Are there printers that doesn't dry up like the Epson 830?

[chromallly]

I've had it with my Epson 830. I don't print a lot of stuff, just
maybe once or twice every 2 weeks. Everytime it's not used for more
than 2 weeks, the ink head dries up. Everytime I clean the ink head,
it eats up a lot of ink and the cartridge is pretty expensive.
Everytime I print something in pure black and white, the sucker waste
color ink too. It's an ink hog in so many ways. So now, I'm looking
for another printer.

Any recommendation out there? What should I look for to avoid this
same problem? Someone told me that the problem with Epson is that the
ink head is actually built into the cartridge. He said I should look
for a printer that has the ink head built into the printer instead. He
said avoid Epson and Canon. Any truth to this?

I don't want a laser printer though. I want inkjet that can do color
photos, although it doesn't have to be as good as the Epson 830.

 

[Tony]

The fundamental problem is that you print infrequently, all inkjets need to be
used regularly. I recommend that they are used twice a week to print a simple
colour and black image. This is due to the way that inkjet printers work.
Failing to do this will expose the printhead to premature drying up and
clogging.

Firstly e-mail Art Entlich, his e-mail address is e-printerhelpATmvpsDOTorg
(replace AT with@ and DOT with . ) and ask him for his Epson printhead cleaning
manual, see if that helps. Give Art a day or so to reply to you, he is a busy
man, he will not charge you for his advice.

Secondly. You have been misinformed.

Epson printheads are built into the printer, the cartridges you use in Epson
printers are simply ink containers. If the printhead fails and cannot be
recovered using Art's manual you can probably look for a new printer.

Canon printers are constructed in a similar way to Epson printers (although
there are significant differences in the printhead technology) if the printhead
fails in Canon printers you can usually buy a user installable replacement but
the cost of a new printhead approaches the cost of a new printer.

Most Hewlett Packard inkjet printers do have the printhead built into the ink
cartridge, this is a big advantage to people who do not print often because you
can buy new cartridges to recover from clogged heads. Their cartridges are a
bit more expensive because of the built in printhead.

All inkjet printers use black and colour ink during their regular head cleaning
cycles so even if you only print black the colour inks will eventually be used
up. This is a design constraint.

Your printing load does not appear to justify the outlay for a laser although
some of them provide very good photographs. If you cannot live with your Epson
I suggest a Hewlett Packard inkjet printer because you can recover from clogged
heads by buying new cartridges (as stated above).

Finally, I strongly recommend against Lexmark and Brother inkjets. Lexmark
cartridges cost heaps and Brother inkjets have a current problem with premature
head failures (Google for Brother error 41 and see for yourself).

Good luck
Tony

 

[zakezuke]

I've had it with my Epson 830. I don't print a lot of stuff, just

maybe once or twice every 2 weeks. Everytime it's not used for more
than 2 weeks, the ink head dries up. Everytime I clean the ink head,
it eats up a lot of ink and the cartridge is pretty expensive.

Before considering another printer ask for Arthur Entlich's cleaning
manual. his e-mail addy can be found at this link
http://groups-beta.google.com/group...n+830+cleaning+e-mail&rnum=1#841f005d7d718218

Either that or run an automated print job daily. The epsons i've found
to be fickle but the output is top notch.

Someone told me that the problem with Epson is that the
ink head is actually built into the cartridge. He said I should look
for a printer that has the ink head built into the printer instead

How odd, I rather thought that the epson 830 was head built into the
printer, but i've not met the 830 personaly, it not being a US model.
I rather thought they were ink tanks, where the color tank was joined 5
color single unit.

But you have a few basic choices.

1. HP thermal pritnhead on the cartrage. Costs a bit more/page but
you get fresh nozzles each purchace.Now with options for pigmentd ink.


2. Epson piezoelectric head not end user replacable. A royal pain if
they clog, but very tolerate of just about any medium you put through
it. I'm told newer Epsons have a better system for parking the head on
the gasket... my last r200 knocked the gasket away and clogged. Can
sometimes be cleaned with windoleen. Options for pigmented ink or dye
ink depending on model.

3. Canon thermal bubble jet. Seperate printhead from the inktanks.
In the states these cost a little tiny bit less than the printer to
replace, but I don't know anyone personaly who's had to replace one.
In the UK one pays more for the printer, think it's the philips license
fee to print on CDs, cooler auto switching power supply, that sort of
thing. No win-xp 64drivers. Perhaps not as lightfast as other
options, but the text is top notch.

Frustrated by epson I went with a ip3000 to get my feet wet in canons.
I'm most pleased finishing off the ink the printer came with. This is
a pretty base printer, but I liked it well enough to buy one of their
multi-fuctionals based on the ip4000. Very passible photos if a tad
punchy for my taste. But the ip4000 doesn't offer the 4+2 color
printing that the 830 does, and I don't know if your in the market for
a photo printer, text printer, or multi-purpose. Don't even know your
budget. If I was buying a pure photo printer and CD printing wasn't on
my menu, i'd go with the older canon i960... has the light inks like
your epson did and more nozzles than the current ip6000 but lacking the
colour screen, cd printing, and dual trays.

I know less about the current HP models, only that while Canon and
Epson are offering more colors, like red and blue for example, HP is
offering more shades of greys on their printers, some taking up to 3
multi tanked carts.

 

[Dave]

I've had it with my Epson 830. I don't print a lot of stuff, just
maybe once or twice every 2 weeks. Everytime it's not used for more
than 2 weeks, the ink head dries up. Everytime I clean the ink head,
it eats up a lot of ink and the cartridge is pretty expensive.
Everytime I print something in pure black and white, the sucker waste
color ink too. It's an ink hog in so many ways. So now, I'm looking
for another printer.

Any recommendation out there? What should I look for to avoid this
same problem? Someone told me that the problem with Epson is that the
ink head is actually built into the cartridge. He said I should look
for a printer that has the ink head built into the printer instead. He
said avoid Epson and Canon. Any truth to this?

I don't want a laser printer though. I want inkjet that can do color
photos, although it doesn't have to be as good as the Epson 830.

Hi,

I'm a bit surprised that with your printing load (very light) that no
one has suggested a dye-sub printer.

I solved all my clogging (Epson) problems by getting an inexpensive
HiTouch 631PL printer from Tiger Direct to handle my 6x4 printing needs
and send out anything larger.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1036680&CatId=240

Tiger sells the 630 for $109.95 if memory serves or you can get it
directly from HiTouch for $129.95. Printing media goes for $19.95 for 50
pieces which includes the ribbon cartridge. Not the cheapest way to
print 6x4s, but you'll never again have a head clog (there is no head)
and the output is quite good.

http://www.hitouchimaging.com/



Just my $.02.

Hope this helps,
Dave

 

[Bob Headrick]

(e-mail address removed) wrote: [snip]

Any recommendation out there? What should I look for to avoid this
same problem? Someone told me that the problem with Epson is that the
ink head is actually built into the cartridge. He said I should look
for a printer that has the ink head built into the printer instead. He
said avoid Epson and Canon. Any truth to this?

Actually most or these have the printhead built into the printer (replaceable
in the Canon case), not the printhead. Printers with the printhead in the ink
cartridge give you a new printhead with every new cartridge and would probably
be less prone to the problem you describe.

You might take a look at the HP DeskJet 6540 or 5740 at
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF02a/18972-236251-236261.html

I'm a bit surprised that with your printing load (very light) that no one has
suggested a dye-sub printer.

Not a good choice if print permanence is a criteria or if you need to print
text.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

 

[measekite]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

[snip]

Any recommendation out there? What should I look for to avoid this
same problem? Someone told me that the problem with Epson is that the
ink head is actually built into the cartridge. He said I should look
for a printer that has the ink head built into the printer instead. He
said avoid Epson and Canon. Any truth to this?

Actually most or these have the printhead built into the printer (replaceable
in the Canon case), not the printhead. Printers with the printhead in the ink
cartridge give you a new printhead with every new cartridge and would probably
be less prone to the problem you describe.

You might take a look at the HP DeskJet 6540 or 5740 at
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/sm/WF02a/18972-236251-236261.html

I'm a bit surprised that with your printing load (very light) that no one has
suggested a dye-sub printer.

Not a good choice if print permanence is a criteria or if you need to print
text.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP

FOR VERY INFREQUENT PRINTING, THE HPS' THAT HAVE THE HEAD BUILT WITH THE
CART IS THE BETTER WAY TO GO EVEN THOUGH IT IS WAY OVERPRICED. BUT AT
LEAST IF YOU PAY THE PRICE YOU WILL AVOID THE HEADACHES. ALSO THIS
POSTER (IF YOU ASK HIM) WILL TELL YOU THAT HP DOES NOT RECOMMEND
AFTERMARKET INKS OR REMFG CARTS.

HE EITHER WILL NOT ANSWER AT ALL OR WILL NOT SPEAK FOR HIS EMPLOYER. HE
KNOWS WHAT HIS EMPLOYER RECOMMENDS. HP INK FOR HP PRINTERS. HE WILL
PROBABLY ALSO ADMIT THAT CANON RECOMMENDS CANON INK FOR THEIR PRINTERS
AND EPSON RECOMMENDS EPSON INK FOR THEIR PRINTERS.

 

[Taliesyn]

FOR VERY INFREQUENT PRINTING, THE HPS' THAT HAVE THE HEAD BUILT WITH THE
CART IS THE BETTER WAY TO GO EVEN THOUGH IT IS WAY OVERPRICED. BUT AT
LEAST IF YOU PAY THE PRICE YOU WILL AVOID THE HEADACHES. ALSO THIS
POSTER (IF YOU ASK HIM) WILL TELL YOU THAT HP DOES NOT RECOMMEND
AFTERMARKET INKS OR REMFG CARTS.

HE EITHER WILL NOT ANSWER AT ALL OR WILL NOT SPEAK FOR HIS EMPLOYER. HE
KNOWS WHAT HIS EMPLOYER RECOMMENDS. HP INK FOR HP PRINTERS. HE WILL
PROBABLY ALSO ADMIT THAT CANON RECOMMENDS CANON INK FOR THEIR PRINTERS
AND EPSON RECOMMENDS EPSON INK FOR THEIR PRINTERS.

You're absolutely obsessed, possessed, terminally addicted and
infatuated with non-OEM inks. Just can't stop talking about them
for even five minutes. And you don't even use them. Hmmmm. I don't
know where, or how, they give you kicks and the adrenaline rush.
Sorry, I get nothing from them. I just use them. It's just ink. Ink
without a fancy price. There's really nothing to talk about. This is
exceedingly boring to even talk about here. Think I'll go watch the
skeeters outside. It's a near full moon . . .

-Taliesyn (yawn...)

 

[Irwin Peckinloomer]

(e-mail address removed) wrote:

[snip]

ALSO THIS
POSTER (IF YOU ASK HIM) WILL TELL YOU THAT HP DOES NOT RECOMMEND
AFTERMARKET INKS OR REMFG CARTS.

Just like Ford recommends Ford filters for their cars, but no-one in
their right mind buys them!

 

[Arthur Entlich]

Email me for the Epson Cleaning Manual it has some suggestions. The
820/830 has some problems with poorly integrated cleaning station/head
parking. You need to push it manually to the right when you turn the
printer off to help seal the head in the park position.

Art

 

[measekite]

Bob Headrick wrote:

(e-mail address removed) wrote:




[snip]

ALSO THIS

POSTER (IF YOU ASK HIM) WILL TELL YOU THAT HP DOES NOT RECOMMEND
AFTERMARKET INKS OR REMFG CARTS.

Just like Ford recommends Ford filters for their cars, but no-one in
their right mind buys them!

NOT IF YOU ARE IN PUBERTY

 

[windozbloz]

Hello

My HP6122 also spit out some red when I thought I was set to print B&W.
Eventually I learned there are a couple places that need to be set right.

FIRST refers to a choice between B&W, set to black it still spits out red
when printing pages from the web.

SECOND Antoher setting not in the same place gives the choice between
greyscale and color. setting that to greyscale stopped the red issue.

THIRD there is a place on mine where I can select various print qualities.
I select DRAFT and MINIMIZE INK USE. This makes a HUGE difference on how
much ink gets laid down.

FOURTH realize all printer manufacturers are doing every unscrupulus thing
they can get away with to install a pipeline between your wallet and their
bottom lime.

There are several ways to play their game and win... Think

Doug
LINUX protects me from the GATES of hell.