Canon i860 - checking ink level??

  • Thread starter Thread starter Horst
  • Start date Start date
H

Horst

Am I missing something?
Or is the only way to check the remaining ink level in my cartridges
by physically removing them, and doing a visual inspection.

Love this printer, but can't seem to figure out a way to check ink
level via a software interface.

hmm........

Any tips appreciated.
 
Horst said:
Or is the only way to check the remaining ink level in my cartridges
by physically removing them, and doing a visual inspection.
Love this printer, but can't seem to figure out a way to check ink
level via a software interface.
Click to expand...

The printer driver includes a status monitor that checks ink levels with
an optical sensor. Read this review to see how it all works:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/canon_i860_pg2.html

Scroll down about halfway.
 
Bill said:
The printer driver includes a status monitor that checks ink levels with
an optical sensor. Read this review to see how it all works:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2003_reviews/canon_i860_pg2.html

Scroll down about halfway.
Click to expand...

That system doesn't give you an idea of the quantity of ink remaining,
though. It turns on the warning when ink remaining is about 20 %. But you
can't look at the monitor and determine that you have, say, 40 or 50 %
remaining. The indicators are either full or low; they don't report
approximate ink levels.
 
Horst said:
Am I missing something?
Or is the only way to check the remaining ink level in my cartridges
by physically removing them, and doing a visual inspection.
Click to expand...

Mr Prism sits at the bottom of the ink tank and therefore says either full
or empty - that's it
Tony
 
HCA said:
That system doesn't give you an idea of the quantity of ink remaining,
though. It turns on the warning when ink remaining is about 20 %. But you
can't look at the monitor and determine that you have, say, 40 or 50 %
remaining. The indicators are either full or low; they don't report
approximate ink levels.
Click to expand...

Depends on the model, actually. It seems the more recent or higher end
models will estimate usage, and then trigger a low warning when the
optical sensor finds the reservoir empty. My i850 shows full until the
sensor indicates a low tank. However a friend's i960 shows two or three
lower levels and then a low warning. And when the tank runs out
completely, the printer reports an empty tank. That alone is three
stages - full, low, and empty.

Not that it matters much anyway, since the low warning is all I really
care about. Since the tank still has about 20% of the ink in it, the
warning indicates that a refill or replacement will be needed soon. I've
printed a complete 8.5x11 photo without the tanks running empty after
the low warning.

No big deal to me.
 
Bill said:
Depends on the model, actually. It seems the more recent or higher end
models will estimate usage, and then trigger a low warning when the
optical sensor finds the reservoir empty. My i850 shows full until the
sensor indicates a low tank. However a friend's i960 shows two or
three lower levels and then a low warning. And when the tank runs out
completely, the printer reports an empty tank. That alone is three
stages - full, low, and empty.

Not that it matters much anyway, since the low warning is all I really
care about. Since the tank still has about 20% of the ink in it, the
warning indicates that a refill or replacement will be needed soon.
I've printed a complete 8.5x11 photo without the tanks running empty
after the low warning.

No big deal to me.
Click to expand...

But when warning appears, it's appr. 20% left. So, again you never know,
when cart is fully empty, so when warning shows, you replace cart and throw
away 20% of ink...?
 
Ron said:
Why not refill? You can save a bundle.
Click to expand...
refill? Sure...

i refilled my Canon i550 for a year and a half. Now my head is ruined -
color inks are cross-contaminated (read thread 'i refilled my Canon 560).
Refilling can show OK for quite a while, but in real it seems that head
"rusts" slowly and when it shows corruption, it's already too late.

So, never again...what i saved in this time by refilling, i'll spend now for
new head or printer...
 
SleeperMan said:
But when warning appears, it's appr. 20% left. So, again you never know,
when cart is fully empty,
Click to expand...

Actually you do know...when the printer indicates the ink tank is
completely empty, you can replace the ink tank. As I stated before,
there are a minimum of three stages - full, low, and empty. When the
printhead senses there is no more ink, it stops printing and insists you
replace the ink tank. Once you do that, it will then continue printing
where it left off.
so when warning shows, you replace cart and throw
away 20% of ink...?
Click to expand...

Not at all...I refill my ink tanks with quality ink from AtlanticInkjet.
I've been doing it a year and a half with my i850 and no problems.
 
Thanks for replies thus far.
The software interface noted in one response is Windows only (I'm on a Mac)

So I guess I'd better go buy one or two back-up carts for each color.......

Sure wish it had a slightly better software interface though
 
Bill said:
Actually you do know...when the printer indicates the ink tank is
completely empty, you can replace the ink tank. As I stated before,
there are a minimum of three stages - full, low, and empty. When the
printhead senses there is no more ink, it stops printing and insists
you replace the ink tank. Once you do that, it will then continue
printing where it left off.

Nice....


Not at all...I refill my ink tanks with quality ink from
AtlanticInkjet. I've been doing it a year and a half with my i850 and
no problems.
Click to expand...

Well, best luck... my head died after this period (i550)
 
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