Your experience regarding Brother printer driver updates?

[Dave McElderry]

This is pretty off-topic for Muvipix, but it's computer tech related and I've often found that the eclectic mix of users that we have here is an extremely good resource. I'd appreciate any information you can share.

Some years back I purchased an HP color laser printer. It was a current model. A little over a year later I upgraded to Windows 7 and was extremely disappointed to find that HP didn't have a full-featured Win 7 driver available - only the generic one. A contact with tech support resulted in a promise that a full-featured driver was in the works, but that it wasn't available yet. It must have been a line to placate me, because they never did release the driver. A virtually brand new printer lost much of its functionality.

I'm now in the market for a new color laser printer and HP isn't under consideration. I've found a Brother model that's just been introduced recently that I'm very interested in. However, Windows 9 is slated for release about 2nd quarter 2015 and it's very possible that I may be looking at a new computer after that. If I upgrade I don't want to find once again that my new printer loses functionality because there isn't a Windows 9 full-featured driver for it.

I've never owned a Brother printer, but a bit of digging indicates that they seem to have a pretty good reputation for customer service, probably one of the tops. I'm wondering if anyone has any experience with Brother related to the release of updated full-featured printer drivers when new operating systems are introduced. I don't expect a company to continue to update drivers forever. If a printer was 5 years old it would be different. But I'm gun shy about spending money on something that might go obsolete too quickly.

[Bob]

I haven't had any experience with Brother, so I can't address that brand specifically. But, I would expect that all brands would not continue to support older models indefinitely.

I've had mixed results with HP. I had an HP scanner, an HP inkjet printer, and an HP laserjet printer. All three were superseded by newer products but ran great on Windows XP 32-bit. When I moved to Windows Vista 32-bit, I could not get a driver for the scanner, but I could get ones for the two printers. When I moved to Windows 7 64-bit, only the laserjet had a driver available. What's funny is that the laserjet was the oldest printer I had -- it was one of the first models available in the laserjet series. I eventually replaced it (with another laserjet) because the cost of the toner cartridges for that model had become exorbitant. I just now checked and the original laserjet I had does not have a Windows 8 driver so HP finally decided it was the end of the road for that one. But, my current laserjet has drivers available from Windows XP to up to the current Windows 8.1. I would expect that there will be a Windows 9 driver for that one.

I'm currently using an Epson scanner, an Epson inkjet printer for photos, and an HP laserjet. Epson has a similar track record to HP. I wouldn't be surprised to find that drivers were an issue if I eventually move to Windows 9.

[Dave McElderry]

Yep, not expecting indefinite updates Bob. It sounds like you're saying to not expect that even if Brother has been good about continuing support of some particular models, I shouldn't expect it to be true of all models. It's such a shame that a well-built printer may become obsolete due to driver issues long before it wears out. I'm looking at donating my present machine to a tutoring program as a workgroup printer for basic printing needs, just for that reason.

[BuddyB]

I have two Brothers (not related of course ), A DCP-7065 and a color inkjet J0630. I'm highly pleased with both, and have found customer service very satisfactory. Reproduction is good, but for my taster, expensive. I think you'll find that most anyplace you shop these days. The low-end cart for the laser is close to $50 and your gonna' pay approximately the same for 4-color cartridges if you do Brother's. I chose an alternative for the ink at approximately half the cost, and they turned out more than satisfactory. The sad thing is my HP Laserjet 5, that functions like a champ, won't function because of no driver. If I could, and haven't looked recently, even find a generic driver I'd continue using it for many things. The Brother laser is more functional, with duplex, scanning, faxing, etc. I am pleased with my Brother machines. Hope this helps.

[Dave McElderry]

Thanks Buddy. Do you have any experience with Brother's reputation for continuing full-featured driver updates with newer operating systems? Better than HP?

[BuddyB]

I do not. It seems as though my equipment runs so well I don't even think about it. I am pretty sure it would be the same in certain respects. They're in the 'biz to sell machines, so after awhile they'll stop like anyone else. I've had so much good fortune with my HP I'd be hard pressed to say anything negative about them, even though they've quit making drivers for it. Before the 5 I had the 4. Picked up the 5 for $5 at a garage sale because the poor soul did not know anything about computer stuff and did not want to mess with it. We bought the 4 in the 90's. I never had any problem with either machine; were built like tanks; don't think they build them that way anymore. On the Brother site there are so many models I don't see how they can keep up with everything anyway. So, I suppose it'll be necessary to get another every few years unless I don't change operating systems, or they quit making carts for the things. I know I've spewed a lot gibberish here, but I hope this helps. I don't think you'll go wrong regardless of the direction you go; both are major companies. I bought brother because of the prices, one from Best Buy, the other on Amazon.

[Dave McElderry]

Thanks Buddy. As I said, HP isn't under consideration this time around at least. I don't appreciate being lied to. I'm a big boy and would rather that they would have just told me that they had no plans to release a full-featured driver for Windows 7 than to tell me that one was in the works. Anyway, my experience with HP LaserJet hardware has been very good. That's not the problem.

[BuddyB]

Right on Dave I'm with you, feeling the very same way. Unfortunately, working for a major corp. the pressure is so stiff on these young people that I find them doing and saying things to customers I wouldn't dream of. Today's a different world.

[Peru]

I don't appreciate being lied to.

My experience with HP Support is that they will make up an answer if they do not know the correct answer. That's why I call support three times and take the best of three as the possible answer. Then I ask to be elevated to the next level of support on the fourth call.

[Dave McElderry]

My experience with HP Support is that they will make up an answer if they do not know the correct answer. That's why I call support three times and take the best of three as the possible answer. Then I ask to be elevated to the next level of support on the fourth call.

That's quite the strategy Peru! I'll have to keep that in mind.

[tjodork]

sorry dont know about driver updates....but I LOVE my Brother DCP-7065 laser.
Its on sale a lot for $100.
Its really fast, the sheet feed scanner is amazing for scanning docs to PDF
and the cartridges are only $14 on ebay.
The only downside is its ethernet but NOT wifi.

Tim

[Dave McElderry]

Thanks for the response Tim. I was looking for some features that I've been wanting for a while - full auto duplexing, WiFi, and Apple Air Print. I pulled the trigger on one this afternoon. I did get a response from Brother on an inquiry I made. They said that their intentions are to offer full featured driver support for Windows 9 but since Microsoft hasn't issued a final release of Windows 9 they can't 100% guarantee full support at this moment. At least they didn't make any promises that they can't keep.