Alternative Printers





HP Color LaserJet CP2025

HP_Color LaserJet CP2025

The CP2025 with an extra feeder tray

The HP Color LaserJet CP2025 is a colour laser printer for A4/letter sized paper with 20 page per minute speeds in both black and colour. Resolution is natively 600dpi enhanced with RET 3600. The fairly high speed is achieved using an inline print design with an Intermediate Transfer Belt (ITB). The four print cartridges in these machines mount in a horizontal drawer running front to back of the printer over the Intermediate Transfer Belt.

The CP2025 is like the CP1518 series in design  , just larger and with higher capacity cartridges. It was introduced in Spring 2008. The CM2320 MFP is a very similar engine integrated with a scanner to make a machine with copier and fax capabilities .

The CP2025 was withdrawn from HP catalogs in late 2011, with the LaserJet Pro 400 Color M451 ( ) taking over its position. They are based on the same engine, but offer a few more features. They may also get rid of an issue of misfeeds which has dogged the CP2025 .

The CP2025 and CM2320 are based on the Canon LBP-7200 engine which not only looks similar but shares most mechanical parts.

In June 2012 the CP2025 was still being widely advertised in the UK at a price around £255 with 4-colour toner packs (compatibles ) at about £120 and originals at £325.

Incidentally, if you were thinking of buying a whole new printer instead of a set of toners (it does happen) there is a problem. Like most modern printers these shipped with half-filled cartridges rated at just 1,200 pages (and the demo cartridge was apparently not refillable).

In 2015 HP introduced the Color LaserJet Pro M252n at (unavailable) - a significantly lower price point. Printers based on the CP2025 engine are no longer made but that is one possible replacement.


Colour Print

Colour laser printers are very aggressively priced these days. Printer makers might like to displace mono print from the market. Within manufacturing organisations laser-printer design teams perhaps need to hold their ground against inkjets.

Printer makers also have their sights fixed on jobs that currently go to professional printers for digital print and offset-litho production. It may sometimes be cheaper to run a colour laser printers as a production machine for things like catalogues. To help the sales proposition the bundled software for the CP2025 included an HP In-house Marketing Starter Kit.

Of course HP hope that users will like colour, get hooked on it and buy more cartridges than they did for mono printers.

As usual with HP, cartridges are single piece with toner, developer, photo-conductive drum and waste handling all integrated into a print cartridge; this keeps things simple for the user. Integrated cartridges make things easy to use, but they don't get purchase costs right down.

If you are intending sizeable print jobs for flyers and brochures the larger printers like the CP3525 would be a better choice. It can largely disengage its colour print mechanism. The CM6040 with its separate toners and drums is intended for bulk printing at lower cost.

If you want low cost, trouble free business printing for delivery notes and invoices, try to resist the lure of colour. You can't beat a mid-range mono laser printer like the LJ 4000, 4200 or their successor the LJ P4015.

If you can't resist colour then the Color LaserJet CP2025 has been one of HP's best -selling machines.

Compatible and refill cartridges of various qualities are available of course, with some advertised prices less than half HP's price. Very low cost cartridges are likely to be simple refills, the waste chamber might have been cleaned, the drum and wiper blade aren't likely to have been replaced.


The CP2025 print mechanism uses four print cartridges mounted in a tray over an Intermediate Transfer Belt (ITB). The image builds on the belt, then a secondary transfer roller moves it onto the page. Pages move out of the trays towards the rear of the printer and through the fuser to the output tray on top.

The CP2025 and other printers introduced at the same time are unlike previous Canon / HP engines, although other manufacturers use something similar. Instead of an Electrostatic Transfer Belt (ETB) these printers use an Intermediate Transfer Belt or ITB. In the older printers the paper was carried along part of the print path by the ETB and the image was formed on the paper as it passed the toners. In these newer printers toner transfers to the ITB first and then at a secondary transfer station to the print medium. The ITB then carries on for cleaning and the waste toner is eventually taken up in the print cartridges. The reason for the change is to improve image quality, paper quality has less of an influence on the print mechanism.

The laser scanner has four beams, but a single mirror unit (where the CLJ 2605 had four beams and 2 mirrors).

Consumables required are the print cartridges which drop into the drawer when it is pulled out from the front of the printer. Working from back to front they are Yellow, Magenta, Cyan and Black and the image travels around under the belt to the secondary transfer station and then the cleaning subsystem at the back.

The main spares required are the fuser, ITB and rollers. Rollers are easy to replace, the fuser and ITB less so.

The CP2025 has a reputation for faults caused by paper path mistiming. What seems to happen is that wear on the tray 2 pickup roller causes paper feed timing to be slightly out or the page is skewed. The printer has already built the toner image on the belt, but now it cannot be used so the machine goes into a cleaning cycle before it can repeat the print. A firmware upgrade and a new set of tray 2 feed rollers seem to cure the problem in most cases. Once you know the cause and have fitted new rollers rather more frequently than might normally be required this might count as a minor aggravation. (CP2025 Misfeeds)

This issue might be why some of the printers in the same family have gone on being available, whilst this specific model has been withdrawn and replaced.


Models are:

CLJ CP2025N CLJ CP2025DN CLJ CP2025X CLJ CM2320N CLJ CM2320NF CLJ CM2320FXI
  • CP2025n
  • CB494A
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • CP2025dn
  • CB495A
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • Duplex
  • CP2025X
  • CB496A
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • Duplex
  • 2x250 Sheet Trays
  • CM2320N
  • CC434A, CC435A
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • Scanner & 50 page ADF
  • CM2320NF
  • CC436A
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • Scanner & 50 page ADF
  • V.34 Fax
  • CM2320FXI
  • CB
  • Ethernet
  • USB 2.0
  • Scanner & 50 page ADF
  • V.34 Fax
  • 2x250 Sheet Trays
  • Memory Card Slots

The series is sometimes referred to as the CP2020 series. That is also used as an Asia-only model name, which may not have a network port.

HP's name for the product line was "LY" and the code-name "Owl"

The CP2025 series launched in April 2008 and was still manufactured in mid 2010. It is for sale in June 2012 but is no longer in the catalog.

The CP2025 aimed to replace several of HP's older printers - the CLJ 3600, CLJ2700 series and the slower 2600 / 2605 machine. Cartridges are smaller than those used in the CLJ 3600 and somewhat larger than those used in the CLJ 2605. Black operating costs actually rise slightly with the newer printer, but of course HP could adjust this via street pricing. They have introduced a dual-pack black, there is more on operating costs here .

Fast printing is the main improvement. The newer printer has a much faster processor and larger memory than its predecessors.

HP give comparisons against the Samsung CLP610ND, Samsung CLP-660ND, Brother HL-4040CN and Oki Data C3400.

HP's own "budget" offerings at a lower price point are theCP1210 / CP1518 series:

  • CP1210 - host based, 16MB RAM, no network, basic control panel with no LCD and REt2400 instead of REt3600
  • CP1515N - PCL and HP postscript 3, Ethernet, Control Panel and REt3600 - but only 8ppm in colour and no expansion
  • CP1518Ni - Like the CP1515 but with memory card slots for use mainly with cameras - 8ppm in colour and no expansion

The CP2025 gives the user faster print and the colour print cartridges are twice the size, so this printer should be more economical to run. There is a clear trend in printers for a low purchase price to be matched with higher price cartridges.

HP's higher speed printers include the CP3525 with output at up to 30 pages per minute and the CP4525. These printers are significantly more expensive to buy, but give lower per-page operating costs. The investment required to achieve a low operating cost is only worthwhile if the printer will genuinely get sufficient use.

Inkjet printers are cheaper to make and buy than laser printers like this. In the first half of 2012 HP are running a campaign saying Kick start your small business - Professional colour for up to 50% less cost than laser and promoting the OfficeJet Pro 8600. If you want high photo quality, inkjets are the right choice. Many people feel inkjets are less reliable and so work out more expensive to run than laser printers in the long term; things like support costs have to be taken into account as well. A particular problem is the cost of inkjet paper. Laser printers can comfortably use ordinary white copy paper.


HP_CLJ_CP2020 Control Panel

Control:

LCD display with 2 line, 16 character backlit display. There is a separate on / off switch. Remote printer management and monitoring with an embedded web-server and HP WebJet Admin. Color print lockout to avoid abuse of colour printing.

Duty Cycle:

Up to 40,000 pages, Recommended monthly volume: 1,000 to 2,500 pages. If the likely print output is lower than 1,000 pages then consider models like theCP1515instead.

HP CLJ CP2020 Paper Path

A4 pages at 20 pages per minute.

In-line printer architecture - toner applied in single pass of paper thru device / enables faster printing up to 21ppm Letter/ 20 ppm A4 for both colour and black and white

Instant-on print enables fast First Page Out (FPO) at 17.1 colour/16.4 mono seconds

CLJ CM2320FXI

Scanner Abilities:

The HP CM2320 is the multifunction fax / copier version of the machine. TheCM2320was available as a copier, fax/copier and with an extra tray and memory-card slots. The basic print engine is the same in each case.

Resolution: 600 dpi, with ImageRet 3600. There is also a Photo mode - A selectable option to optimize quality when printing photographs.

Printer with Cartridges

Paper Handling:

Media Support: 3x5 to Legal

  • Tray 1:50 sheet multi-purpose tray
  • Built in Tray 2:250 sheets input tray.
  • Optional Tray 3:Optional 250 sheet tray 3 (included std. for CP2025x)

Face Down:

150 sheets on top of the printer

Duplex:

Automatic two-sided printing (CP2025dn & CP2025x bundle only. Duplex is not available as a retro-fit item.)

Printer Ports

Processor:

Motorola ColdFire V5x 540MHz processor

Memory:

128 MB RAM, expandable to 384 MB

Interface:

USB 2.0 High-Speed. As shipped the printer came without a cable.

Network:

Integrated 10/100 onboard networking (CP2025n, dn & x only)

Printer Sketch

Network Protocols:

Network protocols via built-in (embedded) networking solution:

Support for the standard set of TCP/IP printing protocols.

TCP/IP, IPv4, IPv6; Print: TCP-IP port 9100 Direct Mode, LPD (raw que support only), Web Services Printing; Photo card: CIFS; Discovery: SLP, Bonjour, Web Services Discovery;

IP Config: IPv4 (BootP, DHCP, AutoIP, Manual), IPv6 (Stateless Link-Local and via Router, Statefull via DHCPv6); Management: SNMPv1, HTTP

As for the CM2320:

PCL6 (discreet), PCL5 & PS 3 emulation (UPD)

Support for HP Universal Print Driver makes printing easier by eliminating the need to download separate drivers (PCL5 & PS3).

HP Easy Printer Care (EPC) allows easy management of up to 15 devices.

Remote printer management and monitoring with HP WebJet Admin.

System Compatibility:

Full software installation:

Windows XP (32-bit), Certified for Windows Vista (32-bit and64-bit),

OS X v10.2.8, v10.3, v10.4 and v10.5

Print driver only: Windows 2000, Windows 2003 Server (32 & 64-bit), Linux (Web only),

UNIX model scripts (Web only), Windows XP (64-bit)

Power Consumption:

Instant-on print consumes less energy which directly translates into cost savings

Power consumption active - 445 watts

Power Consumption Standby - 18 watts

Power consumption, powersave - 6.7 watts

Power consumption off - 0.48 watts

Dimensions:

Dimensions (W x D x H)

  • CP2025n / CP2025: 405 x 454 x 322 mm
  • CP2025dn x 484 x 322 mm
  • CP2025x: 405 x 484 x 422 mm

Maximum dimensions (W x D x H)

  • CP2025x / CP2025n / CP2025: 405 x 659 x 322 mm
  • CP2025dn: 405 x 689 x 322 mm

Package dimensions (W x D x H)

  • CP2025n / CP2025: 600 x 500 x 479 mm
  • CP2025dn: 600 x 500 x 515 mm
  • CP2025x: 600 x 500 x 732 mm

Weight:

  • CP2025n / CP2025: 22.7 kg
  • CP2025dn: 23.9 kg
  • CP2025x: 27.8 kg

Package weight

  • CP2025n / CP2025: 26.4 kg
  • CP2025dn: 28.2 kg
  • CP2025x: 32.6 kg

Printer Cartridge Drawer Open

Consumables:

The in-line engine makes changing toner cartridges and maintenance easier. An all-in-one print cartridge is used - toner, developer, drum and waste bottle in a single consumable. This ease in changing consumables make ownership simpler than for competitors models.

Cartridges are chipped to discourage refilling. HP include their SureSupply method to allow the printer itself to re-order toner. A supplies status page gives the remaining toner life if the chips are working properly. Uninet, Static Control and others have chips available.

HP claim No penalty mono printing. Same Mono CPP as printing on HP LaserJet mono printer in the same class (Athena). Cost Per Page can be very difficult to work out - we doubt the cost is the same as for similarly priced mono laser printers because the machine is likely to need a replacement Intermediate Transfer Belt (ITB) from time to time.

HP say the advantages of their cartridges are:

  • - No-shake cartridge design.
  • - Authentication for HP print cartridges.
  • - Enabled supplies-ordering capability.
  • - Print cartridges can be installed and removed by using one hand.

As well as cartridges the printer may need pickup rollers, transfer belts and fusers depending on how heavily it is used

CC530A HP Color LaserJet Black Print Cartridge, yield 3,500 pages ( CC530A)

CC531A HP Color LaserJet Cyan Print Cartridge, yield 2,800 pages ( CC531A)

CC533A HP Color LaserJet Magenta Print Cartridge, yield 2,800 pages( CC533A)

CC532A HP Color LaserJet Yellow Print Cartridge, yield 2,800 pages( CC532A)

Cartridges fit the CP2025 and CM2320.


Transfer Belt

The Intermediate Transfer Belt (ITB) in these laser printers is used to accumulate the image from the four colour print units. To transfer four coloured toners, four different voltages are used and the toner for an image already made is held in place as the belt is exposed to a new voltage and toner transfer.

The image is then moved to the page at the secondary transfer station in the back of the printer. The belt has a long life - probably something between 30,000 and 100,000 pages but we haven't found a definitive statement for this printer model. Like most printer manufacturers HP don't seem to include the cost of replacing the belt in their calculation of page cost. With smaller printers the presumption seems to be that no replacement will be needed because the belt will last the life of the machine.

HP CLJ CP2020 Transfer Belt

The belt is one of those components that are vulnerable to defective toners, especially refills that leak. Excessive build-up of toner on the belt might cause sensors to malfunction.

Replacing the belt in these printers is not particularly difficult, but does involve some work with a screwdriver. (Instructions are in the Service Manual, page 97)

RM1-4852 Intermediate Transfer Belt (ITB) for HP CP2025/CM2320 (RM1-4852-000CN )

(This belt is used in the following: CP2025, CM2320, M351a, MFP M375nw, M451dn, M475dn)

In July 2012 this belt is priced not very far short of the price of a new printer (these models are being discounted as they are being replaced). However very similar belts are available for somewhat less, so we assume the price reflects some glitch in HPs spares pricing policy.


Fuser:

Fusers fix the image made up from toner to the page. The fuser in this case uses a pressure roller and a heated foil. Fusers are also known as a fixing assembly. 

RM1-6741-000 - Fuser Assembly, 220V, HP Color LJ CM2320n/nf/fxi mfp - now known as RM1-6741-230CN (used in CP2025)

RM1-6740-000 - Fuser Assembly, 110V, HP Color LJ CM2320n/nf/fxi mfp (may be used in CP2025)

RM1-6738-000CN, RM1-6738-030CN, RM1-6738-040CN Fusing assembly - Bonds toner to paper with heat - For HP Color LJ CP2025 For 110VAC to 127VAC (+/- 10%) operation

RM1-6739-000CN, RM1-6739-030CN, RM1-6739-040CN, RM1-6739-220CN Fusing assembly - Bonds toner to paper with heat - For HP Color LJ CP2025, 220VAC to 240VAC (+/- 10%) operation

What's In The Box:

CP2025: HP Color LaserJet CP2025 Printer, power cable, CD (includes User's Guide and printer software), Getting Started Guide, HP color LaserJet print cartridges (black, cyan, magenta, yellow), paper sample pack

CP2025dn: HP Color LaserJet CP2025dn Printer, power cable, (user guide, printer software), getting started guide, output tray extension, 4x HP Color LaserJet Introductory Print Cartridges (Cyan,Magenta, Yellow, Black) with HP ColorSphere toner with up to 1,200 pages yield (in accordance with ISO/IEC 19798)

CP2025n: HP Color LaserJet CP2025n Printer, power cable, CD (user guide, printer software), getting started guide, output tray extension, 4x HP Color LaserJet Introductory Print Cartridges (Cyan, Magenta,Yellow, Black) with HP ColorSphere toner with up to 1,200 pages yield (in accordance with ISO/IEC 19798)

CP2025x: HP Color LaserJet CP2025x Printer, 250 sheet media tray, power cable, CD (includes User's Guide and printer software),

Spares:

Almost all commonplace spares fit both the CM2320 series and the CP2025 series.    Shop Online

RM1-4838-000CN Paper feed guide assembly - For simplex and duplex model CM2320, CP2025. - Includes the transfer roller

RM1-4839-000CN Multi-purpose/tray 1 paper pick-up assembly for CM2320, CP2025.

CC436-67904 Multi-purpose/tray 1 paper pickup roller and separation pad assembly for CM2320, CP2025.

RL1-1785-000CN Multi-purpose/tray 1 separation pad for CM2320, CP2025.

RL1-1802-000CN Multi-purpose/tray 1 paper pick-up roller for CM2320, CP2025.

RM1-4426-000CN Paper pickup roller (D-shaped roller) for CP1215, 1515, 1518, CM1312, CM2320, CP2025. Picks up media from the paper input tray

RM1-4840-000CN Separation roller assembly for CM2320, CP2025.

RC2-3605-000CN Rear cover assembly - For the Color LaserJet CP2025 printer series

RM1-4873-000CN Paper delivery assembly for CM2320, CP2025.

CC430-67901 Paper Pick-up roller assembly - Includes separation roller assembly, and holder cover. CM1312, CM2320, CP2025.

RM1-4832-000CN Control panel - Enables user interaction and communication with printer - For the Color LaserJet CP2025 printer series

RM1-4850-000CN Color misregistration sensor assembly for CM2320, CP2025.

CB492-60002 Formatter (Main logic) board - For the Color LaserJet CP2025 printer series

RM1-5288-000CN Driver PC board assembly - For the Color LaserJet CP2025 printer series

RM1-5293-000CN Relay PC board assembly - For the Color LaserJet CP2025 printer series

RM1-5294-000CN High voltage power supply PCA - for the CM2320 and CP2025

RM1-5303-000CN Power supply sub PCA - for the CM2320 and CP2025

RM1-5431-000CN DC controller PCA assembly - for the CM2320 and CP2025

Service:

Misfeed & Cleaning

The Color LaserJet CP2025 has an issue where, after a few months use, it rather frequently says Misprint and waits for the user to press OK. Something seems over-sensitive to paper delivery. The true nature of the problem doesn't seem to be merely firmware because, if it was, HP would presumably have overcome the problem by now. Changing the print-driver to specify a heavier grade of paper than actually loaded helps (but may slow printing down). Updating the firmware helps.

Rollers implicated seem to be the Tray 2 Pickup Roller RM1-4426 and possibly the RM1-4840 Tray 2 Separation roller.

There are more detailshere.

How to change the rollers

Before the Tray 1 and 2 pickup rollers can be changed in the CP2020 and CM2320 printers they must be rotated to the service position.

Fuller instructions arehere

Options and Accessories:

CB421A, DDR2 DIMM (144-pin): 64 MB (CB421A)

CB422A, DDR2 DIMM (144-pin): 128 MB (CB422A)

CB423A, DDR2 DIMM (144-pin): 256 MB (CB423A)

CB500A, 250-Sheet Input Tray (CB500A)

Q6301A, HP Wireless Print Server (Q6301A)

C6520A Universal Serial Bus (USB) interface cable - Type 'A' connector to type 'B' connector - 3.0m (9.8ft) long

Q6264A Hi-speed USB interface cable - Type 'A' connector to type 'B' connector - 1.8m (6ft)