Compatible Printer Inks

granddadsalmon

Thank you for all your comments. However I also have used compatible inks from a very reputable supplier which previously worked fine until Epson sent a new software which stopped these inks. I challenge what replies say as Epson have purposely manipulated their software to stop compatible inks on my printer. They have intruded on MY printer intruded on my rights to buy where I choose and this is a household printer printing very few items a month charging me £80+ for XL Epson inks versus £40+ compatible inks is extortionate.
I have requested Epson to reverse their software to allow compatible inks or price replacement inks at a fair price to compete with compatible inks. I have asked them to stop invading my privacy by being able to "see" my usage of the printer and then blocking my choice.  I will be reporting Epson to the Consumer Ombudsman for these breaches 1) software blocking 2) freedom of choice 3) monopolistic pricing 4) intrusion of privacy.

oldagetraveller1

I have an Epson printer, granted it is about 4 years old, but there's not an issue using compatible cartridges (four in total). It is using their latest software, a very recent download. When I print there is a message warning that I am using non Epson ink which may be ignored by selecting "continue".

I also remember, when setting up the printer, I was asked whether usage data may be sent to them. There was an option to decline.

MattMattMattUK

granddadsalmon said:

Thank you for all your comments. However I also have used compatible inks from a very reputable supplier which previously worked fine until Epson sent a new software which stopped these inks. I challenge what replies say as Epson have purposely manipulated their software to stop compatible inks on my printer. They have intruded on MY printer intruded on my rights to buy where I choose and this is a household printer printing very few items a month charging me £80+ for XL Epson inks versus £40+ compatible inks is extortionate.
I have requested Epson to reverse their software to allow compatible inks or price replacement inks at a fair price to compete with compatible inks. I have asked them to stop invading my privacy by being able to "see" my usage of the printer and then blocking my choice.

I think you are misunderstanding the position of consumer choice, as others have pointed out many compatible inks do. I also note that even Which says that the only brand that blocks compatible inks is HP, Epson should work fine, provided that they compatible ink contains the interface chip. 

granddadsalmon said:

I will be reporting Epson to the Consumer Ombudsman for these breaches
1) software blocking 

If the compatible inks were being blocked they would be being blocked by the device firmware rather than the software on your PC, that is just reporting the issue. However from the research I can find online Epson to not block compatible inks, they do require the inks to have a correctly working interface chip though. 

granddadsalmon said:

2) freedom of choice

There is no right to "freedom of choice".

granddadsalmon said:

3) monopolistic pricing

This is not a monopoly position.

granddadsalmon said:

4) intrusion of privacy.

There is no intrusion of privacy, you are misunderstanding how the data is being handled, as well as various permissions you have given and have the ability to rescind. Epson can not "see" your ink cartridge choice (unless you have allowed and continue to allow diagnostic data to be sent to them) and even then they are not making a decision, the firmware on the printer is looking for a compatible interface chip on the cartridge and when it does not find one it can not print as it can not operate the print head properly. 

granddadsalmon

Thanks all for responding however how do you know only HP block compatible inks? Whether Epson use software or firmware they are blocking the use. As an example I swapped the chip on genuine epson inks with the chip on compatible inks and guess what somehow Epson could tell. I have also used compatible inks ( the same company) and they previously worked fine. As I have tried 2 batches of the compatible inks and as Epson forced a software update on my printer STRANGELY that software update blocked my use of compatible inks.
I am aware of consumer rights and sale of goods acts but this issue is well over time for an investigation into unreasonable pricing, intrusion of privacy and unacceptable access to my printer ( I never signed for Epson to have access).
Perhaps Martin should have a look st this issue??

Aylesbury_Duck

granddadsalmon said:

Thanks all for responding however how do you know only HP block compatible inks? Whether Epson use software or firmware they are blocking the use. As an example I swapped the chip on genuine epson inks with the chip on compatible inks and guess what somehow Epson could tell. I have also used compatible inks ( the same company) and they previously worked fine. As I have tried 2 batches of the compatible inks and as Epson forced a software update on my printer STRANGELY that software update blocked my use of compatible inks.
I am aware of consumer rights and sale of goods acts but this issue is well over time for an investigation into unreasonable pricing, intrusion of privacy and unacceptable access to my printer ( I never signed for Epson to have access).
Perhaps Martin should have a look st this issue??

I think there are more pressing uses of investigative time, and if you're concerned about intrusion of privacy, data sharing, etc. then just avoid IT stuff generally.  I suspect the browser you're using to post on here is collating far more data on you than Epson's printer is, for a start.

JJ_Egan

I am willing to supply evidence to the Ombudsman and all the others you choose .

Of course my evidence will be my usage of compatible inks on my Epson printers and PC .

In the fact that chipped compatibles from at least four vendors work .

MattMattMattUK

granddadsalmon said:

Thanks all for responding however how do you know only HP block compatible inks? 

HP is public about their blocking non first-party inks so is Lexmark (and their system is much more complicated), however Which does periodic research into the others which shows that provided the compatible inks has a valid interface chip they still work, the cartridge is more than just a plastic tank, however many really cheap alternatives from China do not contain the chips required to interface with the printer. 

granddadsalmon said:

As an example I swapped the chip on genuine epson inks with the chip on compatible inks and guess what somehow Epson could tell. I have also used compatible inks ( the same company) and they previously worked fine. 

The issue with that is you do not understand the technical details of how the interface chips work. The chip itself is used to identify the cartridge to the printer, when it does this it gives various bits of information, the first is is it a genuine cartridge or not, the second is the colour of the ink contained within it and the volume of the ink within it. In some cartridges the chip will also link to an ink level sensor etc. The chip logs estimated ink usage based on printing and tells the printer when it thinks it is empty. The reason you can not re-use the chip by just transferring it is that it thinks it is in an empty cartridge. Just to add that the chips often report being empty when the cartridge itself is not, if the cartridge is reported as a 100ml cartridge it probably contains around 120ml of ink, but once 100ml has been used the cartridge will report as empty. You can with the right knowledge re-program the chips to show as full even when the cartridge is empty, identify a Cyan as Yellow etc. Have you actually contacted the company who supplied them to ask them why there "compatible" inks are not compatible?

granddadsalmon said:

As I have tried 2 batches of the compatible inks and as Epson forced a software update on my printer STRANGELY that software update blocked my use of compatible inks.

Some of the compatible ink suppliers say you need to use a different version depending on the firmware version, but it does not appear (from a Google search and according to Which) that there are any issues with Epson blocking compliant compatible cartridges at the moment.

granddadsalmon said:

I am aware of consumer rights and sale of goods acts but this issue is well over time for an investigation into unreasonable pricing, intrusion of privacy and unacceptable access to my printer ( I never signed for Epson to have access).

First, to be clear, there is no intrusion of privacy nor "unacceptable access", you misunderstand how the cartridges are identified and you have chosen to update, or to allow updates to device firmware and to software/drivers running on a PC/Mac. There is no "unreasonable pricing" as such, you have chosen to purchase a printer knowing that official replacement ink cartridges are more expensive than you wish to pay and that alternatives are available, both in terms of printers and replacement cartridges. If you do not wish to purchase them other vendors are available and in fact Epson sell printers which do not use cartridges at all, but where the ink tanks are built in and can be refilled from bottles of ink which require no verification whatsoever (EcoTank) and many different manufacturers sell inks for those systems. 

Printers and ink have been a "buyer beware" known issue for many years now. First party ink cartridges for cheap printers are expensive, first party ink cartridges for expensive printers are usually cheap, alternatives like EcoTank are even cheaper. Third party alternatives are available for some brands/models and are considerably cheaper than the first party cartridges for cheap printers, the vast majority work, some do not, if they advertise a guarantee that their third party cartridges will work take them up on it if they do not. 

granddadsalmon

Thank you all for your comments I'll take all on board together with my evidence. Believe me I've tried everything together with the compatible inks company and with Epson. I'll probably dispense with the Epson  and try a Canon with inks at £25+ rather than the extortionate £80+ for Epson.
Thank you all but I thought there would be more support for the issues. At least with Polaroid cameras there weren't any paper alternatives !

MattMattMattUK

granddadsalmon said:

Thank you all for your comments I'll take all on board together with my evidence. Believe me I've tried everything together with the compatible inks company and with Epson. I'll probably dispense with the Epson  and try a Canon with inks at £25+ rather than the extortionate £80+ for Epson.

One of the things to keep in mind is the higher the initial outlay the lower the ongoing cost is a rule that generally applies with printers. If you are looking at Canon then the Megatank range might be the best option, it operates in a similar way to the Epson EcoTank rage, which is a refillable tank in the printer, which you fill from bottles of ink you can buy.

Also as Mickey666 mentioned above if you are only a very occasional printer then a mono laser may work out far cheaper on a TCO basis. However the main question is do you actually need a printer at all? I have to print for work, but for personal usage I probably only print maybe once a month on average and there would be ways around that if needed. Could this be the point to ditch the printer entirely?

granddadsalmon said:

Thank you all but I thought there would be more support for the issues. At least with Polaroid cameras there weren't any paper alternatives !

It is one of those issues that seems to exist, that being said, as JJ_Egan has no problems with compatible cartridges and Epson you could ask them where they get theirs and that may solve your issue in the short term and would likely be more economical than purchasing a new printer. 

born_again

granddadsalmon said:

Thanks all for responding however how do you know only HP block compatible inks? Whether Epson use software or firmware they are blocking the use. As an example I swapped the chip on genuine epson inks with the chip on compatible inks and guess what somehow Epson could tell. I have also used compatible inks ( the same company) and they previously worked fine. As I have tried 2 batches of the compatible inks and as Epson forced a software update on my printer STRANGELY that software update blocked my use of compatible inks.
I am aware of consumer rights and sale of goods acts but this issue is well over time for an investigation into unreasonable pricing, intrusion of privacy and unacceptable access to my printer ( I never signed for Epson to have access).
Perhaps Martin should have a look st this issue??

How did they force a update on you?

Perhaps if you had not agreed (T/C) to them having online access or even NOT connected it to the internet. It would still be working

Shame you agreed to give them access to your printer. So they have not breeched your privacy or had unacceptable access.