How To Fix (Some) Intuit-Quicken Check-Printing Problems with Brother HL-2140

While this article may appear superfluous to some...I know for a fact that there are some non-standard problems people experience when manufacturers replace OLD TECHNOLOGIES with newer, better ones.

THIS PROBLEM has NO obvious solution out there ON THE INTERNET...so I wrote my own explanation.

1. The previously-available Brother HL-2350 and HL-5340 [laser-printer] series's were replaced by the (in my opinion superior) Brother HL-2140 (don't question the confusing model numbers...just accept that the 2140 IS better.)

2. Even though the 2140 is SO much less-expensive than those other models (about 80 bucks compared to around 200), it's lighter, smaller, and prints equally-well

3. But there is a bit of a challenge in replacing OLDER with NEWER peripherals...namely in remembering how to adjust your PRINTER-SOFTWARE settings. Whereas you would expect the process to be nearly transparent, in Quicken you (the user) must adjust your own printer settings...separately from the operating-system settings...

4. ...this is done in the Quicken "File|Printer Setup|for Printing Checks" menu AFTER you've setup the printer in your OS (there are setup CD-ROMs packaged with the printer that should help you do this).

5. But the key thing to see is that it's a TWO-STEP PROCESS (setting up the printer in your OS and setting up the printer in Quicken). This rule applies for ALL printer replacements when using Quicken.

6. While this may seem like old-news to some, I KNOW someone out there finds this information useful.

--mattergy

CORRECTION OCT 13 2010
In re-reading my own post, I realize that it's somewhat improperly titled...the check-printing problems I had experienced with the older Brother models were FIXED with the Brother HL-2140...I think I'm responding to the overall impression (of some other reviewers) that the HL-2140 is a step-down from the vastly more expensive previous-iterations (HL-2350 and HL-5340) because it's lighter and less-bulky than the older models.

In my opinion, the HL-2140 is better than the older models, but I'm just trying to print text--I can't speak to its performance as a graphics-printer (although I suspect it is pretty-darn-good)...I just need to print checks and correspondence...for THAT purpose, the HL-2140 is outstanding...not at all inferior-quality.

ADDENDUM OCT 13 2010
Like all good reviewers, I TESTED my previous assertion about graphics, and discovered, that without-question that the graphics-capabilities on the HL-2140 are fairly-good...if you have some time to spend waiting for the first page...but most graphics-specialists would find the wait-time unbearable.

But, remember, I just need to print legible words, not print pretty pictures.