l25500 bait and switch

[Jack Knight1979]

So I'm wondering about the l25500 consumables pricing. First off. I have a Roland and love it. If I were to buy a new printer I might have bought the new HP as I've owned them in the past and liked them.

I am however very pleased with my Roland and will probably stay in the Roland family of products. Okay. Enough about the Roland.

As I have owned HP machines in the past and I've been looking at a hp Z series photo printer for some time -- I'm curious about the low consumables cost on the latex machines compared to HP's other machines.

If you look at any of the other hp machines the inks are three times the cost the latex ink and the heads cost more too.

Are any of you guys concerned that HP introduced this new tech with crazy low consumables pricing to get you on the line.

Why would HP sell a photo ink for 300 bucks and then sell latex ink for 100?

I think it may be too good to be true. My one real problem with HP is that once they have you on the machine you're stuck with them. I understand both sides of this sword, but still don't like to feel trapped.

Thoughts.

 

[Techman]

Latex ink is much cheaper to produce.
They know that high ink prices will lead to 3rd party inks anyway.
Heads are not as critical as the solvent based head. Why because the alcohol in the solvents will eat the piazzo ceramic valves in the solvent heads.
Latex ink is not a hazardous product for shipping.

 

[CS-SignSupply-TT]

Do you see the HP Z series printer as a (please pardon the expression) "point and shoot" photo printer? Are you going to buy new or used? Have you considered 3rd party consumables? Is there a RIP involved? What about 3rd party media profiles? Just a few things to consider

 

[Jack Knight1979]

çiber,

I'm more interested in HP Latex consumables tripling in price over the next few years as more and more folks are on the hook.

Just something to talk about.

 

[BigfishDM]

çiber,

I'm more interested in HP Latex consumables tripling in price over the next few years as more and more folks are on the hook.

Just something to talk about.

The consumables are just like the ones you run in your solvent printer for the most part so the prices will not go up any differently then they normally would. The products will get cheaper if anything as the latex machines can also run offset products unlike the solvent printers.

 

[MontereySigns]

I don't think you have much to worry about in regards to comsumable costs for the latex inks.

The HP Z6100, 5500 and the whole family of water-based inkjet printers image onto materials with a coating that anchors the ink to the surface. These are generically referred to as "coated" media and are more expensive than un-coated.

Latex inks, as well as solvent, eco-solvent, and UV, use uncoated materials. These materials have a lot of competition among manufacturers, of comparable quality, and should remain relatively low cost for a long time. Hp will not be able to lock you into HP branded media.

-Bud

 

[P Wagner]

I think it may be too good to be true. My one real problem with HP is that once they have you on the machine you're stuck with them. I understand both sides of this sword, but still don't like to feel trapped.

Thoughts.

There is at least one 3rd-party latex inkset available for the HP latex printers today, and as they proliferate in the marketplace, it would be increasingly likely that more will appear on the scene. Migration to these lower-cost inks would redule the ability of HP to dramatically increase the prices for their OEM ink.

 

[ProColorGraphics]

I switched from a Roland VP-540i to the new L25500 and have NO regrets! It works awesome and it is so nice not to have to do any cleaning as the printer does it all itself.

 

[Freese]

It's latex ink, nuff said.

Materials don't have to be strong enough to maintain aggressiveness of solvent.

 

[signswi]

çiber,

I'm more interested in HP Latex consumables tripling in price over the next few years as more and more folks are on the hook.

Just something to talk about.

There's also at least one generic on the market to keep prices competitive. I don't see that happening. By the time your scenario theoretically happens the tech and inks will have changed anyway.