News
September 2006
The HP Photosmart C5180 All-in-One – the ideal printer for the home hobbyist
The HP Photosmart C5180 All-in-One promises a standard performance and speedy output with an affordable estimated price tag of less than $200. It has a lightweight (21 pounds) convenient size and shape (17.6 inches wide, 15.2 inches deep, and 7.4 inches tall) with a flatbed scanner. It has its disadvantages but is on the whole a useful multifunction printer for the home user. The following are the features which will be well-appreciated by the end-user:
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Supports Windows and Macintosh
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It has computer connectivity via USB port and network connectivity via Ethernet. It can be connected to a wireless router or a print server for a shared wireless connection
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It prints text at a rate of 5.17 pages per minute and 4 x 6” photos at a rate of 0.56ppm
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It has quick grayscale scanning speed of 7.8 ppm for monochrome and 3.68ppm for color
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The copy menu allows the user to resize, alter the copy quality, state number of copies (max. 99), plus crop, select paper size and type, and improve copies according to the type of the original document, i.e. if it is text, photo, or mixed
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The control panel is mounted along the front edge of the printer
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A 2.4“ color LCD allows easy navigation of the menus and preview of the photos before printing. The LCD pivots through a 90-degree range, which lets you optimize viewing. The user can print, copy and scan directly from the printer with the help of a long row of buttons. There are dedicated buttons for each function and the user also has the option to back out of menus by pressing the back button
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The scan menu has discerning features of differentiating between text and images
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The scan can be opened in multiple HP utilities like the HP Document Viewer or Photosmart Express
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The consumer can also save it as a file, save it to a memory card, reprint the image, attach it to an e-mail, or open it in a program like Paint
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The consumer can also save it as a file, save it to a memory card, reprint the image, attach it to an e-mail, or open it in a program like Paint
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The user is also offered the scanning features of being able to:
- Print photos from a media card
- Reprint photos
- Save photos from a media card to the PC
- Share the photos over a network connection
- Zoom in on a picture or zoom out to view multiple pictures instantly
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The Photo Fix button, when turned on, can autocorrect photos by reducing red-eyes and adjusting the contrast, brightness and sharpness
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Has an exclusive capability of printing school documents like ruled paper, graph paper and task lists where it prints even the horizontal and vertical lines of the lined paper in the right colors of blue and magenta
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It uses a cost-effective six-ink system with individual ink cartridges for each color, making it easy to replace if any of the colors run out. The printhead is also pre-labeled so it is easy to know the exact position of the tank while replacing.
The HP Photosmart C5180 AIO has, however, some drawbacks which hinders its performance and makes the user want to opt for, maybe the Canon PIXMA 500 or MP450:
It has limited paper handling options
It does not have fax function
Nor does it have a duplexer to print on both sides of the paper
The user will not be able to print the contents of a media card as a photo index sheet
Lacks an automatic document feeder
No PictBridge port for printing directly from a digital camera which most home photo printers have.
