[jagasail]

Does anyone have any experience using one of the portable battery capable printers onboard, such as the Canon IP90 or HP mobile printers? Being able to print out a small 'maplet' on the fly of a unfamilar or difficult entrance to have in the cockpit could be quite useful. I've done it from MacENC at home, but not onboard.

Thanks,
Scot
Ingrid 38 "Jaga"
Port Hadlock, WA

[cyberhusky]

I do use a Canon BJC80 portable printer with USB cable on my iBook or iRDA on my Psion 5mx PDA. Both times for printing logbooks, routes, waypoints and weathermaps from internet.
It isn't that fast but enough for these situations. The BJC 80 has a very small footprint (30 cm x 15,7 cm x 5,7cm; 1.4 kg) but can print on DIN A4 paper and in color.

The new IP90 can accept Bluetooth as an option so you do need less cables. To use bluetooth you don't need to buy the expensive Canon Bluetooth USB stick, II do use a normal BT USB stick on my Canon Selphy CP710 photoprinter and it works great.
But I like the retractabel cabels (USB, Ethernet, mouse) very much as they don't use much space.
The IP90 is fast and great for photoprinting, it's some mm bigger than the BJC80.
Unfortunately the Litium Accu is optional with the BJC 80 it was standard!
The BJC 80 is still available on ebay.


(German link)
http://computer.kelkoo.de/b/a/ps_1010893/114901.html

or

(UK link)
http://computing.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/sbs/11...53643.html

As for the HP portable printer I did find these always too big and the batteries were always optional if I remember correctly.
And I think Canon does have better MAC OS X support!

[Quentin]

Has anyone tried any compact/portable DC printers since last years posting on the Canon? I have seen the HP Deskjet 460 and the Canon BJC 80 and don't see too much difference between them, has anyone got experience of these or any other compact printers before I get my wallet out? I want a printer to print blank charts for plotting weather forecasts, printing chartlets for port approaches etc, nothing too strenuous.

[Guest]

Hi Quentin, Well I use, on a regular basis, a Canon BJC-85 Bubble Jet printer and have had no problems at all. A sport I do on the water requires me to make real CHS charts for the race. These charts look great and a simple inverter runs the printer. You can buy a battery for it, but why? Hook-up is fast and simple, being USB, and Mac OSX 10.4 and above has the drivers. I see eBay has them for about $85.00 Can. Also eBay shows plenty of portable printers, check it out. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------MV Eboness

Patrick

[xymotic]

I have an IP90. It's downside is that it's relatively expensive. It is pretty fast to print a B&W page. Color looks great. Works fine with Macs, and in fact I have it running wirelessly off the USB port on an airport express.

The only real consideration for me was size, I really love its size.

[jagasail]

Having starting this thread I thought I ought to follow up that I eventually got the Canon IP90 and have been extremely happy with it. Don't recall all the factors but having the bluetooth and battery were key, so it can be totally wireless, thus very quick to pull out of a locker and print something. Downside to this (or any of the small printers) is the small cartriges that run out much faster, and are expensive.

All in all, though, it's working great and takes very little room.

Scot

[jagasail]

I have an IP90. It's downside is that it's relatively expensive. It is pretty fast to print a B&W page. Color looks great. Works fine with Macs, and in fact I have it running wirelessly off the USB port on an airport express.

Out of curiosity why run it off the Airport rather than Bluetooth? Would be one less wire and be a bit more flexible on locating the printer.

Scot