RE: [PLUG] OT: Alternate Ink Cartridges

["high_desert" <hidesert@cox.net>]

--> tom.hornberger@verizon.net wrote:
--> > On Thursday 12 October 2006 20:39, gyoza@comcast.net wrote:
--> >   
--> >> Has anyone used higher capacity ink cartridges than was 
--> specified for a
--> >> printer?
--> > Most printers made in the last ~5 years (or so) have chips in 
--> the cartridges 
--> > to ID them to the printer.  The larger capacity cartridge 
--> probably won't work 
--> > in a printer it's not "approved" for.   The chips can also be 
--> used to keep 
--> > you from refilling the cartridges and in some HP cartridges 
--> there is an 
--> > expiration date that makes buying a lot of them pointless.
--> >   
--> 
--> It's been 5 years?!  I must have kept my last printer for a 
--> long time!  heh
--> 
--> Since I got a $10 discount on a cartridge, I will experiment and see 
--> what happens.  I know Epson cartridges can be reset and there is even a 
--> software utility that will manipulate the information about the ink 
--> levels.  Again, I'm not sure if the printer can ID the 
--> cartridge or just 
--> check the levels.  HP is a different story.
--> 
--> After my black ink runs out, I will try a HP 27 in place of the HP 21.

I'd heard of a hardware ink cartridge reset device, but I'd like to try the software one - any names or links? My understanding is that the printer driver guesses how much ink you're using and that is decremented from the chip on the cartridge; and that the actually physical amount of ink is not actually measured! One cartridge was about a third full and the printer reported it was empty. I swapped the chip from a known good but empty cartridge onto a el cheapo cartridge that wasn't recognized by the printer - and the printer then recognized it, but reported it was empty. I'd love to reset mine. Especially as the printer wont even print in B&W unless it thinks there is at least some ink in _all_ the cartridges.

- Zake

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug