Forum Moderators: phranque
A former Hewlett-Packard worker could barely wait for their non-disclosure-agreement to end so they could spill 14 company secrets to The Consumerist.1: Many HP Printers, like their laser printers, have a built-in page-count after which they won't work.
Many HP Printers, like their laser printers, have a built-in page-count after which they won't work.
Not quite true: The article states "This resides in ... image or drum kit". The image or drum kit is a consumable (not a spare part) which is to be replaced regularly anyway and should be available to buy from stationery companies. Sidenote: Many of HP toners are the toner and drum in one unit, so you are probably replacing the drum without even realising it.
The page counter is to stop the printer printing ridiculously poor prints and the owner telling people that their HP printer is rubbish giving them a bad name. On some machines it is to stop the printer from getting damaged.
Using non-HP cartridges in your printer will void your warranty, and sometimes makes stuff blow up real good. The tech support will hang up on you if it is proven that the damage was caused by non-HP cartridges.
Kind of true, but illegal in the EU if HP can't PROVE it is the non-geniune cartridges. Most compatible manufacturers will cover any damage to your printer caused by their cartridges. Note that HP and the cartridge maker may argue over who is at fault and in that case, you risk getting no free repair. Although, I have not yet seen a cartridge damage a printer and I have been in the business for over 10 years.
As a side note, Epson also tell you the ink is empty when there is about 20% left. Sounds a bit dodgy? Not so when you consider than an almost empty cartridge will blow air through your printers printhead and will damage the printhead. Epson printheads are fixed to the printer - damage it and you need a new printer. This could happen on your first cartridge so they avoid this problem by showing empty and refusing to print before the cartridge is empty.
They are all at it but often there are genuine reasons.
[edited by: PCInk at 3:27 pm (utc) on Feb. 16, 2007]
