Epson ET-2720 - Any Feedback?

[erik]

I am considering purchasing the Epson EcoTank ET-2720 and I would be grateful for any feedback from people with knowledge or experience of this machine.

1) USB. I plan to connect the printer via USB only, I prefer never to connect it via wifi. I see that the device has a very involved setup process which includes entering the wifi password. Is that step necessary? Can you complete the setup process without connecting to wifi? I note that the USB cable is not included.

2) Linux. My operating system is ubuntu 20.04. I see that the ET-2720 appears to be well supported on Linux. Any linux users out there who own this machine?

3) TurboPrint. I prefer to connect to the printer using turboprint. If possible I would not use any vendor software at all apart from any essential drivers. Does that sound feasible?

4) Alternatives. Are there other comparable machines that I should consider? My main reservations about the ET-2720 are a) I don't like all the on board software with the tiny screen and fiddly buttons, I would prefer a dumb machine that could be operated entirely from Turboprint and b) I understand that the paper feed tray is flimsy.

All feedback gratefully received.

 

[websnail]

You may want to look for dye-sublimation, t-shirt printing enthusiast forums, etc... as the ET-2720 is a printer that seems to have been identified as an entry level machine for that sort of activity without breaking the bank and easy to maintain by the user.

They're likely to have more experience and feedback to help with your query.

I have an ET-2720 sitting in my workshop at the moment but don't have any of the experience you're after regarding linux or turboprint so can't really help. It does have a USB connection point though so Wifi connection isn't required.

Good luck and please feedback if you do get any useful info.

 

[erik]

Many thanks for getting back to me. I will try those other forums. Whatever I buy I'll post a review here.

Linux is irrelevant. Ubuntu and TurboPrint docs confirm that the ET-2720 is supported. What I really want to know is whether I can use it without 1) wifi and 2) onboard software.

I asked on Amazon whether it's possible to complete the setup without entering a wifi password. My question received two responses, one person said yes and the other said no:

Is wifi password required in order to complete setup?

Then again Amazon says that the device has no scanner or USB, both statements which are contradicted by the specs, so I get the impression that Amazon Q&A is a waste of time.

I take it you are saying that it's possible to use the device without ever connecting it to wifi, so that's great to know, many thanks for the confirmation.

I note that the ET-2710 has no screen which is a huge plus in my book and I am thinking of going for that model instead.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

All these ET-27xx models have an USB connection, and the Windows setup at least - via the setup software on the CD - asks you for the connection type - USB or WiFi - but does not ask you for a Wifi password if you connect via USB, so it shouldn't be different under other operating systeems.

 

[erik]

Fantastic, many thanks.

 

[erik]

I was about to order the ET-2710 when I discovered the ET-2711 and ET-2714. It is hard to tell the difference between these three models, does anyone have any info?

Also I have now learned about the waste ink counter, so after a set amount of prints the machine stops working. How long does it take to hit the limit? Is there a comparable model (perhaps from another manufacturer) that does not suffer from this limitation?

 

[websnail]

Also I have now learned about the waste ink counter, so after a set amount of prints the machine stops working. How long does it take to hit the limit? Is there a comparable model (perhaps from another manufacturer) that does not suffer from this limitation?

I'll need to check this but I suspect the print count is a myth. What the printer does do however is calculate the amount of waste it generates, attaches a weighting that reduces the count or increases the overall trigger level over time (to account for liquid evaporation). The key factors that determine increases are head cleaning, ink charging and general lack of use that trigger small maintenance cycles that was a little ink. If you use the printer very regularly and avoid the need for cleaning the printer will last longer. The folk who usually get the issue much earlier are those who print very infrequently which allows the nozzles to clog and require those wasteful cleaning routines.

Worth noting that regardless of when you hit the waste ink issue it is not a death sentence for the printer, regardless of what first line support at Epson like to tell folk. The replacement pad part is ref: 1749772. There are pad only replacements available through aliexpress, etc... and of course there's a external waste ink kits of which Printer Potty is one (the best, obviously, but I "may" be biased... *cough*). You do need to reset the waste ink counter too so WICReset helps with that too.

Think that covers most of that stuff.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

It's not the number of printed pages but the number of cleaning actions - manual or automatic - which increases the waste ink counter - you have that functionality in every inkjet printer. You can do a readout of this counter with the WicReset utility, and as well a reset - for a charge of about 10$. The replacement of the waste ink bin is pretty easy - there is a screw on the back at the bottom edge which holds a box, you can replace those pads /felt with an equivalent amount of kitchen paper. So it is impossible to give a number of pages until that counter hits 100%, just use the WicReset utility once in a while.
Models may vary by color - e.g. white vs. black, or with or without WLAN option, or borderless printing is (not) supported for A4 paper, only for 10x15cm paper

 

[stratman]

I am going in circles a little bit.

You are also double posting. You started a proper new thread for this topic. Please delete this post and continue with your new thread.

 

[erik]

Well, I deleted it at your request, but it was not a double post. I have one thread regarding the error on my old printer and another thread requesting advice on the purchase of a new printer.