Living in Chiang Mai without owning a printer

[vagabond48]

I was going to reply to one of the CM thread's with this suggestion but I thought I would share it here to reach the max CM audience.
For those of you who live here but don't have a home printer, I have been using this freeware for quite a few years.
It is called CutePDF and can be found here. It is a small program that acts like a printer and will create your print document in PDF format. You can then download to your flash/thumb drive and take it to your local print shop that can print from a flashdrive. You also have store your PDF print document for your records.

Using CutePDF Writer to create PDF document:

DO NOT look for any application to run. Just print your document using CutePDF Writer (the printer) to get PDF output.

1. Open your original document and select Print command in File menu of your application to bring up Print dialog box.
2. Then select CutePDF Writer as the Printer to print (DO NOT select "Print to file" option).
3. You will get a Save As dialog box prompted for saving created PDF file.
   Select a folder to Save in and enter a File name, then click on Save.
4. Go to that folder to find your PDF file.

* CutePDF Writer supports Microsoft Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/Vista/7/8 (x32/x64).

[elektrified]

Good app. But why not just buy a printer? We have 2; laser and color inkjet. I couldn't imagine running out in the rain to go print something in the city. The gas to get there would cost 30X what the copies would cost. They are so cheap these days it's silly.

[Rob5060]

I think it depends how often you print

I use very few so every time I try the ink has dried up

[15Peter20]

Been through about 4-5 printers in as many years. They kept breaking because of the ink drying up. Last one I got was a laser copy/printer. Scanner stopped working after a couple of months. No plans to get another printer for a LONG time.

[Thighlander]

I pay the place next to the Kodak shop 1 thb per page. She give me a plastic cover if it is raining. You can bring a thumb drive or use their internet connection.

Color are 5 THB. SHe is very helpful, too. I bought an original HP deskjet in 1989. It was 639 USD. Sold it for 40 USD 8 years later. I haven't owned one since. I don't use faxes anymore, either. I've bought houses without a single "wet" signature. They use Docu-sign.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Thighlander

[elektrified]

I pay the place next to the Kodak shop 1 thb per page. She give me a plastic cover if it is raining. You can bring a thumb drive or use their internet connection.

Color are 5 THB. SHe is very helpful, too. I bought an original HP deskjet in 1989. It was 639 USD. Sold it for 40 USD 8 years later. I haven't owned one since. I don't use faxes anymore, either. I've bought houses without a single "wet" signature. They use Docu-sign.

Most places near Universities charge something like 10 Satang per page if I am not mistaken.

But I can't be bothered. I could not live without printers as we print at least 30 labels, invoices, etc. per day.

[onthedarkside]

I just expect a printer to last 2 years, maybe 3 years at best. Does not matter if HP, or Cannon, or whatever. I just assume they are designed to fail after a set time. But they are very cheap, right now using the HP J4660 all-in-one (has fax) that I bought at Big C for about 2,000 baht. Pretty high tech, even has automatic feed for copy or scan multiple pages.

[mesquite]

I've had an HP Laserjet for 8 years without a problem. Sometimes it goes for months without printing and the ink is fine.

[Beetlejuice]

I just expect a printer to last 2 years, maybe 3 years at best. Does not matter if HP, or Cannon, or whatever. I just assume they are designed to fail after a set time. But they are very cheap, right now using the HP J4660 all-in-one (has fax) that I bought at Big C for about 2,000 baht. Pretty high tech, even has automatic feed for copy or scan multiple pages.

I have had the same experiences with printers.

If I manage to get 3 years service out of one, I consider myself as lucky.

But over the years the price of printers have decreased a lot and these days with the options of having liquid fed ink from tanks rather than needing to frequently renew expensive ink cartridges, it`s no big deal. Can buy a Canon printer/scanner with ink tanks for 2400 baht at the Computer Plaza and are cheap to maintain.

Cannot see why anyone would bother to have printing done at a shop rather than having the convenience of having their own printer at home and as for the OP`s special PDF freeware, it is possible to place any document and graphics onto a flash drive, in various formats, not only PDF, take to a shop and have printed.

[DekDaeng]

Epson L series - built in (factory) in tanks, keep your warranty. Bottles of orig Epson ink 250 baht -

L 355 scan print copy & wifi - print direct from phone if you like - ~ 7,000 baht.

Comes with a year or so worth of ink (for me)

[xen]

We have a Samsung 3 in 1 laser . No drying of ink. 700 baht for the toner to be refilled every 12 to 18 months . Much safer and more convenient.

Don't trust inserting a flash-drive into a internet cafe usb slot and then taking it home to insert into my computer again without running virus scans etc and i don't trust virus scans that much either, it is not un-similar to inserting your thingy into a slot without any protective gear and not knowing her history and who has ventured there before.. Never know what nasty virus you will end up with , do you!!

[FolkGuitar]

I just bought a Canon printer. I was advised by the shop NOT to buy the tanks unless I was going to print every day. For those who really don't print often, the HP printers give a new print head built into the cartridges so even if it does dry out, the printer isn't dead. A new cartridge gives new life.

[junglechef]

Not to tech savvy but I don't print enough to rationalize the expense of the ink cartridges so even w/my fancy home printer/scanner/fax/hummer. Not sure about saving as a PDF and if nec. to print as I just email stuff to myself and open my email at internet shop and print for 1 bht per at shop near Mae Jo Univ.

[vagabond48]

Good app. But why not just buy a printer? We have 2; laser and color inkjet. I couldn't imagine running out in the rain to go print something in the city. The gas to get there would cost 30X what the copies would cost. They are so cheap these days it's silly.

I guess I should have added living within the city limits where there are loads of copy and internet shops nearby. I have 5 to choose from 1 to 5 bicycle minutes away or motorcycle if I choose. This thread was for those who choose to live without a printer for a number of reasons having nothing to do with the cost of one.

[OldChinaHam]

I do not have a printer.

I just save the file to the thumb drive.

Walk 5 minutes to one of the printer/copy shops.

Plug into the PC there

Print away!

Normally I save my files to be printed in PDF for copies from ebooks.

Or I can print almost ANYTHING I want just from Windows Word.

I can use LINUX and save in a compatible file format and print from the Windows PC at the printer.

So much for this still not paperless world we live in.

[JimShortz]

I've had an HP Laserjet for 8 years without a problem. Sometimes it goes for months without printing and the ink is fine.

For those who print occasionally, and for everyone who don't need colour this is far the best solution - get a cheap laser printer. The ink doesn't dry up because there isn't any, they use powder and so don't block up!

[OldChinaHam]

I've had an HP Laserjet for 8 years without a problem. Sometimes it goes for months without printing and the ink is fine.

For those who print occasionally, and for everyone who don't need colour this is far the best solution - get a cheap laser printer. The ink doesn't dry up because there isn't any, they use powder and so don't block up!

I agree, the laser is the best.

The inkjet is expensive and a ripoff

The only thing is, both are still a waste of money if you can possibly think of another solution, such as a few mentioned above. When you actually calculate the cost per copy, by buying your own printer, it comes out significantly higher I think than the 0.5 Baht I pay. It is only a matter of convenience to justify buying your own. I still have a HP Laserjet 4 lying around, it still works after 15 years. But I have only run to packs of powder refills through it. It cost me USD2000, so I guess I am paying about USD1.00 per page. But this is an extreme case and example.

I have not purchase another printer after that one.