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Print Cartridge Advice

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Heinrich

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2001
1,341
1
81

Lots of retailers on the web. Can't seem to find reviews of cartridges. What's good and what's not? What's been reviewed? Whom do you trust?
 
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Chucko

Senior member
Nov 27, 2002
486
0
0
Pc Magazine ran a review a few months ago, and I think PC World did too. Check their websites, they may have the article online.
 
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Heinrich

Golden Member
Jul 28, 2001
1,341
1
81
Canon S820. After reading the referenced PC World articles, I'm going to stick with the genuine stuff.
 
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tomcas1

Member
Nov 3, 2001
113
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0
The article in PC Magazine on generic cartridges was flawed and biased. If I had a Canon S820 I would not hesitate for a minute to buy replacement ink tanks from a reputable ink dealer. The newer Canons and older Epsons are perfect for generic refills because they utilize separate print heads plus they lack cartridge chips. The inks from dealers such as MIS associates http://www.inksupply.com are virtually identical to the OEM inks.
Printer manufacturers have taken up the razor blade marketing scheme where they give away the handle and then make the profits on the sale of replacement blades. The printer manufactures sell the printers at or below cost and make up the profits by locking in the sales of overpriced inks to the warranty coverage. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act was suppose to stop the requirement of "tied in sales" and service from being a condition of warranty coverage but congress gave them a loop hole to apply for a FTC waiver.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/warranty.htm
The printer manufacturers have fooled or scared people into believing they must always buy their ink. Do they really think that a factory repair shop is going to know that a generic cartridge was removed and replaced with an OEM before it was returned for warranty repair?
One last observation. Canon appears to have taken a different twist to this marketing scheme. They intend to make the profits back from the sale of print heads even more so than from the sale of replacement ink tanks.
 
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Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
1
0
Have you compared Canon's print head prices with Epson's?

Despite them being semi-permanent now, Canon's are still easily replaceable and reasonable in cost.

Anyhow. I have yet to see a Canon printhead die (no wait, I've seen that happen, on a BJ-300 waaaaaaaay back in time. Was terminally clogged up by homebrew refill ink ...)
 
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Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
1
0
Oh, and on the original question: I've been using Xerox brand ink with the Canons, works well. However some of their cartridges seem to contain A LOT LESS ink than the original ones, making them much less of a bargain than they seem to be.

Top spot in ink cost currently is owned by my trusty old BJC-600 (the first ever desktop printer with single-ink tanks). Since this line of printers disappeared before the "cheap printers expensive ink" wave, its ink never got hiked up in price either. $8.99 buy me a double pack of any color ink tank - yes folks, that's a complete round of all four inks for $18.
 
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tomcas1

Member
Nov 3, 2001
113
0
0
I recall reading the Canon S820, S900, and S9000 print head price was at least half the price of the printer which doesn't seem very reasonable. I could not find any pricing for these heads, perhaps you could provide a link. As far as Epson print head goes, I was under the impression you have to take them a part to replace them which is no easy task.
 
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Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
1
0
tomcas, half the price of the printer IS reasonable. After all, the head is about the only piece of sophisticated technology in such a printer.

Epson replacement print heads are more than a new printer. And the replacement labour is more than flicking a lever (like in Canons).

I've been doing printer repairs for well over 15 years now. Believe me, in inkjets, Canon is the only company worthwile when it comes to supplies, parts and repairability of aging printer models.
 
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tomcas1

Member
Nov 3, 2001
113
0
0
Peter, where have you seen the price of the print head for the CanonS820, S900 or S9000? Can you provide a link?
 
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Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
1
0
I don't think the phone number for Canon Germany's spare part center (dealers only) would be any help for you ...
 
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tomcas1

Member
Nov 3, 2001
113
0
0
It turns out the print head prices were not as bad as I thought.
S820-$80US.
S900 & I9100- $98US.

Not bad.
Not good, but not bad.

 
J

jp10558

Junior Member
Nov 4, 2003
2
0
0
what about newer epson's... like the C82? I have had good luck with http://www.tecwrks.com/ on old epsons, but I like a fool tried to save a few more bucks and got some from catalogue800 which destroyed the printhead by clogging up entirely. Had to exchange with epson. I don't want to repeat that experiance, but I feel there HAS to be a good 3rd party dealer that can sell ink for less than epson does, or at least some online retailer that can sell epson inks for a discount.
 
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tomcas1

Member
Nov 3, 2001
113
0
0
I've been using Voltexx generic cartridges for Epson 740 refills for 3 years without any problem. They have generic cartridges for the C82 but I've never tried them.
 
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Peter

Elite Member
Oct 15, 1999
9,640
1
0
Originally posted by: tomcas1
It turns out the print head prices were not as bad as I thought.
S820-$80US.
S900 & I9100- $98US.

Not bad.
Not good, but not bad.
Click to expand...

See ;) (Sometimes these print head prices even are including a full round of ink tanks!)
 
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