Epson "ink is low" ripoff

[Stacey]

Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer after this
experience.

Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big enough
black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't have to
replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always used canon
printers in the past and these types of things were good to have. I am
using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to conserve ink. WRONG.

Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left
by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
as I've never printed any color pages! I can shake the wells and they are
just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

 

[Jan Panteltje]

**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer after this
experience.

Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big enough
black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't have to
replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always used canon
printers in the past and these types of things were good to have. I am
using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to conserve ink. WRONG.

Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left
by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
as I've never printed any color pages! I can shake the wells and they are
just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

I have an Epson Color 460.
The trick is, if it says no more ink, take out ink cartrigde, and put it back in.
Then it thinks it is full again.
Later versions (then mine) had a chip to prevent you from doing this.
I have heard about work arounds, maybe google a bit.
The Epson is pretty good most of the time, I can for example make PCB layout with it.
I do no tuse original Epson ink, as it showed not to be waterporrof, but ink from www.inkclub.com.
That seems to be better waterproof.
Does this help?
Dunno.
Perhaps

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[Capt Ron]

Have you contacted epson about this issue? You may have a defective printer.
I like epson printers, but my favorite is still canon or xerox solid ink for
photo color.

 

[Larc]

| Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer after this
| experience.
|
| Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big enough
| black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't have to
| replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always used canon
| printers in the past and these types of things were good to have. I am
| using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to conserve ink. WRONG.
|
| Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left
| by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
| pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
| a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
| ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
| because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
| as I've never printed any color pages! I can shake the wells and they are
| just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
| software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
| color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
| this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
| ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.
|
| Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
| seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
| printer..

Have you tried removing the color cartridges and then putting them
back in as if you were installing new ones?

One reason I've stayed away from inkjet printers for B&W text is ink
cost. My 9-year-old HP laser is still doing a fantastic job on text
and I'm only on my second toner cartridge.

Larc



§§§ - Change planet to earth to reply by email - §§§

 

[Noozer]

Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left

All inkjet printers work that way.

by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
as I've never printed any color pages!

Every time the printer starts, it runs a cleaning cycle. This is a big
ripoff and most printers do this as well. Unless you've never turned your
printer on, the colour cartridges are not completely full.

I can shake the wells and they are

just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.

This sounds more like a broken printer. For all the cartridges to run out at
exactly the same time would definately be hard to do.

One thing though... Your driver may be using the colour ink to make it's
black. This might use up the ink in equal amounts (just a guess). I do
remember a while back that if your page had ONE SINGLE DOT of colour, then
the colour cartridges got used for everything, including black.

The reason Epson cartriges still look like they are usable is because the
are marked "empty" early to avoid air bubbles getting into the print head.
An air bubble can be the kiss of death to an Epson printer because of the
way the printhead works.

All I can say is that my Epson Photo 700 has been working great for years.
It's left on 24/7 connected to an ethernet print server and the only work
it's needed is an occasional cleaning.

 

[Ken Rushton]

Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer after this
experience.

Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big enough
black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't have to
replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always used canon
printers in the past and these types of things were good to have. I am
using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to conserve ink. WRONG.

Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left
by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
as I've never printed any color pages! I can shake the wells and they are
just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

Hi,
I have an Epson Stylus Photo printer but I got round the ink rip-off by
buying a liitle device called ZAP-IT on eBay. Cost about £8 I think. All
you do is put the cartidge in the device when it says "out of ink", press
a button and it zaps the chip. Put the cartridge back in the printer and
carry on printing. The next time you see the "out of ink" message it
really will be empty. Well worth the price as it's surprising how much
ink is left when you're told there's none.

Ken Rushton

 

[Dave C.]

Hi,

I have an Epson Stylus Photo printer but I got round the ink rip-off by
buying a liitle device called ZAP-IT on eBay. Cost about £8 I think. All
you do is put the cartidge in the device when it says "out of ink", press
a button and it zaps the chip. Put the cartridge back in the printer and
carry on printing. The next time you see the "out of ink" message it
really will be empty. Well worth the price as it's surprising how much
ink is left when you're told there's none.

Ken Rushton

You're screwed anyway. Last I checked, Epson still had the print heads
built into the printer. So when the print head wears out, you throw the
printer away. And guess what? Run the ink dry by using the Zap-It, and
your print head will wear out faster. Just refuse to buy Epson. Go HP or
Canon instead. The fact that you have to use a zap-it should be enough to
convince you that Epson is a company that you should NOT deal with, in any
manner. -Dave

 

[z]

Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer
after this experience.

Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big
enough black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't
have to replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always
used canon printers in the past and these types of things were good to
have. I am using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to
conserve ink. WRONG.

I feel your pain.

I finally bought a laserjet -- I'll never EVER buy another inkjet. screw
em. If I have to print color i'll get a dyesub

 

[rstlne]

You're screwed anyway. Last I checked, Epson still had the print heads

built into the printer. So when the print head wears out, you throw the
printer away. And guess what? Run the ink dry by using the Zap-It, and
your print head will wear out faster. Just refuse to buy Epson. Go HP or
Canon instead. The fact that you have to use a zap-it should be enough to
convince you that Epson is a company that you should NOT deal with, in any
manner. -Dave

I think that Any company who you buy non-refillable chipped carts from are
ripping off the consumer..
My next printer will be lazer.. My Epson CX3200 gets "Lines" in it
sometimes and stops priting correctly (due to my lack of use I would
guess)..
I can watch the ink meter go from 100% (new cart) to 50% JUST by running the
cleaning process.

 

[GTS]

The trick is to use cheap copy cartridges. I use Qjet cartridges and you can
buy a pack of four for about the same price as one genuine Epson cart. And
unlike some other brands, the quality is every bit as good as the Epson
ones...

 

[Matt]

your print head will wear out faster. Just refuse to buy Epson. Go HP or
Canon instead. The fact that you have to use a zap-it should be enough to
convince you that Epson is a company that you should NOT deal with, in any
manner. -Dave

Wow ... you really are amazing ...

As I understand it, Epson makes scanners that are all eminently
compatible with Linux.

 

[Matt]

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

I was casually thinking about getting a C84 since they work with linux,
so thanks.

Not clear whether you've seen something like this (now at
www.techbargains.com):

Epson Chip Resetter, Jun 23

abcink.com has a Epson Chip Resetter for $12.95 with code: WYS0604 Exp 6/27

Universal Epson Resetter will RESET this memory chip, allowing you to
refill the cartridge and allowing the printer to recognize it as a brand
new cartridge. Anyone smell DMCA coming?

 

[Never anonymous Bud]

I've always used canon printers in the past

I switched to Canon more than a year ago.

I550 first, then an i860.

Price is a bit more than similar Epson, but ink lasts longer ON the print
(less fading), costs less, AND the carts are refillable.

In addition, both Canons do borderless printing.

Only complaint I have is they aren't network-compatible,
so I won't be getting another.

 

[rstlne]

The trick is to use cheap copy cartridges. I use Qjet cartridges and you can
buy a pack of four for about the same price as one genuine Epson cart. And
unlike some other brands, the quality is every bit as good as the Epson
ones...

Yea, I didnt do this out of fear that something would go wrong with the unit
and they would know about it (thus invalidating my warranty)..
but figguring a black cart going for about 25% of the units cost I soon came
to say to hell with it

 

[Franc Zabkar]

Just a heads up, I'm never going to use/buy another epson printer after this
experience.

Bought a C84 for doing only B&W text printing. Seemed to have a big enough
black cart and 3 colors instead of just one color so I wouldn't have to
replace all the colors when one ran out if ever. I've always used canon
printers in the past and these types of things were good to have. I am
using linux and had the printer set on "draft" mode to conserve ink. WRONG.

Epson doesn't measure the ink levels, the "estimate" how much ink is left
by how many pages are printed and shuts down the printer after this many
pages no matter how much ink is left. First the black "ran out" so I bought
a high capacity cart thinking this would help (extra $ and probably no more
ink they just "let" you print more pages with that one!) Now it won't print
because the color well are all "out of ink" and they are still totally full
as I've never printed any color pages! I can shake the wells and they are
just as full as new ones yet the printer won't work and this isn't a
software thing, it's in the printer itself. Why have separate carts for
color if the printer is going to claim they are all out at once? As soon as
this ink "runs out", this POS is going into the trash. They should be
ashamed of themselves for stealing money from people this way.

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

Whenever I see this sort of thing, my hatred for Greenies escalates.
Instead of "saving the planet" from plastic bags, and from brave new
lifesaving biotechnology, these ignorant useless flat-earthers should
be preventing needless waste by agitating for legislation that would
force manufacturers to provide economically priced recyclable
consumables. As it is now, the price of replacement cartridges often
exceeds the price of a new printer, which means that perfectly good
gear ends up in landfill.


- Franc Zabkar

 

[Stacey]

Have you tried removing the color cartridges and then putting them
back in as if you were installing new ones?

Yep tried it with it powered up and powered down. Seems they "fixed" this
way of working around this.

 

[Stacey]

All inkjet printers work that way.

Nope, canon does it optically so when it says "low on ink" it's really low
on ink. BTW I have new color carts and when I shake them they sounds like
the same amount of ink as the "empty" ones. If any ink has been used, it's
VERY little. The printer stays on 24/7 so almost never is cycled. This is a
rip off plain and simple.

 

[Stacey]

I was casually thinking about getting a C84 since they work with linux,
so thanks.

Not clear whether you've seen something like this (now at
www.techbargains.com):

Epson Chip Resetter, Jun 23

abcink.com has a Epson Chip Resetter for $12.95 with code: WYS0604 Exp
6/27

Thanx a bunch. I ordered one, cheaper than buying a new printer (or ink all
the time..) and my sister has one of these models as well.

 

[Trent©]

I switched to Canon more than a year ago.

I550 first, then an i860.

Price is a bit more than similar Epson, but ink lasts longer ON the print
(less fading), costs less, AND the carts are refillable.

In addition, both Canons do borderless printing.

Only complaint I have is they aren't network-compatible,
so I won't be getting another.

I'm running a Canon over a network.


Have a nice week...

Trent©

Follow Joan Rivers' example --- get pre-embalmed!

 

[Dick Sidbury]

Anyway hope this helps someone from making the same mistake I did. I have
seen the "hacks" but they look like way to much work to save a $50
printer..

I got one for "free" from the office when we got a new notebook. I
googled "epson c84 hack" and came up ... dry. Can you give me a heads up?

thanks

dick