Question HP inkjet printers 'must' first use the 'setup' cartridges that came with the printer... why?

[mikeymikec]

I've encountered this once before, this time I had to find a workaround for it (a remarkably simple workaround that involves pressing a few buttons on the printer), but can anyone think of any reason why HP would want to try and require users to first use the 'SETUP' cartridges that the printer comes with?

The only thought I have is that I've once encountered when buying a printer through a third party on Amazon that the seller had swapped the manufacturer's own cartridges for 'compatible' cartridges, and even tried to bribe me to keep the printer; perhaps HP are aware of this scam and this is their attempt to curb it, resulting in the end user contacting HP and them advising the user to take the printer back?

In this case, the customer was unpacking one of the cartridges and got over-zealous with ripping tapey-bits off and removed the flexible circuits leading to the cartridge's electrical contacts. In another scenario a customer had bought extra cartridges with their new printer then installed the extra cartridges, couldn't figure out why it wasn't working and asked me to take a look (while neglecting to mention the extra cartridges business).

 

[crashtech]

I've never heard of this, yet it is totally believable and unsurprising.

 

[Muadib]

HP is very gun ho with their ink and toner business. I always use their toner or ink with new printers. Shouldn't be a big deal, as it comes with the printer.

 

[lenjack]

Hp does this to make you buy more ink.

 

[Tech Junky]

DRM to lock you into buying HP for ink. It's all about the $$$$ which is why printers are cheap and they make up for it on the ink. I bought some refill bottles for $11 that will refill both color and black several times vs $30 for replacements.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

After years of fighting it, I don't even look at inkjet printers anymore. It's a crap technology that's been completely monetized.

 

[Muadib]

After years of fighting it, I don't even look at inkjet printers anymore. It's a crap technology that's been completely monetized.

I agree with this. My current printer is a HP Laser Jet, and it rocks. Turn on the printer, print whatever, turn it off, and repeat next time. Sadly I couldn't do that with the last inkjet.

 

[mikeymikec]

Hp does this to make you buy more ink.

How does this action achieve this? You've bought the printer for them, it comes with the setup cartridges. Even without the restriction, what difference does it make to HP's bottom line whether or not you use their setup cartridges?

My other theory is that in order to calibrate the printer so ink levels are as correct as possible, 'setup' cartridges are supplied, but surely since the printer can tell the difference between say a HP setup cartridge and a HP standard / XL cartridge and adapts accordingly, surely it could calibrate with any of those three cartridges just as well.

My remaining theory based on long experience with HP/Compaq is that if they can find a bizarre way of doing things, they will.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

How does this action achieve this? You've bought the printer for them, it comes with the setup cartridges. Even without the restriction, what difference does it make to HP's bottom line whether or not you use their setup cartridges?

My other theory is that in order to calibrate the printer so ink levels are as correct as possible, 'setup' cartridges are supplied, but surely since the printer can tell the difference between say a HP setup cartridge and a HP standard / XL cartridge and adapts accordingly, surely it could calibrate with any of those three cartridges just as well.

My remaining theory based on long experience with HP/Compaq is that if they can find a bizarre way of doing things, they will.

I assume it's because you expect a printer to come with cartridges, so by including "setup" cartridges that are only good for a few pages, it means you'll be buying more cartridges sooner. And probably a multi-pack since you don't want your "brand new printer" to be out of ink.

AFAIK/IME printers don't usually need to do a "calibration" to determine the ink levels. Either the cartridge has an ink level sensor in it (and the printer reports what they tell it to) or the printer uses page count to guesstimate consumable levels. Inkjet printer calibration is usually a combination of cleaning the heads and running extra ink through the tubes to ensure there's no dry/clogged ones. Maybe some checking the print head alignment if there's a sensor for that.

"Bizarre" behavior from companies isn't usually mysterious or idiosyncratic, it's usually revenue-driven and incorporates data or considerations customers are either unaware of or which we wouldn't generally think of as related. Think of all the frustrating moments you've had with a printer that drove you to buy more ink, and think about how you could adjust the lifespan of a cartridge to cause more of those moments, knowing that you're selling similar printers using different cartridge models, so you can tailor cartridge life to specific target markets, usage patterns and workloads. (Which you have well documented because of all the phone-home data you have from the cloud enable printers. And which you can influence by putting out steep discounts on specific printer models at specific times of year or through different distributors.)

 

[mikeymikec]

I assume it's because you expect a printer to come with cartridges, so by including "setup" cartridges that are only good for a few pages, it means you'll be buying more cartridges sooner. And probably a multi-pack since you don't want your "brand new printer" to be out of ink.

I assumed lenjack was referring to the practice I described in the OP (which to my regularly updated knowledge of inkjet printers for ~20 years is a new thing), rather than the existence of "setup" cartridges in general (ie. a set of cartridges that are not completely filled which are supplied with the printer). I agree with your response if lenjack meant the latter scenario, but the latter has been the status quo for a very long time.