Posts by hollowmarlin27

Robert Morales56 said:Hey there.

I've got an Epson printer at home, but things just went sideways. Suddenly, I'm getting these weird lines running right through my photos and text. It looks like colors are missing or just totally faded out. Any idea how to fix this?

I tried running a Head Cleaning from my computer, but it didn't do squat. I even picked some specific patterns—the ones that are supposed to show the quality best, I think?—but still nothing. What now?

The ink is fresh, and the printer isn't ancient either, maybe 3 or 4 years old. Do I need to run more cleaning cycles on the PC, physically clean something on the machine, or did the settings just get trashed?

Help please, thanks!

Pretty obvious you forgot to peel off the protective sticker, so air can't get into the cartridge.

If you're using those refillable tanks, grab a Q-tip and touch it to the ink inlet to see if any ink actually comes out. Pop the refill cap and check if anything flows through the tube. If it leaks, just put the cap back on and call it a day.

If nothing moves, take it back to the store where you bought them and ask for a replacement or help. There’s clearly some other blockage in there. Or, maybe the "new" ink sat on a shelf too long and turned into old ink. Basically, if it's too thick, it won't flow even after you pull the seal off. Same goes for refill ink.
Got it?

Sean Vaughn35 said:I don't know much about this CISS thing, but isn't it basically just tanks hooked up to the side where I pour in bottled ink?
P.S. The cartridges currently inside aren't empty yet, and they say OEM on them, so I assume that's what they are...

The best part here is that this Epson actually comes with a factory-built Japanese CISS from back when Epson actually gave a damn about this tech. This specific model has a built-in Japanese CISS, whereas the standard A L series is just some overpriced consumer junk retailing for $500 $200 that costs 2 - 3 times more than the actual hardware is worth.

For that exact same internal mechanism, Epson built a professional-grade CD/DVD printing robot, the PP 100 series, which goes for about $2,000 $0.00. Basically, if you're printing on a CD/DVD with this PX 700, the quality won't be any worse, and it won't wear out any faster than that $2,000 machine.$0.00

So, all you really have to do is pull out the original cartridges and swap them for ARC cartridges with external tanks. Honestly, you might have to shave a little plastic off somewhere so the cables don't get pinched, so the installation isn't exactly for everyone.

Sean Vaughn35 said:Thanks for clearing that up, I appreciate it 👍. I'll try messing around with some software to see if I can reset it myself. If not, I guess I'll look into a repair shop, assuming you can even reset it without a USB cable—I don't have one handy, so unless there's a way over LAN, I'm stuck. Paid about $16 for it 😵
.

$33 for something that costs roughly $667 brand new, it's not a bad deal
.
Even if you use that new reset tool from $667, it isn't going to perform any better than the one from $33. That is, provided the previous owner didn't already wreck it using cheap knock-off ink.

That’s why installing a CISS is actually a smart move. You end up using the same reliable ink every single time. With those generic replacements, you never really know what kind of junk you're getting in the latest batch.

Sean Vaughn35 said:Hey, I picked up a Canon PIXMA series printer, but I can't even get it running because some error popped up on the screen. In German, it says:
"Die Tintenkissen im Drucker sind verbraucht. Bitte den Epson-Support verständigen."

Here’s the English version from the Manual:
"The printers ink pads are nearing the end of their service life. Contact Epson support"

Solid machine
It's working perfectly once you set up a CISS system.

Good buy.

You'll have to take it to a repair shop to get them to reset the waste ink counter.
Cost is about 150 - $133

My advice? Once that's done, it's smart to install a CISS. That'll run you an extra $133 and you'll have a device that's honestly better than the priciest Epson consumer models for one very simple reason: this unit has a head with 6 * 180 nozzles, whereas the best consumer Epson models only have 180 + 3* 59 nozzles.

Honestly, whoever sold this was a fool—they clearly didn't realize what they had sitting on their desk. People always want the newest thing, but this one obviously put in the work. If it wasn't a good machine, there wouldn't even be a need for this reset.

Brian Campbell36 said:It prints, but every single time a page comes out, this little cloud of white smoke puffs out.

I don't get why it heats up so fast that it starts smoking. What could be going wrong here? 🤔

Try running the same sheet through twice.

If it smokes just as bad the second time, the printer is toast.

Nathan Mitchell3 said:hollowmarlin27

If the G series is basically just an IP 7250 in disguise, can we actually expect it to take less than 3 minutes to spit out that first page?

Best Buy: L365 with 3 years of warranty = $417

$417 / (3 * 365) = $0.38 / day

That’s the operating cost. You get plenty of ink anyway, so there's no point calculating it—it's not like it's expensive ($17 / 70 ml), so who cares.

After 3 years, you just toss it in the trash.

L220:
$300 / 365 = $0.82 / day

The logic is simple: while the device is under warranty, it should work. You can rely on it during that window. Every single day after the warranty expires is just a free gift to the universe.

From what I can tell, the G series uses two print heads instead of one. It's kind of like those HP LaserJet Pro cartridges designed for one-time use that can burn through 50-100 ml easily, and replacing them costs next to $50

Second thing.

Because I know people here who swear by warranties and buy new printers just for the coverage, but in reality, they’ve had HP tell them they won't replace a head under warranty once printing issues start up. Or the service center just makes excuses, claiming the head is a "consumable" item and therefore isn't covered.

I'm genuinely curious if anyone here has actually dealt with that.
With the G series, you fix the issue for about 150- $67.

Does anyone actually know from experience how much that same fix would run you on an L series?

DOES ANYONE ACTUALLY CARE ABOUT AN ANSWER TO THAT?

Nathan Mitchell3 said:It feels like the Canon G series should be more expensive than the Epson ones??

The Pixma G series range starts from USD 9,595 for the basic model- G1000 printer and goes up to USD 16,795 for the wireless G3000 model. And the replacement ink bottles are priced at USD 499 per unit. The printers will compete with the ink tank series printers from Epson, which come at a starting price of USD 7,500 (approx.).

Look, pricing isn't some scientific formula set by engineers. It’s just commerce. If people are willing to shell out that much, then that's what the market price becomes.

Marketing teams have to work overtime with their campaigns and hype just to cover their own costs and make sure everyone in the supply chain gets their slice of the pie—call it profit, call it cream, whatever you want to call it.

If someone else makes a similar device, they know perfectly well they can make a decent profit selling the exact same thing for around $600 $233 + tax. Just look at the Brother MF units. They've been sitting there at that price point for a year, and all those models come with an integrated CISS system built right in.

Basically, once the market gets bored or saturated, that's when you see the real price for a product like this. Marketing can spend as much on ads as they want, but at the end of the day, it only matters how much the customer is actually willing to pay for the same damn thing. If a company decides they aren't making enough margin on a specific item, they'll drop it from their lineup faster than you can blink.

The Epson L220 isn't a bad concept while it's actually working. But not every link in the chain is playing by the same rules. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, and in this case, that's the paper feed system. And the scanner unit.

Anthony Kelly9 said:So you're trying to tell me Epson's L series is such garbage that it can only handle two or three refills? Yeah, I’m not buying it. I haven't spent much time messing around with Epson gear myself—mostly because my experience usually ends once the warranty expires—but there's a massive hole in your logic. If all these machines were built the exact same way, why on earth would they offer an extended warranty on the L220 when it's actually a lighter-duty model? It doesn't add up. Anyway, let's just wait until then and see if we can actually have a coherent discussion.😁

Look, all I can tell you is that aside from the CISS, there isn't much difference between the Epson L210 and the Epson XP202. The L series is basically built on the same platform.

So, the XP 202 hit the scene about two years ago. Now that we've hit the 24-month mark, we’re finally seeing what its actual lifespan looks like. Turns out, systemic issues with the quality of certain components in this specific model are starting to surface.
So, I guess there’s no real theory that things would actually work differently with the L series.
Once you run out of ink and that warranty finally expires, you might as well just toss the thing for $50. $83
I found this listing for an inkjet printer online. Check it out:

That’s a realistic price to expect once the warranty expires. The real question is whether the print head is actually covered under the warranty. Not to mention that the... $17 Most of the time, it's just not worth fixing.

Anthony Kelly9 said:Look, you're totally missing the point here. I've been talking about an all-in-one—something that handles printing, scanning, AND copying—because I'm tired of paying for two separate machines that do the same thing. You're just offering me a basic printer for the same price. And even if I were shipping this somewhere out in California, you haven't even mentioned shipping costs from south to north, which can be huge. There's zero chance I'd get my device back the same day, let alone have you somehow conjure up some rare printer that apparently nobody else in the entire US owns (except you, based on how much you talk 👍). I said you might be good at what you do, but you clearly lack the follow-through to actually pull it off. That’s the difference between a pro who misses the shot and a blind chicken that occasionally stumbles onto a grain of corn 😉.

You know what?
It's going to be pretty entertaining when you read back over what you wrote today in about a year. Honestly, I'm looking forward to seeing your comments then.

Anthony Kelly9 said:Man, you’re completely missing the point here. You might play a great game, but if you can't score, nobody cares. It's all about the finish. Anyway, the L210 isn't an option at $300 (whatever I paid for mine) anymore; it's more like $383 for the L220. And once that Canon g2400 finally hits the shelves, it'll be even pricier—that's when you'll realize which brands really take their customers for a ride. (Speaking from experience comparing full-frame vs. APS-C Canon cameras.)🍿

You know what? There's a simple little test you can run with your L210 to see just how "budget-friendly" this build quality actually is.

Pop it in a box and pack it up. And I mean really pack it—but don't use the original box with the fancy custom foam. Just toss it in there and ship the whole mess via FedEx to someone out in California. Then, have them ship the whole thing right back to you the next day.

If you unbox everything and your printer still works perfectly without a single glitch, I'll personally give you a free Canon + CISS. It’s functionally identical to a Pixma G 1400.

Seriously, try the test. You might just walk away today with a compatible Canon Pixma G1400 that isn't even available in stores yet.👍:klap:

Anthony Kelly9 said:It seems like you’re still mixing up your apples and oranges here. The G1400 is just a printer, whereas the L210 is a full scanner/printer/copier combo—putting it more in the same league as the G2400. And seriously, could you please point me toward a local shop near me that’s actually selling a brand new L210 with pads and a warranty for $200?

If you have even a basic grasp of how marketing works, you’d realize that when a product is being shoved down everyone's throat everywhere, someone has to foot the bill for that hype. That extra $100
is exactly where that money comes from.
Take Brother, for example. Nobody talks about them, yet they make devices that are way more complex—we're talking a print head with 90 nozzles instead of this Epson's 59, which usually adds about $700 - $267 to the cost. But everyone is raving about them. It all boils down to
that hidden marketing budget baked into that price gap of $100
.
Once you see three identical products from Brother, Canon, and Epson hit the market, the prices will probably settle around $600 - $233. At that point, that $100 difference you paid—which basically funded everyone's ability to talk about this product—will vanish.

Give it three months. Your $100 has already been spent on advertising.

Anthony Kelly9 said:I've owned all sorts of Canon printers—some where you refill everything manually and others that rely on those annoying chips. Honestly, replacing the print heads or nozzles wasn't worth the money on either. That first setup with the separate black and color cartridges lasted me about three years, while the chip-based one dragged on for six. In the first case, service costs were insane; in the second, it was cheaper but still a massive headache. So, if I'm reading this right, Epson has more reliable heads and cheap ink, but their internal mechanics are a mess.

Every single consumer Epson out there today uses basically the same print head. They just pulled it straight from the old D120, which used to go for $166
.
Just look at how much more rugged that ancient D120 is compared to the L210. You tell me who's actually getting ripped off here.



Nowadays, you can grab an L800 using that exact same mechanism for around $600. Use that as your baseline to figure out what your L210 actually costs the manufacturer and see how much they're cutting corners on build quality.
The Pazo l 800 is basically the modern version of the P50 or R285 and cost about the same $167. Realistically, the L210 isn't worth any more than that. Same goes for the Canon G1400. Neither should cost more than $200. Basically, someone's taking you for a ride at $100.

Anthony Kelly9 said:Look, I’m just following the trail here. You were basically saying that everything Epson has on the market right now—this whole L series—is just the same old machine rebranded, and you called it a scam. Well, newsflash: they’re basically playing catch-up or just copying everyone else because they lack actual innovation. Now Canon is stepping up with their G series lineup. If Canon comes out with something cheaper that does the same thing, or even better than what’s already out there, then fine. It's a win. I honestly don't get what you're trying to pull with us "clueless" people when we ask about printers that can actually handle print and scan. You nitpick one brand, then turn around and give the other one a pass for doing the exact same thing. Just explain it to me: how do the print heads work differently between Epson and Canon? What are the actual pros and cons? From what I can tell, changing heads on a Canon is a massive headache—though, knowing Canon’s DSLR history, I wouldn't be surprised if that’s just another marketing gimmick. On the Epson side, I haven't seen much about how easy it is to swap a head. There’s probably a reason for that. This applies to both the G and L series.😉

Nothing's cheap anymore. Everything costs a fortune.
Look, it’s not like Canon is running some charity here just to be different from Epson. There’s really only one real distinction: Epson can't swap out print heads due to their tech limitations. So, they just keep making the mechanics increasingly delicate, all to squeeze more profit out of selling new print heads to manufacturers in China. It's a cycle—they build those guys up so they can churn out endless new models, just to sell us the exact same heads over and over again. Meanwhile, people end up tossing perfectly good heads because they have to keep up with the latest gadgets. It's basically Epson praying that a scanner or something breaks just so you'll ditch the whole setup and buy something new.

Look, with Canon, the print head is just another consumable. It’s all part of the game—Canon makes their money by selling you replacement heads once yours gives up the ghost. If they actually built more robust mechanics than Epson, those low-cost Canons would probably last longer, but that’s not how this works. If you aren't interested in buying a new head, you aren't really winning either. You just end up following the Epson playbook: you buy a whole new Canon printer to get a fresh head, and at the end of the day, the Chinese companies assembling the hardware are the ones laughing all the way to the bank.

Look, there isn't much of a difference unless you find some specific niche or application that makes one side better than the other. Paper thickness, water resistance, photo quality... that's where the real debate happens.

So, here’s the deal: you can't really do sublimation on a Canon. It just isn't an option. But, if you want to go the edible route? They've got reliable, field-tested edible inks that work great for printing directly onto those little cake wafers. With Epson, though, it’s basically the exact opposite.

Look, if you actually stop to think about it, it’s pretty obvious. With an Epson, you aren't just tossing a broken printer or scanner in the trash; you're throwing away the entire investment you sunk into that CISS setup. Buying a new printer means paying that same steep price all over again. With Canon, though, you just swap out the print head and your investment in the CISS stays intact. Simple as that.

Look, I'm just saying—take a look and think about what actually works in your favor.

The HP Envy 7250 works with polymer ink. Tested it myself. Basically, you print a label, cure the ink with a hair dryer, stick it on a bottle, and toss it in water. Pull it out, and the print hasn't budged.

Try doing the same thing with a business card. Even if you accidentally splash some water on it.

The print stays perfect.

Go ahead and try that same trick with your Epson L210 and let us all know how it turns out.

With the HP Envy 7250, if you don't need waterproof prints, you just swap out the polymer cartridges for cheap dye ones. But with an Epson—unless you're using specific Durabrite polymer ink—if you leave it sitting for too long, that polymer stuff hardens right in the print head and kills the printer.

So yeah, an Ink Tank System is nice and all, but there are definitely perks to having replaceable cartridges.

Think about envelopes, letterheads, price lists, business cards... you don't need a color laser printer for all that anymore. Seriously, look at the price of a color laser that can even handle 100lb paper. There isn't really anything decent on the market below professional A3 formats.

Anthony Kelly9 said:At that price point, it’d need to be at least 150g lighter than the HP Envy to matter. I mean, if I were baking cookies and filling them with 50-70ml of edible ink for $30 a pop... okay, look. If it actually costs up to $600—assuming the ink kit is included—then it’s a total game changer. If it turns out to be what you're describing, I’ll sell my HP Envy. Even if I lose my shirt like the head of NASA during an inauguration with Kamala Harris, I’m buying that Canon Pixma $23 boom machine. 🙏

Since you're clearly so obsessed with the HP Envy, why don't you run a quick test? Grab a sheet of paper and print something. Then, take that exact same sheet and run three more identical prints right over it. See if there's any noticeable shift.

Here’s the thing about the Canon: you could run that same paper through four times and the prints would line up perfectly. That’s huge. Because if you put high-quality HP DURABrite ink in your current printer, you're looking at needing two passes for a decent result. Which basically means a printer using DURABrite ink is 50% slower than this one. It smells like a classic marketing gimmick to me.

Or, to put it bluntly, they took a Canon Pixma, swapped out the DURABrite quality ink for cheap Dye ink, and suddenly "boosted" speed by 50% without even breaking a sweat. They just tweaked the firmware and the Driver of HP Envy to match the cheaper ink. Translation: the ink is cheaper and the printer is faster. Now the real question is how much hype they've pumped into this thing. We'll see.

That little trick doesn't work with Canon.

Anthony Kelly9 said:That Canon Pixma can do just about anything you throw at it with that nasty ink, unlike the HP Envy / HP Envy combo which couldn't handle half of it—not to mention trying to find one for a decent price here in the States.😁 🤔

It’s only been a week since they pulled it off the shelves. It's probably still too hot to touch for any buyer. And you bet the price will be way lower than an Epson, because back in our local markets, a printer with these exact specs used to go for around 600 bucks. $233

Timothy Hernandez86 said:Can anyone suggest a printer that won't die if it sits idle for a few months over the summer? Basically, I need something that can handle being useless for 2 to 4 months. The main thing is how it handles color. 😁 Ideally something cheap—though honestly, something cheaper to maintain is better than just a low upfront cost. Thanks in advance. 👍

You should check out Canon's Ink Tank System alternative to the HP Envy, which is the Canon Pixma. It eats through everything from 275g cardstock to 0.3mm aluminum foil. Plus, those 50-70ml ink bottles only run you about 30 bucks $23. Beyond the standard stuff, you can get special edible inks, non-edible pigmented inks, or even print on PVC.
Unlike Epson models, the print heads are user-replaceable.

Jeffrey Chavez6 said:Even if I use them constantly, mentioning the HP Envy / HP Envy is still the best move for color printing.

Those cheap ones? Mostly disposable. They’re built to churn out a few hundred pages before they end up in a landfill. If you stick to those overpriced original inks, the manufacturer makes a killing. If you don't, you lose your warranty.

What are you basing that on?

Maybe based on a compatibility chart like this one:
EPSON/L110/Epson%20L110-L210-L300-%20L350-Sx235w-Sx435w-%20Sx440w%20CR%20Motor-1548481-s2.jpg





It’s all basically the same printer. Just different labels and price tags.

Timothy Hernandez86 said:Anyone have a recommendation for a printer that can sit idle for a few months over the summer without becoming a total paperweight? Honestly, I don't care about the black ink—just need something where the color won't clog up or dry out if I don't touch it for two to four months. 😁 Ideally, I'd go with whatever's cheaper. But let's be real—I care way more about what it costs to actually keep the thing running than what I'm shelling out upfront. Thanks in advance. 👍

Look, most of these printers can hold up just fine. As long as you didn't leave them sitting around all summer with empty or half-empty cartridges that have been rotting in some warehouse for two or three years. That's where they die.

Anthony Kelly9 said:So, you’re basically claiming—with all that sound logic—that the HP Envy and the other HP Envy are the exact same machine, just separated by a software tweak. Fine. I'll bite. Just confirm one thing for me: if I take the software meant for the second model and try to run it on the first, does it actually work? If so, my curiosity is satisfied. Though, it would be nice if you could actually back up that claim with some real evidence instead of just stating it as fact.😉

You know exactly what to do. Why bother installing the software meant for an HP Envy? Just install the driver for the HP Envy instead. Then, head into the advanced settings and swap out the standard driver for the Driver of HP Envy. If that fails for some reason—because life is rarely that simple—just try using the one from the HP Envy. It’ll work. You'll be printing like you actually went out and bought the high-end model. Your heart will be at peace. $300.