[News] HP admits rejecting non-HP ink cartridges - it was deliberate and no fix

[StyM]

http://www.guru3d.com/news-story/hp-...lease-fix.html

HP also added that, ?in many cases the changes were pre-programmed in the HP printer and in some case installed as part of a printer firmware update.?

A week ago, on the 13th of September, several HP printer types started to reject non-HP ink cartridges. Online ink retailer 123inkt.nl found that HP pre-programmed a date in its firmware on which private label, non-HP ink cartridges would no longer be accepted. HP admitted that it previously made changes to its software and stated it did so to, ?protect its intellectual property, innovation and to protect the communication between the cartridge and the printer.?

In the same statement HP also said that, ?affected printers will continue to work with refilled cartridges if they contain the original HP security chip. Other cartridges possibly don?t work.? Users hoped that HP would resolve the issue. When taking today?s statement in account that is very unlikely to happen. Some users also still hoped for a solution as they were told by the HP helpdesk that the rejection of non-HP cartridges was a bug. Today HP withdrew that statement as a HP spokesman told PCM, ?the information the HP helpdesk provided to customers is wrong.?

HP?s statements fully confirm what online ink retailer 123inkt reported earlier this week, there is no question about it. The printer manufacturer indeed deliberately pre-programmed a date in its printers from which they would start to reject non-HP cartridges.

[AliG]

You can side step that issue though by simply buying the Office Max (etc) generic refill ink and re-using the same cartridge.

Kinda sucks, but it's not like Apple didn't pioneer this a decade ago.

[vario]

Who in their right mind is buying HP printers ? They were on the forefront on being asswipe company for like a decades now.Canon Epson Brother, their printers are cheap and much better in every aspect.Epson even has some printers with build in ciss and reasonable ink prices...

[AliG]

I personally use a Brother laser printer. Cheap to buy, cheap ink replacements, and it came with a WiFi adapter before those were commonplace.

That said, a lot of people have older HP printers back from when they were considered the best.

[StAndrew]

I can't stand my HP printer. Mine does take aftermarket and refill cartridges but I'm going to agree with HP on one of their points; aftermarket cartridges suck. We are back to buying HP cartridges but they are so expensive, we're considering a new printer; no HP.

[Sparky]

Generally I've noticed if you want any sort of print quality - HP, Canon, Lexmark, whatever - you almost have to use genuine cartridges. Generics just don't do a great job.

[Aleki]

I can't stand my HP printer. Mine does take aftermarket and refill cartridges but I'm going to agree with HP on one of their points; aftermarket cartridges suck. We are back to buying HP cartridges but they are so expensive, we're considering a new printer; no HP.

Cant say I've had trouble with the aftermarket cartridges I've bought in the past; perhaps I was lucky..
Bought 16 ink cartridges for ~$45 on an old photoSmart printer. On photo paper, prints came out great..
Up until the printer crapped out into its second year(not a head problem; wouldn't power on after a reboot).

From there, I bought an officeJet (6600, i think), and got rid of it within a year due to its insatiable thirst for ink; chipped, with no override(it would refuse to print until the cartridge it determined was out of ink was replaced) and would never print the advertised quantity(often only getting <100 pages of print on a 300 page cartridge). On the officeJet, I only used genuine ink..

It's been nearly a year since I've ditched the officeJet and moved on to a Dell E525w color laser AIO; I am still on my original toner with about 80% toner life left on the black. For text and simple graphics, the officeJet cannot come close to the quality I get from the Dell. While photos arent as crisp, I'm enjoying not having to replace a $15 color cartridge every month, sometimes weeks apart, just to print a black and white document..

[StAndrew]

Cant say I've had trouble with the aftermarket cartridges I've bought in the past; perhaps I was lucky..
Bought 16 ink cartridges for ~$45 on an old photoSmart printer. On photo paper, prints came out great..
Up until the printer crapped out into its second year(not a head problem; wouldn't power on after a reboot).

From there, I bought an officeJet (6600, i think), and got rid of it within a year due to its insatiable thirst for ink; chipped, with no override(it would refuse to print until the cartridge it determined was out of ink was replaced) and would never print the advertised quantity(often only getting <100 pages of print on a 300 page cartridge). On the officeJet, I only used genuine ink..

It's been nearly a year since I've ditched the officeJet and moved on to a Dell E525w color laser AIO; I am still on my original toner with about 80% toner life left on the black. For text and simple graphics, the officeJet cannot come close to the quality I get from the Dell. While photos arent as crisp, I'm enjoying not having to replace a $15 color cartridge every month, sometimes weeks apart, just to print a black and white document..

I had issues with capacity for the most part (we mostly bought refills); as if they only fill them halfway. A few just didn't print or were very streaky. One was clogged and I was able to get it flowing again but it clogged again. They were just a PITA and TBH, the printer has been a PITA.

[zanzabar]

if you buy a reasonable printer like the hp 86xx, or epson 4xxx, or a BW laser the print costs are lower than generics of the tri color hps that people like to complain about so much. if you want a smaller machine brother sells 4 cartridge printers that are close to the small office printers, and they use a pigment like epsons 4xxx or ecotank so you dont have to worry about expiring carts or dried up junk killing your printer.

It's been nearly a year since I've ditched the officeJet and moved on to a Dell E525w color laser AIO; I am still on my original toner with about 80% toner life left on the black. For text and simple graphics, the officeJet cannot come close to the quality I get from the Dell. While photos arent as crisp, I'm enjoying not having to replace a $15 color cartridge every month, sometimes weeks apart, just to print a black and white document..

please dont buy any more lexmark equipment.

[Aleki]

please dont buy any more lexmark equipment.

Could you elaborate?

[zanzabar]

Could you elaborate?

they have very high failure rates that occur on first cartridge change, they tend to change cartilage models much more often then other OEMs, and they have the most expensive laser and ink cartridges per page for their classes, they have inaccurate color, and the drivers tend to have strange problems. the laser ones are not as bad but they have ink models that are almost $1 per page and when i worked in an office supply store they were always coming back broken in the first month since they would not take cartridges. then the laser waste drums are very expensive, tiny, and not serviceable.

[Aleki]

they have very high failure rates that occur on first cartridge change, they tend to change cartilage models much more often then other OEMs, and they have the most expensive laser and ink cartridges per page for their classes, they have inaccurate color, and the drivers tend to have strange problems. the laser ones are not as bad but they have ink models that are almost $1 per page and when i worked in an office supply store they were always coming back broken in the first month since they would not take cartridges. then the laser waste drums are very expensive, tiny, and not serviceable.

Good to know, thanks for that.
Any thoughts on third party toner? I'm seeing kits of six high yield cartridges sell for ~$60 on amazon. People on the SlickDeals forums seem to have good luck with this printer taking third party toner

[zanzabar]

Good to know, thanks for that.
Any thoughts on third party toner? I'm seeing kits of six high yield cartridges sell for ~$60 on amazon. People on the SlickDeals forums seem to have good luck with this printer taking third party toner

i am not sure for your printer specifically. in general you want to get a refurbished not a refill, and you want to get things from companies that do not sell refills for products that would have generic toner or a refurbishment kit. for example HP black laser printers use a generic iron oxide toner and they have a program for eco friendly refurbishing that companies like rosewill take part in, hp will not advertise it but those should be fine. with brother they will sell laser and ink pouches that will work with most of their cartilages and companies like rosewill, monoprice, and house eco brands for retail stores will carry. you want to avoid places that just refill like cartridge world as they just refill with whatever they can get. they typically use off patent kodac ink and will kill your ink jet printer. with laser it most likely will not kill your printer but refilled toner pouches in the carts trend to leak, make a mess, and emit more toner into the air.