If you have an Epson printer and use generic cartridges to save money -much cheaper than genuine Epson cartridges- then, whatever you do, DON"T UPGRADE YOUR PRINTER DRIVER.
Epson has been incorporating more and more sophisticated cartridge detection software in the drivers. Now latest drivers will detect non-genuine cartridges and refuse to use them.
•Turning off the cartridge monitor in the software won't work.
•Reloading the original driver from your installation disk won't work. The changes are made in the printer firmware, which is not reversible.
•All the old tricks of turning off the printer when changing cartridges and suchlike will not work
The only way the printer will work with the newest drivers is to use genuine Epson cartridges and accept the higher cost.
Incidentally, the latest drivers also stop the printer when a cartridge is detected as empty, regardless of how much ink is left. So you can't continue to use it until the ink actually runs out.
Epson printers also sometimes refuse to recognise genuine cartridges but, that is another story.
Or, you can do what I did and buy another printer because the possible savings in cost by being able to use generic cartridges soon pays for it. And, set your system to not automatically upgrade drivers.eg.How to stop Windows 7 automatically installing drivers (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2500967).
If anyone knows of a hack or method of bypassing the problem; please let me know.
If that is really what has happened, take it back to the vendor as faulty.
Yeah,their getting clever with inbuilt obselesence as well,i had 2 identical Canon printers fail(within a couple of Months of each other) after around 2 years with the same fault,the problem was one was used every day and the other once every Month or so,very strange.
It's not faulty. Works perfectly with the specified Epson cartridges.
What is faulty is Epson's attitude.
Generic cartridges have the driver version marked on the detection chip and work with that (and earlier) driver versions. Won't work if later, upgraded driver is installed. So they are not really faulty either.
Good info there but I use a Canon Pixma that chews up ink like a leaking tap.
What cartridges does it take Bruce? I might be able to send you some left over from a previous printer.
They aren't made to last now -about 2 years seems to be a typical life.
I would still be wary of upgrading drivers (if it ain't broke -don't fix it). If Epson does it then soon, Canon, HP, Brother, Samsung etc. will try the same trick.
My new printer is an upmarket pixma and it has chips in the cartridges and ink level reporting so, a bit of fine tuning, and it might be capable of rejecting unwanted cartridges.
Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='48714' dateline='1399686472'It's not faulty. Works perfectly with the specified Epson...,
A function it had before has stopped working, it's faulty.
The fact that it has been deliberately broken doesn't mean it is not faulty.
To me, that it has been deliberately broken, just makes your claim that it is broken much stronger.
I think this is relevant...
I recommend (and sell and install) Rihac "continuous ink supply systems".
They are an external tank that feeds ink to the printer. There are other brands, but I do not have experience with them.
My HP printer has done over 20000 pages and only the first "starter" cartridges have been original HP.
Installation can be a bit fiddly on some printers, but they work well and save people lots of money.
I really don't make much money out of these, but I still do it as they help people out.
I have looked at CIS systems and they would certainly be the go for someone with high print quantity requirements. Although laser printers are very cheap now; even colour.
I had an A3 inkjet printer years ago. Cost me $600, which was big money then. Three colour cartridges on print head and black in a bladder with pump up system. I could refill the bladder with bulk ink using a syringe. Wonderful.
But eventually the print head needed replacing and the quote for repair was more than the original purchase price. I didn't really have a need for A3 printing by then so I just replaced it with a cheapie A4 printer.
Thanks for the info Jeff, handy to know as my printer/scanner is like me and getting a bit long in the tooth now so I'll probably have to think about a new one soon, I have a cannon pixima as well and when it says I'm out of ink I take the cartridge out give it a little tap to free the ink and it goes for a bit more :)
Quote from: 'JeffH' pid='48719' dateline='1399691308'What cartridges does it take Bruce? I might be able to send you some left over from a previous printer.
They aren't made to last now -about 2 years seems to be a typical life.
I would still be wary of upgrading drivers (if it ain't broke -don't fix it). If Epson does it then soon, Canon, HP, Brother, Samsung etc. will try the same trick.
My new printer is an upmarket pixma and it has chips in the cartridges and ink level reporting so, a bit of fine tuning, and it might be capable of rejecting unwanted cartridges.
Jeff,
Sorry for the late reply.
My printer takes the following: PG1-5BK, CLi-8BK, CLI-8Y, CLI-8M, CLI-8C.
Bruce
Bad luck. That is different to the ones I have.
Quote from: 'Goldseeker' pid='48808' dateline='1399767709'Jeff,
Sorry for the late reply.
My printer takes the following: PG1-5BK, CLi-8BK, CLI-8Y, CLI-8M, CLI-8C.
Bruce
Sounds like this might be useful.
http://www.rihac.com.au/ip4200-ciss-p-207.html
An old article but gives a good overview.
Stink over ink cartridges (http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/08/31/1156817023470.html?page=fullpage)
Well my new printer has nearly depleted the original set of cartridges. So, time for this...
(http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Rihac_1.JPG) (http://www.australian-coins.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10055/Rihac_2.JPG)
Fiddly to instal but once it's in then it's in.
Sounds like an acc issue here....,similar to eBay making everyone use PayPal......can't be done so just complain to the accc