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The Fargo DTC4250e ID card printer can print a variety of card types such as employee ID, access control, and membership cards quickly and easily, without compromising on quality. With this, comes how adaptable the printer and encoder is, within minutes the base model can be upgraded to dual-sided and even integrate an encoding module such as MIFARE or magnetic stripe. If you’re a small-to-medium size business, school, charity or just looking for a reliable yet high-quality printing solution, then the DTC4250e is a fantastic choice.
Included with this printer is a free version of EasyBadge Lite card design software. The software is limited to 100 records and is not MacOS compatible. If you require Mac-compatible design software, we recommend using cardPresso.
(Please note no ribbon or blank plastic cards are supplied with the printer.)
Fargo DTC4250e Product Review
The DTC4250e plastic ID card printer is an easy to use, a reliable and versatile printer that delivers professional cards for a broad range of applications.
The plastic card printer is easy to set up and has a SmartScreen™ graphical display that allows the user to see the status of each print run. It has a small footprint, card input and output hoppers, and an optional Wi-Fi® accessory that allows you to print anytime and anywhere.
It’s a fantastic entry-level printer for printing staff ID, membership and access control cards.
The Fargo DTC4250e ID card printer uses a dye-sublimation print method that prints out nearly every colour on the spectrum. Dye-sub ribbons commonly have a black resin panel that can be used for printing barcodes and text. When printing the ribbon and card will pass under the print head, and the thermal elements of the print head will heat the ribbon. The ribbon then diffuses onto the surface of the ID card, giving the colours a crisp and clear view.
Both the printer and the printhead have a three-year manufacturer warranty.
The SmartScreen graphic display makes changing a ribbon, cleaning the printer, and monitoring the print runs easy. The printer will prompt the user when a task is required, and the SmartScreen keep’s the user updated with how many cards are left to be printed, therefore, making it very handy if you’re in between tasks.
Merely unbox, follow the simple steps shown in the set-up guide, and you’re good to go in a matter of minutes.
A new feature that is used with the DTC4250e is the embedded iCLASS SE smart card encoder that supports encoding for data that is associated with printed technology or access control cards. It also has AES-256 data decryption that protects financial information. There is an option to add password protection to the printer, which makes sure cards are only seen or approved by the appropriate members of staff. Fluorescent panel (UV) printing provides a cost-effective and dynamic means of increasing card security.
When it comes to encoding, the DTC4250e allows for many encoding options that are mostly field upgradeable as well. Smart card encoding, both contact and contactless is available. Magnetic stripe encoding is also an optional upgrade.
This machine is a direct-to-card (DTC) printer that uses a dye-sublimation print method. DTC is the standard printing method for photo ID, membership, and loyalty cards. It prints at the industry standard of 300dpi. Like other DTC ID card printers from Fargo, this printer is available as a single and dual-sided model.
The machine ensures edge-to-edge coverage on CR80 sized cards and CR79 adhesive backed cards. Unlike other printers, this Fargo printer also prints to a variety of thicknesses; 9 to 40mil and 30 to 40mil.
The DTC4250e is one of the quicker direct-to-cards models in our current range. In just one hour, this Fargo printer can print 225 full-colour single-sided cards, that’s approximately just 16 seconds per card. For dual-sided full-colour cards, it’ll only take an additional eight seconds. For just monochrome (single-colour) cards, the DTC4250e can print it in just six seconds, with an extra two seconds to print a protective overlay.
Both USB 2.0 and Ethernet connections come as standard with this printer.
The operating system is an important feature to take note of when purchasing a printer. The DTC4250e is compatible with Windows® XP, Windows Vista® (32 bit & 64 bit), Server 2003 & 2008 , Windows® 7, Windows® 8 (32 bit & 64 bit) and MAC OS X 10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8, 10.9, Linux Ubuntu 12.04, Debian 7.0, Fedora 18, Mandriva 2011, Red Hat 6.4, Open Suse 12.3.
The single-sided base model is 24cm in height, 45cm in width, and 23cm in depth. These dimensions make it suitable for the majority of office desk and workspace environments.
The DTC4250e holds a professional, yet minimalistic appearance. Additional modules follow the same aesthetic, making any upgrade look natural. The slightly transparent hoppers that sit at parallel sides of the face of the printer allow the user to see (roughly) how many cards are in the input and output hoppers at any given time. The SmartScreen is a graphic display that shows easy-to-follow prompts that allow the user to know the status of the printer effortlessly.
Click here to download a copy of the Fargo DTC4250e printer specification.
Our overall verdict is to award the Fargo DTC4250e 3.5 stars out of 5. When compared to other direct-to-card models, this machine has a quicker print speed at just 16 seconds per card giving it a real edge. The printer offers a superior print quality when compared to similar models, and can print to uneven surfaced cards such as access control cards. This machine is ENERGY STAR® certified for efficient energy consumption and uses eco-friendly (ECO) refill ribbons.
Jess Thompson
Passionate about ID
for over 2 years
Speak to someone like Jess,
who really knows what they're talking about (don't mention dog's though, you'll never get a word in).
We're available 9am to 5pm on weekdays.
Call
0800 988 2095 or email
sales@digitalid.co.uk
We're available 9am to 5pm on
weekdays. Call
0800 988 2095 or email
sales@digitalid.co.uk
We're available 9am
to 5pm on weekdays.
Call
0800 988 2095 or
email
sales@digitalid.co.uk