Color Inkjet Printers

[Mumbo Jumbo]

I want to buy a color inkjet printer, I’ve had a quick look around my Local IT mall, and the range is bewildering and confusing. My main concern is what type of Ink cartridge system to get. All the manufactures seem to offer about the same thing From what I can see some machines come with 3, 4 cartridges Etc , and some seem to have a separate sort of tank filling system where it look as if you just pour some ink into a small plastic tank when the ink gets low..?

As ive learned from friends with color inkjet printers, its seem’s the problems does not really occur with the printers too much, but it’s with the cost of buying new cartridges or having the existing ones filled, or trying to fill them your self , and also a problem with some thing called Cartridge chips ..?

Ive asked my friends about the chips and they really don’t seem to know just what the ‘chip ‘does ..?

I just want the printer for home use, letters and the occasional photograph nothing too fancy or high speed so can any forum member offer me some advice as to ……..

The options for an easy life when it comes to...Cartridges, Tanks, Chip’s, Etc and any other personal comments about your experiences with inkjet printers.

Thanks .................. Mumbo

[farangsay]

I don't know too much about this but.......

I am in Europe right now , but I imagine the situation is similar.

The cost of ink cartridges compared to the cost of the printer is scandalous.

So page quantity per cartridge is very relevant.

Cartridge refills are much more economic but many come with chips , and those that do (I think) require that the chip be reprogrammed after a refill otherwise your computer/printer will still believe it is empty.

Hope this helps (if it doesn't just ignore it)

Luck

[Mumbo Jumbo]

Thanks for thr reply farangsay,

I think your comment ...The cost of ink cartridges compared to the cost of the printer is scandalous.

may be reduced I think ( and hope ) by having a tank system...?

may be I am wrong, hope some forum members can add some light to this subject.

[geoffphuket]

Thanks for thr reply farangsay,

I think your comment ...The cost of ink cartridges compared to the cost of the printer is scandalous.

may be reduced I think ( and hope ) by having a tank system...?

may be I am wrong, hope some forum members can add some light to this subject.

I use a Canon S2000SPX. It has separate tanks for B&W and colour and gives excelent results. Only cost about 2000 Baht and it's a doddle to refill. However, the cost of the colour ink and photographic paper makes it un-economical to print photos with, so I only ever refill the B&W one and use it for printing letters. I can get my photos printed (6x4) for just 4 baht each at a shop in Phuket town.

[The Dan Sai Kid]

I have a Hewlett Packard 1315 all-in-one printer. The all-in-one refers to the fact it is a copier and scanner too.

It cost 4000 baht and I can refill the cartridges for 100 baht a time. Nothing needs to be re-programmed or anything like that.

I think it's a really good printer - I had the same one when I lived in Scotland.

Edited July 15, 2006 by The Dan Sai Kid

[chingching]

Hp inkjets have the head built into the cartridge. This can make the cartridge a bit more expensive, on the other hand if the head breaks a cartridge replacement fixes it. Epson, Lexmark, have the head built into the printer.

I had a lexmark it vibrated a lot. The last epson i had, would need to have the heads cleaned every day, (Run the cartridge dry in 2 weeks) An HP I had, I left unattended for 2 years. Turned on the power and started printing with no need to clean the heads.

[Mumbo Jumbo]

geoffphuket , did the printer come with the tank system fitted, or did you have to pay extra, I ask because a friend purchased a printer with cartridges and the guy in the shop said he could fit a tank system at an extra charge...? also can you fill the tank with any make / type of ink..?

The Dan Sai Kid , thanks also for your reply,...... your comment I can refill the cartridges for 100 baht a time....

again any problem with the type of ink..? and is it easy to do the re-fill yourself..? and no chipping problems..?

Thanks again ...Mumbo

[The Dan Sai Kid]

again any problem with the type of ink..? and is it easy to do the re-fill yourself..? and no chipping problems..?

I've printed out photos with the refill ink and can't notice any difference. I live in Chiang Mai and go to one of the computer shopping malls with my cartridges, the people in the shop inject the new ink for me - it couldn't be simpler.

There are no chipping problems for HP. I've heard that Canon's can't

[Mumbo Jumbo]

Thanks ..The Dan Sai Kid

I wonder if any other forum members can comment on ....

There are no chipping problems for HP. I've heard that Canon's can't

The last thing I want is to get my self stuck where I can't get a refill done by some one or myself due to this Chip thing ..?

Thanks .... Mumbo

PS can any forum members please comment on their inkjet printer and its pro's and con's

[farangsay]

Hp inkjets have the head built into the cartridge. This can make the cartridge a bit more expensive, on the other hand if the head breaks a cartridge replacement fixes it. Epson, Lexmark, have the head built into the printer.

I had a lexmark it vibrated a lot. The last epson i had, would need to have the heads cleaned every day, (Run the cartridge dry in 2 weeks) An HP I had, I left unattended for 2 years. Turned on the power and started printing with no need to clean the heads.

I am sitting next to an Epson Stylus C66

It has a chip (PCB) on each cartridge (there are four of different colours)

The cartidges cost 50 Euro a set here (that's about 2500 baht)

It also has a back (typewriter) style feed. It is not mine , it is my friends.

In a previous life I had a HP with a tray feed. Never had a problem.

This one paper jams every time I try to put two sheets in the feed at one time.

It drives me mad. My friend never has a problem.

Now this bit is subjective. The ink consumption on my old HP seemed low.

My friend's Epson seems to drink ink faster than I can drink beer.

The only problem I ever had with the HP (it had two cartridges , one black and one

colour) was one day I had to print something leo leo and the black cartridge had run dry.

I slapped in the colour cartridge and tried again and the screen refuses because there was

no colour in the document. Have you ever seen the cartoon with Donald Duck , sledgehammer

raised over his head , with "hit any key to continue" on the screen ?

(In fairness this may be more a Bill F***ing Gates problem more than a HP problem.)

[The Dan Sai Kid]

Hp inkjets have the head built into the cartridge. This can make the cartridge a bit more expensive, on the other hand if the head breaks a cartridge replacement fixes it. Epson, Lexmark, have the head built into the printer.

I had a lexmark it vibrated a lot. The last epson i had, would need to have the heads cleaned every day, (Run the cartridge dry in 2 weeks) An HP I had, I left unattended for 2 years. Turned on the power and started printing with no need to clean the heads.

I am sitting next to an Epson Stylus C66

It has a chip (PCB) on each cartridge (there are four of different colours)

The cartidges cost 50 Euro a set here (that's about 2500 baht)

It also has a back (typewriter) style feed. It is not mine , it is my friends.

In a previous life I had a HP with a tray feed. Never had a problem.

This one paper jams every time I try to put two sheets in the feed at one time.

It drives me mad. My friend never has a problem.

Now this bit is subjective. The ink consumption on my old HP seemed low.

My friend's Epson seems to drink ink faster than I can drink beer.

The only problem I ever had with the HP (it had two cartridges , one black and one

colour) was one day I had to print something leo leo and the black cartridge had run dry.

I slapped in the colour cartridge and tried again and the screen refuses because there was

no colour in the document. Have you ever seen the cartoon with Donald Duck , sledgehammer

raised over his head , with "hit any key to continue" on the screen ?

(In fairness this may be more a Bill F***ing Gates problem more than a HP problem.)

My HP automatically switches to the colour cartridge if the B&W runs out.

[lopburi3]

1. You only want to print low volume so external tanks would be foolish IMHO.

2. Epson have the chips and they also are very subject to problems if not run almost daily in my experience. Never again.

3. I have a Canon Pixma IP4000 presently which can produce excellent photos but is not a very expensive printer. I have been very happy with it.

4. Refills do not make it in my experience with very fast fade to junk for any photos exposed to light (on wall even in dark corner). For small home use I will pay the extra for original ink as I strongly believe it is worth it (but admit I have not done extensive testing).

5. I am very impressed with Canon over Epson but have not tried others.

[Firefoxx]

Actually, the current Epsons aren't as problematic as those of a few years ago. Plenty of people swear by them. However, I'd still recommend power cycling them at least once every 2 weeks.

As Lopburi said, it is not recommended to use external tanks or refills with low volume printing. Buy your printer wisely, and you won't pay much for the genuine cartridges (I pay only 300 baht for cartridges for my inkjet, a Canon). The genuine inks also tend to last longer, since they're specially formulated.

For high volume printing, if you're printing documents, you would be better off with color lasers. They are better at printing color documents on plain paper. Inkjets need special paper ($$) to perform well, otherwise they're not very good.

HP traditionally has the most expensive cartridges, from a combination of using combined color inks (run out of one color, replace the whole cartridge) and having a built-in head, resulting in cartridge prices in the thousand(s). They only recently caught on to everyone else, and started using separate inks in their office inkjets, and suddenly are touting the cost effectiveness... even though they're several years late to the party. I like their workhorse lasers, but I hate their cheap stuff.

The very cheap inkjets will usually sacrifice something, and will probably cost you a lot more in the long run (typical of most things). It's a good idea to get a middling model.

Whether a printer can be refilled or not depends on the model and what lengths you're willing to go to. All brands have inkjets that can be refilled, including Canon. Mine can, but I won't, simply because I don't see the point. My cartridges cost so little that using non-genuine ink is hardly economical and not worth the trouble for just a little savings. After some pretty heavy use, I've only had to replace them twice.

For multifunction printers... remember this "Jack of all trades, master of none". They can do everything passably, but nothing well. And their drivers tend to mess up a lot of systems.

[simcity]

for the one who are using Epson printer with copy catridge or tank , you will run into a problem after some usage !

you need a small program to reset your printer !

it is call SSC SErvice Utility , you can get it from

www.ssclg.com

[DrFisher]

I bought a Lexmark Z617 seems to be the standard here. I paid about 1,200 B for it and when the ink gets low you just shoot a syringe of ink into it and it's good to go for quite awhile again. I have had this printer for about 4 months now and refilled it at least 6 or 7 times and have had no problems.

[bdenner]

..

2. Epson have the chips and they also are very subject to problems if not run almost daily in my experience. Never again.

....

Me neither. Been fighting my CX1500 from day one. The bloody thing has a counter in it to shut down for Ink catch pad replacement (About USD50 if you can find someone to do it) Mine was dry and I managed to find the firmware blower on a dodgy web site to clear the register which shuts it down.

Never again

[soap]

hello mumbo jumbo

i was recommended to buy a canon pixma ip 1200.

i wanted the printer mainly to help my daughter with her homework,

when the colour ran out (rather quickly i thought)but the black was still working i priced the replacement cartridge at 400 baht,before i bought i was told to try the shop opp the big c in chaingrai, i asked him to refill the ink, when i tried to use it again it still only prints out in black but the guy only charged 60 baht, i will go back to him later this week with my wife to speak thai to him

[Benlucky]

hello mumbo jumbo

i was recommended to buy a canon pixma ip 1200.

i wanted the printer mainly to help my daughter with her homework,

when the colour ran out (rather quickly i thought)but the black was still working i priced the replacement cartridge at 400 baht,before i bought i was told to try the shop opp the big c in chaingrai, i asked him to refill the ink, when i tried to use it again it still only prints out in black but the guy only charged 60 baht, i will go back to him later this week with my wife to speak thai to him

I have HP 3920 I bought here in Chiang Mai, had both cartridges filled 100 baht each.

They would not work ! printer message out of ink, bought new refills 1200 baht. BS

[Mumbo Jumbo]

Thanks to all for the replys so far..

well it looks like this .. Just want a simple color printer that ..

A . the cartridge has no chip

B. the new cartridge prices are not sky high

C. the printer will accept non original new cartridges

D. the original cartridge can be self fillied or refilled by a shop

E. now realise I don't neen a tank system ( I only do low volume printing )

F. won't fall to bits with in a week

G. my Budget is Max 5,000 baht

am I asking too much ...? I seem to get the feeling that Canon may be the way to go..?

Thanks .............. Mumbo

[francois]

1. You only want to print low volume so external tanks would be foolish IMHO.

2. Epson have the chips and they also are very subject to problems if not run almost daily in my experience. Never again.

3. I have a Canon Pixma IP4000 presently which can produce excellent photos but is not a very expensive printer. I have been very happy with it.

4. Refills do not make it in my experience with very fast fade to junk for any photos exposed to light (on wall even in dark corner). For small home use I will pay the extra for original ink as I strongly believe it is worth it (but admit I have not done extensive testing).

5. I am very impressed with Canon over Epson but have not tried others.

hi'

agree 100%

Canon is the best ratio page/ink, and the canon cartridge are in the lowest price, I still have an old inkjet ex10, still working, perfect for test, and using an pixma IP4000 since 2 years and very happy with it

the 4200 that they produced after isn't as good

francois

[Mumbo Jumbo]

Thanks again guy's all good stuff.......well its looking the Canon way.....? ive just had an email from a friend about his printer and he commented

What you want is one of the models that use ink cartridges with a built in or inclusive print head.

can some one please outline / explain just what this means and if there's any benfits to the above

and do cartridges with a built in or inclusive print head have chips..?

Thanks ............... Mumbo

[Firefoxx]

It's already been talked about pretty extensively in the above responses, but, oh, well... The printers that have cartridges with built-in ink heads are normally HPs. They're pratically known for it, and have been marketing this "feature" for quite some time.

Advantage is that if you change the cartridge, you change the head. This was a "big deal" a few years ago, since clogged heads were pretty common... people tended to not use their printers for months at a time and never turn them on to cycle the ink. This is not the case with most new printers.

Disadvantage is that you might lose head calibration (you've changed the head, so...). The color inks tend to be combined into one cartridge, so if you run out of any color, you replace the whole cartridge, even if you have some colors left. Finally, because of the awesome built-in head, you pay a pretty penny for these nice cartridges... typically around 1,000 baht for a black cartridge, more for a combined color cartridge.

Most other companies use separate inks, and separate print heads. The heads are usually replaceable units (as opposed to fixed heads of the past) so again, this is not a big deal anymore. As I said before, even HP has moved on to this system, and are now touting its merits as its own.

So, I think your friend is a bit behind the times.

Edited July 16, 2006 by Firefoxx

[Mumbo Jumbo]

Firefoxx,

Thanks again for your comments, I'm off to the IT Mall and will post details of the maching I get....

Thanks............ Mumbo