HP Sabotages Printers To Reject 3ed Party Cartridges

[eniwetok]

There are many signs that capitalism has reached the cancerous stage... where it start to consume or destroy its host nation... and planet. This isn't an example of that... only of how pathological capitalism can get when not effectively regulated.

http://www.myce.com/news/hp-pre-programmed-failure-date-unofficial-non-hp-ink-cartridges-printers-80457/

According to http://www.myce.com/news/hp-officially-responds-pre-programmed-failure-date-non-hp-cartridges-80467/

Now HP confirmed this was intentional to the Dutch public broadcasting station ‘NOS’.

“HP printers reject non-HP cartridges in several cases. This is protect innovation and intellectual property, but also to improve the safety of products for customers” , HP told the NOS in a statement. HP also added that, “the company indeed made changes to the software of several printer types”.

The changes are made according to HP, “to protect the printers and to protect the communication between the cartridge and the printer.”

“Affected printers will continue to work with refilled cartridges if they contain the original HP security chip. Other cartridges possibly don’t work”, HP added.

[Egnever]

1. This has been going on for years

The printer business is built on a model these days of recouping the cost of the printer in the sales of ink.

Been that way for quite some time . HP makes garbage anyway you should avoid their stuff just because the quality is so poor.

[eniwetok]

3. Sure... I know the game... but this is an escalation

Sure, the printer companies have long been playing the razor and the blades game. But this is an escalation of that game where the company is preventing the owner of the product from using it.

[Egnever]

4. No it has been going on for years now

Yes it was an escalation years ago but it has been ongoing for at least 5 years probably more.

They are getting better at detecting refills but the attempt to reject them has been going on for a long time now.

[WillowTree]

7. No, not preventing you from using it.

Just preventing you from using other than HP ink cartridges in it. At least in some cases, it'll even reject re-filled HP cartridges. It's been that way for quite awhile now. If it bothers you that much, find another brand of printer that you like as well that doesn't require proprietary ink.

[Rex]

2. Well then I guess I will never recommend another HP printer, shame they work well.

However I can recommend another that is just as good...EAT IT HP.

[eniwetok]

5. and I will NEVER recommend Epson

I went with Epson back a decade ago because they introduced pigment based ink that didn't run when it got wet. The first printer already had the chips in the cartridges... and died in a year. I bought a second one when Comp USA went out of business and I've been swearing at it ever since because ink just disappears even though I do almost no printing.

[Generic Brad]

8. Are there any alternatives other than Epson or HP?

Those seem to be the only brands I have noticed at Best Buy and Costco.

[csziggy]

9. Brother makes good laser printers

They also make ink jets but I have no experience with those.

My husband brought home a Brother printer from work when the location where he worked replaced it since it was well beyond the expected lifespan. It's still printing quite nicely with our home use. When I needed a duplexing printer I bought a refurbished one directly from Brother. I've printed many thousands of pages - at least ten books' worth - and it is still working great.

For photo quality color printing, I still like Epsons, though. My color printer is an all in one Epson bought refurbished directly from their store. Not only can it print up to 13" x 19" in full color, it scans up to 11" x 17" which comes in useful when scanning oversized old documents and photos. I used it to print the color page for my books since it also duplexes. The only thing I don't like is that the ink is very expensive - but I would not use refilled cartridges and take a chance on ruining my printer!

[greyl]

11. We've had great luck with Brother printers and generic cartridges for about 10 years

Here's a very decent one for $99:
Brother MFC-J480DW - Wireless Inkjet Color All-in-One Printer at Amazon

We used to get the cartridges very cheaply at inkjetsuperstore.com, but for the past few years just get those from Amazon, too, like this pack of 16 cartridges for 19 bucks! Sherman Inks and Toner Cartridges ® 16 Pack Brother LC71

I've hated all the HPs and Epsons I've ever met.

[dembotoz]

16. years ago i had a brother that literally broke when i loaded paper the first time

perhaps they have improved

[eniwetok]

6. my first HP...

I bought my first HP back in 97. back then it had one color cartridge. I did quite a bit of printing... full page photos, and I'd get about a year of use. Back then they specified the amount of ink in the cartridges and I calculated the price to be about $3000 a gallon.

[Initech]

15. This is a bad thing? Aftermarket toner cartridges suck ass.

I won't ever buy them ever again after I had one leak all over the place.

[MichMan]

10. I love my Canon

I have a Canon printer and not HP. I take a substantial number of local sports photos and at times sell prints to the participants.The quality of prints from this affordable printer is simply amazing and people can't believe I print them at home.

Not a huge amount of business, but it does help pay for new photo gear and expenses. I would never use anything other than genuine Canon cartridges as saving a few cents per print just isn't worth the risk to me.

[nolabels]

12. Yea, but i betting they all have a shrinking market

Hell, even the IRS is going paperless when possible.

[Adrahil]

13. I've used third party ink before....

It worked in my HP printer, but the quality was terrible. Not only were the colors off, but the ink clogged the print head. Took forever to get it functioning properly again.

[Initech]

14. Good! 3rd party toners are the biggest scam on the planet!

I'd love for John Oliver to expose the aftermarket toner cartridge industry. And they target small businesses like the one my parents own. I swear we must get 3 or 4 calls a day from telemarketers wanting to sell us this crap. I've seen 3rd party toners explode and leak. One time I had to call a repairman and pay $200 to clean a laser printer after a 3rd party toner leaked. After that we made a standing policy never to buy that junk again. So I say fuck aftermarket toner cartridges.

[Jim Beard]

17. I am glad the thread parent posted this at a time I am extremely angry about the cost of owning and

using printers. Buy a cheap printer and cartridges are much higher. Buy an expensive printer and the cartridges and the aren't much cheaper.

And then there is lazer which I will not discuss.