Fax Machine Guide
The fax machine revolutionized business communications because it could quickly scan an outgoing page and convert the images into a series of light and dark dots which could then be translated into audio tones and sent over regular phone lines. The receiving fax machine "hears" the tones, pieces the grid together, and prints the compilation of dots returning a black and white copy of the original pages.
Fax machines have become a standard fixture in offices and home offices everywhere because they're faster than regular mail and an affordable alternative to overnight delivery.
Whether you're in charge of buying for your office, or you're an up-and-coming Richard Branson with a high-tech home office, here's a few things to consider before buying your next fax machine.
Sending speeds
Fax machines have several sending speeds that vary with the price of the machine. Cheaper machines are usually a bit slower, but are ideal if you don't do a lot of faxing. Transversely, the more you spend, the faster your fax will travel. Higher-end machines are perfect for a busy office because the faster you fax that contract, the less money you'll spend on phone charges. There are two ways you can judge how fast your fax machine sends a page, by transmission standard and by compression protocol.
Transmission standards Most fax machines transmit data at speeds of either 9,600 bits per second (bps) or 14,400 bps. Machines that fax at 9,600 bps usually take between 15 and 60 seconds to send each page. The transmission standard called V.17 can send faxes at a much faster 14,400 bps, which reduces the sending time for a single page to between 6 and 10 seconds.
The latest transmission standard called V.34, allows you to send faxes at a whopping 33,600 bps, which means you can send a page in around 3 seconds!
Keep in mind, both V.17 and V.34 machines usually cost a few hundred dollars more, the cost-benefit is worthwhile if you or your company faxes more than 30 pages a day.
Now, the speed benefits V.17 and V.34 machines only work when you're transmitting to other fax machines that have the same protocols. But V.17 and V.34 machines are equipped with a fallback mechanism that lets them send and receive at 9,600 bps so they stay compatible with older machines.
Data compression protocols
This may seem like a complicated term, so here's a simple translation; data compression protocols reduce the time it takes to send a page by describing the page you're sending to the receiving fax machine using the least amount of data. You can reduce your sending time and phone charges by buying a machine with more advanced data compression protocols.
Just about all fax machines are equipped with a basic compression protocol called Modified Huffman (MH). Machines equipped with the more advanced Modified Read (MR) or Modified Modified Read (MMR) protocols can send your documents up to 25 percent faster.
Some machines use their own sending or compression protocols to increase the speed of transmission. However, these protocols only work when you're sending to or from same-brand of fax machine. Unless you frequently fax between two offices with the same type of machine, you won't notice any difference in speed.
Printing
Fax machines print 3 different ways; Thermal, Ink jet or Laser. Price is the main difference between them, but each does offer its own advantages.
Thermal
Most older and inexpensive machines use thermal printing. This format utilizes a small heating element in the machine that marks on heat-sensitive paper. Thermal printing is simple, reliable, and practically free of moving parts, which can sometimes break or wear out.
If you don't send or receive a lot of faxes, then the downsides probably won't bother you. The main downside is the fax paper, which comes on rolls. Your faxes will usually wind up curling up and the waxy coating on the paper is hard to write on. The ink also fades with time, and if the paper is exposed to too much heat, it will darken. This type of fax machine is considered outdated, but if a cheap machine is all that you need, it should serve your purpose.
There are a few machines out there that use thermal transfer technology to print onto plain paper. These machines use heat to transfer ink from a ribbon on to the page. However, the usually offer mediocre print quality and noisy operation.
Inkjet
Besides Thermal, the least expensive types of plain-paper fax machines print with inkjets. Although they can be very slow (depending on the print quality that you select), inkjets produce relatively crisp text.
However, ink jet fax machines aren't really a good choice if you receive more than 30 faxes a day due to their lengthy printing time and ink usage.
Laser
More expensive types of plain-paper fax machines use a laser or light emitting diode (LED) printing process. These machines utilize the same basic technology as laser printers, which use toner to produce high-quality images on plain paper.
Laser/LED printing is very reliable, and have few service need except for toner and paper. But, laser fax machines cost several times the price of thermal or inkjet machines.
Other things to consider
Memory
Memory allows a fax machine to store both incoming or outgoing pages. The amount of memory required to hold a page depends on the density of the image, but you can usually expect the standard 512 kilobytes to hold about 20 pages to 25 pages. However, fax machine memory can often be upgraded using additional memory cards.
There are three common advantages of a fax machine with memory capability:
Out-of-paper reception - This is probably the most useful memory feature because the machine can save incoming faxes if it runs out of paper.
Quick scan - With this feature, you can scan a page into memory and send it whenever you want.
Dual scan - This feature actually lets you send and receive faxes at the same time. For example, you can scan an outgoing fax into memory while a fax is being received. The scanned fax is then sent directly from memory when the phone line becomes free.
Service - Fax machines are usually very reliable. If you don't send or receive a high volume of faxes, you could skip getting an extended service contract and just apply the savings toward any repairs the machine may need during its typical five-year lifespan.
If you choose to forgo the service contract, remember to periodically clean the scanning window as well as any dust filters within the machine.
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