generic ink in printer? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

clavus · 06-24-2004, 09:28 PM

I spent 10 minutes trying to decide if I should put this question in Electronics, Computers, Photography or Knowledge, so it must be General.

I have a shiny new Canon i960 printer. The generic inks are cheaper than the Canon brand, but how do they rate? Are they just as good? Are there certain manufacturers that I should avoid? Should I suck it up and buy the Canon brand ink?

Bottom line - how do I get good cheap ink in this thing?

scrooloose · 06-25-2004, 03:22 AM

I have been using refill kits for years some work great some are crappy, I suggest that you experiment with them and see how you like the. I got mine from Sam's club and it refilled my black ink 15 times. The only problem is that the color one didnt work great cause on my printer I had to pull the top of the cart off and it never went back together the right way.

SexyCat · 06-25-2004, 06:38 AM

Best Buy sells Basix inks and they are not refill kits, but actual cartridges. I have heard some good things about them so long as you can read directions and install them correctly.

maleficent · 06-25-2004, 06:57 AM

Check the warranty -

Not sure if it's still true, but at one point with HP printers, unless you used new HP cartridges, you voided the warranty.

User Name · 06-25-2004, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by maleficent
Check the warranty -

Not sure if it's still true, but at one point with HP printers, unless you used new HP cartridges, you voided the warranty.

And how would HP know?

Cynthetiq · 06-25-2004, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by User Name
And how would HP know?

the little microchips that are located on the ink carts that aren't allowed to be reverse engineered to be on the cheapy and refill carts. (thank you DMCA)

those little buggers track lots of info... er.. could possibly. dammit.. my tinfoil hat keeps falling off.

djtestudo · 06-25-2004, 07:18 AM

I bought some knockoff cartridges for my HP online for a third of the store price. Haven't had a problem yet.

MSD · 06-25-2004, 09:10 AM

It's ink. It's just ink. Test it to make sure it isn't watered down too much, but in the end, it's all ink.

If you refill your HP cartridges before they get too low, the chips won't know the difference.

User Name · 06-25-2004, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Cynthetiq
the little microchips that are located on the ink carts that aren't allowed to be reverse engineered to be on the cheapy and refill carts. (thank you DMCA)

those little buggers track lots of info... er.. could possibly. dammit.. my tinfoil hat keeps falling off.

The chips would be on the ink cartridges, not in the printer itself, so whatever information they store is irrelevant to HP's warranty procedures in relation to printers that use(d) generic ink.

merkerguitars · 06-27-2004, 09:16 PM

It depends...i've have some printers that hate generic ink, some that doesn't, and some that like only certain types of generic ink. Try it and if it doesn't work just try a different brand.

Speed_Gibson · 06-27-2004, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by maleficent
Check the warranty -

Not sure if it's still true, but at one point with HP printers, unless you used new HP cartridges, you voided the warranty.

there are always people that tell you such things when they call for support

worked for 19 months in tech support so I have experienced similiar things; I supported Laserjet models so not quite the same though.

cheeterbo · 06-29-2004, 09:44 AM

it's hit and miss. sometimes the quality of the ink is a bit faded, but acceptable. i have been doing it for years with cannon and hp cartridges. lately, i have been getting tired of loading the ink myself and i found this guy near buy who's business is retooling cartridges and then reselling them.

he is more expensive than doing it myself, but cheaper than a new cartridge. and, the ink quality is still hinky.

as for voiding the warranty, i challenge any mfg to void a warranty without a photo of a retooled cartridge or an actual cartridge. how would they know unless you told them?

skaterpunk · 06-30-2004, 01:37 AM

Actually counterfit ink has been flooding the market lately. If you are going for cheap ink, buy only from big name companies. In hundreds of cases that were brought to public attention the fake ink cartridges damage the printers beyond the point of possibly being able to be serviced. It's your risk.

lefty8080 · 06-30-2004, 03:47 PM

I have had good luck refilling my black ink but have had NO sucess in refilling my color ink

DEI37 · 06-30-2004, 04:56 PM

I had a Canon that didn't mind cheapie black or color. I gave $2/blk and $7/clr. Never any problems. It lasted just about as long...probably 95% of the life of the OE Canon cartridges, so it was well worth the money.

bing bing · 06-30-2004, 06:06 PM

i refill all the time. Haven't had a problem yet and saved a hell of a lot of money.

06-24-2004, 09:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
clavus pow! Location: NorCal	generic ink in printer? I spent 10 minutes trying to decide if I should put this question in Electronics, Computers, Photography or Knowledge, so it must be General. I have a shiny new Canon i960 printer. The generic inks are cheaper than the Canon brand, but how do they rate? Are they just as good? Are there certain manufacturers that I should avoid? Should I suck it up and buy the Canon brand ink? Bottom line - how do I get good cheap ink in this thing? __________________ Ass, gas or grass. Nobody rides for free.

06-25-2004, 06:57 AM	#4 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	Check the warranty - Not sure if it's still true, but at one point with HP printers, unless you used new HP cartridges, you voided the warranty. __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

06-25-2004, 07:18 AM	#7 (permalink)
djtestudo Baltimoron Location: Beeeeeautiful Bel Air, MD	I bought some knockoff cartridges for my HP online for a third of the store price. Haven't had a problem yet. __________________ "Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen." --Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

06-27-2004, 09:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
merkerguitars Buffering......... Location: Wisconsin...	It depends...i've have some printers that hate generic ink, some that doesn't, and some that like only certain types of generic ink. Try it and if it doesn't work just try a different brand. __________________ Donate now! Ask me How! Please use the search function it is your friend. Look at my mustang please feel free to comment! http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/showthread.php?t=26985

06-30-2004, 01:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
skaterpunk The Ultimate Badass Location: Tampa	Actually counterfit ink has been flooding the market lately. If you are going for cheap ink, buy only from big name companies. In hundreds of cases that were brought to public attention the fake ink cartridges damage the printers beyond the point of possibly being able to be serviced. It's your risk. __________________ "The laws that keep us safe, these same laws condemn us to boredom. Without access to true chaos, we'll never have true peace. Unless everything can get worse, it won't get any better. This is all the stuff the Mommy used to tell him. She used to say, "The only frontier you have left is the world of intangibles. Everything else is sewn up too tight." Caged inside too many laws. By intangibles, she meant the Internet, movies, music, stories, art, rumors, computer programs, anything that isn't real. Virtual realities. Make-believe stuff. The culture. The unreal is more powerful than the real. Because nothing is as perfect as you can imagine it. Because it's only the intangible ideas, concepts, beliefs, fantasies that last. Stone crumbles. Wood rots. People, well, they die."

06-25-2004, 03:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
scrooloose Tilted Location: NY	I have been using refill kits for years some work great some are crappy, I suggest that you experiment with them and see how you like the. I got mine from Sam's club and it refilled my black ink 15 times. The only problem is that the color one didnt work great cause on my printer I had to pull the top of the cart off and it never went back together the right way.

06-25-2004, 06:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
SexyCat Meow Location: Michigan	Best Buy sells Basix inks and they are not refill kits, but actual cartridges. I have heard some good things about them so long as you can read directions and install them correctly.

06-25-2004, 09:10 AM	#8 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	It's ink. It's just ink. Test it to make sure it isn't watered down too much, but in the end, it's all ink. If you refill your HP cartridges before they get too low, the chips won't know the difference.

06-29-2004, 09:44 AM	#12 (permalink)
cheeterbo Crazy Location: newyork	it's hit and miss. sometimes the quality of the ink is a bit faded, but acceptable. i have been doing it for years with cannon and hp cartridges. lately, i have been getting tired of loading the ink myself and i found this guy near buy who's business is retooling cartridges and then reselling them. he is more expensive than doing it myself, but cheaper than a new cartridge. and, the ink quality is still hinky. as for voiding the warranty, i challenge any mfg to void a warranty without a photo of a retooled cartridge or an actual cartridge. how would they know unless you told them?

06-30-2004, 03:47 PM	#14 (permalink)
lefty8080 Upright	I have had good luck refilling my black ink but have had NO sucess in refilling my color ink

06-30-2004, 04:56 PM	#15 (permalink)
DEI37 Go faster! Location: Wisconsin	I had a Canon that didn't mind cheapie black or color. I gave $2/blk and $7/clr. Never any problems. It lasted just about as long...probably 95% of the life of the OE Canon cartridges, so it was well worth the money. __________________ Generally speaking, if you were to get what you really deserve, you might be unpleasantly surprised.

06-30-2004, 06:06 PM	#16 (permalink)
bing bing Addict Location: Melbourne, Australia	i refill all the time. Haven't had a problem yet and saved a hell of a lot of money.