Anyone know if the Dell 540 dye-sub photo printer is made by Kodak?

[Kwad Guy]

Dell is selling a model 540 dye sublimation photo printer which I have read is made by Kodak...Anyone know if this is, in fact, true.

And more to the point, if it IS made by Kodak, does it share the same refill kits? I can get the Dell kits a lot more cheaply than those under the Kodak name, which is the reason I'm curious.

(I have a Kodak PrinterDock that I got for $20 after rebate and I have to say it prints REALLY nice photos, although the interface is less than steller if, like me, you don't have a Kodak camera to dock to it).

Kwad

 

[Crizza]

chances are that even if Dell is using kodak as the OEM, there was enough of a design change to make the parts proprietary so neither side loses money. They did this with their lexmark printers and I imagine they'll do the same with the kodak. It would make no business sense for kodak to make something for a competitor only to have the refill market cut out from underneath them.

I can't say for sure, but I'd bet money that it won't work.

 

[Kwad Guy]

Originally posted by: Crizza
chances are that even if Dell is using kodak as the OEM, there was enough of a design change to make the parts proprietary so neither side loses money. They did this with their lexmark printers and I imagine they'll do the same with the kodak. It would make no business sense for kodak to make something for a competitor only to have the refill market cut out from underneath them.

I can't say for sure, but I'd bet money that it won't work.

Yeah, I wondered about that.

I didn't know about the Lexmark/Dell inkjet refills (I don't like Lexmark/Dell inkjets, so I haven't paid attention). So they reallly did that: The Dell (Lexmark rebadged) printers don't take standard Lexmark carts and vice-versa?

Kwad

 

[ShellGuy]

Doesn't really look like a kodak printer i have seen lately but then again i haven't looked much.


Will G.

 

[Kwad Guy]

If anyone cares, I've delved further into this and it's clear that the Dell 540 photo packs (paper + dye sublimation film roll) are basically identical to those sold by Kodak under their own name EXCEPT for one little thing: There's a hole in the plastic casing for the film roll that appears in a different place for the Kodak and Dell versions. Because of that, the rolls are not interchangable. You could use a Dremel tool or a soldering iron to make a hole where it needs to be to interchange them, however...(The piece of plastic where the hole needs to be is part of a bridge section and does not get near the film).

Kwad