can anyone recommend a MFC printer?

[kleinma]

I need to get a multi function printer/scanner/copier/fax. However there is a requirement to which one is purchased.

The machine will be installed to the network via ethernet, and will not be connected directly to any one PC. The machine will need to be able to be installed AS A SCANNER on each Windows 7x64 machine.

Now the problem I have run into (if you can even find the fine print to explain these details) is that the MFC machines from (for example) HP will do what I call pseudo network scanning. This means you set a shared folder on your PC, and you point the scanner to that shared folder. Then scans you do from the scanner go to the shared folder on that PC. The reason this doesn't work is because the PCs run some custom software that has a feature to scan a document and integrate the resulting scan into the software (it is a CMS application). So for that functionality to work, the scanner needs to actually be installed in Windows as a hardware device. The way the HP stuff works is the PC never has any actual knowledge of the scanner, the scanner has the knowledge of the shared folder to dump scans in. My issue make sense now?

The way things are being done now are to do manual scans with this "pseudo" network scanning method, then renaming the resulting file, then dumping it into the CMS. Versus the method that we are trying to accomplish, which would be from the CMS software you select "Scan Document" and it scans it from the network, names it what it is supposed to, and attaches it automatically to the correct place in the CMS.

[stanav]

What's the budget? And what's the number of expected users?

[kleinma]

I spoke to brother, and they claimed that any of the MFC machines that are labled as "networkable" have scanner drivers that will work over the network. HP made a similar claim (although I have seen HP products that do not do this that are networked).

This is just a backup machine. They have a full on ricoh copy machine on the network that does all their printing/faxing/copying/scanning, but want a backup in the event it goes down (as well as ability to once in a while print in color). This machine however does not have a scanner driver you can install to a PC, only a printer driver. So scans from this machine can only be configured to dump scans as PDFs into a shared network drive location.

A brother one with pretty good reviews is only 150 bucks, so I might give that a shot, as it isn't a huge investment in the event it doesn't quite work out. Since they really only need to use it a handful of times per year at most, there isn't much justification to spend a ton.

[stanav]

Oh, I was under the impression that you're looking for a full blown enterprise level MFC machine which is normally in the few grand price range. My company uses Canon IR5xxx series and they do have true TWAIN driver for the scanner, and they (the machines) are very reliable.
Anyway, for around $160, it's worth to take a shot at the Brother MFC-7440N as a backup machine.

[kleinma]

They already have one of those. I mean it isn't one of those huge machines the size of a VW, but its a enterprise level copy machine that has all standard MFC functions and a touch screen interface. Although it is rather dated, and they told me they got it slightly used for a "great price", but I found it in the legacy section of the website with minimal driver support for Win7x64 (basically you get standard printing only, and can't query the printer status or any of that stuff you can with full fledged drivers).

This is simply the backup unit if that one goes down, plus giving them a color printing option.

[akhileshbc]

I'm having a Laser Print/Scan/Copy machine of Brother. The price is very low. But the look(appearance of the printer) is not good.

Model : DCP-7030

Link : http://www.brother-usa.com/mfc/model...DUCTID=dcp7030

Price : about 160$