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Discarding Brother FAX-575

Discussion in 'Miscellaneous Hardware' started by BGBG, Sep 20, 2020.

  1. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    Have old cheap FAX machine with I guess the lamp burned out. When it burned out I just bought another unit instead of trying to learn how to fix it or paying for repair. Hardly use FX now anyway. Considering simply discarding in trash for I donot really know what else may be wrong with it, not really valuable, and do not really need it anyway. Should I just remove whatever cartridge or ribbon is in it and put in trash?
     
  2. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    Is there an e-cycling place?
    I've dropped things off at Best Buy and another place called iGreen.
    The iGreen location took computer, printers, old mice, coffee makers, microwaves. They say if it has a cord, we take it.

    Google online for "fax recyclers near me". I found 3 very close to where I live, including the iGree place.
     
  3. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    To answer your question, if it has a ribbon and you think there may be private/sensitive information on it, destroy the ribbon. No need to worry if it has ink cartridges. You can’t retrieve information from ink cartridges.
     
  4. Digerati

    Digerati Registered Members

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    You might have better luck with "electronics recyclers near me." You really should try to avoid tossing it in the trash where it will end up in a landfill somewhere.

    BTW, I took a truck load of old electronics out to an electronics recycling center near me and they paid me $80 for the aluminum and steel content, as well as the precious metals found in CPUs and RAM modules. They took old computers, printers, stereos, cassette players, VCRs, microwave oven and more.

    The only thing they would not take is 6 old CRT monitors and TVs. This is because there is a drop (as in 1 drop!) of mercury inside the vacuum tube. Environmental protection laws prevent discarding mercury in the trash so it has to be removed and properly discarded. The problem is, you have to pop open the CRT tubes to extract the mercury. These tubes are under extreme vacuum pressures so if not popped open properly, they will implode and then shards of sharp glass will then expel out in all directions. Not good.

    So it just costs more to properly and safely extract the mercury than the recycling centers can get in return for any recyclable materials in the monitors. They would have taken them, but only if I paid them $10 each. :(
     
  5. Seth Anthony

    Seth Anthony Registered Members

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    Wow. Good riddance to CRT's. Ditto for mechanical hard drives. I never want to use either of those again. lol
     
  6. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    I don't miss CRT monitors in the least. They were bulky, heavy and hot!

    Yes, we still have 3 old tvs and I know when each dies, I will have to pay to e-cycle them. I don't have a problem with that. I'm hanging on to them because the sound is way better on these than on the one flat screen we own. And before you tell me to buy a sound bar, There isn't a handy place to put one in two of the locations.
     
  7. Digerati

    Digerati Registered Members

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    I do. Many will argue that a quality CRT still provides the best image quality and I could not disagree with them. This is due in part because CRT monitors can draw a true circle with a smooth line where LCDs still must use jagged steps. And CRTs use variable size pixels while LCDs typically have one size.

    Analog still has its advantages and not just in video (I note the come back of vinyl records! :)).

    But yes, they are big and heavy, taking up a lot of desktop real estate. Widescreen models were very rare and expensive. And yes, they were very inefficient giving off a lot of heat.

    I would never to that. Instead, you need to buy a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound A/V receiver and mount rear and perhaps side speakers for surround sound, get a great subwoofer for the LFE (low frequency effects) two fronts and a center channel speaker. Then enjoy your favorite shows and movies in true, hi-def surround sound. The only way to go! :D

    The problem with sound on today's LCD TVs is irritating, I admit. There is such a demand for thinner and thinner monitors and TVs that have super thin (or no) bezels. This forces the makers to put the speakers in back where the sound must bounce off the wall, then out into the room. Most walls are not designed for that!
     
  8. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    That is not going to work at all!!! My 13" tv from 1991 is on a specially made table near the kitchen dining table. The sound is fantastic just as is. I don't have room for all those things, let alone running wires and possible plugs in the kitchen. I'm hoping that tv lasts until we move to the "old folks home".

    The tv room has a built in bookcase that covers the wall; there is an area for the tv but not much else. No, We aren't going to destroy the craftsmanship of that room either.

    Not all of us have space for a home theatre set up. It would be nice but it isn't going to happen at our home.
     
  9. Tony D

    Tony D Administrator Administrator

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    This thread had veered way off topic. Please try to stay on topic to answer BGBG's question about his fax machine.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  10. Rustys

    Rustys Registered Members

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    If you have any concern pull and trash yet I do not trust any one.
     
    Tony D likes this.
  11. BGBG

    BGBG Registered Members

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    Since I have another just like it and do not FAX a whole lot anyway anymore, nor do I wish to pay for repair of even a bulb it that is the problem. Even if I fix it I will then have TWO and they are cheap enough so just bought another to get me by. I do not think I have any damaging personal information on it and not worth the trouble to donate or sell, so I believe I will do as told and just throw out the ribbon or cartridge and trash it. I agree it is veering. I saw there were some more replies so I came back and read them.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.
  12. plodr

    plodr CHF Advisor CHF Advisers

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    Feel free to remove my last 2 posts. Sorry for not staying on topic.
    My first reply can remain. I'm opposed to just dumping everything in the trash and letting it sit in a landfill.
     
  13. Digerati

    Digerati Registered Members

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    My apologies as well. And I too would urge you not to throw any old electronics in the trash.

    "E-Scrap" - electronic equipment no longer wanted commonly contains many hazardous materials including, but not limited to, lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic. These hazardous waste products, if simply tossed in the trash and not properly recovered and recycled will end up in landfills and will eventually leech into our waterways.

    Dell has partnered with Goodwill and you typically can drop off any old electronics to Goodwill and they will recycle it properly. Best Buy will take many items too - like old batteries. Of course, that applies to those of us in the US. Check your local area.

    As for your personal data on the old fax, your phone number is likely stored in there. If you regularly faxed to the same people, their contact information may be in there. If me, I would check the manual to see if there is a simple menu option to reset the fax back to factory settings.
     
    allheart55 (Cindy E) likes this.

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