Live data from Hacker News

HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

hothardware.com

181–190 of 308 posts

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#181
post #160

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On principle I hate the idea of encouraging people to submit reviews for products that they haven't purchased. It's a crime worse than time-bombing generic printer cartridges and makes online reviews basically worthless. I don't give a shit about your moral stand against HP. Give me an honest review of a product you own or don't say anything.

You think sharing honest information to help people is worse than lying for profit?

The one star rating is not an honest attempt to review the product--it's just pushing an agenda. For the vast majority of people the third-party cartridge issue is a footnote, not something meriting a one-star review.

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#182

Not sure if it was a time bomb, but HP does have an "auto update" feature that could seem like a time bomb. We got nailed by this with our HP 8610. Were using 3rd party cartridges with much success for months. Last week my wife had a huge (for us) print job and encountered an annoying bug (prints blank sheets every other print). Updated the firmware hoping it would fix the problem. Next thing we know, cartridge error…

The fact that a printer even needs "firmware upgrades" should be a big turn-off, because inkjets have been around for decades; they're not a bleeding-edge technology with many unknowns, they're relatively mature and essentially all bugs should've been found and fixed long ago.

From what I understand, most inkjets are pretty dumb devices in that they just accept raster graphics and spray the pixels onto the page. A lot of them can't even do ASCII/text-mode anymore.

Maybe they're now deliberately leaving bugs in so they can ostensibly "fix" them while also doing anti-user things like cartridge blacklisting...

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#183
For anyone tired of paying so much for ink replacements, look into a CISS (Continuous Ink Supply System) [1]. I got one for our Epson and it far outperforms ink cartridges and even the replacement ink is cheap.

I've had some issues with the printer recognizing the cartridges, but after fiddling around enough it eventually does. It's definitely worth the effort.

[1] https://www.amazon.com/XUANCAI-Continuous-cartridge-Printer-...

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#184
post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good news! HP just bought Samsung's printer business. http://www.anandtech.com/show/10677/hp-acquire-samsung-print...

There is still Brother. They make nice, inexpensive black and white laser printers.

+1 for the Brother monochrome lasers. I have two of their 2270dw printers that I bought after throwing away my three HP printers (after I couldn't make an important print out due to cartridge time-outs). Best thing I ever did. Now I'm both saving money and getting reliable prints.

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#185
post #146

Stop buying dirt-cheap printers that are sold at a loss. These are designed to be paid off by expensive toner / ink. These are designed to make you waste the supplies if you don't use them up fast enough. They are designed to reject third-party cheaper supplies. Pay a couple hundred more upfront for a no-bullshit device. I hope those still exist.

How do you know the more expensive printer is a no bullshit device?

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#186
Here is a (probably worthless) idea:

Create 1 or 2 good, serviceable network printer and experiment with different business models like subscriptions or pay-as-you-print, where the printer manufacturer _owns_ the printer an office or home just rents it.

In such a model, the companies incentives would align with the users values:

- Cheaper printing per page

- Less overhead on distribution

- No artificial costs and limitations

- Generally better printer:

  - More serviceable

  - Better software

  - Long term support
- More environmentally friendly

Most people I know doesn't own a printer and just use the office printer anyway, so why not make the office printer just-work?

Edit: formatting

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#187
How I get screwed: My HP printer will occasionally print a black-and-white page using all three colors of ink. Discovered this one day when I rubbed a fresh page and it smeared three colors. They call it 'wear leveling' or something. But we all know it means 'using up your expensive color ink instead of your cheap black ink'. What a crock.

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#188

The best way to make a difference against this nastyness realistically available to us is probably the "one star review". And when you do, resist writing 10 paragraphs about all the times HP has ever wronged you or a long story about how much you needed the printout when it refused to print. One star, one sentence. "Expires full inks after only x months forcing you to buy new ones when you don't need them." I know fo…

People shouldn't write reviews for products they haven't purchased or used. It's dishonest. You're dishonest.

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#189
post #186

Here is a (probably worthless) idea: Create 1 or 2 good, serviceable network printer and experiment with different business models like subscriptions or pay-as-you-print, where the printer manufacturer _owns_ the printer an office or home just rents it. In such a model, the companies incentives would align with the users values: - Cheaper printing per page - Less overhead on distribution - No artificial costs and lim…

That sort of business model- leasing- is pretty common with copiers/printers already.

Re: HP Allegedly Time Bombs Unofficial Ink Cartridges from Working in Its Printers

#190
post #179

Not sure if it was a time bomb, but HP does have an "auto update" feature that could seem like a time bomb. We got nailed by this with our HP 8610. Were using 3rd party cartridges with much success for months. Last week my wife had a huge (for us) print job and encountered an annoying bug (prints blank sheets every other print). Updated the firmware hoping it would fix the problem. Next thing we know, cartridge error…

Are you printing in color?

Yes.
Post reply on HN