greg

We also were victims of the Kodak 5300 infomercial. While the photo printer sounded great, I had no idea the printer would NOT play with our computer’s WindowsME O/S. When I asked Kodak about this they said the earlier O/S drivers were left out because: ” Before designing a product, Kodak looks at what is going on in the market place. It was a business decision not to support earlier operating software. ”

So I can’t print documents from my PC to the Kodak 5300 unless I: (A) Upgrade my O/S $ 100 (B) Buy a newer computer $ 300 + (C) Buy a different printer $ ??

—–Original Message—–

Before someone else comments again about the system requirements for XP/Vista for Windows use being clearly listed, allow me to make it clear that I purchased this directly through the informercial they were promoting in December 2007. At NO POINT, during that entire 30-minute advertisement, was there any mention whatsoever that this product required Windoze XP or Vista, in order to function on a Windows PC. Nor was there any information indicating that a Pentium III 800Mhz might be insufficient to the processing needs of this “all-n-1″ unit. I did not even visit the Kodak website until today (July 9, 2008) when I finally got around to setting up the EASYSHARE 5300 and encountered the limited OS support/lack of driver problems.

So, I had this unit for 6 months before I discovered that Eastman Kodak has the bald audacity to sell a peripheral product with no backwards compatibility whatsoever, which is bad enough. What REALLY pisses me off is their arrogance in telling me what WEB BROWSER I have to use with their POS product. So, this might be the absolute best printer/scanner/copier in it’s class. I have no way of knowing because I am not installing Windoze XP any of my systems. Kodak’s product needs to support what I’M using…not the other way around. They can keep their arrogance, and their products. I’m going back to using Canon equipment. Ink costs more but I’ve never had to change my system to use one of their products!

To try to clean the printheads, the Kodak site says to use the software (I only used it as a copier).

OK, hit the Kodak website for the software and driver (hopefully just the driver and a simple utility). Nope a 250MB Download!

OK, get out the CD and install. Oh no! it’s one of the programs with a skin that does not like large fonts. Install anyway. Uncheck a big list of bloatware. Asked to update. Starts to download the 250MB file again!

Bottom line, this printer stinks. Even when it worked, it cluncked and ground for a long time before being ready to print. The software is a bloated joke, and the print wuality is marginal.

Is there anyone in Kodak that I can write a polite letter to?

Thanks for letting me rant. This (like many inkjets) printer is junk.

Eric.

Do you know where I can get a Windows ME printer driver for the Kodak 5300 all-in-one printer, since Kodak does not offer one?
Thanks.

Consumer Report also shows it a low quality print. Rates the Canons the best. Recent issue. Check it out at the library.

I would have to agree with Popphoto on this. Consumer Reports also backs up that the Kodak AIO’s prints a low quality print. They rated the Canons the best.
Kodak really goffed up on these printers. It what you get for moving production to china I guess.

But on cameras, the Kodak Z885 point and shoot is a great little camera. They are clearing those out at officemax nox.

I’ve had my 5300 since last September and just recently it stopped printing black. I emailed Kodak from the AIO Home Center and the reply came the next day. Unfortunately everything I did was to no avail, but I’m waiting to see if they replace the printer head as promised. Other than this recent problem, I love the printer.

Lee

I printed wonderful photos (loved them) and then I loaded the software from the DVD and I think they loaded the whole DVD on my drive. Then all of a sudden the printer won’t print black anymore and I am missing all my blues. I did the calibrations, head cleans, everything still nothing works. I even bought and put two new ink cartridges in it.

I would highly advice people to stay way away from this printer, I got sucked in by the price. I won’t bother replacing it, I don’t want to replace junk with more junk. I will just never purchase from Kodak again and be sure to tell others of what happened to me.

Don

Thanks for your comments, you sold me! I am tired of payimg $60 or more for ink cartridges. I have an Epson R260 and I can actually watch the ink go down on the software that pops up showing each ink cartridge levels. I haven’t printed but one 4 x 6 photo along with about 60-70 pages of text black and white, after which I had to go to Costco and pick-up another round of ink which hasn’t printed more than 50 pages of documents and is ALREADY empty on three of the five cartridges!!! I can almost BUY a new printer for the cost ink. Most of my friends have been doing that lately instead of replacing ink…how green is that!

Let your team know alot of people I know are looking at your printer due to the cost of ink. Keep the cost of your ink low and I will start buying ONLY Kodak paper with my new 5300.

Thanks Kodak, I will be heading out right now to purchase the 5300 since my old standby SLOW HP officejet T45 just took a dump too!

Chris