4 posts shown.
rustysurfer79 said:Look, if you're out there buying something brand new, don't hold your breath for a bargain. It’s almost impossible to find anything under retail. $267So, look. It’s twice the price compared to the cheapest option out there, but honestly? You aren't exactly getting double the lifespan out of it. What you're really paying for is just slightly better performance and having to swap out the ink less often. That's about it.
Look, if you’re just trying to scrape together some cheap prints, you might as well just go for a proven combo—grab a decent printer, some high-capacity cartridges, and a bulk pack of ink. It's the only way to make sense of it.
Why?
Look, here's the deal: once you hit that 5,000 or 8,000 print mark, those printers basically demand a hard reset. Most of the time, especially with the newer models, nobody's actually released the reset tools yet. Honestly? It’s probably because the manufacturers don't want to make it easy for us—they have zero interest in letting that kind of software just float around freely.
What kind of model are you actually looking for? I’m not trying to sell you anything, but if you don't want to drop a ton of cash, you might be better off hunting for something used on Marketplace or eBay. Honestly, buying brand new these days feels like a scam unless you really need that warranty. If you can find a decent deal on a secondhand unit, go for it—just make sure you check the print heads before handing over the money. Personally, I've learned the hard way that "cheap" can get real expensive, real fast, if you aren't careful.
How can you actually tell which models come with permanent ink tanks?
rustysurfer79 said:It's a lost cause
We've got five broken HP Envy Series units sitting in the shop right now, all showing the exact same error. That's just how it goes these days. Stuff is engineered to last maybe 18 months before it's ready for the graveyard. Service rates are $50 and you can't even get parts for them anymore. When they all die the same way, there's no point playing math games with these machines. They're headed straight for the trash bin.
Basically, the manufacturer rigged the game. They want you to go out and grab the latest model, knowing full well you'll be back doing the same thing in 18 months. Or, if you read between the lines: it's a scheme to force you into buying more original ink at FULL PRICE. Because they know nobody would pay those prices otherwise.
That's just the way the world turns lately.
Get it?
Oh, I'm well aware of how this works. It's called capitalism! They sell junk so people have to shell out cash for replacements more often, but that's a whole different conversation. Looks like I'm stuck buying a new printer!
brightviper13 said:It’s a massive headache when a printer dies right after the warranty expires—honestly, who even builds hardware to last just a year?
Your only real move is to scour the web for a reset program. Just search for an Epson reset tool, maybe include your specific model number.
That’s basically what repair shops do; they clear out whatever error code the printer logged in its memory. Usually, these errors pop up because the thing hasn't been used enough and the ink dried up inside.
In your situation, you've had one color sitting there for two years. If you don't print regularly, things break, especially if you're using off-brand ink. Honestly, regardless of whether you think you need to, you should be printing *something* every five days—just a tiny photo, anything to keep the ink flowing through the print head. And I mean all colors, not just one. It doesn't have to be a full-size photo; something small works fine.
Try finding that reset software first to wipe whatever ghost error is causing this mess. Once that's done, grab some new ink. You can go with third-party stuff, but if you ask me, stick to Orink or nothing else. Third-party junk is hit or miss, but Orink has always been solid. Get the new ink in before you try the reset. But hey, do whatever you want. We've seen this before in old threads—cheap knockoff ink causes malfunctions or won't even get recognized. Orink is the way to go if you're going budget.
As for whether you can actually save this thing... well, for about $100, you could just buy a decent new printer. Just remember: don't let it sit idle this time.
I already tried a few different reset programs, but none of them support this specific model. Honestly, it’s not even worth paying a repair shop to look at it; I’d rather just pick up a new one.
It's totally possible the lack of use killed it. Truth is, I haven't really used it much lately.
Thanks for the tip!
I’m dealing with a massive headache with this all-in-one unit.
Every time I power it on, a section of the scanner bar starts shaking violently (you know the one—the part that moves the scanner light) and makes this weird clunking sound because it keeps slamming into the other side of the track. After about a minute, the shaking stops, but then all the lights just start flashing at me in this rapid, annoying rhythm.
Just to give some context, I bought this thing two years ago. It worked perfectly fine for the first year, but right around this time last year—exactly when the warranty expired—it started acting up like this. I’ve only replaced the Black ink once since I use it way more than anything else, and my computer still says I have plenty of color left, even if it's getting a bit low.
On top of that, whenever I try to run a test copy (using that Stop and Power button combo), the paper won't even feed into the machine! It just sits there.
I've tried reinstalling every single driver and program from scratch, and I’ve gone through every troubleshooting step in the manual, but nothing works. Absolutely nothing.
Honestly, I'm at my wit's end. Taking it to a repair shop feels like a total scam; it would probably cost more to fix than just buying a brand-new printer-scanner.
If anyone actually knows how to deal with these types of machines, please, help a person out!!!