Monitoring Printer Usage

I use my Epson R800 for a combination of draft quality printing from the net and printing photo quality work for the hobby we all share. Does anyone have an application that they can recommend that logs the usage of the printer so I can keep a track of how many prints I am getting and what my ink usage costs are. I print a load of stuff off and obviously know how many cartridges I buy but I would be more useful to get a real feel for the cost of a print. When People ask to buy prints, I make a guess using some of the rules of thumb people have suggested on this forum but I would like to be a bit more scientific about it.

The applications I have found by Googling all seem to be focused on network printers for businesses who want to save money. I just want to track what I am doing.

Thanks

Rob

A lot of printers already track their print count and ink/toner levels themselves. I don't know about the specifics of your printer, but try printing a test page. If that info isn't on the test page, there could be a configuration or report sheet that can be printed as well.

Probably the easiest way to get a somewhat accurate print/ink cost is to use 2 brand new reams of paper, one photo paper and one normal paper, and brand new ink carts and note how much of each ream of paper is gone when the inks run out.

My HP 4500 color laser only tells me the total page count, the current toner cart levels, and the drum and imager life. It doesn't tell me how many pages were full color images or normal text pages.

The only printer I have that gives me an actual cost is my Kodak Dye-sub since each page costs exactly the same regardless of what is printed on it.

Here is a site that may answer your question. http://www.redrivercat​alog.com/infocenter/ep​sonr800.htm