Lurker@Large@MNGs said:
Hi,
I've read somewhere that when printers using "chipped" Canon
cartridges are in use, either the printer or the software keeps track
of how many pages have passed beneath a cartridge. When this gets to
too large a value some dialogue boxes pop up offering alternatives.
One of these is to disable inklevel monitoring and perhaps void the
warranty. I guess this is to overcome people who refill carts before
the "empty" flag gets set.
A separate problem to getting the "empty tank" flag set on the chip.
I wonder if every cartridge is tagged with a unique number that gets
memorised long term? If not then the following work around might be a
solution.
1. Get a new canon cartidge. (If you buy the cheapest version of the
Canon range with the same print engine you will get a full set of
cartidges and a replacement printhead for far less than the parts
individually.) Wasteful, I know, but the villian here is Canon who
could avoid the issue by pricing their carts realistically.
2. Monitor the cartridge ink levels via the on screen window, and
before the "empty" flag gets set replace the cartridge. This ought to
write over any memorised data in the printer flash memory (or
elsewhere).
3. You now have a cartridge you can refill and which does not have its
flag set.
4. When you reuse this cartridge it will have level monitoring
available and providing its identity is not memorised by the printer
or the software will look like a genuine replacement cartidge. It
depends on how clever Canon have been but I'm guessing that the
installation of a new genuine cartridge will over-write any data in
the printer flash memory or driver software, destroying the identity
of the first cartridge.When the original cart is refitted it will look
like a brand new replacement.
If this works the savings by using OEM ink will more than return the
cost of a set of genuine Canon Carts.
Someone who has more detailed knowledge of the technical aspects of
Canon printers might care to comment.
My use of a printer is not so great that I will be trying this out
soon, but I'll be giving it a go in due course. Possibly after
warranty is no longer an issue.
Cheers,
LaL
I don't have the new fangled electronic chip cartridges which were
basically created to irritate people into buying OEM cartridges at
up to 20 times the price of home refilled ones. Fortunately most of
us are not prone to giving in to what amounts to highway robbery in
broad daylight! I just received a refill kit from HobbiColors with
enough ink to fill 15 sets of cartridges. My cost delivered - $26.
My cost if I had bought OEM cartridges - way over $1,000. You'd be hard
pressed to notice any difference in the inks. On the other hand, the
difference in cost is hysterical. By the way, HobbiColors has the
right ink for the new chipped cartridges. My current system (3 printers)
is unchipped.
As for your theory on by-passing the new chip . . . I believe the
electronic chip on the cartridge keeps track of ink usage and dictates
when you have to replace it. It doesn't matter if you stick in a
home refilled cartridge because the chip that was reading low or empty
cannot be reset. In other words, without a new chip if will read low or
empty no matter what you do. It's all in the chip. You can still print,
but you lose the monitoring. Not really a problem, you just have to be
more vigilant.
-Taliesyn
