Large numbers of HP printer owners found their printers stopped recognising unofficial printer ink cartridges on 13 September.
Dutch printer ink vendor 123inkt said it had received more than 1,000 complaints in one day.
HP said that during its last firmware update, settings had been changed so HP printers would communicate with only HP-chipped cartridges.
I noticed a year or so ago that My cheapo HP printer would tell me that I had a non-HP ink cartridge installed, then it would (eventually) ask me if I wanted to go ahead and use it. So now there's not even that option anymore? Hmm.
Can't you just re-fill an original HP cartridge?
You can, but somehow HP knows that that particular cartridge has been spent.
You can, but somehow HP knows that that particular cartridge has been spent.
It's their 'instant ink' thing.
The cartridge tells the printer it's running out, and the printer phones home to order a new one.
So even if you are not signed up to it they know your cartridge is empty.
Not sure about now but years ago HP had literally the worst drivers I have ever seen for any hardware product. I now use a brother laser printer and I don't think I've used anything but 3rd party cartridges. I do have my eye on one of these though:
They supposedly come with about 2 years worth of ink and then the refills are pretty cheap. If I could get one for about $150 I would be in for one. I don't print enough to justify a $300 printer.
it isn't that that Espon is expensive, it's probably reflecting the true value of what printers should be sold for.
manufactures currently sell those home-use printers at a small lose, knowing they are going to royally do you over when it comes to the cartridges.
that's where the profit margins are.
looks like since its got years worth of ink, they now are re-adjusting the profit margin back to the point of sale.
it's a great idea though, hope it catches on.
Not sure about now but years ago HP had literally the worst drivers I have ever seen for any hardware product.
I only had issues on one occasion when a brand new less than one hour old WinXP OS installation was trashed by their drivers. Their printing/scanning software was never good but come to think of it I've never liked any printing/scanning software since most are so bloated - even if choosing the "drivers only" minimal installation they're still hundreds of MB of junk I'll never use.
The only printing/scanning software I've used that wasn't bloated came with a damn good Dell Printer/Scanner from over a decade ago, if only all of them could be just under 20MB installed like it was.
HP Promises Fix for Printer Software That Barred Outside Ink
HP Inc. has apologized to customers for a software update that made some of its printers stop working with ink cartridges from competing suppliers, even if the printers had accepted the same cartridges in the past.
The apology comes after critics complained HP had over-reached by interfering with its customers' right to choose ink suppliers
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/hp-promises-fix-printer-software-barred-ink-42430919
Good thing they're not in the car business.