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HP 800W - what do you think about it?

Danskitt

New Member
Hi guys,

I am considering upgrading our HP365 to the HP800w, those who have one what do you think?

Also do you know how many ml coverage is for a sqm?
 

Ezek0

New Member
I am considering upgrading our HP365 to the HP800w, those who have one what do you think?
Depends on your working flow. Im not a salesman but I would recommend that you detail what kind of work you usually do (wall deco, stickers, wrapping cars, etc) to get better recommendations.
Also do you know how many ml coverage is for a sqm?
Also depends on the profiles and the type of work you do, kinda hard to tell.
 

Danskitt

New Member
Depends on your working flow. Im not a salesman but I would recommend that you detail what kind of work you usually do (wall deco, stickers, wrapping cars, etc) to get better recommendations.

Also depends on the profiles and the type of work you do, kinda hard to tell.
I was kind of looking for a review of what someone who has one already thinks of the machine in general not how good it is at specific things although I would imagine it can print all of those things you listed. To be more specific re ml per sqm, just looking for generic standard vinyl middle of the road printing nothing special, these are usually available on the rip software. In australia the ink for the HP800 is about 60% cheaper than the HP365 so wondered if the usage is a lot higher to make up for it.
 

ToTo

Professional Support
Because in fact the ink is higher pigmented then in Gen3 you will need less ink to reach the same saturation. This will lead to less temperature to cure ink when running same productivity. With the 800w I can print on very heat-sensitive media, which was not possible before. White is really white, but it takes really long to be printed.
In the very first stage HP had to improve robustness of some parts, like the tube system. But they paid a lot effort on this. Hardware and Firmware updates made the machine more reliable.
Hope hat helps you to decide.
 

Danskitt

New Member
Because in fact the ink is higher pigmented then in Gen3 you will need less ink to reach the same saturation. This will lead to less temperature to cure ink when running same productivity. With the 800w I can print on very heat-sensitive media, which was not possible before. White is really white, but it takes really long to be printed.
In the very first stage HP had to improve robustness of some parts, like the tube system. But they paid a lot effort on this. Hardware and Firmware updates made the machine more reliable.
Hope hat helps you to decide.
Thanks, perfect. I had heard that it didn't need as much heat to cure which is good as some stocks just wouldn't go through.

Are you happy with the machine?
 

balstestrat

Problem Solver
I would say add about 2ml to your current average of ink use and you are pretty close to realistic expectation.
Then if you laminate and turn off the overcoat maybe you are about the same as before.
 

MDKAOD

New Member
The edge guards will destroy your printheads if you print on thick materials like reflective or photoluminiscent vinyl.
There is no Printhead Carriage crash sensor. ( Really???? )
The printer can not detect when the printhead color is gone or failing, you have to babysit the printer ( we learned this on the bad way)…
and more problems.

None of these issues started with the 800.

OP, if you do double sided banner, make sure the 800 has the OMAS to actually enable that functionality. I've read mixed reports whether DS banner is still possible or not.
 

balstestrat

Problem Solver
None of these issues started with the 800.

OP, if you do double sided banner, make sure the 800 has the OMAS to actually enable that functionality. I've read mixed reports whether DS banner is still possible or not.
Double sided is not in the software so it's not supported.
And he is right on some things. The edge holders is not something that should be used unless absolutely needed.
 

MDKAOD

New Member
And he is right on some things. The edge holders is not something that should be used unless absolutely needed.

My point is the edge holder issue has been valid since their introduction and OP is coming from a 365. We leave ours on on our 360, and have had one major crash that I would imagine would turn most people off from using them. We've decided their usefulness exceeds the risk, but that's just us. If you tell me that the edge holder system has been redesigned and is more problematic now, then that's something I was not aware of.
 

balstestrat

Problem Solver
My point is the edge holder issue has been valid since their introduction and OP is coming from a 365. We leave ours on on our 360, and have had one major crash that I would imagine would turn most people off from using them. We've decided their usefulness exceeds the risk, but that's just us. If you tell me that the edge holder system has been redesigned and is more problematic now, then that's something I was not aware of.
Yes it's a little different now. Twice or more the size, twice as flimsy.
These ones you should put on the shelf and let the dust gather.

L700/800 is almost 100% new machine. It shares very few parts with the old units.

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DeadDoc

New Member
My point is the edge holder issue has been valid since their introduction and OP is coming from a 365. We leave ours on on our 360, and have had one major crash that I would imagine would turn most people off from using them. We've decided their usefulness exceeds the risk, but that's just us. If you tell me that the edge holder system has been redesigned and is more problematic now, then that's something I was not aware of.
HAH! I would never run something through my old 360 without those edge holders. Now (800w)... I just want to take them off. They do nothing but ruin prints!
 
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Danskitt

New Member
We have been printing almost one year with the 800W, we purchased it because the white inks print beautiful, but the printer is a failed design.
The productivity is ultra low due to ultra long times to set it up just to start printing ( Versus our UV or Solvent Mimakis, less than 10 mins)
Main design fails:
The edge guards will destroy your printheads if you print on thick materials like reflective or photoluminiscent vinyl.
There is no Printhead Carriage crash sensor. ( Really???? )
The printer can not detect when the printhead color is gone or failing, you have to babysit the printer ( we learned this on the bad way)…
and more problems.
My recommendation: Look elsewhere.
Happiness level with the printer: None
I agree the set up times with HP are a killer, they need to have absolute control over every stage, we have the same with the 365. Our old roland XJ you could just throw the stock in and press print and would be going within a few minutes from cold
 

Ezek0

New Member
White is really white, but it takes really long to be printed.
Yeah, what HP achieved with white ink is pretty good. BUT you need to be sure you are going to give it use (more than once a month?). Otherwise I would go for the regular 700/800...
 

DeadDoc

New Member
Yeah, what HP achieved with white ink is pretty good. BUT you need to be sure you are going to give it use (more than once a month?). Otherwise I would go for the regular 700/800...
I just print random stuff with white about every other week if I haven't ran a job. I mean, its going to be wasted one way or another; however, people have started to learn we do white ink printing now and it has started to grow. I have only ran up to the 32 pass so far and yeah, it does take some time. Sadly compared to my crippled 360's this is still fast!
I agree the set up times with HP are a killer, they need to have absolute control over every stage, we have the same with the 365. Our old roland XJ you could just throw the stock in and press print and would be going within a few minutes from cold

Is this not also due to the fact that most pother printers are not using heat sources thus not having to preheat anything? I could be wrong but I figure that is the reason for most of the load up time. I have basic ink jet LF printers and yes, they just go straight to print but there is nothing being heated up to preheat.
 

RabidOne

New Member
We have had one for a year. Not a fan. The white is nice but we aren't using it enough to justify the extra cost. It's great for quick vinyl on vehicles, quality is fine and prints fast.
But I have had tons of little issues that annoy the crap out of me, can't find the media edge? Try that half a dozen times before its reboot time. Pretty much have to load it up to the take up roll otherwise the heat forces the material up against the surface and smears ink all over. Without the side guides I would have a head strike every day, which mostly seems to happen when loading media. And centered isn't centered, its always off. If you leave a roll on overnight after cutting it will guaranteed be unloaded by the morning as it will roll back too far. And speaking of rolling back too far I have had to reprint a few jobs where it rolled the previous print back so the next job printed on top. And on and on....
 

Danskitt

New Member
I just print random stuff with white about every other week if I haven't ran a job. I mean, its going to be wasted one way or another; however, people have started to learn we do white ink printing now and it has started to grow. I have only ran up to the 32 pass so far and yeah, it does take some time. Sadly compared to my crippled 360's this is still fast!


Is this not also due to the fact that most pother printers are not using heat sources thus not having to preheat anything? I could be wrong but I figure that is the reason for most of the load up time. I have basic ink jet LF printers and yes, they just go straight to print but there is nothing being heated up to preheat.
No it about the all the checks it has to go through, finding edges, finding the front edge, checking skew blah blah blah, the Roland you just line up, drop the clamp and away you go, if you didn't put it in straight that's your problem. The HP has made it into a plug and play machine so that people with no knowledge of print can use it like a home printer.
 

Pauly

Printrade.com.au
No it about the all the checks it has to go through, finding edges, finding the front edge, checking skew blah blah blah, the Roland you just line up, drop the clamp and away you go, if you didn't put it in straight that's your problem. The HP has made it into a plug and play machine so that people with no knowledge of print can use it like a home printer.

I dont think it's about "people with no knowledge"
Its more about automation.
Do you want to stuff around lining up your stock so it doesn't track? or let the machine do it, and you're off setting up artwork for the next job?

Our Colorado does a few checks before printing.
While it's checking, im already on another job doing something else.
 

Danskitt

New Member
I dont think it's about "people with no knowledge"
Its more about automation.
Do you want to stuff around lining up your stock so it doesn't track? or let the machine do it, and you're off setting up artwork for the next job?

Our Colorado does a few checks before printing.
While it's checking, im already on another job doing something else.
Never had a problem doing it with the roland and then it would be printing and not checking while I was off doing something else. The level of automation is not necessary, IMO of course
 

Pauly

Printrade.com.au
Never had a problem doing it with the roland and then it would be printing and not checking while I was off doing something else. The level of automation is not necessary, IMO of course
When you see automation, then go back doing it manually. you'll understand more.
 
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