Is your Cartridge Really Empty?
Jul 29, 2008 Ink Cartridges
There have been several instances when users have reported that their ink cartridges still contained some ink while the software on the computer prompted them to change the ink cartridge. Steven Bass, a blogger at PC World had a firsthand experience with the case of empty cartridges and here’s a recount.
Steve’s Brother 640CW printer recently popped a message demanding for a cartridge change. There was visibly some ink left in the cartridges, yet the prompt for a cartridge change.
Here’s what Steve had to say - “I examined all three allegedly empty cartridges–cyan, yellow, and magenta. From the top to bottom, they measured 1 1/8 inches. There was still roughly 1/4 inch of fluid at the bottom of each one. That’s about a fifth of the cartridge’s capacity, so my loss in ink was roughly $2.25 per cartridge. That’s not exactly big bucks, but enough to make me feel like I was being scammed.”
Steve shot a letter to Brother PR and duly got a reply. The fun with the giant corporate is the diplomacy in their replies.
Here’s Brother’s reply - “…regardless of what small ink volume you may see remaining in an ink cartridge when it needs to be replaced, we guarantee that the ink volume that was provided and ‘used’ meets this industry standard calculation. Any additional ink volume left in a cartridge at that time was not put into the rated yield calculation that is guaranteed by Brother.
“In effect, remaining ink should not be viewed as waste, but as Brother’s affirmative action to provide ongoing high quality output and performance of the machine.”
Printer manufacturers usually provide technical reasoning behind every glitch of theirs. This instance of wasted ink is to save the printer head from drying out but it’s hardly convincing.
My Printer Won’t Work after Refilling
Jul 21, 2008 Ink Cartridges
Yep! This is a statement I have heard over and over again from users who generally cut corners by refilling ink cartridges themselves. I had discussed regarding the repercussions of using cheap refills as an alternative to branded ones and this one falls in the same category.
A user on CNET had a similar problem recently and his query went something like this: My printer gave the following message “The following ink has run out” with the picture of the colored ink cartridge out of the socket appearing. I promptly removed and replaced the refilled colored and black ink a few times to ensure that they are in position but I still cannot print. Please help. Thanks.
The solution to this problem is complex and cannot be determined by an error/warning message displayed by the printer. Such a problem could arise due to damage to the chip on the ink cartridge or generally speaking, the chip on the cartridge needs a reset before inserting back on the printer. There are applications available to take care of it.
Secondly, the inks manufactured by branded companies are irreplicable and there is a chance that printer heads could get damaged by using other unspecified inks. Also, the quality of prints offered by refills is quite far from the manufacturer’s prints.
Here is CNET author’s reply: Generally, it is not advisable to use refillable ink systems or third-party ink cartridges. It may be cheaper (lots cheaper in some instances) but the ink quality may not be as good and may clog up your printer’s ink head. Also, should your printer be damaged due to the use of inks other then the original manufacturer’s, the warranty will be void.
Is it Advisable to Refill Ink Cartridges?
Jul 20, 2008 Ink Cartridges
While printer manufacturers keep the cost of printers at a bare minimum, the ink cartridge – often referred to as rainbow gold - overtakes the device price within a few months of usage. While branded ink cartridges cost a hefty sum, there are other smaller branded cartridges available for a much cheaper price. Yet another option would be to bank on refilling the ink cartridge by ourselves. How safe is it?
Refilling ink cartridges on our own requires confidence and more importantly talent to do so. It offers us both sides of the coin – most affordable rates and a disaster if refilling doesn’t go right.
One way of refilling involves drilling a small hole in the cartridge and pushing ink into it using a syringe. Once done, the hole can be sealed off either by pouring liquid wax on it or melting the plastic around the cartridge with a hot object.
There is one risk though with refilling. Chips mounted on ink cartridges are so smart that they recognize refills and can instruct the printer to reject refills. Simply refilling the cartridges does not trick the chip. It must either be reset using software, taped over or otherwise rendered inoperable.
Another hack could be to disable the chip and the user must actively check ink levels during usage as he could run into the risk of spoiling the printer by running them dry.
“Our refilled cartridges are 40 to 60 per cent cheaper than the original models,” says Antje Kiewitt from Cartridge World.
Ink cartridges can be refilled between three and seven times before the print heads render useless.
So, is the risk worth taking to save some valuable money? Maybe not! The risk of spoiling the printer stands at a higher chance and the savings aren’t worth the trouble as well. But, at the end of the day, it all depends on the volume one prints.
Little Something about Inkjet Printers
Mar 24, 2008 General, Ink Cartridges
Consumers have been complaining of soaring ink prices and the returns they fetch. Inks are expensive and it hurts when it’s wasted. Well, wastage not in terms of printing unwanted material but the hidden wastes that no printer manufacturers project.
Here’s a fact about inkjet printers that all consumers should know. During the lifecycle of printing, it seems that all the ink contained in the cartridge is not deposited on paper but elsewhere. The video embedded below shows that there’s a significant amount of ink that is deposited into a waste ink container while it performs head cleaning; a criminal waste really.
There is nothing much one can do about this wasted ink as all inkjet printers are guilty of wasting ink in a similar manner. I hope that in the future, the ink squirted for keeping the nozzle clean could be reused.
Third Party Inks for Epson
Nov 5, 2007 Ink Cartridges
In an ever-improving effort to reduce the printing costs, a new solution seems to be in place by a third party vendor. Jon Cone, who produces BW inks for Epson has announced the arrival of cheaper ink-sets for Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 7800 and 9800 printers. The new ink system consists of transparent refillable ink cartridge along with refill inks.
ConeColor Inks as it’s called are formulated to match Ultrachrome K3 printers. The new set of inks can be used along with the existing Epson’s ICC profiles.
Refillable cartridge systems are easy to use and fill. At a glance you can see your ink levels and you never have to waste ink as you do with standard cartridges which when thrown away still contain valuable ink. The impact of this on the environment comes with the added benefit of reducing the amount of toxic and carcinogenic materials that are required in the manufacturer of semiconductor chips which are required for use in EPSON printers.
The ConeColor inks also add in saving our environment. The amount of inks saved along with the ink containers will definitely help in the cause.
More importantly, the manufacturer claims that a consumer will save up to 65% of ink costs by going with ConeColor. 1 liter of ConeColor ink costs £92 while the standard ink costs £255 for the same quantity.
The ConeColor ink is definitely a valuable replacement for the perennial problem of rising print prices. Before professionals can accept it, it needs to thoroughly tested for quality and durability. Note that this ink will not work on Epson’s Stylus Pro printers that use Vivid Magenta inks.
HP vs Kodak : Cost Per Page Comparison
Jul 10, 2007 Ink Cartridges, Review
Kodak’s introduction into the printer market has thrown other printer manufacturers into tantrums. Kodak has climbed the ladder quite easily but a leader for years under the banner of HP has been a fierce competitor presently.
Computer World’s national correspondent, Robert Mitchell has perhaps conducted the most detailed comparison between HP and Kodak printers for cost per page deduction. He pitted HP Photosmart C5180 All-in-One printer against Kodak Easyshare 5300 All-in-One printer.
Robert decided to use low grade paper for testing from the respective companies as low grade papers tend to use less ink. He used HP’s Everyday paper for testing with 5180 and Kodak’s Photo paper along with the 5300.
The difference between the quality of prints between the compared printers was minimal. The Kodak cost per page for black prints was £1.5 for 100 pages while HP was doubly expensive at £3. Kodak won the battle hands down for colour prints. Kodak’s cost per page for colour prints was at £3.5 for 100 pages while HP measured at £12.
However, both printers have its share of pros and cons and would make it hard to find a single winner.
Cryptography to Avert Ink Piracy?
Jul 9, 2007 Ink Cartridges, Innovation
Printer manufacturers make peanuts selling printers when compared to the ink cartridge sales. Selling a printer is a one time deal but ink cartridges are sold regularly based on the usage. Printer companies have been waging a losing battle against third party cartridge manufacturers. Here is something to cheer about; a chip that allows printers work with its designated cartridges alone.
Cryptography Research Inc. (CRI), a San Francisco company, is developing chip technology aimed at helping printer manufacturers protect this primary source of profit. The company’s chips use cryptography designed to make it harder for printers to use off-brand and counterfeit cartridges.
Cryptography is a technology which encrypts the data communication between the printer and the cartridge. Hence, the printer will only recognize the original cartridge associated with it and others would be rejected. As a result, the consumer is forced to buy branded cartridges and would be left with no other alternatives. This brings in huge profits to printer manufacturers but consumers are exposed to face the brunt.
If the developer is smart, the hacker has traditionally been smarter. There have been numerous products which were claimed to be unhackable that have been hacked. It would be a matter of time before hackers find a way past cryptography.
Via CNET
Rising Ink Prices Reduces Home Printing and Office Printing has Shot Up
Jun 1, 2007 Ink Cartridges, News
How do people satisfy their hunger of printing personal documents if they can’t afford ink cartridges or if they do not wish to spend on it? Very simple, use office printers. The era of sneaking pen and other stationery has transformed into ink sneaking in the offices today. In my previous post, I talked about the reduced consumption of printing at homes as a resultant of steep ink prices; here’s a workaround scripted, acted and directed by home printer users themselves.
60% of office goers who own a printer at home print personal documents at offices with 70% of them claiming to print personal documents after office hours. More than half of them print at offices citing the prices while the rest have blamed the printing speed.
What are ink sneaks printing? The survey reports that maps and directions (60%) and online research or web site information (49%) are the two types of personal printing documents most often inked at work. Other personal printing done on the job include:
— Personal office correspondence (42%)
— Travel itineraries (42%)
— Articles from online news sources (35%)
— Photos (20%); Recipes (18%), Online shopping receipts (17%)
It is pathetic that co-workers who witness the horrendous crime of printing personal documents at work don’t bother to inform the people in charge.
The concluding part to this sequel is interesting and is based on individuals rather a sample.
via Yahoo Biz
Rising Ink Prices Reduces Home Printing
Jun 1, 2007 Ink Cartridges, News
Kodak has hired Braun Research, a private marketing and public opinion research firm to get the inside story on home printing. Recently Kodak had also hired professional testers to test the price of printing for each page using different printers and inks. This time the research is not aimed at glorifying Kodak but to obtain virtual publicity by taking credit for the survey.
A survey conducted in the United States reveals that 50% of the home printer users would print more if the ink was cheaper. 60% of the respondents felt that the printer ink was expensive and they try not to waste it. It may be a good thing for the environment that the expensive inks are conserving paper; it doesn’t matter how our environment is protected, as long as they are protected.
The survey also reveals sacrifice, compromise and even sneaking around in the name of ink savings, such as:
— Printing in black and white to conserve color ink (59%)
— Printing in “draft” or “economy” mode (33%)
— Denying themselves a hardcopy all together - choosing to view things on screen instead of printing (57%)
— Avoid printing photos (30%)
— Printing at other locations, such as a friend’s house (25%)
The survey might have been conducted in the US but I am absolutely sure that a similar response would be obtained if the same was conducted in the UK and Europe. There is a sequel to this post; next up will be how home printers satisfy their craving of needing to print more and more.
via Yahoo Biz
Test Results - Kodak Provides Best Cost Per Page
May 18, 2007 Ink Cartridges
Kodak’s strategy since its re-introduction into the inkjet printer market is the slashed prices of ink cartridges. There were several reviews and views that Kodak maybe underselling itself in a bid to capture the market. Kodak has set the battle back in its favour by funding tests to identify the cost per page value with 12 other printers. These tests were carried out by QualityLogic Inc, a professional testing corporation. The testing procedure for black/white and colour prints is in adherence with the ISO standards for measuring ink cartridges.
From QualityLogic’s ink yield data, Kodak developed an ink cost-per-page analysis, comparing cost of ink and printer photo paper for all printer models tested. The analysis confirmed that in every case, Kodak EasyShare AIO printers offer consumers more pages for every $5 of ink purchased. Savings are based on printing of documents and photos, using average ink costs of comparable consumer inkjet printers.
The truth is out; Kodak is cheap and best in the market today. HPs tactics of midget ink cartridges might backfire but with HP backers in every nook and corner, it is still a close race to come out on the top. The profit/loss results will be out at the end of present quarter which should give us a clear picture on the market leader.
