Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

bleepingcomputer.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

271–280 of 485 posts

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#271

Post by centizen »

neilv wrote: post #173

As many techies will probably always say anytime inkjet product shenanigans come up: just buy a laser printer. And I now add: and don't let it connect to the Internet, and don't install proprietary drivers or software for it on your computers. Also, remember the names of companies doing sketchy things, and do your part to provide negative feedback when you can, and to give positive feedback to better companies. (Exam…

Canon was actually on my short list of printer vendors I would have recommended people to use. Now it's just down to Brother and Kyocera I guess.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#272

Post by mleo »

alerighi wrote: post #18

I stopped buying inkjet printers. They are a scam, the ink costs a fortune and they are built as cheap as they can, meaning that they will break and you have to throw them away because they are impossible to repair, they are slow and when you need them they don't work because they were not used for too much time. After having 5 broken printers in the garage I said enough, that is a useless waste, and invested some mo…

I have been fairly lucky, I guess, with Canon printers.

I purchased a large format printer in 2007 to print tabloid size photos. And then I purchased another in 2015 with a scanner. I believe the large format one still worked, but it was large (obviously) and I had less need for it or space for it with kids around.

The current one is almost 7 years old. I keep looking at laser printers, but until this one actually dies, there is no point to replace it and I would lose the option to print photos.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#274

Post by bad_username »

syntheticnature wrote: post #65

I ran into this when going to scan paperwork for my taxes a few years back. Then, a year later, the printer developed some sort of error on initialization of the print head... and it would refuse to scan on that basis, even though the scanner mechanism was completely separate and scanning UI still came up. It turned out there already was a class-action for this second issue, except my Canon hadn't manifested the issu…

If you don't need frequent scanning of multi-page documents, scanner apps for smartphones do stunningly good job of creating PDF document scans using the camera.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#275

Post by hedora »

willis936 wrote: post #229
jacquesm wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah, just out of warranty... too bad, really! But do not despair, you could probably fix it if you set your mind to it, or make one working one out of two broken ones, assuming you can find another broken one.

This was years ago. I went without for a while but recently decided my demand for color printing and scanning in my home exceeded my supply of cash needed to get a crappy injket. Even used color laserjets are hard to come by for mortal prices.

How cheap are you insisting on? Single function networked color laser printers are in the mid $200’s, new.

If you add a page fed scanner, you’re looking at $400-500.

Surely, you’ll waste $100’s on dried out inkjet ink and buying a new inkjet printer / scanner combo every 2-5 years.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#276

Post by rolleiflex »

wantoncl wrote: post #255
codazoda wrote: post #246

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have a 15 year old Wi-Fi Brother Laser that is still going strong. I’ve replaced toners a few times and the drum once. I’m sure it will last another 10 years. They still sell a brand new model that is almost identical.

Would you have the model numbers for yours and the newer model? Thanks in advance.

I can perhaps give the model number of mine — it’s a Brother HL-2270DW laser I purchased in 2014, has wired ethernet in, wifi connection, and has been in use ever since. Most of the time it was on wifi and I can confirm wifi also works without any glitches or problems.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#277

Post by shawn-butler »

jacquesm wrote: post #195
EvanAnderson wrote: post #154

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fed a diet of the necessary consumables-- toners/drums, fusers, rollers, separation pads, etc-- a 1990s LaserJet will outlive us all. For me, "peak LaserJet" was probably the LaserJet 4 w/ an integral JetDirect. The 4000 that followed was pretty solid and faster but more plastic-ey than the 4.

Agreed on the 4, those things were indestructible. I had two in the office in IJmuiden, ended up donating one when our main HQ moved to Canada. Both the donated one and the one that I still have are still running today. Toner cartridges are still available, both the originals (a bit pricey) and lots of aftermarket options for about half the price of the branded one. I fully expect the one I have to outlast me, the ot…

I have a 4L but the paper feed has weird jam issues over time.

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#279

Post by dragonwriter »

hedora wrote: post #275
willis936 wrote: post #229

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was years ago. I went without for a while but recently decided my demand for color printing and scanning in my home exceeded my supply of cash needed to get a crappy injket. Even used color laserjets are hard to come by for mortal prices.

How cheap are you insisting on? Single function networked color laser printers are in the mid $200’s, new. If you add a page fed scanner, you’re looking at $400-500. Surely, you’ll waste $100’s on dried out inkjet ink and buying a new inkjet printer / scanner combo every 2-5 years.

Cheap laser printers, like cheap inkjets, use the cheap razor/expensive blades model, too (and leverage the popular understanding of the semi-knowledgeable that that is an inkjet but not laser issue to get away with it.)

Re: Canon sued for disabling scanner when printers run out of ink

#280

Post by tim333 »

pombrand wrote: post #224
Jerry2 wrote: post #194

Last month, my friend's HP Laserjet Pro printer started flashing "SUPPLY PROBLEM" error message and wouldn't print anything. Apparently, all he did was update the firmware after a message popped up on the printer urging him to do so. Well, that firmware update included new DRM checks for non-HP toners. The printer would just refuse to work with 3rd party toner cartridges. I had to help him and had to find an old firm…

Better yet, HP will re-enable auto firmware updates if you disabled them at lest with certain printers (they did for mine). HP never again.

After my last HP printer being annoying I said never again and bought a Samsung laser. Of course HP then went and bought Samsung.
Post reply on HN