Printer issues?

Help me!!!!
I just swapped out the black toner for the first time, following every single instruction to the letter, but that color test page won't print. Now, whenever I try to print or even just make a copy, I get back a page that's practically blank 🙄 though you can barely make out the text if you squint
I am at a complete loss here... It’s an HP 1515 printer and honestly, it’s been working flawlessly until now since it's basically brand new
The estimated ink levels show that the black is at 100% full with a checkmark next to it...
What on earth should I do? I even followed this video tutorial step-by-step 🙂

brisklynx13 said:Help me!!!!
I just swapped out the black toner for the first time. Followed all the instructions to a T, but that status page won't print in color, and now whenever I try to print or even just make a copy, I get a nearly blank white sheet 🙄 where you can barely make out any text
I have no clue what went wrong... It's an HP 1515 printer and it’s been working perfectly until now since it's pretty much brand new
The estimated ink levels show that the black is at 100% and has the checkmark next to it...
What should I do? I even tried following this video 🙂

Do you have the receipt?

Frank Barnes said:Do you have the receipt?

I think I have it filed away with my accountant. You really think it’s a hardware issue with the printer itself?
Honestly, I suspect I might have botched something myself. I was trying to format an invoice so it would print vertically, and in my frantic clicking through all those settings, I must have tripped over something... haha. Now, it won't even give me the option to toggle between color or black and white printing. 🤦
I've been wrestling with this printer all day long. I actually called tech support, and the guy just told me to try uninstalling the driver and reinstalling everything from scratch if nothing else works.
I haven't gotten that far yet, though, haha. I'm going to try calling a friend of mine who definitely knows way more about this stuff than I ever will.

brisklynx13 said:I think it might be an issue with my accountant's setup. You think it's the printer itself?
I have a feeling I messed something up when I was trying to format an invoice to print vertically—I just clicked everything in those settings without thinking, haha... now it won't even give me the option to choose color or black and white when I go to print. 🤦
I've been wrestling with this printer all day. I actually called tech support, and the guy told me to try uninstalling and reinstalling the drivers if nothing else works.
Haven't tried that yet, though, haha. I'm going to try calling a friend who definitely knows more about this stuff than I do.

Look, there's a basic rule here.

If you handed someone money, they should earn that money. How does he expect to take your cash, factor in after-sales support and profit, and then let someone else step in to fix your problems instead of him? You're wasting your own time and resources while your money stays sitting right in his pocket.

Basically, grab the printer and the cartridge, head over to whoever took your money, and drop them on the desk. Just say, "Look, I have a problem. I'd appreciate it if you could fix it. And if you can't, just give me my money back." Because I know exactly where I can go to settle this—either we solve the problem right here, right now, or I get a refund. Here's the receipt.

At least that's how things work around here. That's why we always tell users—if they aren't sure or don't want to deal with the headache—to bring the printer with them before they commit to an installation or buy any of those generic third-party or refilled inks. Honestly, with < Chinese persons >, every door is left wide open.

But if you went the "cheapest possible" route, well, that's on you. Nobody is going to provide decent after-sales support if you didn't pay for it. Next time, watch what you're buying and where you're buying it from. Ask if technical support is included in the price. These days, the people selling you ink and toner are the same ones who were advertising potatoes or refrigerators yesterday; they behave the exact same way, and hardware isn't nearly as simple as groceries.

Take this for example: some time ago, we ordered five Canon PG 40 cartridges from a big-name manufacturer of third-party inks. Since you can't exactly run out to buy a single unit every time you need one, we grabbed a pack of five. It's not like these inks sell like hotcakes; they're more of a niche item. So, they sat in our warehouse for three or four months. Then, a customer comes in needing that specific cartridge for his CISS system. We installed a PG 40 into his printer. It was brand new, unopened, Chinese-made, and it didn't work. We pulled a second one from the same batch. Didn't work. We tried a third. Nothing.

Finally, we took all five cartridges back to the importer. This guy acts like a total idiot. He told us we had to test all five within a three-month window. After three months, he said the warranty was void. He even threatened to put the whole story online. Our guy just looked at him and said, "Go ahead, post it."

So, that’s likely exactly what happened with your ink.

I’m looking for some advice on picking out a multifunction printer. I need something that hits all the marks: color laser, scanner, copier, Wi-Fi, and duplex printing, ideally sitting somewhere in the $200 to $1000 range. It would be used for an accounting office and a small boutique travel agency I run. I've been eyeing a couple of options so far:

Canon i-SENSYS MF8280CW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/ca...kolor__4024611

or perhaps

HP LaserJet Pro M177FW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/hp...kolor__5588221

Thanks for any help you can give me.

vividviper1 said:Which multifunction printer would you recommend if I need color laser, scanner, copier, Wi-Fi, and duplex, all within the $200-$$1000 range? It’s for an accounting office and a small online travel agency. I was looking at something like this:

Canon i-SENSYS MF8280CW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/ca...kolor__4024611

or maybe

HP LaserJet Pro M177FW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/hp...kolor__5588221

Thanks

Neither of them.

Why?

Because the tech has become too expensive. Even the manufacturers have pretty much moved on; for those exact same needs, they’re pushing high-end inkjet desktop printers now. See, these modern inkjets don't even use that old-school print head that slides back and forth left to right anymore. Instead, the print head is as wide as the paper itself. It makes for a much simpler machine. Which means a much cheaper machine. And honestly, the consumables end up being way more affordable, too.

So, looking at the long game, color lasers in this specific category are basically a dead end.

Frank Barnes said:not a single one

But why is that?

It comes down to the fact that the technology simply became too expensive to maintain. Even the manufacturers themselves have largely abandoned it, opting instead to push high-end inkjet line printers for those exact same requirements. You see, these modern inkjets don't rely on that old-fashioned print head that rattles back and forth across the page. Instead, they utilize a print head that is as wide as the paper format itself. It makes for a much simpler machine—which translates to a significantly lower price tag. Plus, when you factor in the consumables, the running costs are drastically lower.

In my estimation, color lasers are essentially a dead end in this specific category if you're looking at the long game.

Fair enough, but which ones specifically? Which inkjet line printers are we talking about?

vividviper1 said:Alright, so which inkjet line are we talking about specifically?

Well, just take a look at what HP and Canon or Epson have in their inkjet lineup for this category $667. They all seem to have some similar model running these days. As for how they handle third-party ink? Honestly, I haven't a clue.

What we actually have in stock are the tried-and-true HP OfficeJet Pro L 7550 and 7850 series paired with a CISS system.

So, they aren't technically "line head" printers, but they're in that same class, using reliable ink you just pour into the CISS system. Plus, the print heads are user-replaceable.

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/m...oduct=3198308&

As for these newer models, we don't know how they behave with that same ink yet. We haven't vetted any CISS setups for them either. To be honest, you'd probably have to tear the whole machine apart and mess around with the motherboard just to get it working.

And from what I can tell, those line head units aren't even designed to have the heads replaced.

In that same bracket, I also used to carry the Epson PX 730 + CISS. It’s a proven winner—cheap, and the photo prints are great.

Unfortunately, these new line head inkjets are just as fast as color lasers.

Check out this Boeing 737 (about $667)

The drum comes with a 60,000-page warranty life.
It prints way faster than the competition and you get two years of coverage.

Also, take note that these printers actually support generic toner.
Though, I’m pretty sure you aren't supposed to touch those while the warranty is still active.

Not sure why anyone even needs Wi-Fi on this thing. Just plug it into the Ethernet and call it a day.

Jesse Ortiz4 said:Check out the OKI MC332dn (around $667)

http://www.amazon.com/hp

The drum comes with a 60,000-page warranty.
It prints faster than the competition, plus you get two years of coverage.

And look, these printers actually support third-party toner.
Though, I suspect they might not want you using them while the warranty is still active.

Honestly, why would you even need Wi-Fi? Just plug it into the ethernet and call it a day.

Could you walk me through how that works? Specifically, the whole warranty situation on the belt if you start using generic toners.

Do you just burn through those first 60,000 pages using the official stuff, and once that warranty period hits its limit, then you switch over to the cheap alternatives? Or is there some other catch to how that plays out?

Come on, enlighten us a little here.

Frank Barnes said:Look, why don't you be a pal and explain how the belt warranty actually works if you start using third-party toners?

So, I burn through those first 60,000 pages with the OEM stuff, and once that coverage hits its limit, then I switch over to the cheap knockoffs. Or does it work differently?

Come on, enlighten us here.

It’s exactly like having a 10-year warranty on a Ford, provided you only take it to their dealerships and happily pay three times the price for their parts.😵

I’ve been running a Kyocera for years now. Started out strictly on original toners, but now I use generics and the thing runs like a dream. 🎉

The drum is rated for 100,000 prints. So, besides watching what I spend on toner, I have to keep an eye on the drum costs too—that's still part of the total cost of ownership.

I wouldn't touch an inkjet even if they paid me. Once you go laser, you stay laser.
I had an inkjet for a hot minute, just like a lot of people. Now? I run the other way.

Jesse Ortiz4 said:It’s just like having a 10-year warranty on a Ford, provided you only use their dealerships and pay three times the price for their parts.😵

I've been running a Kyocera for a few years now. At first, I stuck strictly to the OEM toners, but lately, I've switched to third-party ones and honestly? It runs like a charm.🎉

The drum is rated for about 100,000 prints. So, while I'm keeping an eye on toner prices, I'm also watching the cost of the drum—that’s part of the TCO, after all.

I wouldn't touch an inkjet even if they paid me. Once you go laser, there's no going back.
I had an inkjet for a little while, just like some other folks here. Now? I stay far away from them.

Look, maybe I'm just being slow here, but could you explain this logic to me? This idea of a 2-year warranty actually being worth something... $73. Basically, when you buy a new printer, it comes with four toners included, which costs you $667. But then, once you have to buy four replacement toners, you end up paying 4 * $185

http://www.amazon.com/hp

So, essentially, you have to pay extra $73 just to maintain the warranty that supposedly came with the printer in the first place.

I have no idea what that warranty actually ends up costing over those two years.

Either I'm missing something obvious, or someone very clever designed this specifically to fleece people who aren't paying attention.

vividviper1 said:Which all-in-one printer should I go with? Looking for color laser, scanner, copier, Wi-Fi, and duplex functionality in the $200-$$1000 range. It’s for an accounting office and a small online travel agency. Here’s what I’ve been eyeing:

Canon i-SENSYS MF8280CW
http://www.amazon.com/hp/canon-color-laser-mfp

or

HP LaserJet Pro M177FW
http://www.amazon.com/hp/laserjet-pro-m177fw

Thanks

Neither of those printers has auto-duplexing. Most of those MFPs have color scanners, though. Do you actually need color printing, or just a color scanner?

Do your homework on the maintenance costs: check the toner price and how often you'll be swapping out the drum.
Usually, you pay a bit more upfront for the machine, but then the toner ends up being way cheaper.
Plus, you can always dial back the print resolution to something acceptable—it'll make prints faster and the toner last longer.

Otherwise, if you guys start pushing the printer too hard, you're gonna be pissed because the thing is crawling.
Make sure you check the "first page out" time. That matters.
Having Wi-Fi definitely bumps up the price. Do you really need it?

Also, you can always hook a device up to a print server (most routers have a USB port for that kind of thing).
So maybe you don't even need a networked printer.

Frank Barnes said:Look, I’m clearly a bit slow here, so maybe walk me through this whole "two-year warranty" thing because it doesn't add up $73. Here's my math: you buy a brand new printer and it comes with four toner cartridges, all bundled in for $667. But if you go out and buy four fresh toners separately, you're looking at paying 4 * $185
.
http://www.amazon.com/hp

So basically, every single time, you have to shell out extra $73 just to maintain the warranty that supposedly came with the damn printer.

I haven't even figured out what that two-year warranty actually ends up costing me yet.

Either I'm an idiot, or some genius designed this specifically to fleece idiots like me.

God, it's fun playing dumb.
Someone who's been posting on this forum for years and selling inkjet systems shouldn't be this clueless about the fact that you don't actually get full-capacity toners when you buy a new printer. 😒

Jesse Ortiz4 said:It’s funny how easy it is to play dumb.
You’ve been posting on this forum for years, peddling inkjet setups, and yet you’re telling me you don't realize that new printers don't come with full-capacity toner cartridges? 😒

Look, maybe I’m just too slow to figure out how to actually pull off that two-year warranty claim you're talking about.

Let's say the drum fails after just one year.
Could you please, for the love of God, walk me through that? How exactly am I supposed to force a warranty claim? You seem to be an absolute expert on this, especially since you're busy advising everyone to buy this specific laser—telling them they can run cheap third-party toner and still enjoy some magical 60,000-page warranty.

Go ahead, explain it to me, since I'm clearly so dim. How does that work?

vividviper1 said:What kind of Multi-function printer would you guys recommend? I need color laser, scanner, copier, Wi-Fi, and duplex, all in the $200-$$1000 range. It’s for an accounting office and a small online travel agency. I was looking at stuff like this:

Canon i-SENSYS MF8280CW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/ca...kolor__4024611

or

HP LaserJet Pro M177FW
http://www.nabava.net/pisaci__110/hp...kolor__5588221

Thanks

Ever thought about just getting two separate machines? Grab one fancy MFP (scanner, printer, fax) and one dedicated workhorse printer for high-volume jobs.

An MFP that tries to do both well is insanely expensive.
Since you're running an accounting firm, I'm guessing you'll be cranking out a ton of pages. Toner for an MFP is just plain overpriced, especially if you want color. Honestly, who needs color for accounting paperwork? You'll likely be printing a massive amount of stuff.

Plus, those all-in-one MFPs are usually slow. They take forever to spit out that first page, whereas a dedicated printer is way faster.
That delay really adds up when you're busy, especially if a standard printer saves you 10 seconds per job.

For the Wi-Fi setup, you can always just grab a print server and hook everything up via USB—you don't necessarily need to buy the wireless versions of the printers.
It’s a slightly more technical workaround, sure, but it gives you way more flexibility.

Do some math on your monthly print volume and run the numbers.

Jesse Ortiz4 said:Take a look at the OKI MC332dn (around $667)

The drum comes with a 60,000-page duty cycle warranty.
It offers faster print speeds than the competition along with a two-year warranty.

Also, keep in mind these printers support third-party toner cartridges.
Though, I suspect you aren't technically supposed to use them while the warranty is still active.

As for the Wi-Fi, I'm not sure why you'd even need it; just plug it into a hardwired connection and call it a day.

How is a technician even supposed to determine if you used third-party cartridges instead of the OEM ones?
Besides, when you consider that ridiculous "5% coverage" metric, sticking to original ink or toner is hardly a logical financial decision. You end up burning through a 1,500-page cartridge in maybe 300 prints, which makes the math completely nonsensical. I stick with OKI specifically because the print quality is superb, yet I exclusively use compatible toners. If the machine actually needs to go in for service within its three-year window, then I'll simply pop in the original cartridges. If they weren't offering cheap alternatives, nobody would bother with the generics in the first place.

Drew Castillo5 said:How is a technician even supposed to tell if you used third-party cartridges or the genuine ones?
Besides, with that absolute garbage "5% coverage" yield they quote, using original ink or toner isn't even worth it. You end up burning through a 1,500-page toner in maybe 300 prints at most. It’s just bad math. I only own an OKI because the print quality is fantastic, but I stick to generic toners. If I have to take it in for service within a three-year window and need to claim the warranty, fine, then I'll use the originals. If they weren't pushing those overpriced official cartridges, nobody would bother with the cheap stuff.

The guys over at adriatix.hr will know. And honestly, if they can't figure it out at an official OKI service center, that's their headache, not ours.

How, though?

Let me give you an example.

Basically, a customer buys a cheap third-party toner just so they can walk into the adriatix service center and demand a free repair on the OPC unit under warranty. Meanwhile, the exact same issue was happening before they even swapped the toner.

Those original toners cost you $740 which means $73 more than the actual printer itself. People do it just to play the warranty game. It's typical American consumer logic—buying something just for a warranty you'll probably never use, or ends up paying extra $740 just to fight for some technicality.

Frank Barnes said:The folks at Adriatix will have the answer. If they can't figure it out at an official OKI service center, then that’s their headache, not ours.

How so?

Let me paint you a picture.

Essentially, a customer buys a cheap third-party toner just to walk into Adriatix and demand a free repair on the OPC unit. The catch is, the exact same issue was there long before they ever swapped the toner.

Buying original toners will cost you $740 which means $73 more than the printer itself. They do it solely to squeeze some value out of a warranty. It's classic American consumer stupidity—buying something just for a guarantee they'll likely never use, or will end up paying extra $740 just to fight for what they think is rightfully theirs.

Well, if one is going to buy original toners, there should be a logical reason for it. For instance, I have a Xerox 3140 that is currently running on its seventh off-brand cartridge. My OKI 342 set me back about $500 and those initial toners didn't even manage to hit 350 pages, despite what "common sense" math would suggest compared to their official claim of 5% coverage. If manufacturers are going to pull the wool over our eyes, I might as well do the same.

Drew Castillo5 said:Look, you should probably stick to original toners anyway; if you invest in them once, there’s actually a good reason for it. Besides, I’ve got this Xerox 3140 that’s already running on its seventh compatible toner. My OKI 342 set me about $500 and let me tell you, those initial cartridges didn't even hit the 350-page mark—even though according to "farmer's math," they should have. Forget their official specs based on 5% coverage. If manufacturers want to play games with the numbers, why shouldn't I?

That’s all well and good. It’s an even playing field. But what isn't okay is letting people walk away with the impression that when you buy a printer, you're buying it just for the warranty. It’s like you can’t actually claim that warranty if you decide to go with third-party toners later on.

It’s basically a classic bait-and-switch, or maybe just a clever sales tactic from a dealer offering you cheaper replacements while giving you the illusion of a full 12-month warranty. Since you didn't explicitly ask if using those toners voids the coverage, they haven't technically lied to you. And you didn't ask because, deep down, you already know the answer. If things go south, you either hope you can wiggle out of it, start an argument with the shop, or threaten them with various inspections. Or just vent your frustrations on the Internet to try and force some imaginary sense of justice.

So, let's be clear: forget about that 60,000-page limit or the 3-year coverage if you’re planning on using off-brand toners. I think that's a fairer way to look at it.

Now, if you really can't afford to lose that warranty, it might be smarter to pick up a refurbished unit or a different model entirely and look into a leasing arrangement for your supplies. That way, when the machine finally dies, you get a replacement because the cost was essentially baked into the price of your toners.

Just check with your local dealer to see if they offer consumables through a setup like that. But don't go thinking you can pull a fast one like in that first scenario—leasing a printer with a toner contract and then trying to sneak in cheap, non-contract cartridges to save a buck. Then, when the hardware fails, showing up at the leasing company demanding a swap? Don't assume that kind of logic isn't part of the average American consumer's playbook.