Epson printer firmware now can’t use cloned cartridges

[hawknole]

I know, I shouldn’t have done a firmware update on my Epson printer.  Too late, now my cloned cartridges are not recognized.  The Epson will go in the garbage if I can find a better printer that doesn’t force this crap on us.  Any input is appreciated.

GE did something similar with my new fridge, chipped water filters.

Beyond pissed about BS like this.

[k7]

don't firmware update anything

what model? i can look to see, or you can find the original firmware it shipped with, and flash it with that.

otherwise, it's over.


remember, every printer company gives you the cow, but overcharges you for the hay, and takes revenue from the milk.

i reset drum counters on recycled printers all the time. if they work...i don't need a light telling me there's an issue.

[Niloc]

One of the big printer manufacturers, I think it was HP, recently had to release a guide on how to get around the DRM chips in their ink carts, because due to the current computer chip shortage, they can't get chips to put in their own carts. So genuine, 1st party stupid-expensive HP ink carts won't work in their own printers.

I'd suspect there's a similar guide for your printer, though I don't know for sure.

Unless you need to print in color very often, get a black and white laser printer. Look up the price for toner carts before buying, and check for generic replacements.
I've had a Canon multi-function unit since about 2004, it still works, I'm on maybe my 3rd or 4th toner cart - replacements currently cost around $18 and were as low as $12 in the past.
A "Brother" brand laser printer would also work well.

[hawknole]

Epson WF-3820

I looked for old firmware with no luck. 

[littlewest]

I found this video. kinda funny but seems legit. try at your own risk.

[hawknole]

Thanks, I watched this but the links provided did not seem legit.

[k7]

that secret menu is legit. the other way is to force the epson into recovery mode.

problem is...i cannot find any old firmware ANYWHERE for the wf-3820.

and this epson printer does not have a factory reset trick either.

[number six]

Unless you need to print in color very often, get a black and white laser printer. Look up the price for toner carts before buying, and check for generic replacements.
I've had a Canon multi-function unit since about 2004, it still works, I'm on maybe my 3rd or 4th toner cart - replacements currently cost around $18 and were as low as $12 in the past.
A "Brother" brand laser printer would also work well.

Yeah I only buy Brother Laser Printers.

The printer is going to cost you more up front but the toner is like $12 and lasts a year versus a $40 inkjet cartridge that is going to dry out in 4 months.

Printer market is a straight up scam and they will do anything to protect this BS 'ink is the most valuable liquid on the planet' scenario they've created.

Although there was a story recently about one of the printer companies, apparently due to the chip crisis they can't produce the security chip for their toner cartridges so they had to ship them without it with instructions on how to ignore their own counterfeit warnings... lol

[hawknole]

Yes, I understand all about the ink scam.  HP was the first I saw it.  Sell a printer for $50 and then charge a terribly high price for ink.  That is when I stopped buying HP printers.  Those old Laserjet 4s were true work horses for an office.

I do own a Brother color laser jet as well, however, I print a bunch of decals for pinball and need the higher resolution that an inkjet has.  For example, I made my own decals to cover the magnets in Iron Man Vault 2020.

Based on research it does look like Brother is the only printer that does not require a chip for their ink cartridges and I am happy with the Brother laserjet so looks like I will toss my relatively new Epson and go with a Brother.  Since Epson pulled that crap they do not deserve my business. 

Canon is the one where you can turn the chip off but the home Canon printers always felt really cheap to me.  Plus the whole, oh you can turn it off thing.

Thanks for the help.

[k7]

brother laser printers are too stupid and basic to die.   ***that's a compliment.

honestly, i get in 15 year old brother printers. plug them up, put in a sheet of paper, thing prints out a test page on the spot.

it takes me longer to figure out the self test button combo than to get it running and stocked.

i have 2 working HP inkjet printers stocked up in the garage. i give them away...there's no market for used inkjets.

[littlewest]

All said is true. in the printer profession, I only sell Lexmark. the ink isn't terribly priced, but the reliability is off the chain. I can get a 10-year warranty on most models. I only sell genuine ink, but my arsehole clients use nongenuine and they work without squawking. better buy legit ink if you want a warranty to help you though.

I just recently purchased a 44 inch HP z3200 printer, and have refurbished it. gonna try it out tonight, Ink just came in.

We literally had a guy buy a new printer and give it to us because he couldn't get it to work. even gave us the receipt from office max. he said he wanted to donate it.... he couldn't get it to work with his windows xp (driver support satarted at vista)... He bought another new printer, which did have XP listed for some reason.

[hawknole]

The conclusion to my Epson story is that I received my Brother inkjet yesterday, set it up and all good.  And good news the print resolution is higher, so upgrade.

I then took the relatively new Epson printer and threw it in the garbage.  I did not offer to anyone as a giveaway because then Epson would get an ink sale.  I can rest easy that Epson never got any money from me after I purchased the printer.  Because of their firmware practices and their firmware breaking my printer they never deserved any more of my money.  I understand after market ink could void the warranty and all of that but the printer was working great with the clone cartridges and then boom the firmware broke the printer.  So F You Epson!