Description
Product Overview
The DTC4500e is where FARGO’s direct-to-card range shifts from occasional use to daily production. The headline difference over the DTC1250e is card handling: a 200-card dual input hopper instead of 100, a 100-card output, and a dedicated reject hopper that automatically diverts misprints and failed encodes so they never reach the finished stack.
That reject hopper matters more than it sounds. In any operation that encodes cards, some will fail verification. On a printer without a reject bin those cards land in the output tray and someone has to find them. On the DTC4500e they are separated automatically.
Speed scales with the volume focus. Monochrome cards print in 6 seconds, black-with-overlay in 8, full colour in 16. For a university printing thousands of monochrome library cards, the difference is hours.
Encoding is the DTC4500e’s other strength, covering magnetic stripe, HID Prox, iCLASS and MIFARE/DESFire through the OMNIKEY 5127 module – so one device prints and credentials a card for door access in a single pass. The lockable input hopper addresses a real security requirement: blank card stock for a government or healthcare programme is controlled inventory.
Specifications
| Print sides | Single-sided (dual-sided model available) |
|---|---|
| Print method | Dye sublimation / resin thermal transfer (direct-to-card) |
| Resolution | 300 dpi (11.8 dots/mm), continuous tone |
| Print speed | Monochrome 6 s · KO 8 s · YMCKO 16 s · YMCKOK 24 s per card |
| Card sizes | CR-80 (85.6 × 54 mm); CR-79 adhesive |
| Card thickness | 9-40 mil (0.229-1.016 mm) |
| Input hopper | Dual input, 200 cards; optional locking hopper |
| Output hopper | 100 cards (30 mil) |
| Reject hopper | 100 cards (30 mil) |
| Interfaces | USB 2.0; Ethernet with internal print server |
| Encoding options | Magnetic stripe; HID Prox; iCLASS; MIFARE/DESFire (OMNIKEY 5127) |
| Memory | 32 MB RAM |
| Display | SmartScreen graphical display |
| Dimensions | 249 mm H × 475 mm W × 234 mm D (9.8 × 18.7 × 9.2 in) |
| Weight | 5 kg (11 lbs) |
| Power | 100-240 VAC, 50-60 Hz, 1.6 A max |
| Security | Password-protected printer access; fluorescent panel printing |
| Software | Swift ID embedded badging; FARGO Workbench |
| Warranty | Printer 3 years; printhead 3 years |
FARGO Model Comparison
| Specification | DTC1250e | DTC4500e | HDP5000e | HDP6600 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology | Direct-to-card | Direct-to-card | Retransfer | Retransfer |
| Resolution | 300 dpi | 300 dpi | 300 dpi | 600 dpi |
| Colour speed | 225 cards/hr | 225 cards/hr | 133 cards/hr | 230 cards/hr |
| Edge-to-edge print | Small white border | Small white border | Over-the-edge | Over-the-edge |
| Card thickness | 9-40 mil | 9-40 mil | 30-50 mil | 30-40 mil |
| Input hopper | 100 cards | 200 cards | 100 cards | 100 cards |
| Output hopper | 30 cards | 100 cards | 200 cards | 200 cards |
| Lamination | Not available | Optional | Optional module | Wasteless lamination |
| Smart-card printing | Not recommended | Supported | Excellent | Excellent |
| Printer warranty | 3 yr (registered) | 3 yr | 4 yr | 3 yr |
| Best suited to | Small offices, schools | Daily mid-volume issuance | Smart cards, universities | High-volume enterprise |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the DTC1250e and DTC4500e?
Both print at 300 dpi with the same colour speed. The DTC4500e adds a 200-card input hopper, a 100-card reject hopper, faster monochrome printing, a graphical display and broader encoding. Choose it for daily volume; choose the DTC1250e for occasional batches.
What does the reject hopper do?
It automatically diverts misprinted or failed-encode cards into a separate bin, so faulty cards never mix with finished ones. This matters in any workflow that encodes access or payment credentials.
Can the DTC4500e encode access-control cards?
Yes. It supports magnetic stripe, HID Prox, iCLASS and MIFARE/DESFire encoding via the OMNIKEY 5127 module, writing credentials during the same pass as printing.
Can the DTC4500e be upgraded to dual-sided later?
Yes. Unlike the DTC1250e, the DTC4500e supports field upgrades to dual-sided printing and lamination, so the printer can grow with your requirements.
How many cards per hour can it print?
Up to 225 full-colour single-sided cards per hour. Monochrome runs far faster at 6 seconds per card – roughly 600 cards per hour.
![FARGO 45200 YMCKO COLOUR RIBBON (500 PRINTS) [R-FG-45200]](https://www.idcardprinter.ae/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FARGO45200YMCKOCOLOURRIBBON_500PRINTS_R-FG-45200-300x300.png)
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