Epson Workforce 845 Printer

The Epson Workforce 845

An all-in-one that lives up to its name

I have to say so far this printer is amazing. First off, it's wireless N, and it connects seamlessly to my network. It can also be connected via ethernet, as well as a USB connection to a PC for scanning purposes. The 7.8" touch panel with 3.5" LCD folds away when not in use. It has its own Epson email address, allowing me to email images or documents from anywhere and have them automatically print. It also is compatible with Epson's iPrint app for Android and iOS, which allows for printing documents, photos, web pages or anything from smart phones and tablets while on the wifi network.

Epson iPrint

It features auto-duplex, a huge time and paper saver. There are ports for memory cards and USB, allowing for direct print. Included in the software is a comprehensive OCR suite. The printer also comes with high-capacity ink cartridges ready to be installed. The auto document feeder closes up when not in use, keeping most of the dust out of the feeder mechanisms.

Image and color quality are fantastic, a huge improvement over the HP this printer replaced. And the Epson Workforce 845 is FAST.

And the best part? The price. I picked up mine for $99.99 at my local Microcenter. It's easily worth twice that. You can't beat this deal with a stick.

Features

World's fastest all-in-one 15 ISO ppm black, 9.3 ISO ppm color 2-sided ISO ppm: 7.4 blk/5.4clr 500-sheet paper capacity Low ink cost with individual color cartridges Wireless b,g,n Energy Star

Replacement power adapter for 23" Apple Cinema Display

So I got ahold of a 23" Apple Cinema Display LCD monitor. One Problem: No power adapter! So after some extensive internet searches for new or used adapters (models A1097 90w or A1098 150w) I came to the conclusion that these are either impossible to get, or exorbitantly overpriced in the area of $150+. Also, it turns out these adapters are highly prone to failure. (Don't bother ordering from ebay sources in Asia. I tried several and despite saying they had hundreds in stock, none of them actually did.)

I figured there had to be a better and cheaper alternative.

The monitor itself requires 24 volts, 3.7 amps, and 90 watts. (The 30" Cinema Display requires 150 watts and may require more amperage.) Based on that requirement I ordered a generic 24 volt 6 amp 145 watt regulated switching power supply off of ebay. This one cost me $27.59 from seller yallstore:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-24V-DC-6A-145W-Regulated-Switching-Power-Supply-/130458428959?_trksid=p3286.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D5981208898212578971#ht_2451wt_1127

The monitor has one cable coming from the back that includes a DVI connector, USB and Firewire connectors for the ports on the back, and the proprietary power connector that goes to the A1097 power adapter. The first thing to do is to cut off the stupid apple power connector:

Remove about an inch and a half of the rubber sheathing and the grounding mesh. Inside there are 3 wires: black, red, and a tiny grey wire. The grey wire is a 5v wire presumably to give power to the USB and Firewire ports on the back of the monitor. We are not going to worry about this one; just move it out the way or cut it off.

Strip the black and red wires back about a centimeter. Connect the black wire to the V- and the red wire to the V+ on the back of the power supply.

Next you'll need a regular power cable like any PC would use. Cut off the female end. Strip back a centimeter on each of the 3 wires inside. Attach the black wire to the Hot or Line (L), the white wire to Neutral (N), and the green wire to the Ground connection.

Lastly, BEFORE YOU PLUG IT IN, be sure the power supply is switched to 110v AC. Things would get smoky otherwise!

So, now you are ready. Attach the DVI plug to the PC, power on the monitor, and here you go:

A little splicing and for under $30 your monitor is working. The generic adapter will run cooler and be less prone to failure due to the metal mesh design, so you should get much longer life than you would from the plastic-encased apple product.