel, and optional networking interfaces; PC and Mac compatible

I purchased this printer to replaced my aging 694c. Installation of the 6122 went flawlessly under XP pro and has performed beautifully on everything from text documents to glossy photos. I have an older Photosmart printer and the prints from the 6122 look just as good. The printer comes with a two sided printing accessory (duplexer) which I absolutely love, Printing two sided documents is now a breeze and saves paper too. I also like the fact that this printer uses larger ink cartridges than the 5550 which was the other printer I was considering. If you buy this printer, you will not be disappointed.

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I have been an avid Epson user up until now. I''m very noise sensitive because I work at night and don''t want to wake up the family while printing out documents. Epson is very loud so I decided to try this HP 6122. I''ve read that it prints very quietly, and I have to agree. HOWEVER, is everyone ignoring the fact that it makes a dreadful clunking noise BEFORE and AFTER it prints? It sounds as if it''s falling off the table!

One other thing after you press print, there is a (longer than I''m used to) delay before it actually prints. This can be annoying if you need to print a bunch of different documents in a hurry.

I do think the picture quality is right up there with the Epson Photo printers. If only HP would make their inks last as long as Epson! Overall, nice printer except for the clunking.

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This is a quality piece of equipment. This is the mid-level HP on the market right now. I did a demo of this and the economy HP 3820, I liked this printer a bit better. This uses the larger, number 45, black ink cartridge that is generally about 2 dollars cheaper than the number 15 that the 3820 uses. The 45 has 42 ml of ink and the 15 only has 25 ml. They both use the number 78 tri-color cartridge. The nicest feature on this piece is the quick print speed; 20 ppm black and 12 ppm color.

The 6122 has the 4800x1200 resolution that puts it right up there with most photo printers. The only problem is that doesn''t use the longer-lasting photo ink. But, overall this is a good printer for a good price. It uses big ink tanks and they are reasonably priced. It is more solid than the 3820, but unfortunatly, my company went with the 3820 for price and size reasons. But, if you have the space, and the money, buy the 6122.

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Our current office environment is a hodgepodge of desktop and network printers all of which need toner or inkjet cartridges replacements on a continual basis. Even over a short period of time this can add up to a tidy chunk of change, not to mention the storage space needed to store the disparate collection of dissimilar boxes and packages. Add to that the need to call a variable rainbow of manufactures and one could see that something needed to change. We needed a standard for desktop inkjet printing, which would combine outstanding output, low cost, easy maintenance, duplex printing, and a small footprint. Enter the HP Desktop 6122 business class printer.

According to a Hewlett Packard media releases, the HP Desktop 6122 inkjet printer offers the ability to print: "laser-quality black text plus professional color photos at up to 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi color printing on premium photo papers and 1200 x 1200-input dpi. With quick print speeds up to 20 pages per minute in black and up to 13 pages per minute (ppm) in color your high-volume printing will be incredibly efficient!"

The latest crop of HP desktop printers is now indistinguishable from their LaserJet counterparts in print quality when the proper weight paper is utilized; for inkjets that weight should start at 22lbs. Adding color to this functionality makes the HP Desktop 6122 a bargain at $180.00.

Features & Specifications:

One of the biggest selling points of the HP Desktop 6122 is the standard duplex module (the ability to print on both sides of the paper) which ships with the printer, and must be installed during the initial printer setup and configuration. This option is then selectable via the printer software. The duplex printing option has worked perfectly for our user base thus far.

Another feature business-class clients will find useful is the standard 150 sheet paper tray that is standard on the HP Desktop 6122, instead of the 100 sheet tray found on most Inkjet printers at this price point. In addition, an optional 250 sheet paper tray can be added to the printer, which attaches to the bottom of the unit. Also, a number of Ethernet based Jet Direct network cards can be attached to the printer including:

* HP Jetdirect 175x External USB Ethernet Print Server J6035A

* HP Jetdirect wp380 server J6061A

* HP Jetdirect 170x External Parallel Ethernet Print Server J3258BHP

* Wireless Print Server wp110 (802.11b) J6062A

For built-in Ethernet connectivity, HP offers the HP Desktop 6127. Standard connectivity is provided via IEEE 1284-Centronics parallel compatible, and version 2.0 Universal Serial Bus (USB) ports. It is worth noting that HP does not include either printer cables in the box with the printer. Specifications include:

Duty Cycle: 5,000 pages per month

Black Print Speed: Up to 20 pages a minute (Draft Mode)

Black Print Speed: Up to 5 pages a minute (Normal Mode)

Black Print Speed: Up to 1.4 pages a minute (Best Quality Mode)

Color Print Speed: Up to 13 Pages a minute (Draft Mode)

Color Print Speed: Up to .9 Pages a minute (Normal Mode)

Color Print Speed: Up to 1.2 Pages a minute (Best Quality Mode)

Resolution: 4800 x 1200

Input capacity, max. 150 sheets or 22 envelopes

Duplexing: Automatic module included

Media Sizes: 3 x 5 in to 8.5 x 14 in

Media Types: Paper, envelopes, transparencies, labels, cards (index and greeting), HP premium photo and brochure paper, iron-on transfers

Recommended media weight: 16 to 24 lb

Memory, standard and maximum: 8 mb

Dimensions: 17.9 x 17.3 x 7.3 in

Weight: 14.8 lb

Warranty: 1 year standard

The HP Desktop 6122 printer can be attached to a Mac or PC.

Installation:

Installation of hardware and software components for the HP Desktop 6122 is easy and straight forward, with a typical installation taking less then ten minutes. HP has provided an easy to read (large print) step-by-step installation sheet for both Mac and PC users. The most difficult portion of the installation is the duplex unit which ships unattached; however the procedure for installing it is clearly outlined on the installation sheet.

The HP Desktop 6122 ships with two print cartridges, one black, one tri-color. Installation of these is easy and is again well spelled out on the installation sheet. Unlike some previous models which called for the installation of the software driver before connecting the printer to the USB port, the HP Desktop 6122 installation instructions call for the reverse; i.e. the printer should connected to the USB port first, powered on, at which time the software and drivers can be installed.

First Impressions:

I like the printer. It has a small footprint, and while not the most attractive inkjet on the market it is thus far very reliable, which is a quality I have come to expect from HP products. The black print is outstanding even on standard 20lbs laser paper, though I advise all of my clients to purchase 22-24lbs inkjet paper for the best results. Color output is nothing short of spectacular, and again with dedicated 22-24 pound inkjet paper, or even glossy photo paper, the results will speak for themselves. The colors on the page are sharp, bright, vibrant and true to life, with no streaking or running evident. And while the HP Desktop 6122 may be on the noisy side, the decibels levels are certainly acceptable and not at all distracting.

Conclusions:

Price, fast draft printing (which by the way saves a considerable amount of ink), duplex printing, and options such as a second 250 sheet paper tray, as well as the ability to add an external Jet Direct Ethernet NIC, combine to make the HP Desktop 6122 a very attractive alternative to even the most basic laser printer.

I used an inexpensive HP PhotoSmart printer for 2 years. The print quality was good, but the feed mechanism drove me crazy with frequent paper misfeeds (using HP paper!!!). The support software also contantly gave warnings about a lost connection to the printer (actually to the built-in memory stick reader). There were so many buttons on the housing that I had to study them carefully with a flashlight whenever the printer needed service. It turns out that I had purchased the wrong printer for my needs. The Photosmart was a fancy toy for digital photo enthusiasts. What I needed was a small business-grade printer.

During that period, I built up an investiment in 45/78 cartridges. There is a local service here in North Seattle which refills the cartridges for about $15. They do a good job.

I finally decided to purchase a new printer. The HP 6122 offers three things that I really, really needed:

1. Reliability.

2. Simplicity.

3. Uses the same 45/78 cartridges.

The 6122 cost a lot more than the Photosmart, and it has fewer "cool features." The trick is that the 6122 has everything I actually need---and it works reliably.

As a bonus, the 6122 gives me double-sided printing. When I use this feature with draft quality printing and inexpensive paper, I have a very cost-effective printer. For resumes and important correspondence, I turn up the print quality, switch to single-sided printing and use paper with rag content. The result is equal to that of a laser printer.

There are only three buttons on the housing, and they are easy to see and understand. This printer is not a toy. It prints. That is all it does, and it does that very well.

The HP Preview is included. This is an awesome utility that saves me gallons of ink and tons of paper each year. HP should win a Nobel award or something for that little utility.

THe 6122 is ideal for professionals/small offices needing a simple printer that is very reliable---without spending a forturne. It is well-built, solid and compact.

I am very pleased with the HP 6122.