Quick Answer
Looking for Sony UP-X898MD thermal paper? The UP-X898MD runs all three Sony A6 media types — and Durico ULSTAR makes a fully compatible drop-in for each one. Durico ULSTAR-1100S (110mm × 20m) replaces UPP-110S for everyday scanning, ULSTAR-1100HG (110mm × 18m) replaces UPP-110HG for keepsake prints, and ULSTAR-1100HD (110mm × 20m) replaces UPP-110HD for high-contrast work. Same roll geometry, same print quality, meaningfully lower cost.
The UP-X898MD is the hybrid — and that changes your paper math
If you searched for UP-X898MD paper, you probably already know this printer is not quite the same animal as its siblings. Sony builds three printers on the same chassis: the UP-D898MD (digital only), the UP-D898DC (digital, DC-powered for carts), and the UP-X898MD — the hybrid that accepts both analog composite video over BNC and digital USB, and can dump printed images to a USB flash drive on the way out.
That hybrid design is why the UP-X898MD tends to live in the busiest, most mixed-modality corners of a practice. It is the unit that gets bolted to the cart serving an older ultrasound system alongside a newer digital one. It is the printer that outlives two generations of the equipment feeding it.
For paper buying, the practical consequence is simple: UP-X898MD owners usually print more, print from more sources, and care more about cost per print than someone running a single low-volume unit. Which makes it worth spending five minutes on the paper decision instead of reordering whatever the last person ordered.
What paper does the Sony UP-X898MD actually take?
Per Sony's own product documentation, the UP-X898MD takes 110mm-wide roll media, and Sony lists three compatible print media types for the printer: UPP-110S, UPP-110HG, and UPP-110HD. All three are A6-format thermal rolls. All three physically fit.
Here is the piece that catches people out. Sony ships the UP-X898MD with a roll of UPP-110HG in the box as a supplied accessory. A lot of departments print that first roll, like the look, and quietly commit to high-gloss forever — without ever asking whether gloss is what their workflow actually needs. Gloss is the most expensive of the three. If your prints go into a chart rather than into a parent's hands, you may be paying a premium for a finish nobody sees.
Sony UP-X898MD compatibility table
| Sony OEM media | Durico equivalent | Spec | Best for | Product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPP-110S (Normal) | Durico ULSTAR-1100S | 110mm × 20m | Daily clinical scanning, high volume, best cost per print | Durico 1100S — 5-roll box |
| UPP-110HG (High Glossy) | Durico ULSTAR-1100HG | 110mm × 18m | Patient keepsakes, 3D/4D OB-GYN, presentation prints | Durico 1100HG — 5-roll box |
| UPP-110HD (High Density) | Durico ULSTAR-1100HD | 110mm × 20m | High-contrast grayscale, fine structural detail | Durico 1100HD — 5-roll box |
Note the roll lengths, because they are not uniform and the difference is real. UPP-110S and UPP-110HD are both 20-meter rolls. UPP-110HG is an 18-meter roll — the gloss layer adds thickness, so less paper fits in the same roll diameter. Durico matches Sony's geometry exactly on all three, which is precisely what you want: the printer's paper-end sensor, roll bay, and cutter were engineered around those dimensions.
The speed footnote most buyers miss
Sony rates the UP-X898MD at approximately 1.9 seconds per A6 print in high-speed mode — but the specification carries a qualifier that rarely makes it into sales copy. That 1.9-second figure is quoted when used with UPP-110HG or UPP-110S print media. High-density media is not part of that claim.
This matters if you run a high-throughput room. High-density paper is engineered for maximum optical density and tonal separation, and that thermal behavior is not optimized for the fastest print cycle. If your bottleneck is patient throughput and you are printing a dozen images a study, standard media is doing you more favors than high-density — it is faster, it is 20 meters instead of 18, and it is the cheapest of the three. That is a rare case of the budget option also being the performance option.
Conversely, if you are printing a small number of images where fine grayscale gradation genuinely drives interpretation, high-density earns its cost. Just do not default into it for a whole department because one physician preferred it once.
Why Durico ULSTAR is compatible — the technical part
"Compatible" is a word people use loosely, so here is what it actually rests on for direct thermal printing. There is no ink, no toner, and no cartridge. The printer's thermal head applies heat; the paper's coating reacts. Every meaningful compatibility question reduces to four properties.
1. Roll geometry
Width, length, core diameter, and outer diameter have to match the roll bay and the paper sensor. Durico ULSTAR is manufactured to Sony's A6 dimensions: 110mm width across the line, 20m on 1100S and 1100HD, 18m on 1100HG. The roll drops into the same bay and the cutter meets it where it expects to.
2. Thermal sensitivity
This is the one that separates real compatible media from cheap lookalikes. The coating has to darken at the same energy the Sony thermal head delivers at a given setting. Get this wrong and you see it immediately — paper calibrated too "hot" produces muddy blacks and blown-out midtones; paper calibrated too "cold" produces washed-out prints and tempts staff into cranking the density setting, which pushes more heat through the head and shortens its life. Durico's ULSTAR line is formulated to Sony's sensitivity curve, so your existing BRIGHT and CONTRAST settings carry over.
3. Surface finish
Standard has a matte-to-satin finish that handles well and does not fingerprint. High-gloss carries a coated top layer for that photographic look patients respond to. High-density uses a surface tuned for maximum optical density — deeper blacks and finer separation in the dark end of the grayscale, where subtle tissue boundaries live.
4. Backcoat and head wear
The underside matters more than most buyers realize. The backcoat controls friction as paper passes under the thermal head and manages static. A poorly engineered backcoat is abrasive, and abrasion against a thermal head is the expensive kind of problem — heads are a service call, not a supply order. Durico is manufactured in South Korea to a consistent backcoat specification rather than assembled from whatever substrate was cheapest that quarter.
Price and savings
Current Durico ULSTAR pricing at Precision Imaging Supply, as of publication:
| Durico SKU | 5-roll box | 10-roll box | Sony OEM equivalent, typical reseller range (10 rolls) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ULSTAR-1100S (vs UPP-110S) | $43.95 | $82.95 | ~$100–$140 |
| ULSTAR-1100HG (vs UPP-110HG) | $64.95 | $129.95 | ~$127–$190 |
| ULSTAR-1100HD (vs UPP-110HD) | $64.95 | $129.95 | ~$142–$230 |
A word on those OEM ranges: Sony-branded media prices swing widely between medical resellers, and the spread is genuinely that large. Rather than quote a single list price that will be stale by the time you read this, the honest framing is that Durico typically lands 20–40% below OEM depending on which reseller you are currently buying from and which finish you need. If your current OEM invoice sits at the low end of those ranges, the savings are real but modest. If you are buying at the high end — which many practices are, without realizing it — the gap is substantial.
The other lever is finish selection. A department printing high-gloss out of habit that could be printing standard is looking at $82.95 versus $129.95 per 10-roll box before the OEM comparison even enters the picture. Getting the finish right is often worth more than getting the brand right.
Frequently asked questions
Is Durico paper really compatible with the Sony UP-X898MD?
Yes. The UP-X898MD accepts 110mm A6 thermal roll media in three types — standard, high-gloss, and high-density — and Durico ULSTAR produces a matched equivalent for each, built to Sony's roll geometry and thermal sensitivity curve. It loads into the same bay and runs on your existing print settings.
Will using compatible paper void my printer warranty?
In the United States, the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act generally prevents a manufacturer from voiding a warranty simply because you used a third-party consumable, unless the manufacturer supplies that consumable free of charge. A warranty claim would need to show the paper actually caused the failure. That said, warranty terms vary by contract and region — if you hold a specific service agreement on your unit, read it, and ask your service provider directly. This is general information, not legal advice.
Does it print as well as Sony OEM paper?
For the applications these printers serve, yes. Durico ULSTAR is manufactured to match Sony's thermal sensitivity, so density, gradation, and contrast track the OEM equivalent at the same printer settings. The practical test is the one that matters: run a roll on your actual printer at your actual settings and compare against your current prints.
Where is Durico paper manufactured?
South Korea. Durico is a Korean thermal media manufacturer producing to a consistent specification — which is the relevant distinction versus unbranded generic media where the substrate can change between production lots without notice.
Which Durico paper should I choose for my UP-X898MD?
Standard (1100S) for routine clinical scanning and high volume — it is the cheapest per print, the longest roll at 20m, and it is one of the two media types Sony's 1.9-second high-speed spec is quoted against. High-gloss (1100HG) when prints go home with patients. High-density (1100HD) when fine grayscale separation drives the read. Most departments running a UP-X898MD are best served by standard as the workhorse with a smaller stock of high-gloss for keepsakes.
How fast does it ship?
All three ULSTAR SKUs are stocked at Precision Imaging Supply and ship from our facility rather than drop-shipping from a distributor, so orders placed on business days go out promptly. Clinics in Orange County can also take advantage of free next-day local delivery.
Is there a minimum order?
No. Boxes are available in 5-roll and 10-roll configurations, and you can order a single box. The 5-roll box is a sensible way to trial a finish on your own printer before committing a department to it; the 10-roll box means fewer reorders once you know what you want.
Can I mix paper types in the same printer?
Yes, though not mid-roll. The UP-X898MD has a paper-type setting, and you should match it to the media loaded so the printer applies the correct thermal profile. Departments that print both routine images and patient keepsakes commonly keep standard loaded and swap in high-gloss for keepsake sessions.
Where to buy Sony UP-X898MD compatible paper
All three Durico ULSTAR finishes for the UP-X898MD are in stock at Precision Imaging Supply:
- Durico ULSTAR-1100S Standard — 110mm × 20m — the UPP-110S replacement, and the right default for most UP-X898MD workflows. Also available in a 10-roll box.
- Durico ULSTAR-1100HG High-Gloss — 110mm × 18m — the UPP-110HG replacement, for keepsake and presentation prints. Also in a 10-roll box.
- Durico ULSTAR-1100HD High-Density — 110mm × 20m — the UPP-110HD replacement, for high-contrast diagnostic work. Also in a 10-roll box.
Related reading: Best Paper for Sony UP-D898MD if you also run the digital-only sibling, the Sony UPP-110S compatible paper guide for a deeper look at standard media, and the UPP-110HG high-gloss guide if keepsake print quality is your priority.
About Morgan Hayes
Morgan Hayes is the imaging supply specialist behind Precision Imaging Supply's resource center. With over a decade tracking the medical thermal printing market, Morgan helps imaging departments, OB/GYN clinics, veterinary practices, and independent ultrasound centers navigate the maze of printer-and-paper compatibility — including the Durico drop-in alternatives that save practices 30–50% versus OEM Sony media without compromising print quality.
Sony, UP-X898MD, UPP-110S, UPP-110HG, and UPP-110HD are trademarks of Sony Corporation. Precision Imaging Supply is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sony Corporation. Durico ULSTAR media is a compatible third-party alternative. Sony OEM price ranges cited reflect publicly advertised medical reseller pricing at time of writing and will vary. Printed images from these devices are not intended for diagnostic use.