The 1815dn printer - My top ten feature requests

Question

I've had the 1815dn printer for several days now, and I'm delighted with its performance and connectivity, but there are a few things that desperately need to be fixed. Here's my top 10 list:   1. The manual is pretty good for the topics that are actually covered, which would be great if it weren't missing so much. The entire web interface is undocumented. The tradeoffs of network versus USB connections aren't documented. The index is horrible. This manual desperately needs help. (Other missing topics include documentation on SLP, SNMP, WebLink, IPP client configuration... the list goes on.)   2. High-resolution scans over the network. I bought this printer because it could scan over the network. Now I discover that network scans are limited to 200dpi JPEG/TIFF. That's horrible. Give me 1200DPI scanning over the LAN - why limit it?   3. The 1815dn includes a TWAIN driver, but it doesn't appear to work. If you try to use the TWAIN driver to connect to a networked 1815dn, the TWAIN driver hangs for a while and then gives an error. This makes using Adobe Acrobat somewhat problematic. The PDF creation in the printer is okay, but it's nowhere near as good as Adobe's software.   4. Let me define a dialing prefix so I can disable call waiting. It's painful to rekey *70 every time I send a fax. Make sure that a 'pause' operation is supported to allow time to reestablish dial tone.   5. Let me load the phonebook from a CSV file. Even better, read the data from my Outlook address book.   6. Fix the SMTP authentication for scan-to-email so it allows characters like @.   7. Let me configure more default answers to common operation. Trying to send a scan to an email address requires that I answer numerous questions over and over again that I never plan to change (copy to self, subject, review address list, etc.) Fixing #10 would provide some relief here.   8. Add support for PaperPort when the printer is connected over the network. (Would this be fixed if the TWAIN driver worked?)   9. Let me control the JPEG compression level. When doing scan-to-email, the compression level is so high that it leaves noticeable artifacts.   10. Memorize menu choices and use the memorized choices as the default. It's annoying to have to reselect Network every single time I scan to email. My choice never changes, so why not remember my choice? Similarly, on the main menu, the default choice should be whatever I selected last. Right now the next choice to the right appears to be selected automatically at the completion of an operation. That's really, really annoying.   11. (I know, I said top ten...) Add support for distinctive ringing when answering the fax.   So that's my list. Feel free to reply and add your own.

vivienm · Answer

I want to echo this... especially the part about high resolution scanning.

My mom has a 924 with the wireless adapter. It seems that all of the normal scanner software is usable over the network just like if a direct USB connection was used. Why can't it be the same with the 1815dn?

pfu · Answer

I like to echo on these too.

The additional features and the simplified control panel make the menu selection very long.

A simple network PDF scanning takes 5 key strokes on 1600N becomes 13 keys strokes on 1815dn.

Memorizing and defaulting some setting definitely would reduce key stokes on operations.

Now I can not put up a new 1815 amount other 1600N on the floor because it operates so dump in compare to 1600N. Users will not use it due to it’s so inconvenient.

qlueless · Answer

My List:

1. Copying Dot-matrix print outs that are on carbon copy style tracker feed paper. Our paper is pre printed with our companies logo and address, then we print what ever we need on the page, well the only way to copy and/or FAX these pages is to set all the setting to "Photo quality", if not when it tries to copy/FAX the paper it only shows the preprinted area of the paper. It's nice to have the image cleaned up, but what about those of us that don't want the image cleaned up?

2. Network install: I found the option of being able to install everything that I needed to the server from the client nice, minus this major problem. I installed the first 1815dn and got it setup on all five client computers, then I installed the 2nd unit on the server only to find it UNINSTALLED the first 1815dn that I installed on the server...I then had to manually install the first 1815dn back on the server, and reinstall it on all the clients...let me tell you how much I enjoyed that...Five people all complaining that they could not print until I was able to fix it. Why can't you chose ALL available 1815dn's and install them all at the same time? WHY UNINSTALL THE OTHER 1815dn AT ALL? I didn't ask for the other to be uninstalled.

3. User Manual: The users manual does not seem to have the username/password for the webadmin, until new manuals can be printed...print this information on a separate sheet and toss it in the box. The cost savings of having end users call in and talk with tech support over a 1-2 cent piece of paper has to be less than the support call.

4. Service Tags: First piece of equipment that I have called Dell on that the automated system could not find the service tag number in the system (on both 1815dn's)

5: how do you get the clients software setup without installing the printer as a local printer? I have a print server for a good reason, and plan to use it.

6. The defualt setting for the display is copy, were is the option to change this to something else? The clients use it for Faxing 70% of the time not copying.

Well there is six, and I have only had the two units for 12 hours.

Message Edited by qlueless on 08-11-200610:20 AM

pfu · Answer

The 1815dn has a good feature to foward faxes to a email address.

On top we could select turn off the local copy to save on paper. (no printing of fax on 1815dn)

When forwarding fax to email and no local print copy was selected, all faxes will be loss when emailing was failed. We only got the "connection error" display with no help.

What 1815dn fails is when emailing process is not successful, faxes should be print with a local copy instead.

This is a big overlook.

DELL need to fix this !

lledguru · Answer

I completely agree with the Top Ten but I would move #6 - Fix the SMTP authentication for scan-to-email so it allows characters like @. to number 1 on the top 10 list.

Dell, Please fix these issues ASAP!

Message Edited by lledguru on 10-14-2006 09:26 AM

qlueless · Answer

Still waiting on Dell to fix the faxing/coping problems that the 1815dn is giving me. They told me that they were going to releace a Firmware to fix the problem months ago, but I am still waiting.   Guess I will have to ask my Dell rep to refund the purchace of the units, since they will not fix the problem...   Not everyone wants the Fax to cleanup everything, this is a major problem on all the 1815dn's that I have, people on the other end get blank faxes all the time becuase the fax 'cleans' up the sheet to fine.

Sigmasailor · Answer

Hi,   Rather than being polite and request for these features I would like to turn this around. Being Dutch (and blunt) I think Dell is selling a product which has been poorly developped.   My list is very similar; I could add some if I trusted Dell would do something about it.   Sigmasailor

lledguru · Answer

I completely agree with you.  I bought this printer so that I could send faxes via email.  I should not have to setup an in-house email server to do this.  There are plenty of reliable email servers already up and running on the internet.  Why does Dell require me to set one up just to use this feature?   Yes--  It was poorly designed.

Sigmasailor · Answer

I gave up. The customer escalation department will first investigate the need for improvements globally. This will take a long, long time. At least I will not be frustrated anymore; Dell will take the printer back.   I have just ordered an HP 3392. A few hundred euro's more expensive but I hope problem free. The first positive thing is their manual which you can loop up on the Internet. In total wel over 800 pages of clear information.   Pity; at less money Dell offers more functions but spoils it by a poor and incomplete user manual and bad, bad and restricting software.   I will keep you al informed on my HP experiance.   Sigmasailor.

pfu · Answer

I am very interested in what you will find with the HP3392. I checked the manual it seems that it doesn't has networking scan and networking fax features.  Its stand alone features seems very complete.   I have been using three Dell1600N, I use it for PDF scanning purpose only. We found that its networking scan to PDF feature is easy, work flow is logical and simple enought even to beginer.   The highly feature enriched new 1815 . BUT it has big protential if Dell fix it right..   If DELL would listen more  to user feedback and act promptly, this 1815 could be a killer all-in-one.

Sigmasailor · Answer

It should scan and fax over IP. I asked specifically and it was confirmed. I will keep the users of this forum posted. What functions are you worried about?

Sigmasailor · Answer

Hi all,   My Dell has been returned and I have just installed my HP.   First experiences:   Installing didn't work the first time but was OK after downloading new software (a mere 400 MB). General help desk from HP was not so good; I don't get the feeling they (the engineer that I spoke to) know their product very well, now waiting for second line in defense...   Faxing: no problems; this works right out of the box. I can sent a fax from my PC over IP. Scanning: Twain driver scans over IP; issue about default settings; waiting for help from HP here.   Software: very clear (no password); package is develops as a whole and works together. Read IRIS (OCR) is a lot better than Paperport and available in Dutch.   Scans and copies double sided (bonus), prints double sided like 1815; is a little slower but is a lot quicker on a single page.   Has more buttons (clearly arranged); this has the advantage that you have to Push just a few buttons (with Dell around 10 was the average) to get something done.   Another big bonus: noise (the lack of it); the HP runs a lot more quite than the Dell.   Will keep you posted on developments. If you have any questions; just ask.   Sigmasailor

pfu · Answer

Sound impressive. Wondering how the PDF scan over IP works on this HP scanner.   On the Dell1600, user select their ID and scanned the document. Go back to their computer, the scanned document was openned automaticlly with Acrobat reader and saved. This would allow additional emailing or filing. On 1815, its poor user interface make it hard to use.   Interested in the features and how this HP works on document scanning over IP.   Philip

Sigmasailor · Answer

HP has a very easy sotution to do this; there is a scan utilty you can use to 'pull' the scan to pdf, jpg, etc. This same utility can be used to preset a number of defaults (scan to mail or file, resolution, color/BW, etc). Also in this utility you can upload these presets to the printer (they become visible on the scanner by the PC name and a name you are free to give). For instance you want te make a color copy PDF to mail and name this MAILCOLOR, the name of the PC is ERIC. Just press the 'scan to' on the printer, select the preset you want (which is easy since you named them: ERIC MAILCOLOR) and press scan to 'push' the scan to the location you have preset. I find this a whole lot easier than on the 1815 (I think you need 12 steps in a menu).   Sigmasailor

moschops · Answer

I would add 'Do the operation you originally requested if it has to wake from sleep mode first'. Currently it wakes up and then forgets what you previously asked for - so you have to enter it all over again. Doh!

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The 1815dn printer - My top ten feature requests

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