Network Scan is improved somewhat on the 1815 in that you can scan over the network from computer and from the printer itself.

 

Network Scan on the 1600n was an after thought added by a firmware upgrade, the 1815 was designed to do it.  I am not 100% sure, but yes, I think you if you wanted to use the 1600n and the 1815, two pieces of software would need to be installed as they handle it quite differently.

 

 

 

 

You require the Network Scan Manager software for each version of the printer, and they do work fine together on the same computer. If you've had a problem with installing the newer one while the older one is there, it's still a good troubleshooting step to try removing the old one to reduce the possibility of some other conflict getting in the way, but this does not indicate that the two cannot work together in a computer that is working properly. I have both printers setup among a few computers and they're all happy playing nice with each other.

Finally got a 1815 and put it to test.

 

1815 needs its own version of Networkscan, it will not detect 1600N.

Same  as 1600, it use its own version of Network Scan and did not  detect 1815d either.

Both could co-exit on same network and computers.

 

I love the old 1600N much better as it could scan to create PDF file on Acrobat reader.

The new 1815D would do the same but very user un-friendly and the file size created was too big.

 

Testing of scanning one page of color brochure;  (ADF is the same)

 

Key strokes for 1600N

1- Press Start Scan Button

2- Scroll to right users ID

3- Select the right user ID

4- Select StartScanning

5- Select No for no more document

 

Total of 5 key strokes only

 

Key strokes for 1815D

1- Scroll to SCAN   (between SCAN/COPY/FAX)

2- Select SCAN

3- Scroll to NETWORK (between USB/Network/PC)

4- Select NETWORK

5- Scroll to PC (between email and PC)

6- Select PC

7- Scroll to right user ID

8- Select the right user ID

9- Select to confirm default PIN ****

10- Select scan to My Document

11-Select to Start Scanning

12- Scroll to No ( between Yes and No for more document)

13- Select No to complete

 

Total of 13 key strokes.

A better design could reduce some; for example skipping to confim for the default PIN ****.

Skipping to confirm sent to My Document location if it is the only applicationo.

With a default selection on SCAN/COPY/FAX and USB/Network/PC and email/PC many key stroke could be saved.

 

 

File size on scan to PDF format is also an issue.   1600 VS 1815

 

Full page color brochure, 300dpi B/W PDF:  140KB vs 919KB

Same color brochure,      200dpi B/W DPF:  70KB   vs 404KB

 

Full page of network journal, 300dpi B/W:   47KB vs 74KB

 

The 1815 produce more like grey scale on its B/W PDF scanning with no brightness adjustment

The 1600 produce higher contrast with user adjustable brightness on preference.

 

I found that for document archiving, the higher contrast 1600 works better and it file size is MUCH smaller.

 

For JPG format, the result is close if not the same,  same color brochure;  403KB vs 424KB

 

There are couple new features on 1815; duplexing on printing, USB device, direct email.

Botton line, untill Dell address above issues, I will buy the rebuild 1600 instead of the new 1815D.