Re: printer cartridge replacement reality

Jim Thompson wrote:

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 16:58:40 -0700, "Joel Kolstad"
<JKolstad71HatesSpam@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:


"Robert Baer" <robertbaer@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e13Pe.496$Wd7.363@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

      Questions:
  What is the story concerning HP printers in general?


Depends on the model.  Some of the newer models use "chipped" cartridges with
unique IDs, and once the printers decides that they're empty, it'll refuse to
use them again.  However, the printer itself remembers the cartridge IDs and I
seem to recall it only remembers something like the last two you've used, so
it's easy to fool by keeping a set of three cartridges around and rotating
their usage (a good idea anyway).  Alternatively, you can find on the 'net
which pins on the cartridge to cover up so as to foil reading the ID
completely, and -- happily -- HP decided that it was better to just keep
printing anyway in such cases rather than refusing to print at all.


Can one use hundreds of cartridges until the printer *really* wears out? 

I believe so.  I have a DeskJet 6127 that just keeps on printing even though
it's been whining at me that there's "0% black ink left!" for many months now
(I've refilled it twice...).

In terms of user-unfriendlisness towards refilling, I think that Epson is the
worst, HP is in the middle, and Canon is the friendliest.  For <$120, a Canon
ip6000d is one heck of a deal (auto duplexing, two paper trays, built in
memory card reader & color LCD, etc.), the cartridges are translucent and -- I
believe, haven't done it myself yet -- easy to refill.

---Joel Kolstad



Must be nice to have so little work that you have time on your hands
to waste on questionable-quality refill kits.

Me, I just log into OfficeMax.com, make a few clicks, and a new
cartridge appears at my door the next day, no shipping charges.

If I used a refill kit it would save me about 5 minutes of income and
take me 15 minutes to do the task.  Hardly worth the effort.

...Jim Thompson
Actually, i have found that the refill ink is better than the "official" stuff.
And it takes only a minute more to refill than replace (takes time to open the box, cut open the foil, pry out the new cartridge).
.

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  • Re: printer cartridge replacement reality
    ... What is the story concerning HP printers in general? ... unique IDs, and once the printers decides that they're empty, it'll refuse to use them again. ... However, the printer itself remembers the cartridge IDs and I seem to recall it only remembers something like the last two you've used, so it's easy to fool by keeping a set of three cartridges around and rotating their usage. ... And it takes only a minute more to refill than replace. ...
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  • Re: printer cartridge replacement reality
    ... >> What is the story concerning HP printers in general? ... >unique IDs, and once the printers decides that they're empty, it'll refuse to ... the printer itself remembers the cartridge IDs and I ... haven't done it myself yet -- easy to refill. ...
    (sci.electronics.design)
  • Re: printer cartridge replacement reality
    ... What is the story concerning HP printers in general? ... unique IDs, and once the printers decides that they're empty, it'll refuse to use them again. ... However, the printer itself remembers the cartridge IDs and I seem to recall it only remembers something like the last two you've used, so it's easy to fool by keeping a set of three cartridges around and rotating their usage. ... magenta and yellow inks in the 42ml colour cartridge divided into three 14ml tanks are a comparative snip at $1550 each per litre ...
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  • Re: printer cartridge replacement reality
    ... >>> What is the story concerning HP printers in general? ... >>unique IDs, and once the printers decides that they're empty, it'll refuse to ... the printer itself remembers the cartridge IDs and I ... >to waste on questionable-quality refill kits. ...
    (sci.electronics.design)