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Printer Ink

K

KellyClarksonTV

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi The other day I was trying to print a B&W document and the printer refused
saying the magenta ink was out. Is it possible to print B&W documents without
replacing the color inks?

Thanks!
 
R

Robert Baer

Jan 1, 1970
0
KellyClarksonTV said:
Hi The other day I was trying to print a B&W document and the printer refused
saying the magenta ink was out. Is it possible to print B&W documents without
replacing the color inks?

Thanks!

Yes; get a dumber (older) printer.
Some prriter drivers allow one to select B&W or color.
But if the printer gives actual feedback, this probably would not work
anyway.
 
K

KellyClarksonTV

Jan 1, 1970
0
argh! Color ink is so expensive, and I'll probably not use it again anyways ...
could I fill the cartidge with water to trick the printer that there is new
ink, since I'm not using it now? Would this hurt the printer?
 
P

petrus bitbyter

Jan 1, 1970
0
KellyClarksonTV said:
argh! Color ink is so expensive, and I'll probably not use it again anyways ...
could I fill the cartidge with water to trick the printer that there is new
ink, since I'm not using it now? Would this hurt the printer?

You'd better tell us what printer you're talking about.

petrus bitbyter
 
R

Robert Baer

Jan 1, 1970
0
KellyClarksonTV said:
argh! Color ink is so expensive, and I'll probably not use it again anyways ...
could I fill the cartidge with water to trick the printer that there is new
ink, since I'm not using it now? Would this hurt the printer?

I do not think that would work, especially with a "smart" printer.
Some use cartridges with a chip for monitoring, and that would have to
be re-programmed to indicate "full".
Furthermore, water flows too easily; good chance you would have a
nasty mess.
If the printer is not too smart, maybe a black cartridge would work as
replacement?
 
K

KellyClarksonTV

Jan 1, 1970
0
Maybe ... except they are a different size
 
J

Julie

Jan 1, 1970
0
KellyClarksonTV said:
Maybe ... except they are a different size

Go to a thrift shop and pick up a used b&w inkjet printer.
 
K

KellyClarksonTV

Jan 1, 1970
0
But my question is, WHY does it care the color ink is out if all you want to
print is B&W?
 
C

classd101

Jan 1, 1970
0
But my question is, WHY does it care the color ink is out if all you want to
print is B&W?

Just put it in your alkaline charger... nah just jokin.

Probably just another attempt to rip you off more, same reason they're
starting to use chips in them to prevent you from refilling them.

We should find a decent printer that's a little more user friendly in
that respect and boycott all others until they smarten up.
 
N

Nirodac

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Probably" is not the correct term. They ARE ripping us off.
At one time Cannon sold printers that required only an ink tub replacement.
You kept the same print head. Trouble was two fold. 1. it was very easy
and very cheap to fill the tub ( I found a source that would sell ink by the
gallon, $70.00USD), Cannon made no money on this beyond the original sale of
the printer. 2. After about five tubs of ink the print head started to clog
up, but, it too was a user replaceable unit, which meant it could be easily
removed from the printer and, say, soaked in warm water (you where supposed
to buy a new print head), again Cannon lost a sale.
Then the printer manufacturers realized that if they sold you a cheap
printer, say for $50.00USD they would then have you by the short and curlies
for supplies, like print head ink cartridges. Kinda like Gillet giving away
free razors, then having you come back to buy their blades for the next
twenty years. But then the refillers came along with ways of refilling the
cartridge. So they made smart cartridges, that count each drop of ink
expelled, then shut off the print head after the last drop was spit out.
Now you have no choice but to buy their new, expensive, cartridges. Some
cartridges can be reprogrammed, some are however encrypted, and once dead,
they stay that way.
Ever wonder why laptop batteries die instantly. Its cause they have a
micro built in that shuts them off after so much usage. You can't even
replace the cells and have a "good " pack again, the micro just would come
back to life.

Ah, isn't technology wonderful.
 
C

classd101

Jan 1, 1970
0
Yeah and if you have buy both a black and clored cartridge, you just
spent more money than your printer is worth brand new.

I'm not the type of person for frivolous lawsuits but.. it's high time
they got a real slap in the face. Those cartridges are faaaaar
overpriced anyway, if they just sold them for what they were worth it
wouldn't be an issue, like 5 to 10$ max. What can we do about it,
other than bend over?

I never had a problem with canon though, never! I still have my first
canon printer actually, in a box collecting dust. I never ran out of
ink with it, as best as I can recall. It liked to chew up paper a
dozen at a time, and only print a line of gibberish on each page, so
really it didn't use alot of ink.
 
R

Robert Baer

Jan 1, 1970
0
I have used a Canon BJC-4100 and a Canon BJC-4300 and have had zero
print problems, given good cartridges.
I buy the remanufactured cartridges, and then refill them with the
generic refill ink, untill the cartridge goes bad.
I paid about $7.00 each for the printers at Goodwill, and they both
have lasted for years...
 
J

JeffM

Jan 1, 1970
0
So they made smart cartridges, that count each drop of ink expelled,Not Canon. If you buy Lexmark, Epson, or HP (chipped printer cartridges),
you get what you deserve.
There are actually aftermarket modders who use reservoirs this large.
http://www.google.com/search?&q=continuous-flow-printers
The trick to getting economical consumables
is not to buy the cheapest printer--with an all-colors-in-one cartridge.
Canon's Photo series has individually-replaceable CMY tanks.
It sounds like Nirodac is parsimonious--not frugal.
Buying the unit with the lowest initial cost
is not always the most cost-effective way to go.
I have used a Canon BJC-4100 and a Canon BJC-4300
and have had zero print problems, given good cartridges.

I paid about $7.00 each for the printers at Goodwill,
and they both have lasted for years.
Robert Baer
Yup. When buying an inkjet, it's Canon.
When buying anything, look for something
where sombody else has already taken the big hit on the price.
 
N

Nirodac

Jan 1, 1970
0
Actually I did not mean to imply that Canon used chipped cartridges. It was
a general statement. I've used HP, Lexmark, Canon and others over the
years. I do believe that Lexmark and HP count the ink drops. I don't know
about Epson. I should be more clear when posting messages, sorry.
I do know that some manufacturers make printers with replaceable ink resv.
 
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