HP tries to support a mac like a PC.

A

aicul

Registered
Hi folks,

Just want to rant off at HP. I recently submitted a request to HP to get assistance with a printer problem. The printer does not print.

I tried their on-line help systems. Its quite flashy, ony the web page does not work with safari, nor IE. I had to use mozilla to get moving. Only to discover that on-line help is only available for PC users. :confused:

So I opted for the email help line. We have now exchanged various mails. Mainly HP is asking me to de-install all, re-install, run around the finder to delete preferences (man HP write preferences all over the place). :p

Now I have received this fantastic question from them:
"1. Has a USB card been installed on the Macintosh or does the machine have USB ports built in?" :(

Am I mistaken to state that all macs have built-in USB ports (since 2000? if not earlier)? I mean why is HP trying to fix my mac-printer problem as if I was using a PC?

These events put a lot of dispear in my mind regarding HP, I thought they were the better lot of the PC world, but I guess the succumbed to bill gate$ short-sighted view of the IT panorama.

Cheers - I feel better now. :D
 
just because macs since 2000 have usb, doesn't mean you are using a new Mac does it?
and as much as thier stuff supports macs, they are predominantly a PC company, and they won't necessarily know what macs have what ports. did they solve your problem in the end?
 
Hold on, consider this:

HP specifically directed me to their MAC team. This means they should know what a mac is. They also know what I have because I provided this information when I registered the printer. Do you know a model of an iMac that does not have a USB port?

Fact is, I choose this specific printer because HP put the mac-osx logo on the printers box. Enticing me to think that they knew what a mac is, had professionally ported to OSX, and could provide OSX support.

The reality is different. Their approach to mac problem solving is not representative of OSX workings, the HP OSX print drivers are bug prone, and support of OSX platforms is not equivalent to that of PC platforms.

Now hear me correctly, I do not specifically expect this, but I expect the contents of the box to match the description given on the box. And in my case the box description indicated "works on OSX".

Hence I take the liberty of stating that their mac support is dismal because they claim to have one.
 
ok.. sorry, i wasn't aware they had a "mac team".. anyways. did they solve the problem, or can we (the forum) try to help you?
 
Aicul,

I recently had to contact HP's email support. I gave them all the information needed, Mac model, specific OS version, etc. The email that came back asked what OS I was running, then gave me instructions to install - generic instructions! That wasn't my problem. I got the printer connected and in my list, it was printing garbage.

I think they can't read their own friggin' forms !

Is your problem solved?
 
hehe, i feel your pain. I have an all-in-one that, just as your box does, totes the "works with OS X" logo and misleading words. It worked sporatically with my iMac, and now with my PB it sometimes "forgets" that it is printing and stops in the middle of a page when Im printing multiple page documents (which is a pain b/c i print double sided so when it "forgets" i have to run it all over again!! :mad: ). Yeah, "works with OS X" may be a bit misleading, be prepared for a lot of furious paper throwing and cursewords at inanimate objects. ;)
 
I have a new all in one HP printer too and I can't get the stupid thing to scan 80% of the time. It prints fine but when you want something scanned you going to have to start pulling your own hair. It connects to the computer with a network cable but even if plugged into the computer it's self, the unit will never "find" the Mac 80% of the time or it will say you need to run HP software in order to scan. This actually happens WHILE you have their very software running. I called their tech support but not even they could figure it out and I too was handed over to their mac support team.
 
Well, I don't know what to say, I thought I was the only one, but it seems I'm not.


My printer now somewhat works and this is without HP's help but through patient testing and deductions and half a rain-forest in wasted paper. The problem resided with me downloading what HP claimed to be an upgraded driver. This driver was bugged.

Here are other learnings, maybe they can be of help.

1. Concerning the scan software. Ideally quit and restart the scan software after every scan. Truely stupid, but avoids other hassles. This means you must redefine ALL settings if you change from the standard HP ones.

2. HP drivers have image improvement software activated by default. This means that a full picture and a cropped smaller version will not print with the same tones, color brightness etc as the surface of the image is different. Use photoshop to correct your picture and deactivate the HP improvement software.

3. Don't expect to print black and white pictures only with the black ink cartridge. For some reason cyan is also used.

4. HP CD's will install about 400mb of software. If you want a "custom" install, run the HP de-install software and select to remove what you don't want.

5. If you save a printer setting (ie: black&white draft) and set this as the default printer setting, DO NOT expect the print driver to apply it. For some reason, you have to toggle the printer setting for its parameters to apply. So having it defined as default is not very useful.


Anyone know of a printer that is really designed for mac osx. I need high quality color, if possible with scanner.

Thanks
 
yeah. Don't get me started about HP tech support. When I had a problem with their scanner driver not working as it was supposed to (trying to scan to PDF with the skip preview window option selected wasn't working), it took me three tries before they even understood the problem - and I wasn't exactly being unclear. Once they did understand the problem, their response was basically "if it doesn't work, then don't do that". I complained to the management, but don't really expect any changes.
 
Actually, I do not know of any multi function printer that works well on a Mac. :(
 
Yes HP's Mac drivers and software are horrible. Printing on my Deskjet 3845 causes a whole system lockup for about 45 seconds. Causing iTunes to freeze and skip and everything :mad:.

My list of companies to avoid:
Microsoft (#1 company to avoid)
Dell
HP
-- Any PC company for that matter
Cincinnati Bell

Can't think of anything else right now.
 
About a really good OSX printer/scanner deal, I honestly don't believe that there IS a decent all-in-one for Mac out there. That being said, I suggest that you opt for a higher end Epson Stylus Color/Photo, and buy a seperate Epson scanner. I'm a photographer, and my Epson R300 Photo works like a charm ;)
 
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