 Buy now, read review while you wait for delivery truck! |
| Review Date: February 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: A. Michalove, Fort Worth, TX USA |
The Canon PIXMA MX860 is the iPhone of All-In-One Printers - it is feature packed, easy to use, and exceeds expectations at every turn.
SUMMARY
Excellent quality, clear menus/instructions/software, Wireless setup, printing, and scanning on OS X is flawless. ADF and Duplexer in a high quality wireless printer from Canon is a steal at $199.
PROS
Build quality, setup instructions, feature set is huge, price tag isn't
CONS
Weight, could be quieter, internal paper tray doesn't handle photo media, no wireless faxing
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The build quality is striking. It is very well packed and instructions are the best I have seen of any consumer electronics product including previous Canon products. There is a "kickstand" for keeping the printer open while inserting the 5 ink tanks and closing it reveals that it has a gentle piston like a luxury car's hood. Other details include a mechanism on the output try that automatically opens when printing to keep papers from spewing onto the floor. There is definitely some weight to this device and it is much larger than a printer you might get free with a PC purchase. Still I said to myself as I unpacked "was this really just $199?" as I had been looking at more expensive models and was concerned the quality would suffer to provide the MX860's price point.
PHYSICAL SETUP
Okay, I was flat out scared to insert the print head and break the caps off the five delicate ink tanks to insert them, but I think the instructions were just trying to make a point. In any case, do prepare your setup with lots of light as the print head insertion process is both dark and covered in warning stickers. I had no problems however because the on-screen instructions were clear (both visually and intellectually) and after printing a three step printhead alignment, output quality was definitely promising. I went with the wireless setup so I left the included USB cable (thanks Canon!) and phone lines (don't intend to fax) in the bag. The built in paper tray (letter size only) hides away neatly under the printer and there is a second input on the back of the unit for other media, plain paper, envelopes, or photo paper (hey a free 4x6 sample pack is included, cool!)
NETWORK SETUP
I installed the OS X drivers on a MacBook and it was very easy. Note that there are different instructions for 10.4 and 10.5 which are the only two versions supported as of Feb 2009 (Vista, XP, and 2000 are also supported, though it is unclear if 64-bit drivers are provided for those OSes). Software is as straight forward as the printed instructions. I did not install Canon's included photo software as I am expecting iPhoto to handle those tasks.I put the printer in Wireless LAN setup mode. A couple items to note though: Canon does proide for totally wireless setup though Wi-Fi Protected Setup though I went with the more straight forward USB connection to get the printer setup on the wireless network (turns out that included USB cable was helpful). The second item to note is that the software required a reboot which I am not accustom to with OS X software but none the less went along with. It was very cool to see the results of a two minute Wi-Fi quality test that shows the signal strength from base station to printer. (I was in the green zone from about 50 - 60 feet from the base station through two walls.)
PRINTING
Printing is so subjective I'm not going to try to quantify it. I'll say that it looks very crisp to me - not laser printer crisp, but every bit as sharp as I expected. Have not printed photos yet. The printing is about moderate in speed and as loud as my $300 HP All-in-One from 2004 but lower in tone so not as annoying.
SCANNING
Wireless scanning was what I was very interested in and the MX860 did not disappoint. Can scan from the glass, or the Auto-Document Feeder (ADF) and even do front and back duplex scans from the ADF. The awesome on-screen menu system is intuitive and allows you to choose your target wireless device to scan to. Scanning was faster and quieter than I expected and the resolution is truly excellent for an All-in-One. This is not a dedicated scanner and it won't scan a legal document, but when you want to quickly front and back scan those rebate forms before you send them in, this will be a good friend to have. I also look forward to batch scanning old printed photos for import into iPhoto.
OTHER FEATURES
I haven't had time to test printing from a memory card, duplex or ADF copy/print/scanning, faxing or receiving a fax, or Bluetooth (didn't purchase the optional module for $30). But what I was keenly impressed with is the crisp, intuitive menus. Very easy to navigate and follow. Things are where you think they will be. I wanted to turn down the volume of the keypad confirmation beeps and pleasantly had a whole menu of selection to do so for various volumes including off, as well as different settings for key press or alarms. The attention to detail and user experience really shows.
I hope this review was helpful and you enjoy your new Canon PIXMA MX860. |
Excellent All in One Printer
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| Review Date: February 20, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Kathleen A. Bromead, Raleigh NC |
| I bought this printer to replace an old Canon S800 that was a very good printer. This new one arrived quickly (3 days), was in perfect condition and took about 1 hour to setup. Most of your time is taking off orange tape which is used to protect the parts that move. I did the usb connection to my desktop on Windows XP which was perfect. I have printed color photos they are awesome, did the copy function and did a scan to email (very nice). I have always been pleased with Canon products. The only part that is a little cheap is the paper tray, but how often do you have to change or add paper? Thanks Canon a great print/scan/copy/fax device. |
Wireless Installation
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| Review Date: March 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: George A. Zolla, San Diego, CA |
I had some problems connecting my MX860 to my wireless network. It is up and running now so I thought I would pass on some insights. Bottom line; use the manual setup through the USB connection if you have any security on your wireless network.
I have a home network consisting of a new Linksys WRT160N wireless router, a 24-inch iMac with OSX 10.5.6 and an old Windows XP Pro SP3. My wireless network has the network name (SSID) turned off and uses WEP hex encryption.
I assumed that I would be able to go to a MX 860 menu screen and manually enter in the IP address, gateway, SSID and encryption. I looked through the Getting Stated Manual and the onscreen manual but I could not find anyway to connect the wireless network through the menu LCD. Too bad, that would have been great!
Next, I tried to connect using Wi-Fi Protected Set-up (WPS) to no avail. I made sure the wireless connection was selected then installed the software on my iMac but I could never get a connection. My guess is that the network security was the problem.
Next, I connected my iMac to the MX 860 via USB cable and used the manual wireless network connection configuration procedure. I was finally able to put in the network security information. When I disconnected the USB, the MX 860 was connected wirelessly. The MX860 showed up but interestingly was connected via its Mac network card address instead of its IP address. Everything worked fine though.
Finally I connected my Windows XP to the MX860 by installing the software and connecting to the MX 860 via the USB cable. I used the manual wireless connection and this time it connected via IP address and allowed me to enter a static address.
BTW - all the materials and packing are first rate. The printing, scanning and copying look good too. The Windows applications that come with the CD are more complete than the Mac ones. |
Do not attempt wireless setup without the manual
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| Review Date: March 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: C. Lozach, |
--
Our setup: MacBook w/Leopard, MacBook Pro w/Tiger, same MacBook Pro w/XP in Parallels. All connected wirelessly w/WPA password security.
--
WARNING: RTFM truly applies here. If you attempt to set up wireless printing without following the manual step-by-step, there's a good chance you'll end up cursing your printer. This takes some patience as the manual is written like a Choose Your Own Adventure book. Time-consuming, but it works!
SETUP
I started with the MacBook, attaching the USB cable when instructed, installing from the CD when instructed, etc. There was one bit that confused me slightly in the "register the printer" section, but I just closed the browser window that came up and carried on without issue. Printing works like a charm.
Next I installed the software from the CD onto the MacBook Pro, which involved far fewer steps because the printer was already on the network, ready to be seen as soon as I rebooted with the software installed. No USB cable required.
The hardest part was getting printing to work from XP in Parallels, but it wasn't Canon's fault. The solution came from the Parallels manual, which specifies a very specific network configuration in order to get network printing to work. Since we've got an old version of Parallels, I won't muddy the issue by describing the settings here: suffice it to say that if you install the Canon software in Windows and find that your printer can't be found, it's probably a Parallels network configuration issue. Again, no USB cable required.
QUALITY
I haven't tried scanning yet, but everything else has been working great, with good quality prints, and very reasonable resolution on copies. For the price, it's amazing how much they've fit into the package without any of the components being inadequate to the task. Especially love auto-duplex!
ISSUES
Aside from the one-time challenges of wireless setup, the only issue we've encountered thus far is that a paper jam from the bottom tray was reported by the printer as "No paper in tray." Getting the paper out was easy enough: remove the paper tray and tilt the entire printer back a bit. Not even bothersome enough to warrant a one-star penalty. |
Excellent printer, exceptional versatility, a company with great service
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| Review Date: April 22, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Nathan Andersen, Florida |
I am very impressed by the performance and versatility of this sleek little workhorse of a printer. I picked it up for its color printing capacity and thought I might occasionally use the copier and scanner (our office has both of these readily available, but I thought every once in a while it would be convenient to have them handy at my desk). While I have no use for a fax and haven't used that, I've discovered that many of the other capabilities of this machine will be very useful.
One excellent feature I know I'll use a lot (and didn't expect) is that if you scan in documents the built in software can convert them directly to text files. I know that will be useful, since I often need to transcribe long passages from texts I'm reading onto the computer (usually to share with students). This way, I can just scan them in and convert the text and email it, rather than typing it in or cutting and pasting to give on a handout.
This makes color and black and white copies or scans, and they look quite good. One thing I really like is that instead of having to change the settings every time (between color or b/w) there are two "go" buttons, one for color scans/copies/etc. and one for b/w.
I love the wireless feature, love that I can print directly from my laptop and send scans directly to my desktop. What I'm most impressed by, however, is the quality of Canon's service. It did take me a while to figure out how to set the printer up on my network - I followed the manual, and installed the software (on a mac) and then when it didn't work I reinstalled it, checked everything on the troubleshooting guide, and still didn't get it. So I called Canon's customer service, quickly reached a tech guy, and was amazed by how helpful he was. He walked me through the process step by step and I finally figured out what I'd done wrong (it was my misunderstanding and not something wrong with the manual) and it was set. I've had similar experiences with Canon in the past - that time with a camcorder accessory - where I had a problem and their customer service patiently helped me to resolve it. I have always been impressed by the quality of Canon products, but I am consistently amazed by the helpfulness of their support and their support team.
Highly recommended for anyone looking to replace a scanner, fax, copier and printer with a do-it-all device that is well built, looks good, and is supported well by a reliable company. |
Small Technology Business Owner
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| Review Date: May 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Raskol Nikov, Arlington, VA, USA |
Long story short: run out and get this multi-function device.
We run a boutique consulting firm specializing in software development and management consulting. After using the All-in-one for a few weeks, my take on the Canon PIXMA MX860 is as follows:
A) Physical setup - Lots of orange tape, but even that took a total of 5 minutes
B) Ink Jet cartridge Head - there is a flip-top mechanism that is part of the cartridge head; make sure you flip this up before seating your cartridges. The cartridges have a very nice feature in that they a little LED lights up if you've seated it correctly
C) Wireless Setup - Very straightforward. One piece of advice before starting this; the first time you do it, keep the printer close to a computer (you'll need to initially use USB for setup). We have a range of devices on our network (Windows XP and Vista). The disc that comes with the Printer, for me anyway, did the trick for all machines. I had only one minor issue with a Vista machine blue screening the first few hours the printer was installed. After a second shutdown and restart (outside of the one that you're prompted to do as part of the setup), this issue went away (fingers crossed).
D) Print quality - I'm printing a range of documents including short-run glossy brochures; the quality is excellent (or excellent "enough" for our business/marketing needs - fwiw, we are always commended on our marketing materials)
E) More on print quality - heavy color; as you might expect heavy color runs tend to be of lower quality, but if you have needs that have average amounts of color; this machine will do the trick just fine
F) Scanning - while the scanning is not world class - for a small office, it does the trick. It handles 11-12 point font just fine; further, being able to launch it from my computer and save as pdf onto my machine nearly effortlessly is priceless
G) Margins issue - I read on another feedback post that people had issues with printing outside of a particular size margin. I did not have the same issue (printing a brochure with design purposely fading off the edge of the artboard/margin). The software allows you to override the default margin, so -- unless -- I'm missing something this is largely a non-issue.
I've not taken advantage of the ability to retrieve pictures from the memory card slot on the printer over the network (I'm pretty sure this is possible), but that, too, seems like its going to be very handy with a newborn on the way.
The main Con to me seems to be that this machine is not really built for 'large scale' copying (eg, 60 copies). For that, going down to Kinkos and spending $8.00 seems like the most efficient option in terms of time, money (ink cartridge running out), and sanity (avoiding paper jams).
One final note: we have not experienced the paper jams mentioned by others.
I highly recommend this printer. |
Load the Canon. Fire!
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| Review Date: March 31, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Susan, Pahrump, NV |
My default printer was the Canon Pixma 130, so when I saw this Canon Pixma 860 I decided it was about time to upgrade. I've been playing with it ever since I got it over a week ago, so now I feel I'm ready to give a review.
As one of the reviewers stated, you need to read the Quick start manual before setting it up. It took me 2 to 3 reads before I fully understood what the manufacturers were trying to say. But once I was hands-on it all kind of gelled. The setup was installed on a Windows Vista 64-bit operating system so I was a little skeptical if I would have a problem with the drivers. But all went well. The Canon had to be turned on so that the carriage could move to the center so that the print head and the ink cartridges could be installed. Once the ink cartridge lights come on you know everything is correctly in position. Next comes setting up. The LCD will ask you if you want to align the print head or skip that. It takes three sheets of paper to align the print head, because you need to identify to the printer which is the better of the printouts. They do recommend it, so I went ahead and completed the process. It takes about four to five minutes to complete then you decide whether you are going with USB, ethernet or a wireless connection. After that decision is made you are next asked to load in paper (which you already did so you could align the print head). I guess it asked again in case you only loaded in three pieces of paper.
Next you need to shut off the printer and turn on the computer and get ready to install the software. I chose to install all the software that was available on the disc. That way I could make sure that I had all the documentation, the drivers, the Canon navigation for doing scanning and whatever else was available on the disc. When the install comes to a certain point, it will ask you to plug in the USB which you need to connect to the printer in order to set it up and then turn on the printer. The software had no trouble in finding the printer and from there, you're asked again whether you want to set up USB, wireless or ethernet. After I'd made my decision to go with wireless, it went through the process of finding the router and if a wep key is needed, which mine is, then you enter the wep key and the process is complete. It finishes the install by going through a couple more processes like loading paper and completing the installation.
When the installation was complete it told me there was an update and to reboot the computer. This is the part that was a little spooky. Upon the reboot, the screen would not go any farther than the prompt before it enters into Windows. I waited for about five minutes for something magical to happen, but eventually I decided to shut off the machine and booted up again. Fortunately, it booted up properly and all was well.
So then I decided to find out what I could learn and do with this brand new Canon printer. My first project was to print out a 3-D art picture to look at the color quality compared to the other printer I had. Printing from the computer brings up the driver properties that give you the options of how you want to print the picture; everything that's listed in the properties is also listed in the LCD. So I was very impressed by that. Because I set this up wirelessly, I was curious if I could see the pixels flying through the air. But no luck :-) I just used plain paper to print the picture. And I have to say it was very close to the image on the computer monitor. I also have the Xerox Phaser 6130 laser jet. So I decided to experiment and see what the picture looked like using the Xerox, also using plain paper. I have to say that this Canon did not quite match the capabilities of the Xerox laser jet, but then again, this Canon is about $200 less than the Xerox. And even though the Xerox printer costs more than this Canon, there are so many things the Xerox doesn't do compared to the Canon. For one thing it doesn't scan, it doesn't have duplex printing, it's not a fax, and it has no memory card slots. So the Xerox will be reserved for Photoshop projects.
As far as copying goes this Canon does it all. Duplex printing is way cool, the sheet comes out then automatically goes back in to print the other side. And as far as scanning goes, you can scan whatever as a document, pdf., an e-mail attachment or straight into an application. I would assume these functions have been around for a while, but having worked with the Canon Pixma 130 this was all new and exciting to me.
I mentioned earlier in my review about installing all the software. The documentation for this printer is very vital to learning how to completely used and enjoy this printer. I'm sure this review doesn't do the Canon printer justice. I have no need for the fax, so I can't tell you anything about that. For home office use, I can't imagine a better all-in-one printer to have, especially for the price. |
Works with Vista 64 bit
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| Review Date: March 13, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Fletch, East Coast |
I replaced a Linksys WPSM54G Wireless-G Multifunction PrintServer connected to a Canon MP780 with the WiFi enabled Canon PIXMA MX860, and am very pleased with it so far. I had no trouble connecting the MX860 printer to my WPA2 protected WiFi network at home (using an Apple AirPort). Even better, Canon's software works on all Microsoft Windows versions, including Vista 64, as well as MacOS. Installing the print driver on a Vista 64, Vista 32, and MacOS machine went very smoothly.
You DO need to follow the setup instructions carefully (it's not complicated, but follow each step properly and you won't have any issues), but once it's all setup, wireless printing works flawlessly. The printer itself is quiet, relatively speedy, and has good print quality. |
All that I was looking for and then some.
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| Review Date: August 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Leland D. Valentine, Santee, SC |
| My HP psc 2210 "all in one" recently failed. I considered the cost of repair and the fact that the software which came with the printer was not compatible with my Windows Vista, and decided to but a new one. Despite the negative comments I had read about the HP software, I decided to try to buy another HP. The problem was that most of the "All in Ones" included an ADF on top which made them too tall for my computer's printer drawer, so I shopped around and found the Canon MX860. I ordered it primarily because of its height, knowing it would fit under a shelf and allow me to close the drawer. I hadn't really looked at the length and depth dimensions, and the picture made it look small, especially with the ejection door closed, but this thing is huge. I guess Canon builds them out in stead of up. Happily it still fit my drawer. I haven't had this very long and I am still learning about all its features, but there are several thing I like already. It prints as well as my old HP only much faster. Unlike my old HP which would not print closer than 1/4" from the top and sides, and 3/4" from the bottom, this will print borderless on a full sized sheet. You can copy or fax from the glass or the ADF. It has a removable cassette for plain paper which holds a generous amount, and also a rear feeder. 5 cartridges for the different inks, allowing you to replace only the color that runs out. It has memory card readers, and a USB port for flash drives. The ejection door opens and closes very smoothly, and tends to keep the printed sheets pretty much inside the machine where they will not spill out onto the floor. I know the fax works. I noticed in some of the other reviews a lot of negativity about the fax and the fact you could not set the number of rings to answer, creating a problem in a single phone line environment of the home. I fail to see the problem. Most people who can afford a fax machine also have an answering machine. There has always been a conflict between these two. If you set the fax at fewer rings than the answering machine, a caller will only hear fax sounds, and will not be able to leave a message. If you set it at more than the answering machine, the answering machine will wind up recording fax noises for 15 min. So most people had to set their fax to no answer and have the faxer notify them when they needed to send a fax, allowing enough time to reset their fax. This machine addresses that problem. You have three options. Phone priority where the fax listens in when you answer, and automatically receives the fax if that's what is calling. Fax priority, where the fax answers and then rings if its a voice call. (You can set the time to answer in this mode, and it would not be too difficult to figure out the amount of time needed for a particular number of rings). Fax only where you can set the number of rings, for those who spring for a second line. There are other options which are beyond the scope of me! In the phone option if you do not answer the call and you have an answering machine hooked to the "all in one" the answering machine would answer after the number of specified rings it's set for and if it were to be a fax, the fax would answer. (Supposedly) I haven't tried that yet. |
Great all in one with easy setup !
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| Review Date: March 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: S. Srinivasan, California |
| This thing does it all well ! Print, fax, scan, copy all at very high quality. The key differentiators are wireless printing and duplex printing. Setup it relatively simple and quick. Only small complaint is the size. I wish it was smaller but its packed full of features and worth the price. Good job by Canon. |
I love this printer. The Swiss Army Knife of Printers!
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| Review Date: April 9, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Diana De Avila, Malta, NY USA |
This machine is absolutely incredible. While it's footprint is not as small as some other all-in-ones, you are getting a boatload of functionality that far outweigh it's size.
Right off the bat I loved the look of this machine -- the silver and black casing is attractive and is a lot nicer looking than an industrial white or bone colored machine. From a usability standpoint, the buttons are well-marked and the machine is easy to use once you understand it's paper tray layout scheme. I had to read the manual to understand where the basic 8x11" tray was. I always like to try to use a piece of equipment without the quick start guides but I had to DIG to find out where the main tray was. It's under the unit and is quite thin--this might be one of the only physical drawbacks I found.
Once I got the unit hooked up to my secure WEP network, the printer worked like a charm. The directions are relatively clear in the Quick Start Manual but I found more clarity in the manual that is contained on the CD-Rom that is included with the drivers and the utilities. Once connected, the wireless access is very cool. Not that this cannot be done with "sharing" through Windows ... the difference is, you don't have to have a computer connected to your printer. That's a huge plus and a very nice feature.
I printed documents that were double-sided and photos as well as greeting cards from a Canon web page included in the Canon Solution Menu (a little task bar that opens on your desktop). I have used Canon scanners, cameras and printers since the mid-90's when "Bubble Jet" printers were the rage. I love the brand and this printer does not disappoint.
Update April 12, 2009: I have been using the copying function and the scanning function (this scanner is the quickest I have ever used). The copies are clear as well as the scans. AWESOME.
For the money, it's a great machine! Highly recommend it without reservation.
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Quality piece of equipment
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| Review Date: March 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Mark D. Wilkins, |
Full disclosure - I have this device USB attached to a Windows XP machine, and cannot comment about use in other environments.
I was very impressed with this device from the moment I used the built-in handles in the interior plastic shipping bag to lift the unit out of the box. It is sturdy, full featured, well documented, and best of all it just works. There is a ton of shipping/packing tape on the unit to hold various components in place during shipping, which took a while to remove but was appreciated. USB cable is included although it's not very long (retailer led me to believe it wasn't included and tried to sell me one.) The manual, written in English (as opposed to Chinglish or some other variant) is clear and well organized, with sections on setting up on a Mac vs Windows (and where appropriate, Vista vs. XP), and connected with USB vs. wired LAN vs. wireless LAN. NOTE: Unit cannot be connected via both wired and wireless LAN simultaneously. There is a separate manual titled "Network Setup Troubleshooting" and I'd recommend that the person who complained they couldn't make it work on their network read this (and yes it's more detailed than simply "Check the cable" or "reboot"). I also appreciate the bright LCD display with little icons in the corner for the amount of ink remaining in each of the 5 cartridges. |
Great printer once the wireless works
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| Review Date: March 25, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Eric, Freehold, NJ USA |
I bought this printer to replace a Canon i860 printer (which I loved) and an HP scanner. I also needed a fax because my wife needs to send faxes. I originally was looking at the MX850, but I really wanted the unit to be wireless. The MX860 fit the bill.
My wireless setup has a hidden SSID and WEP encryption. It took me three tries and two hours to get the wireless working. The first time, the Canon software hung. The second time, the printer worked, but the scanner didn't. On the third time, everything worked.
Between tries, I did Windows System Restores to do clean installs. I do not know why the scanner had an issue on the second try. I installed the Canon software on a second PC with no issue, but at this point the MX860 was already on the network.
For the wireless setup, Canon should provide a way for entering the SSID and password directly on the MX860 itself. This would make the wireless installation much easier. It would be just as smooth as when I set up the second PC.
The scan to PDF feature is VERY nice. My old scanner could not do this. I especially like that you can load a double-sided document like a bank statement in the feeder and scan it to a PDF.
I could send faxes with no issue. However, as someone else noted, for receiving, the options for fax priority vs. phone priority are not very flexible. I only planned on sending faxes so this isn't a problem, but this may be someday. Right now, I'm happy that the fax doesn't accidentally pick up before my answering machine.
The print quality is great. The build quality and packaging is great except for the paper tray which could be a little more sturdy.
I really like how the printer door opens automatically. I like to keep the door closed to keep my two-year old from grabbing it. It also keeps it from getting dusty.
Overall, for the price and value, I have to rate this unit as five stars. |
Will print both wired and wireless
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| Review Date: July 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: BadMonkey, Boston, Ma USA |
Not much of a review but I just wanted to add something to the mix. I've read in several places that you can use this printer either in a wireless or wired setup but not both. Right now I have the printer USBed to my desktop and connected wirelessly to 2 laptops and they all print just fine so if you're concerned about the ability to do both it will work.
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Deficient instructions, but great printer (tips inside review)
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| Review Date: October 7, 2009 |
| Reviewer: G. Kline, Hoboken, NJ |
I bought my MX860 with the intention of standard household "once in a while" print duties. Although I wanted very good print quality with both photos and text, I wasn't planning to really use this for photo printing. One other key thing I did want was the wireless capability.
There are a number of reviews that deride this printer for the setup process involved with getting it to work with wireless routers. The main issue is the documentation. Whoever wrote it did not work properly with the engineers to understand the proper way to do it. And what they wrote does not work very well. Another reviewer came up with a description of how to get around that, but it isn't all that easy. Of course, once set up, then you're through that mess and don't have to go through it again anytime soon. But, there is a BETTER way.
Thanks to J. Donaldson (http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/ABVYGB2TKBO8F/ref=cm_cr_rev_detpdp) there is an easier way to get the wireless setup accomplished IF you have an intelligent router that has an auto locator for wireless devices (WPS). I have paraphrased his instructions:
Press the "MENU" button. Scroll to "Device Settings" and press "OK". Select "LAN settings", then "WLAN settings", "WPS settings", and then "Push button method." Follow the instructions presented. You'll then have to activate the locator function on your WiFi router.
If you do not have a WPS capable router, then follow Todd's instructions here:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R19ORQZTIBQ4EC/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
And if you have a Mac, take a look at George Zolla's and C. Lozach's tips:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R316MKZB6FS8LE/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
http://www.amazon.com/review/R3KPJSOQYON4CM/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
Onto the rest of the review:
UNPACKING: Printer makers come up with all kinds of crazy packing techniques with printers, because of how sensitive the equipment is. The worst was with an HP. It had super stick tape on it that was difficult to remove. This Canon MX860 has the most securing tape on a printer than I've ever seen. It's everywhere! But the good thing is that it is easy to spot (orange in color), and is easy to remove because somebody got the clever idea to fold over the ends--it's simple to pull up the tape.
TEXT DOCUMENTS: The quality is amazing. To me, it looks like a laser printer produced the output. The only way to tell the difference is by looking at it with a magnifying glass (the difference is there, but subtle). So, for most people's uses this is a superb printer. Of course, ink usage is greater with ink jet versus laser jet. If you're going to print many documents on a daily basis, it is best to own a black and white laser printer.
PHOTOGRAPHS: One thing that really impressed me with the printer is the color accuracy. When I looked at about 5 other quality printers in the store, I tested copying the same photograph with each. The Canon MX860 had the most accurate color. And this was with just plain old printer paper, not photo quality paper. I did test the photo paper at home and the results look fantastic! So, for photos within 8.5x11, I'm going to use this printer instead of getting another printer specifically for photo printing.
COPYING: Aside from the color accuracy, I've also copied textual documents. There is only the most subtle of differences, where shading is concerned. If there's a graphic in a paler shade from black, there is a slight bit of pixelation on the edging. Also, the gray tends to be darkened in the copy a little. Otherwise, the copies look virtually identical. It does appear that Canon uses a different technique between the scanning and copying, which makes no sense to me. The scanning is superior and will do a borderless scan. However, the copier leaves a border if the document copied has text or graphics at the edges. So, the solution is to scan the document to a file first, then print it. Annoying, but then it is probably a seldom encountered situation for most people.
FAXING: I do not have a land line, so I don't fax anything that way (I use the Internet). Thus I can't comment on this function (sorry). There were some reviews that slammed this printer for not having a way to adjust the number of rings to pick up. But it turns out they were in error--it can be done: http://www.amazon.com/review/RSH5P96DC2W0B/ref=cm_cr_rev_detmd_pl?ie=UTF8&cdMsgNo=1&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdMsgID=Mx240XI5WHMCQN5#Mx240XI5WHMCQN5
NOISE: This is a fairly quiet printer. Not the most silent one available, but I'd say it makes less noise than most. When left on, the printer will occasionally start making some noises after printing is complete, doing some kind of internal maintenance or adjustments (I've no clue). But overall, it's acceptable. My only gripe is the start-up and shut-off tones. They are LOUD.
INK CARTRIDGES: There are 5 cartridges. Large Black, Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. They are well sealed with a plastic coating and a plastic orange turn knob that protects the head. A simple twist of the knob and the head is exposed for installation. Btw, Canon's OEM cost is rather steep, but thankfully there are many 3rd party providers now that seem to be more than 50% cheaper.
INTELLIGENCE: Ever go to print on your printer but forget to open the output door? I've done that a few times on older printers. What a mess. My previous HP had a sensor that would refuse to print if the door was closed, but that eventually failed and the printer would try to shove the paper through. Canon solved this problem with the MX860 by creating an auto release mechanism. As soon as the printer is put to use with a print or copy job, the door automatically (and silently) opens up for you. :-)
SETUP: Something I hadn't seen before--the print head is not already installed. There's a separate package to open. Canon puts in 2 distinct warnings about the head, because I guess they were nervous that people would make mistakes. The diagram is a little confusing at first, but take it slow. The print head is really easy to install. Next task is installing the ink cartridges. Low and behold, this is really quite easy, especially since the MX860 has a lid stand so you don't have to hold it open. There's a prominent red LED indicator for each cartridge that lets you know that it is installed properly. How easy is that? :-)
SOFTWARE: I initially set this up this printer via USB. It was VERY easy to do. The software is clear and simple. Thankfully I have a WPS capable router, so getting it connected via wireless was also easy to manage after reading over J. Donaldson's tips.
LONGEVITY: This is a solid and well made printer. I have a feeling it should work fine for many years to come. However, printers are fragile devices and having an extended warranty is a good idea. I bought mine from Staples and the extended warranty was really cheap ($8). If Amazon offers one during check out, I'd take it.
CONCLUSION: A really good buy for the price. |
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