Based on my previous all-in-one experience with the HP C7280, when I brought the Canon PIXMA MX850 home, the first thing I did after I installed it was to try out a scan. I didn’t print, I didn’t copy, I just scanned.

Freaking garbage.

Not as bad as the HP C7280, mind you, but still pretty bad. I tried a book cover and two different CD covers. All of them came out with horrible Moire patterns and pixel artifacts.

I never printed a single page (other than the printer head calibration). It’s already in the box to be taken back.

I’ve learned something, but I’m not sure what.

• Should I not trust all-in-one units because their scan capabilities will be mediocre at best compared to a dedicated scanner?
• Should I not trust units with CIS scanners (as both the HP and Canon had) and look for something with a CCD scanner?
• Should I not trust units that can attach over the network and/or USB? (Though the connection didn’t matter when I tried it out both ways, so I doubt it’s this one.)

Anyway, back to square one.