Used Canon imagePROGRAF TC-20 24" Large Format 4-Color Inkjet Printer, Comes Standard with Automatic Document Feeder and Full Set of Inks (280ML of Ink)

2024-06-10T22:18:29

The first Canon TC-20 printer that I ordered was "open-box"; arrived 2 days later with impact damage to the printer and would not even power on. Still needing a printer for my project, I ordered a NEW unit, hoping that it was packaged better than the open-box unit had been. It arrived in good shape in 2 days (today). So far I've only printed the diagrams and line drawings needed for my project, so this review is based only on the 6 line-drawing color prints that I've made so far. The instructions for setup are poor, and poorly illustrated. Canon's attempt at brevity has crippled the understandability of the sparse instructions. And to get the full (and poor) instructions to fully load the inks, roll paper, and set up a wireless connection, you must navigate to several different places to collect this information. Thanks, Cannon. Why are you wasting my time this way?? Even jumping around the internet to find the set-up instructions, some of my questions were not fully answered: for instance, when the ink is installed for the first time, you are instructed to how to insert them into the machine for ink loading. The screen says it can take 'up to one minute' to load the ink. But is this a single bottle they are talking about? Or all 4 bottles? ...will the printer indicate to me when the ink bottles are empty? (No, it doesn't). Thanks, Canon. Please try to be a little more vague, can you? As it turns out, for the *initial* set-up, all 4 bottles will (nearly) completely empty into the printer. You'll just have to assume when the bottles are actually empty and done, as it's not easy to tell by looking at the bottles, and the the printer will not tell you either. Give it at least a minute (after a bottle is inserted), and after that you're on your own to guess when/if it is done. Thanks, Canon. Also know that the first time you load a set of the 70 oz. ink bottles (x4) that come with the printer, these will NOT fill the printer's internal ink reservoirs, only about 1/2 or less (this ink level is displayed on the front-panel screen when you make a print, which is nice). This indicates that the printer's reservoirs can hold about two 70-oz. bottles of each color. Just FYI. The tiny front-panel screen telling you that it will take up to 'a minute' to finish, is all the help you're going to get. (When you add inks at a later time, the bottles may not completely empty into the printer if it can't take the entire 70 ounces, the guide says the bottles will put ink into the printer until the printer is full and then stop-- but again, we are left to guess when that happens, because the printer will not you. That's it. Take your best guess, my friends. Thanks, Canon.) My first attempt to load a roll of 24" plain paper brought a nasty paper jam that required pulling out the paper from the way it went in, and having to unplug the printer to reset it-- it wouldn't allow me to turn it off using the POWER button in front, so I had to pull the plug for several seconds; thanks, Canon. I had to try loading a roll of paper and try again. Okay, second try to load a roll of paper I used a brand new roll of 24" coated paper, and this time it loaded properly and then asked to do the printhead alignment, which it completed successfully (IMPORTANT NOTE: this printer REQUIRES you to load a ROLL of paper to do the initial printhead alignment, it WON'T do the initial setup and printhead alignment with cut sheets of paper. My first half-dozen prints were my line-drawing schematics and hydraulic diagrams, and the printer quality appears to be very good, as good as I could have hoped for. But, I will add (and I can only compare this printer to the 'cheap' HP DesignJet 130nr that I had used for years previously), this Canon TC-20 printer is INCREDIBLY SLOW. Really slow. Good print quality, but expect it to take its time doing so. I'm a little stunned actually how long it takes to do color line drawings with some background fill color (the posters I make have plenty of white paper background so the printer isn't pushing all that much ink!). The printer is quite slow. If you need prints quickly, you're going to have to buy a different printer. At some point I'll try printing some of my artwork and photographs on roll photo paper to see if they look good as well (I expect them to look pretty good), but still expect them to come out as slow as molasses. If I were selling to multiple customers, this printer would probably be too slow for me. Does the TC-20 make good-enough quality prints for me? Yes, I'd say so. If I need to buy another 24" printer in the future, would I buy another Canon TC-20? Ehhh... maybe not. I'll pay more attention to print speed in the future. The print speed is disappointing.

RACHEL B.

2023-10-27T20:00:00

This is my first large format printer but, I Love it! I had an issue with the paper jamming also until I realized that it was my fault. Note: once you put the roll paper on the spool you have lock BOTH sides of the spool. The printing looks great, better than I expected and I love that it automatically cuts the paper when finished. I find it to be just a bit slow, but quiet.

TJ567

Originally posted at

2023-10-08T20:00:00

Bought printer 6 months ago, I use it to print Architechtural Prints and have had no issues at all. Only complaint I have is that the ink is expensive. But same applies to every other printer. I like the design and it fits perfectly on my desk. Low noise and fast speeds when printing. No issues until now...

Sergiosol

Originally posted at

2023-09-17T20:00:00

Worked fine for about ten 24x36 prints. Cannot find ink, or ink is a theft. Two printheads clogged, including one bought here on this website. Paper jams. Rolls don't feed. New rolls are a pain to load, have to cut the paper edge a gaxillion times before it magically loads by accident it seems. Support??? No phone number, no nothing. WORST PRINTER I EVER BOUGHT.

Michel C.

Originally posted at

2023-08-23T20:00:00

Excellent printer, startup and "free" customer support is an extra charge. Also replacement Inks are way to high, shop online please. So in conclusion if you're fine with the phone shuffling that has become the norm in these days and times, if a problem should arise, then yes, get one!

Sparky1324

Originally posted at

2023-07-21T20:00:00

I'm not sure if its been user error (since I'm a beginner to large format printing) or just the printer itself, but every time I try to print with the roll paper it has been a struggle of 1 hour + per print. There are continuous paper jamming errors when nothing is visibly obstructed and following instructions for readjusting the paper and settings sometimes works and sometimes doesn't with no good indication of why. When it actually does work, the prints are spectacular but the printing experience makes me wish I had just gotten a different printer to start with.

Jojo123

Originally posted at

2023-02-08T19:00:00

Output is crisp and clear but I have been having some problems when printing. When printing from roll paper it will print and cut one page, then i will get an error that there is a paper a jam. Nothing is actually jammed but i need to back the roll paper out, reload it and wait for the printer to reset (which takes a few minutes) just to have it print and go the same thing. This happened for about ten pages then stopped and now it seems to be working fine. The other annoying thing is that this printer didn't come with the basket to catch the prints. It's an optional accessory which seems ridiculous -- does anyone just want their prints to pile up on the floor?

lucy6692

Originally posted at

2023-02-07T19:00:00

I wanted to leave a good review for this plotter after reading the negative review. I am a civil engineer and land surveyor that prints documents up to 24"x36". I've been tired of going to FedEx or other places to print so I found this online and gave it a chance, I am very glad that I did. The printer prints very high quality CAD prints (better than FedEx or Office Depot) and it was very easy to figure out. Loading paper, ink and the setup was very easy. The initial set up took a little while but if you can read directions it is very easy to figure out. It is printing like a breeze right now and very high quality, I have only had it for 1 week but I will update this if there are any troubles.

sethpatrick3

Originally posted at

2023-02-04T19:00:00

bought a week ago. could not get it to print. no way to contact support. finally found a driver that works. Loading a roll of paper is nearly impossible. when feeding in, it is supposed to beep. never did. after finally getting a printing out of it. When it cuts, it shows a paper jam when it is not. Have to pull the paper out and go through loading everytime. worst part. You can't find ink for it. PLEASE DON"T BUY THIS MACHINE.

instant m.

Originally posted at