Printing Poster

Hey All,

I am currently trying to decide whether or not to buy a nice photo printer. I have a photography business (I don't normally do the printing though, just give a disk), but lately I am wondering if I should. Currently, I have been thinking about getting a printer to print mini-posters as well (11x17) and have a few questions.

1. What are a couple of the best printers that will do this printing (edge to edge) on a budget of about $300 (what are the prices of ink cartridges looking like for this)

2. What are some good papers for printing out posters? (11x17)

3. If I am using graphics to create posters, what should my settings in photoshop be. I.e. should I start with a document that is 11x17" and drop in images and stretch them? Sometimes I find large photographs, put them in, and they pixelate pretty bad (despite being xlg photos). Is there a certain pixel resolution I should strive for to print at (dpi?). Have tried a few things and haven't gotten the perfect setup yet.

These 3 factors will determine if I get a printer or just use a printing service!

Thanks for all your help!
Matt