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Ease of Use (7.50)
Dye sub printers are very easy to set up and operate. The cartridges just pop into their slots, and in the case of the HiTi S400, paper can be loaded effortlessly in the well designed paper cassette. An important distinction between the S400’s paper cassette and other dye sub printers such as those in the Canon Selphy CP-series, the Sony DPP-FP series, and the Panasonic KX-PX series is that the S400’s paper cassette can be loaded without removing it from the printer.
Dust is an issue when using dye sub printers. Any hair or dirt that falls on the paper will become a white spot on the print as it prevents ink from reaching the paper. HiTi is the only manufacturer to carefully consider this. They’ve provided both a dust filter on the ribbon access door behind the louvered heat vents and a dust proof case can be attached at the top of the printer where the paper exits briefly on its path past the ribbon.
The LCD Controller has a small LCD screen, so users need to have decent eyesight to use it. The poor design decision to place the cord’s socket on the opposite side of the printer from the mount for the controller impacts an otherwise high score for this category. The drivers provide several editing options but the default settings offer the user trouble-free printing.
Value(6.50)
The HiTi S400 provides very good quality dye sub prints at a competitive price with some other printers, such as the Canon Selphy ES1. It will cost the consumer more than other 4-by-6-inch dye sub printers on the market, such as the Sony FP90 and the Panasonic PX20, but the better quality is worth it. However, cost per print is less economical than any other dye sub printer. (See the Value section of the Ink page for more info.)
Comparisons
 The Canon Selphy ES1 has a similar upright, or vertical, design as the HiTi S400, the same-sized LCD screen, and they both sell for the same price, $249. However, we liked the print quality from the S400 better. The ES1 does win out in the portability category, as it comes with a carrying handle, optional battery carrying case, and no external paper cassette. The paper and ribbon are incorporated into one cassette, which slides into the printer. This reduces both the dust issue and the extra component issue.
 Similar in design to the majority of dye sub printers on the market, the Sony PictureStation DPP-FP90 is a small, rectangular box which processes the paper in one horizontal plane. Like the HiTi S400, paper is loaded into an external cassette that is inserted into the front of the printer, but the cassette itself is poorly constructed in comparison. The FP90’s relatively huge, 3.6-inch LCD screen is a pleasure to use. Print quality scored better than most of the other dye sub printers we’ve tested (but all scored less than the S400). The FP90 costs $50 less than the S400 and the ES1.
 The HiTi 731PS give users the same print quality as the S400 but in larger sizes. The 731PS can print 5-by-7-inch and 6-by-8-inch prints in addition to 4-by-6-inch ones. In terms of design, it’s the S400 on steroids with a nice blue finish. The menu is more extensive, and the included software is more powerful. Unfortunately, it has the same-sized LCD screen on its remote-control-like LCD controller. It prints at a lower, 301-by-301-dpi resolution than the S400, which prints at 403 x 403 dpi, greater than any other dye sub printer. The 731PS costs $399.
 While the Epson PictureMate Flash (PM280) is not a dye sub printer, for those not wedded to any particular print system, it should be on your list of possible purchases. Like the HiTi S400, the PM280 can print 4-by-6-inch prints, but the PM240, the same printer without the extras, achieved the best print quality scores of any compact printer our labs have tested. It has no external paper cassette to attach (paper is loaded in a slot at the top), and its durable construction, top cover, and carrying handle make it an extremely portable printer. It also has a CD burner for archiving and sharing images. Unlike the HiTi S400, it has an optional battery that can be purchased for use in outdoor locations. All this for $50 less than the HiTi S400.
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