When you know its time to quit fixing and buy new.

[Cameramonkey]

So at work we have an old VERY specialized label printer. its a thermal transfer printer (not the cheap heat sensitive thermal labels that turn black when you apply heat) used by our sprinkler guys to label precut/welded steel pipe. The software they use to design the systems spits out labels to tell the fab guys what to do with it, and in the end, the installers where the finished pipes go. They can prefab the system in our shop and then slam together the job instead of spending time cutting/threading pipes on site.

So its beyond time to decommission the print server that runs the printer. We looked into a new modern printer (this one was EOLed in 2014) but at $2,000 it seemed silly since it still works well. Now the rubber meets the road and we HAVE to shut down the print server PC running it (Vista). the HP JetDirects we have dont work. So I thought "I'll buy the internal card to replace the PC print server, and make it a standalone printer, and solve the problem." Great. Found one on amazon from TekSwamp." so I ordered it. They sent the wrong thing. It appeared to be the guts of an external device instead of a card to insert into the printer. So I did an exchange. New one showed up today. Same problem.

So I tried ebay. "OOOH!!!!! LOOKY!!!! SOMEBODY ELSE WITH THE PART!!!!!" Wait a minute... the seller is TekSwamp. Sonofoa..."[insert Christmas Vacation rant here]

So Monday I tell the C level over that department "You're buying a new printer. Like it or not."

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Why not just run the print server on a small Linux based machine running a pcl driver?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Why not just run the print server on a small Linux based machine running a pcl driver?

Nah. This is the ONLY printer in our enterprise that requires a dedicated print server. hundreds of printers. everything else is modern with its own internal network interface or plays nice with JetDirects. (impact invoice printers)

They just need to get with the program and stop trying to do their own thing. In the long run, it will be cheaper to buy new with the right interfaces than keep tripping over dollars to pick up pennies by trying to nurse this old beast along. It was EOL in 2014. seriously.


Edit: And no Linux box because we are in the middle of a security audit/lockdown, so we dont need to add yet another box to have to patch/secure.

 

[danimal]

Printer have a USB port?... I've used several AnywhereUSB units before to put printers and 56k fax/modems on VMWare hosted Windows guests with great success.

I don't remember the brand, but I know there have been TCP->RS232 boxes used in the past to essentially do serial over the LAN if USB isn't available.

We recently retired our fleet of Datamax thermals and went with new Zebras that all have LAN built in and are wireless capable. As long as you keep them dry and the users don't get handsy with the internals, those industrial thermal printers are tanks.

 

[fullmetaljesus]

Nah. This is the ONLY printer in our enterprise that requires a dedicated print server. hundreds of printers. everything else is modern with its own internal network interface or plays nice with JetDirects. (impact invoice printers)

They just need to get with the program and stop trying to do their own thing. In the long run, it will be cheaper to buy new with the right interfaces than keep tripping over dollars to pick up pennies by trying to nurse this old beast along. It was EOL in 2014. seriously.


Edit: And no Linux box because we are in the middle of a security audit/lockdown, so we dont need to add yet another box to have to patch/secure.

Oh hell not sure how I missed the part about tit being end of life in 2014. You're right to get rid of it.

 

[hoosierdoc]

I feel like this thread title is speaking to me...

 

[WebSnyper]

When your business depends on it, staying supported is a good thing.

I've never understood how even big companies run such outdated stuff with no support for years, in business critical functions.

 

[churchmouse]

When your business depends on it, staying supported is a good thing.

I've never understood how even big companies run such outdated stuff with no support for years, in business critical functions.

Bottom line. “Money”

 

[WebSnyper]

Bottom line. “Money”

But as you often say, tripping over $5 bills to save pennies, by not keeping things updated/modern/supported.

 

[churchmouse]

But as you often say, tripping over $5 bills to save pennies, by not keeping things updated/modern/supported.

Agreed. It seems to be all to common a practice. I am old school in that I would rather repair something if possible instead of replacing but all things in their time.

 

[jkaetz]

When your business depends on it, staying supported is a good thing.

I've never understood how even big companies run such outdated stuff with no support for years, in business critical functions.

Most businesses look at IT hardware & software as a one time loss/expense rather than a critical infrastructure item that needs maintenance/lifecycle funding.

@Cameramonkey make sure you're involved in the purchasing process or they will surely find something that is incompatible with your current processes. Go ahead, ask me how I know?

 

[Cameramonkey]

Most businesses look at IT hardware & software as a one time loss/expense rather than a critical infrastructure item that needs maintenance/lifecycle funding.

@Cameramonkey make sure you're involved in the purchasing process or they will surely find something that is incompatible with your current processes. Go ahead, ask me how I know?

They are usually pretty good about that. Except when they decided to change copiers. Even with less labor saving tools, they were blinded by the bottom line.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Printer have a USB port?... I've used several AnywhereUSB units before to put printers and 56k fax/modems on VMWare hosted Windows guests with great success.

I don't remember the brand, but I know there have been TCP->RS232 boxes used in the past to essentially do serial over the LAN if USB isn't available.

We recently retired our fleet of Datamax thermals and went with new Zebras that all have LAN built in and are wireless capable. As long as you keep them dry and the users don't get handsy with the internals, those industrial thermal printers are tanks.

No. This is modular and they only installed the parallel card. With these you buy like cars. Every interface is a module and is a paid option. 3 internal slots, mix and match as your heart (and wallet) desires.

 

[dprimm]

But as you often say, tripping over $5 bills to save pennies, by not keeping things updated/modern/supported.

I see it daily. Hurts my head

 

[chocktaw2]

So at work we have an old VERY specialized label printer. its a thermal transfer printer (not the cheap heat sensitive thermal labels that turn black when you apply heat) used by our sprinkler guys to label precut/welded steel pipe. The software they use to design the systems spits out labels to tell the fab guys what to do with it, and in the end, the installers where the finished pipes go. They can prefab the system in our shop and then slam together the job instead of spending time cutting/threading pipes on site.

So its beyond time to decommission the print server that runs the printer. We looked into a new modern printer (this one was EOLed in 2014) but at $2,000 it seemed silly since it still works well. Now the rubber meets the road and we HAVE to shut down the print server PC running it (Vista). the HP JetDirects we have dont work. So I thought "I'll buy the internal card to replace the PC print server, and make it a standalone printer, and solve the problem." Great. Found one on amazon from TekSwamp." so I ordered it. They sent the wrong thing. It appeared to be the guts of an external device instead of a card to insert into the printer. So I did an exchange. New one showed up today. Same problem.

So I tried ebay. "OOOH!!!!! LOOKY!!!! SOMEBODY ELSE WITH THE PART!!!!!" Wait a minute... the seller is TekSwamp. Sonofoa..."[insert Christmas Vacation rant here]

So Monday I tell the C level over that department "You're buying a new printer. Like it or not."

That's a great question!

 

[Tactically Fat]

I feel like this thread title is speaking to me...

If only you had a friend who tried to warn you, multiple times, to not buy that vehicle. If only...

 

[hoosierdoc]

If only you had a friend who tried to warn you, multiple times, to not buy that vehicle. If only...

We bought it in 2014. Don't recall those chats back then. Did you tell my wife? She wants what she wants

 

[mmpsteve]

I feel like this thread title is speaking to me...

Always loved the look of the Land Rover Sport, Doc. Even thought about buying one, until I talked to a guy that owned one. Maintenance is in a pay-grade above mine.

.

 

[hoosierdoc]

Always loved the look of the Land Rover Sport, Doc. Even thought about buying one, until I talked to a guy that owned one. Maintenance is in a pay-grade above mine.

.

Yep, and she wanted a defender. I convinced her to want something else. Tired of the LR maintenance costs

 

[WebSnyper]

Yep, and she wanted a defender. I convinced her to want something else. Tired of the LR maintenance costs

That is what I've always heard about Land Rovers. High maintenance/costs.