Comparison and Potential Usage of Photo ID Systems

What You Should Know Before Buying a Photo ID Printing System

There are probably many questions running through the minds of those who are planning to purchase a photo ID printer. These issues include:

• What products are needed?
• What products are best?
• What are the system requirements for the needed purpose?
• Are upgrades possible?

This comparison is meant to provide information that will answer those questions. An informed buyer will be more satisfied with a purchase than one who does no research or comparison. There are advancements in photo ID technology that are revolutionary. Use this information to compare three printers.

Magicard Rio Pro Dual Sided Photo ID System

The Rio Pro Photo ID system is meant for professional use. The printing quality is superior. There is a range of options that complement the print. The system does single and dual sided printing. A field upgrade is available.

Printing can be a single card or a batch of cards. Magnetic stripe, contact, and contactless technology are used for secure encoding. The system has a Built-in Standard Holo Kote® that can be customized for individual security designs and logos. Information is displayed in four lines.

There is a three-year Ultra Cover Plus warranty that covers the full printhead and free loaner service in Europe, North America and select other countries. All labour and parts are included in the warranty. An optional loaner printer is available while the covered printer is being serviced. There is a limited 12-month warranty for other locations.

Monochrome thermal transfer and colour dye sublimation are the available print modes. The print speed for the standard colour mode is 31 seconds. The fast colour mode takes 23 seconds. A single-sided monochrome resin card takes only six seconds to print.

The card feed capacity is 100 cards. The stacker holds 70 cards. This ID printer needs to be in a sheltered office environment. The card printer supplies needed for optimum operation are:

• Assure ID Solo 7 Software
• White 30 mil PVC cards
• Cleaning kit
• Full-color ribbon
• Black resin film
• Slot punch
• Printable HID 1386 ISOProx II cards

Fargo DTC 4250e Dual Sided ID Card System

This printer has stunning edge to edge credentials that print directly on the card. The printer delivers sharp monochrome and vivid colour. It takes only minutes to set up. There is a Built-in Swift ID® badging application that helps create ID badges in a matter of seconds.

No additional software has to be installed. Customers have a choice between an easy, all-in-one print ribbon that has a card cleaner or an eco-friendly, economical refill ribbon. For easy maintenance, there is an integrated card cleaning roller in the ribbon cartridge.

The wait time is minimized while the productivity is maximized. Full-colour cards take 16 seconds to print. It requires six seconds to print a monochrome card. This printer comes with drivers that can be used on all operating systems.

Cost-effective card security is dynamically increased by fluorescent panel printing and standard printer password protection. An optional encoder can be integrated into the printer that allows the user to create, encode, and manage security credentials from the beginning of the process to the end.

Personalized ID badges can be designed with a current PACS (Physical Access Control System.) Insurance processes, inventory management, and ordering are streamlined. The printer and printhead are covered by a three-year warranty.

Assure ID Express software is recommended for small to mid-size organizations using this printer. Ideal applications are:

• Access control badges
• Employee ID cards
• Gift cards
• Loyalty cards
• Membership cards
• Payment cards
• Student IDs

Accessories needed for optimal performance include:

• Assure ID Solo 7 Software
• Standard black monochrome ribbon
• Full-color ribbon
• White 30 mil PVC cards
• Cleaning kit
• Nickel-plated steel swivel-hook breakaway lanyard
• 3 in 1 slot punch
• HID 1386 ISOProx II printable cards

ZebraZXP Series 7 Dual Sided Photo ID System

Operational efficiency is increased without sacrificing the quality of the image. The simultaneous process for double sided image transfer has a patent pending. A variety of encoding options are options due to the flexible modular design.

The degree of reliability minimizes the need for maintenance and the cost of ownership. The software used in the printer makes system integration easy, deployment fast, and a good return on investment. This printer can print on uneven card surfaces. It is ideal for

• Access control and employee ID cards
• Government issued driver's licenses
• Instant issuance of ATM/bank cards
• Personalized gift, loyalty, and membership cards
• Smart cards in entertainment, gaming, and travel
• Voter registration and nation ID cards

The over the edge printing gives true edge to edge prints. The LCD operator displays six lines with 21 characters. A lockable card feeder has the capacity for single-card feed. There is a limited two-year warranty on the printer and a lifetime warranty on the printhead.

The card feed capacity is 200 cards with a 100-card output hopper. Single-sided coloured cards print at the rate of 300 cards per hour (five per minute). Two-sided colour cards print at the rate of 200 per hour (a little over three per minute.)

This printer has operating and storage temperature and humidity requirements. Operating temperature and humidity are 59° - 95° F (15° - 35° C) and 20 to 80 percent non-condensing. Storage temperature and humidity are 23° - 158° F (-5° - 70° C) and ten to 90 percent non-condensing. 

This innovative retransfer card printer creates on-demand plastic cards that have quality picture-perfect images that meet quality and brand requirements. The superior image quality is achieved by using algorithms based on Zebra's photo printer technology processing.

Comparison Chart