Ink Refills 2004
Who's refilling their own ink cartridges themselves?
I had great success with my HP Photosmart P1000's black ink cartridge, but the color has been a bugger. I thought that RhinoTek was supposed to have "specially tweaked" cartridges that were easily filled, but I couldn't find them.
What's the current conventional wisdom about this for non-archival printing?
Any tips from you self-fillers? Is it possible to insert the needle too far into the ink cartridge and mess it up or is it just a great big sponge?
If I can get this down to a science then it'll be plenty cheap(er).
I had great success with my HP Photosmart P1000's black ink cartridge, but the color has been a bugger. I thought that RhinoTek was supposed to have "specially tweaked" cartridges that were easily filled, but I couldn't find them.
What's the current conventional wisdom about this for non-archival printing?
Any tips from you self-fillers? Is it possible to insert the needle too far into the ink cartridge and mess it up or is it just a great big sponge?
If I can get this down to a science then it'll be plenty cheap(er).
Comments
If I were printing archival material I'd be using pristine cartridges.
When I see the price of cartriges - and experience how short a time they last - I can only guess that Lexmark, HP and the others are laughing at their customers.
I have not tried any refills yet, but perhaps I will soon, if only to avoid hearing the (phantom) laughter of the printer company executives.
Originally posted by Chinney
Related Question: Does it really cost the printer manufacturers so much to manafacture new ink cartriges, or are we all just being ripped-off? And I don't mean just a little ripped off...but really, really, really ripped-off - a degree of gouging and cheating that perhaps has no equivelent in any other computer product.
From what I understand, most, if not all printer companies practically give their printers away, or sell them at a loss. they make their money from selling ink.
Blueflame
*kicks Epson next to desk*
Originally posted by Wrong Robot
From what I understand, most, if not all printer companies practically give their printers away, or sell them at a loss. they make their money from selling ink.
Probably so, but I still think that the manner and price at which these companies sell the cartriges verges on illegal trade. Why don't some printer companies sell using a different business model? Collusion? Why is there no competition in cartrige sales from third party manufacturers? Why do companies program their cartriges to be used only once, thus discouraging refills? Is this planned obsolescence and waste permitted under law?
I don't mind paying a fair price. I don't mind even paying a bit more than a fair price sometimes. But I don't appreciate being gouged and cheated - and its not so much the money, its the unpleasant sensation.
The printer wars have begun.
Mmmmph.
Originally posted by drewprops
Europe is leading the charge against the printer manufacturers, allowing other companies to reverse-engineer the printers so they can make their own cartridges, with their own inks. Pantone is to enter the fray shortly, offering "higher quality" Pantone-branded ink carts.
The printer wars have begun.
Mmmmph.
About bloody time.
Capitalism without competition is like...is like...[help me out here].
Grrr.