JD Manuals CD or Paper?

Bill VA · Dec 15, 2014

Getting ready to order a Deere tractor technical manual. My options are paper or CD. The CD is about $100 less than the paper.

For those of you that have CD manuals, do you like them vs paper, can you print the pages? It would be nice to print the page and get grease on that, toss it when finished vs having a forever greased-up paper manual.

Thanks!
Bill

FBH44 · Dec 15, 2014

Just me, but I like paper, I can put sticky-notes in it, red line things, yellow highlight t hings... write "NEVER DO THIS" when I have to...

FBH44 · Dec 15, 2014

seriously, I forgot one important thing; I have wife read things to me when I'm under the machine, really helps.

James Howell · Dec 15, 2014

You might consider using plastic sheet protectors for the paper manual pages in a three-ring notebook.

Mike M · Dec 15, 2014

I'm a paper kinda guy too. I have written in a few of my pages too. Can't say as that I have done the "never do this" LOL.

Sid_GA · Dec 15, 2014

I have the cd for my 6200 and I can print out the pages and I have also loaded it on my tablet and can use the tablet when I want to. The tablet makes it easy to look up stuff when I am in the house and I don't have to tote a manual back and forth. I print out the pages I need and keep them in a binder for the next time I need to do a repair. I have paper manuals for the car and trucks and I tend to get them greasy but with the printed sheets, I can just reprint them if they get too greasy.
Sid

M-MAN · Dec 15, 2014

I'm old, grew up with paper and prefer it but I like the cd's too. Yes you can print the pages and toss them when you're through. I would save the hundred.

PJH · Dec 15, 2014

I have some paper manuals that are 35 years old, and they are getting pretty ragged. Whenever I get new ones, I go with the CD version, then print out what area I'm working with. For a marginal mechanic like me, I can pull it up on the computer and study what I'm gonna work on tomorrow, and don't have to lug the manuals back and forth from the shop. And for those of us who like to make notes in the manuals - we can write on the sheets that we print out. I put the printouts in a giant ziplock bag for storage.

Only thing that worries me - will they someday "improve" our computers to the point that CD's will be obsolete? Seems like my first computer used some kind of tape for data storage, and that would be worthless today (and forever).

MikeJM · Dec 15, 2014

I have both, I find myself using my tablet more as I aquire more cd and pdf copies of manuals. I find it alot easier to travel with the tablet vs a 1000 page manual.

55 50 Ron · Dec 15, 2014

James,

I did that to my entire manual for my model 50 tractor. Took awhile, but the entire manual is page by page in a sheet protector. Each sheet is still entirely accessible if I want to remove it and make some notes.

I got all the Deere Manuals and Parts Catalogs that I needed years ago when they were REASONABLY priced so I have no need for CD versions.

I don't expect to ever buy anymore JD tractors or implements so most likely won't need CDs but I would consider CDs if a new need arises.

akwells · Dec 15, 2014

I have the CD manual for the late serial number 4020 (&4000 - TM1006). I like it because I have copied the PDF file to all my devices and I can print anything that I really need to. However, I'm not sure if its just this manual, or if all others are like it, but the PDF was just a scan of all the sheets in the paper book. And that makes sense. However, that scanned material can (and should) be made searcheable. You should be able to go into Adobe Acrobate, or whatever you use, and search for say, "stroke valve" and it will hop to that page. Additionally, the different sections (10 General, 20 Engines) etc can be bookmarked. None of that was in place. This is also why, before I had the CD, I tried to get the parts guy at JD to print me a lighting diagram, and he had to scroll forever to find the exact page.

To me, that capability would be a selling point for the CD. Anyway, I have access to the pro version of Acrobat at work, so I optimized the document so it was searchable, then set up bookmarks to each section, as well as some favorite pages. NOW, its more useful than the paper book would be.

jsborn · Dec 16, 2014

I have found that with the CD manual you can print out the pages you need and leave out the ones you don't. Most manuals cover all the variations , LP,Gas, all fuel, and Diesel. If you only have a Gas model you don't need to print the rest of the stuff. this will save a lot of looking and problems when you read two pages and then realize you were looking at the diesel version and you have a Gas model.

As far as making notes and highlighting paper manuals if you have Adobe Acrobat you can do all of this to your electronic doc.

phess11 · Dec 16, 2014

I like both. One reason i like the CD manuals is that I can upload them to Google Drive in the "cloud" and then i can access them from my smart phone or any computer. In case i don't have my paper copies handy. Google Drive is also where I store my Work Log, as well as a few pages of the service manual so i have ready access to lubrication and service intervals.

phil

Deere54 · Dec 16, 2014

You don't have to boot up paper and it doesn't crash.

Bill VA · Dec 16, 2014

Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!

Great info. Sounds like the CD can print pages and maybe even is a PDF that can be uploaded to another device.

I've got a tablet and have some manuals/parts lists for a couple of garden tractors of mine and I print out the pages I need, for the spot on the tractor I'm working and trash them if they get greasy. This sounds like something that maybe can be done with the Deere CD manuals too.

Thanks again for everyone's replies!

Bill

vscummins · Dec 16, 2014

CDs scratch and then you have nothing also hadder to read I think .

JD Manuals CD or Paper?

Bill VA

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FBH44

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FBH44

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James Howell

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Mike M

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Sid_GA

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M-MAN

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PJH

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MikeJM

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55 50 Ron

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akwells

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jsborn

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phess11

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Deere54

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Bill VA

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vscummins

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