h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hello,
Just wondering. I have an EpsonDX3850 all in one copier/scanner/printer that have used with win 98 for a while. Does anyone know if I could hook this up to my panther ibook ok, or indeed if it could be used for tiger?
I read that the all-in-ones are often 'too complicated' for the built in list of mac printer drivers. surely not?
I only have drivers for this printer for windows, Does anyone know if you can get mac drivers for it?
I've searched the apple knowledge base, forums, epson site to no avail!
any help would be much appreciated
thanks
Kaz.

Epson stylus DX3850, sorry...

Did you try http://esupport.epson-europe.com/ ? If you can't find the drivers for your specific model, try the next nearest one that you can find. Often the printers are similar enough that the driver for one will work with the other. Also try to find drivers for models starting with "CX" - it seems the difference is the continent that it was sold on (110 vs 220 volt, plug shape etc, but the software is likely identical).

But if this printer was built before 2000 or so, you may be out of luck. A lot of manufacturers only produced OS X drivers for their new printers, and left the old ones to rot. There was a lot of speculation that Mac OS X would fail, so they just didn't put the resources into writing the drivers for every printer.

Try CUPS too

A-ha, apparently guttenprint works with it

CUPS would take care of the printing end. Maybe VueScan will take care of the scanning? http://www.hamrick.com/

And of course the natural question that follows is "what is all this CUPS/guttenprint business?". So a link for the answer:
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3

thanks v. much. Yeah, I was going to ask that! sorry!

So it should only be a big issue if its an old one? This printer was only bought last year in a bit of a hurry because the old one (10 years old! -a record, I expect) conked out. If I'd had more time I'dve checked in advance.

cheers

...wish apple would hurry up with more info on Leopard, I'm thinking of upgrading-fingers crossed the new system will work with ibooks-mine's not that old.

Apple should change their launch times for new OS-been reading the forums and some students who needed a computer for studies have had to get systems with Tiger because the new systems aren't out. Crazy really-it means yours is already out of date by a month in of buying.

It'd be in their business interest to think about timing it with the start of the academic year.

That's exactly what happened to me. I have splashed out on a MacBook ready for uni this October. I put it off for a bit so I could buy one with Leopard, but then they changed the release date .

that's really annoying!
I'm finding it hard to find the info about the new system. I've never really been the kind of person to upgrade as soon as a new version comes out, but my ibook could do with an overhaul now.
But, like most things, I need to work out the cost and any technical stuff (I have software that I'd want to carry on using) beforehand. But, I can't work it out, cos the info isn't there.
This is when its all very well for apple to keep things upder wraps for their customers as a 'surprise', but that presumes all their customers can afford to keep upgrading.

I need to get a new mac as my powerbook's not booting and I've discovered I can't really affored to be sans PC...I'm currently using a highly customised win Vista machine with Safari, iTunes etc. and it's making me feel nausious

I don't blame you! I've heard about the new vista machines...there seem to be a lot of confused and grumpy people over them because of software incompatibility issues.
That's why I want to know more about leopard before I upgrade: I'd still want to keep a lot of my old software, like ilife, until I can afford to get the new one.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but ilife only comes with new macs as a bundle and you'd have to buy it separately if you wanted to upgrade it as well, yes?
(Actually, I dunno how I'd keep ilife cos I don't have the original install disk for it. Would it be on the software restore disks for my ibook? I don't know-my ibook was set up for me by an IT dealer already, so don't know how they did it).

it should be on the system restore disks.

sorry to ask such dumb questions!

Hey, I found this for my printer:
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid=58604&prodoid=58654752&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh

I think it might just work
fingers crossed!
thanks everyone.

Let us know how it goes

I will. thanks

well, I connected it up, tried installing the download thingy I found, which has disappeared somewhere on my HD never to be found again. It knows the printer's connected but it says driver not installed. I got the info off the epson web page and I have to dowload the driver, but IT co's being what they are, the link to the downloads page doesn't work! I've emailed them to get them to give me in the info.

It's annoying, you'd think they'd get their web page sorted wouldn't you?

Iaconian, I found this:

http://www.apple.com/uk/macosx/uptodate/

on the apple website
Dunno if its any help to you, if you wanted to upgrade without it costing too much...



Kaz.