Unusual machines / why did they build it?

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  • Jules Winfield
    Senior Tech

    500+ Posts
    • Jul 2009
    • 821
    #16
    Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

    Oh my God, I almost forgot about perhaps the most ill conceived copier of all time: The Mita Ai-3030. Remember that piece of garbage? I don't know what was worse, the idiotic scanner on a separate frame design or the 50 screws you had to remove to get to the boards. Or the print system that only understood 10baseT and wouldn't work over a 10/100 hub...
    But I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard... to be the Shepherd.

      Comment

      • Lagonda
        Service Manager

        Site Contributor
        1,000+ Posts
        • Aug 2008
        • 1649
        #17
        Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

        A trip down memory lane!!
        I'll add job card readers to the list. Installed a few but never ever saw one used.
        At least 50% of IT is a solution looking for a problem.

          Comment

          • 10871087
            Service Manager

            1,000+ Posts
            • Jan 2005
            • 1143
            #18
            Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

            Originally posted by Jules Winfield
            Oh my God, I almost forgot about perhaps the most ill conceived copier of all time: The Mita Ai-3030. Remember that piece of garbage? I don't know what was worse, the idiotic scanner on a separate frame design or the 50 screws you had to remove to get to the boards. Or the print system that only understood 10baseT and wouldn't work over a 10/100 hub...
            OMG... the top and bottom were connected by a cable with no external connector so to bring it into an office for a demo required the removal of the top and back of the printer part and the connection of about 10 connectors onto 3 or 4 different boards. If all went well it took about a half hour to setup with the customer thinking it was broken because why else would you take it apart so much just to plug it in.

              Comment

              • edzo666
                #19
                Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                i remember the ricoh ft 5733 that hold a color development unit.

                  Comment

                  • KenB
                    Geek Extraordinaire

                    2,500+ Posts
                    • Dec 2007
                    • 3945
                    #20
                    Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                    One more fax flub up:

                    I think it was the Aficio 270 that first offered a form of MFP faxing for Ricoh.

                    It required a PC on the network to have Winfax Pro (I think it was the only supported application) and a fax modem. The 270 would then connect to that PC to fax out.

                    Actually, not a terrible idea, but the salesman would always conveniently forget that minor little requirement.
                    “I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim Hawkins

                      Comment

                      • Jules Winfield
                        Senior Tech

                        500+ Posts
                        • Jul 2009
                        • 821
                        #21
                        Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                        Originally posted by 10871087
                        OMG... the top and bottom were connected by a cable with no external connector so to bring it into an office for a demo required the removal of the top and back of the printer part and the connection of about 10 connectors onto 3 or 4 different boards. If all went well it took about a half hour to setup with the customer thinking it was broken because why else would you take it apart so much just to plug it in.
                        I think the guy who designed that piece of shit ended up committing hari kari. Or at least he should have...
                        But I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard... to be the Shepherd.

                          Comment

                          • KenB
                            Geek Extraordinaire

                            2,500+ Posts
                            • Dec 2007
                            • 3945
                            #22
                            Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                            Originally posted by charm5496
                            the Canon NP-4080 had a color cartridge CD unit changer that held 4 seperate color cartridges and would rotate them in and out as the customer selected for copying....This thing would give me nightmares it was such a mechanical disaster!!!!
                            Oh the horrors!

                            I had precisely one, at a carpet cleaning company. I think it used about 50 photo interrupters.

                            Funny, I think it was called a "CD Changer" (color developer), long before there were Compact Discs.
                            “I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim Hawkins

                              Comment

                              • KenB
                                Geek Extraordinaire

                                2,500+ Posts
                                • Dec 2007
                                • 3945
                                #23
                                Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                Originally posted by Jules Winfield
                                Mita DC-2055 series with the editing tablet on the top of the platen cover. You used the little plastic stylus that came with it to select areas of the copies to mask out. Totally useless function. Never ever saw it used...
                                Canon had the same thing on the NP3000 and NP4000 series machines. Yuk!
                                “I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim Hawkins

                                  Comment

                                  • Sgt. Hulka
                                    Technician

                                    Site Contributor
                                    50+ Posts
                                    • Jun 2005
                                    • 95
                                    #24
                                    Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                    Internet Faxing - Does any know what it was supposed to do?
                                    Who wants a Hulka Burger?

                                      Comment

                                      • Jules Winfield
                                        Senior Tech

                                        500+ Posts
                                        • Jul 2009
                                        • 821
                                        #25
                                        Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                        Originally posted by Sgt. Hulka
                                        Internet Faxing - Does any know what it was supposed to do?
                                        They call it "email" now...
                                        But I'm trying, Ringo. I'm trying real hard... to be the Shepherd.

                                          Comment

                                          • Lagonda
                                            Service Manager

                                            Site Contributor
                                            1,000+ Posts
                                            • Aug 2008
                                            • 1649
                                            #26
                                            Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                            Just had a scratch around at the back of the grey cells and came up with Tape Markers on copyprinters. It was suppose to shoot a couple of inches of paper tape between job batches as they hit the output tray.
                                            Why? who knows!
                                            At least 50% of IT is a solution looking for a problem.

                                              Comment

                                              • blackcat4866
                                                Master Of The Obvious

                                                Site Contributor
                                                10,000+ Posts
                                                • Jul 2007
                                                • 22929
                                                #27
                                                Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                                Originally posted by Hemlock
                                                Most WTF-ish: a tractor feed system for some of the old Oce' doc feeders. Designed to take the old line printer paper (green & white alternating lines, holes down the sides, continuous feed) and allow you to copy it to cut sheet. Only saw one out in the wild, never saw it used - probably a good thing.
                                                Canon had a tractor feed add-on accessory for feeding continuous greenbar originals, on the NP-6060 and NP-6085. The sucker was fast, and fed well for the most part. But few techs knew that they had their own optics, so there were a lot of callbacks for dark copies, tractor feed only.
                                                If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
                                                1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
                                                2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
                                                3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
                                                4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
                                                5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.

                                                blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=

                                                  Comment

                                                  • blackcat4866
                                                    Master Of The Obvious

                                                    Site Contributor
                                                    10,000+ Posts
                                                    • Jul 2007
                                                    • 22929
                                                    #28
                                                    Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                                    Originally posted by Jules Winfield
                                                    Mita DC-2055 series with the editing tablet on the top of the platen cover. You used the little plastic stylus that came with it to select areas of the copies to mask out. Totally useless function. Never ever saw it used...
                                                    Those were kinda fun to play with once you knew what you were doing. But, yes, not much use for it.
                                                    If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
                                                    1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
                                                    2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
                                                    3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
                                                    4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
                                                    5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.

                                                    blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=

                                                      Comment

                                                      • blackcat4866
                                                        Master Of The Obvious

                                                        Site Contributor
                                                        10,000+ Posts
                                                        • Jul 2007
                                                        • 22929
                                                        #29
                                                        Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                                        Originally posted by charm5496
                                                        the Canon NP-4080 had a color cartridge CD unit changer that held 4 seperate color cartridges and would rotate them in and out as the customer selected for copying....This thing would give me nightmares it was such a mechanical disaster!!!!
                                                        That, and the color filters in the lens cover to do "color separations". It made cleaning mirrors 4 & 5 particularly difficult to clean, and was really easy to screw up. =^..^=
                                                        If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
                                                        1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
                                                        2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
                                                        3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
                                                        4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
                                                        5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.

                                                        blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=

                                                          Comment

                                                          • KenB
                                                            Geek Extraordinaire

                                                            2,500+ Posts
                                                            • Dec 2007
                                                            • 3945
                                                            #30
                                                            Re: Unusual machines / why did they build it?

                                                            Originally posted by Sgt. Hulka
                                                            Internet Faxing - Does any know what it was supposed to do?
                                                            It does exactly what the name implies - sends and receives faxes over TCP/IP.

                                                            I have one customer who is a medical supplier. They have 5 offices over a 3 county area, but they are positioned in such a way that no one office can call another locally.

                                                            It should be noted that being a medical supplier, they are subject to the same HIPPA compliance rules as any other health service provider, so they are under a bit of scrutiny. (They can actually be sued for malpractice, just like a doctor.)

                                                            They send hundreds of faxes every day between their offices. Their phone bills were ridiculous.

                                                            Scanning to email wasn't practical, as paper copies of their documents are needed upon their arrival.

                                                            Once we set up all their Ricoh 1515s (small machines, I know) with IP faxing their phone bill was slashed by almost 80%.
                                                            “I think you should treat good friends like a fine wine. That’s why I keep mine locked up in the basement.” - Tim Hawkins

                                                              Comment

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