Epson printer scam

[elroy]

For quite some time I've been using Epson printers because generic ink is widely available at a very low cost. BUT my cheapo Epson 480sxu just up and quits the other day for no reason. After doing some research on google I discovered that after a certain period of time Epson printers are configured to stop with an error message "unplug your printer and contact a service center". Turns out you then need an Epson software program to turn the printer back on and then it is fine. Of course the Epson service centers get about $70 to do this. I've got the software to do this for some of the USB models, 480 and 580. It may work on other models too, not sure. Here is a link to the page where you can d/l the software.
http://www.4p8.com/eric.brasseur/epson480.html
If the link is down contact me for a copy. It is about 640k and I can email it to you.

[Peter M]

Canon's printers do that too. It's not scam. The point being that all the excess ink that is wiped off the print head and blown through the nozzles during cleaning cycles flows downstairs into a block of felt, where it is soaked up. After a big lot of printing, that felt block becomes full. The printers have a builtin counter, and halt before a pool of ink forms inside, putting the circuitry to danger.
So when the printer actually gets that old, you are supposed to replace that felt block, and then use a printer specific method of resetting the counter. I've seen it happen twice so far, and I service quite a lot of printers. But then, I do no Epsons, only Canon ... and those two very well over ten years old.

[mar122999]

Sounds like good advice. I love Epson and Cannon printers. Cheap cartridges make them a #1 choice. I couldn't imagine myself paying $30 for a cartridge with HP or Lexmark.

[dr_roberts49]

Peter M, is this something I can do? Years ago, I worked in a computer service dept. Besides computers, we serviced Epson, Apple, IBM, HP and Okidata printers. Can I buy the felt block from Canon? I build and service my own computers, and even though it's been awhile since I worked on a printer, it can't be that hard.

Thanks,

Robert