Wifi Printers

We have had a number of student requests on assistance with setting up a wifi printer. I have had a cursory look but it appears that many of the printers require a usb direct connection. I would appreciate any of your experiences in setting up a printer on the eDGe before we test several out.

I've used the Printer Share app (in the eDGe App Store). You install the corresponding service software (see http://www.printershare.com/) on the PC that has access to the printer you want to share. The eDGe effectively prints via the PC. As a result, it doesn't matter if the printer is connected to the PC via USB or wifi, and even virtual printers like the Adobe PDF printer and CutePDF work.

Works quite well, although it's not completely free.

I have used the Printer Share app, also, and it works great!

Thanks for this. Have you tried it with Adobe DRM's files? Our textbook files allow one printing each and so some learners may have an issue with printing them as the transfer through a remote printer via PC may be perceived as a virtual pdf printer and as such would not work. We really don't consider this a large issue as our position is that the eDGe is the textbook and why would one want to copy their own textbook. The annotation pdf's work well so individual pages are fine.

I looked into printing from the Reader.

Android apps don't seem to have a "Print" menu item. Instead they use "Share", which allows you to send stuff from one app to other apps, including PrinterShare which can then "print" it. Apps like the Browser have a "Share" option, but the Reader doesn't, so you can't "print" from the Reader directly. Instead, you can "Save as PDF", and then use the PrinterShare app to find and "print" the PDF.

In other words, DRM vis-a-vis remote printers doesn't come into it, I think. If the DRM file allows you to save a page to PDF, that PDF is unprotected and can be sent anywhere.

I have tried in the past to use printer share with a DRM protected text book - printing restrictions were 10 pages per day. The page was sent to printer share with no content, it appears to perceive it as a virtual PDF printer. The books that I own that are protected with DRM do not have the save as PDF or email PDF option in the reader side of the edge, it is grayed out - not active.

Originally Posted by cheyennedonna

I have tried in the past to use printer share with a DRM protected text book

Is this on your desktop?

Originally Posted by borisb

Is this on your desktop?

Yes it was on one of my laptops - sent the print job to printer share to print from the other laptop - which was connected to the printer. I tried to save a page from a DRM protected book on my edge (both a PDF and an ePub) with no luck - the option is not active. Can't open those on the LCD side either so the option to share from DocstoGo won't work. I can't see any legimate way to print a DRM protected page from a book on the edge as it stands.

Ah, okay. If the DRM prevents saving/exporting/printing (the "Save As PDF" and "Email As PDF" options are grayed out), then you can't do anything, regardless of PrinterShare. However, if the DRM does allow saving/exporting of pages, you should be able to export those as a PDF, and that PDF you can print via PrinterShare on your eDGe.

Thanks all, Lots to consider. I'll let you know where we ultimately come to. We are having a mid term review with one of our pilot groups next week. I'll try to send a comment list after we finish.

PrinterShare is free to try. Let us know what you end up using/doing.