Evolis Zenius ID Card Printer - FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions )

Author: Tanuj Rastogi Date Posted: 28th May 2020

ID cards are commonly used by businesses to enhance security around their assets and employees and ensure better access control. While there is a huge array of ID card printer and brand choices out there, the Evolis’ Zenius series is quite popular for its compact construction, eco-friendly design, ease-of-use and unsurpassed performance - which all come at affordable prices.

Despite being in the know about the innovative functionalities and features of the Zenius ID card printer, you may have several questions in your mind before making the long-term investment.

Once you know the Zenius answers to the common FAQs about this Evolis ID card printer, it would be easier to find the right solution.

Which Encoding Technologies Does Evolis Zenius Support?

Evolis Zenius supports a wide range of modern encoding features including magnetic stripe, smartcard, and contact and contactless chip encoding like Mifare 1K, Mifare 4K, SmartMX, DESFire, Ultralight and most of the major ISO15693 and ISO7816 encoding technologies.

Evolis Zenius can print all kinds of 1D and 2D barcodes and the user can always get other specific encoders upon request.

Which Software Applications are Compatible with Evolis Zenius?

All Evolis Zenius printers work seamlessly with Windows OS drivers. The Evolis Premium Suite software supports Windows XP SP2 or later and Vista 32/64, W7 32/644 and give users access to Evolis Print Center for hassle-free setup and effective printer management and Evolis Printer Manager for two-way notifications. You can also avail optional MAC and Linux support at an additional cost to suit your business needs. Zenius printers are supplied with the eMedia CS Card Designer which can be downloaded for a 30-day free trial from Mediasoft’s website.

Can I Use the Same License Key on Multiple Computers?

You can easily install Evolis Zenius ID card printer software on your PC. To get the most out of the printer’s features and functionalities, you will need to connect the USB key on your computer. Also, in order to be able to access the full licensing mode, you need to make sure the USB dongle is connected to the computer running Evolis software.

How Can I Upgrade Evolis Zenius Firmware?

Evolis Zenius has an easy firmware upgrade process for its users. For that, you need to visit Evolis’s official website, access the Driver & Support section, and download the latest printer firmware on your computer.

Then open the Evolis Print Center on your computer, navigate to Printer Properties > Maintenance > Firmware Update. Now, click on the Launch the firmware update wizard button and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.

Do Evolis Primacy Ribbons work with Evolis Zenius too?

Yes, most of the ribbons from Evolis Primacy are compatible with Evolis Zenius ID card printers. However, since Evolis Primacy printers use a variety of printing technologies and frames, some ribbons like the R5F005xxx (YMCKO), R2F010xxx (KO), and R6F003xxx (YMCKOK) are non-interchangeable with Evolis Zenius models. To ensure maximum output and best performance for your printer, it is important to only use the suggested card printer ribbons and supplies for your ID card printers.

Now that you have answers to most common FAQs about Evolis Zenius, let’s now take a brief look at the two choices available.

Evolis Zenius Classic Single Sided ID Card Printer (USB)

Specifications

Resolution: 300dpi
Memory: 16 MB RAM
Card dimensions: 53.92 x 85.6 mm
Connectivity Option: USB
Prints Speed: 120-150 coloured cards/hour and 400-500 monochrome cards/ hour
Ribbon colours - Yellow (Y) Magenta (M) Cyan (C) Black (K) Overlay (O),
Ribbon capacity: YMCKO: 100 cards per roll, KO: 300 cards per roll, monochrome ribbon: up to 1,000 cards per roll, hologram ribbon: 400 cards per roll
Automatic and manual feeding; feeder capacity - 50 cards
Printer display LEDs for graphical notifications like cleaning alerts, empty/low level ribbon and card alerts.
Supports CardPresso XXS software, Windows; Optional: Mac and Linux OS
Standby, sleep and reduced energy consumption modes
ENERGY STAR certification

The Evolis Zenius Classic comes in a compact form and is designed for edge-to-edge single sided printing of plastic cards. Despite being the most affordable, agile and user-friendly ID card printing solution in its category, the Zenius Classic doesn’t compromise on features and functionality. It can generate both colour and monochrome cards, individually or in small quantities for a variety of applications including employee identification, payment cards, security access badges, transportation passes etc. To add convenience and reliability to its performance, Evolis offers 2 years of warranty on its Zenius printer. There is also an option to extend the warranty at an additional cost.

Evolis Zenius Expert Single Sided ID Card Printer (Ethernet/USB)

Specifications

Resolution: 300dpi
Memory: 32 MB RAM
Card dimensions: 53.92 x 85.6 mm
Connectivity Option: USB and Ethernet
Prints Speed: 120-150 coloured cards/hour and 400-500 monochrome cards/ hour
Encoding modules: magnetic stripe encoder ISO 7811 HiCo/LoCo, JIS2, smart contact station ISO 7816-2, contact smart card encoder - PC/SC, EMV 2000-1, Contactless smart card encoder - ISO 14443A, B, ISO15693, MIFARE, DESFire, HID iCLASS
Ribbon colours - Yellow (Y) Magenta (M) Cyan (C) Black (K) Overlay (O),
Ribbon capacity: YMCKO: 100 cards per roll, KO: 300 cards per roll, monochrome ribbon: up to 1,000 cards per roll, hologram ribbon: 400 cards per roll
Automatic and manual feeding; feeder capacity - 50 cards
Printer display LEDs for graphical notifications like cleaning alerts, empty/low level ribbon and card alerts.
Supports CardPresso XXS software, Windows; Optional: Mac and Linux OS
Standby, sleep and reduced energy consumption modes
ENERGY STAR certification

The Evolis Zenius Expert is known for its scalable encoding capabilities, high performance, and great reliability. It shares the same compact, lightweight construction as the Classic model and thus can be easily installed in space-constrained environments. It also offers both colour and monochromatic printing, automatic ribbon recognition and the ability to print single or small card runs.

What distinguishes the Zenius Expert from the Classic model is its additional capability and intelligent features that allow users to add a greater level of personalisation to their ID cards. With support for varied encoding technologies like magnetic encoding, contact and contactless chips, you can tighten access control and security around your business. Like other Evolis Zenius priners, the Expert model is backed by 2 years of warranty and optional extended warranty.