FAQ'S: HiTi Photo Printers - Inkjet Comparison

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This list was last updated on Tuesday, August 3, 2004

 
• What's the difference between Dye Sublimation and Inkjet?
  The Dye Sublimation (D2T2) technology used by Hi-Touch is a totally different printing method. D2T2 printing does not have printing dots like that of inkjet printing; therefore, it provides a much higher photo image quality.

 
• What are the cost advantages?
  The total printing cost for a special photo paper with ink is around 44p (26p for paper and 18p for ink). The total printing cost for Hi-Touch photo printer is only 30p (including paper and ribbon). Hi-Touch photo printers unlike Inkjets do not have any wastage as all of the ribbon is used. With an Inkjet Printer it is possible to set a number of pages printing only to discover on your return, that one colour ran out leaving the rest of the images spoilt.

 
• Dye Sublimation has an over coated protective layer.
  The over coating protective layer from HiTi's thermal printer is water and fingerprint resistant and can make the photo last up to 50 years under a normal environment. Inkjet printer output is not this durable even with special papers and inks.

 
• Borderless Photos
  The paper technology used for conventional inkjet photo is less advanced than the thermal photo paper. You need to cut the inkjet photo paper, normally from A4, to make the desired smaller photo sizes, which is less convenient. For HiTi's photo paper, all you need is just to clip off the edges to make it a full print photo, yet with higher quality and convenience.

 
• Printing Speed
  Inkjet printers normally require more time to print photos. However, the fastest model from Hi-Touch Technologies is only 45 seconds, and the slowest model is only 100 seconds, this compares with 7-10 minutes for an Inkjet which prints a more expensive inferior image!

 
• Different Applications
  HiTi photo printer can be used for various applications which can easily satisfy different needs, including ID photos, fun stickers, bookmarks, watermarks, glossy and matte effect, business cards, ID badges, and etc. This is something not that widely available in the market for inkjet printers.

 
• Paper Sizes
  Inkjet printers can use a variety of paper sizes, sometimes over A3 size. The Hi-Touch printers print on 6x4 photo size, although certain models can use a maximum of A5 size paper. This is not a problem as the Hi-Touch Photo Printers are not a replacement for an Inkjet as they are designed for different tasks. Using a Hi-Touch Photo Printer for your photos means that you can typically use a cheaper inkjet for your day to day printing.