Epson D120 "Service required"
in [Printers]
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From: Arthur Entlich on 29 Nov 2009 12:14 If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste, I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog: http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/ Ali wrote: > Jan Alter suggested > >> http://www.epson.co.uk/Support >> >> >> Having checked out the Epson UK support site above I'm dismayed that >> you have to contact a support person to get help downloading drivers >> and utilities for your printer. They don't seem to be obviously >> available. It does appear that you can do an online chat without >> cost. In the U.S. drivers are on the Epson site. > > I've tried there. They gave me this piece of guff > "Like so many other products, Epson consumer inkjet products have a > finite life span due to component wear during normal use. At some point > the product will reach a condition where either satisfactory print > quality cannot be maintained or components have reached the end of their > usable life. This is normal operation for a sophisticated mechanical > device" > and provided the address of their service agent. > > Thanks for looking. > What I find interesting is that should the waste ink pad protection numbers come up while the printer is under warranty (usually indicating the printer has been heavily used) then Epson will replace the printer, as if this issue is a defect. But as soon as the warranty period runs out, suddenly this is just "normal aging" and you should just buy a new printer because the old one wore out. However, it is not that parts "wore out" in most cases these printer become dysfunctional due to head clogs (and people not knowing how to fix and avoid future ones) and the filling of the waste pads which is just a "normal result of clogged heads and general usage. These are all forms of planned obsolescence. In most cases the printer is fine mechanically otherwise, and both are relatively easy fixes. There are design changes which would have resolved these issues. These are the kind of issues which only wide publicity, change of brand when purchasing, and lobbying of higher government officials will force change. Sadly, many manufacturers aren't much or any better. Art
From: John Smith on 29 Nov 2009 13:01 Arthur Entlich suggested > > John Snith wrote: >> Arthur Entlich suggested >> >>> I hate to say this but you really need to contact your MP or >>> whomever is responsible for your consumer legislation. >> >> We have a big election next year, so that may actually be >> worthwhile. >> >>> In the US and Canada due to pressure and legal arguments, Epson was >>> forced to supply the small propriety software required to reset >>> that counter (It is held in an EEPROM within the printer). >> >> Do you have a pointer to those arguments, please. For passing on to >> my MP. > > No, unfortunately I don't have references. If you wish you can look > into the several class action lawsuits which Epson has responded to > in the US and Canada in regard to issues like the cartridges reading > empty early and the chipped cartridges and their consequences. > Epson, in all causes so far have chosen to pay small settlements to > each printer owner rather than fight these in court. This also > allows them not to have to admit to the charges made by the > plaintiffs. > > If you wish to see the Epson pages which offer the owners of certain > Epson printers the options of downloading the waste pad protection > number resetting software go to: > > http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/InkPadsForm.jsp > >> >>> The reason for it is to protect your furniture and carpets from >>> being damaged to ink leaking out of the waste ink pads. However, >>> not only doesn't Epson make mention of this limitation, or that it >>> will just shut the printer down with a few moment's notice, but >>> also the numbers are set rather conservatively such that most >>> people have found they can reset the number at least once without >>> leaking ink. >>> >>> Further, Epson printers are no capable of actually knowing how much >>> ink does go down the waste ink tube since the printer only counts >>> the supposed amount, based upon a totally unclogged head. When >>> nozzles are clogged less ink is released during cleaning and >>> purging. In some cases, no ink is removed (a full head clog) and >>> yet your ink levels on the cartridge are reduced, as well as the >>> amount f use you can get from the waste ink cartridges before they >>> shut the system down as well. >>> >>> My suggestion for most people is to install a waste ink tube >>> extension and bring it outside the printer and into a clear bottle >>> of some type. >>> >>> You will then see just how much ink gets wasted, and also be able >>> to keep track of the ink without soiling the waste ink pads anymore >>> than has been done. >> >> Unless the waste ink counter can be reset this doesn't get me much >> further. > > Yes, you are correct, the EEPROM reset is fundamental to reversing > this event. This is why you need to convince your MPs or other > appropriate gov't officials that this practice of not allowing for > user resets in anti-consumer and anti-environment. This system as it > stands also has the additional problem of poorly contained waste ink > (some exposed pads) which absorb the ink and then allow it to escape > if the printer is discarded into a landfill or other discard system. > >> >>> The cost to having the waste ink pads professionally replaced in >>> not of get economic value.., as it usually cost nearly the price of >>> a new printer which comes with new inks as the cost of getting the >>> old one repaired. >>> >>> The UK and the European Union should take Epson to task on this. >>> It is wasteful, unnecessary, and IMHO a rip off to the consumer and >>> the environment. >>> >>> Art >>> >>> > > > >>> >>> If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste, >>> I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog: >>> >>> http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/ >>> >>> JohnSmith wrote: >>>> Hi. I have an Epson D120, just over a year old. The status monitor >>>> is showing the message " Service Required. Parts inside your >>>> printer are near the end of their service life. See your printer >>>> documentation. >>>> >>>> That says "The waste ink pad in the printer is saturated. Contact >>>> your dealer to replace it." >>>> >>>> After reading in here, and googling, I presume this is really a >>>> counter on a chip causing the message. >>>> >>>> Any ideas how to get rid of it? >>>> >>>> The SSC Service Utility doen't recognise the printer. There doen't >>>> seem to a front panel reset option documented anywhere >>>> >>>> >>>> I'm in the UK, BTW. >>>> >> >> >> Thanks for your reply. >> Ok, thanks again. -- John Smith
From: Ato_Zee on 29 Nov 2009 14:22 On 29-Nov-2009, Arthur Entlich <e-printerhelp(a)mvps.org> wrote: > These are all forms of planned obsolescence. And of course the mfrs. choose not to writed drivers for new OS's, and MS$ colludes with them by saying it's the mfrs. responsibility to write the drivers. Landfill fills up with printers, some only a couple of years old. You see them outside houses, waiting for the garbage collection truck.
From: Arthur Entlich on 1 Dec 2009 05:48
The printer manufacturers, in general, are selling ink, toner and other consumables at very high mark ups. But to sell these things, they have to create a printer which the public will buy at low profit margin, but which is designed to try to require you to buy their consumable goods. This adds complexity to the designs, sometimes those design features cause functionality failures or cause restricted capabilities, and they further add to the cost of manufacture. It is a poor business model for most consumers, and certainly for environmental considerations. It also inspires the manufacturers to make printers which don't last, because they are constantly competing on supposed improvements, which may or may not really matter in terms of output, but which generally introduce new methods of further restricting consumable use to their own products. Further, because the cost of upgrading the printer itself is minimal, and consumable costs these days don't vary much between model types and brands, this further encourages replacing the unit the moment something new comes along or any mechanical difficulty ensues. In some cases the cost of the printer with factory provided initial consumables, makes buying a new printer nearly the same cost as replacing the consumables once. At least in some countries, legislation is requiring that cartridges be refillable. This should become universal, IMHO. While it may cause increases in cost of acquisition of the printer, it will allow for a much more "natural" process of longevity in the products. The one current exception to the common business model is Kodak, which is trying to break this cycle by selling their printers at more initial cost, but charging considerably less for consumables. There are a few other product lines coming down the line which are likely to do the same and they should be supported when they appear. Again, ultimately, legislation may be the only method to level the playing field and allow the products to stand on their own merits. My blog (which has been stagnant for quite a few months now, unfortunately) does go into these issues in much more detail. Art If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste, I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog: http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/ Ato_Zee wrote: > On 29-Nov-2009, Arthur Entlich <e-printerhelp(a)mvps.org> wrote: > >> These are all forms of planned obsolescence. > > And of course the mfrs. choose not to writed drivers for new OS's, > and MS$ colludes with them by saying it's the mfrs. responsibility > to write the drivers. > Landfill fills up with printers, some only a couple of years old. > You see them outside houses, waiting for the garbage collection > truck. |