- Joined
- Oct 27, 2005
- Messages
- 3,661
- Reaction score
- 1,345
- Points
- 337
- Location
- South Yorks, UK
- Printer Model
- Epson, Canon, HP... A "few"
We all know that Epson like to protect their market when it comes to ink. All the development and research time spent on making their cartridges and printers difficult to use with non-OEM inks are well known, but it seems they're determined to protect even more of their customers from making a mistake with their protection (waste ink) counter reset utility.
For those who don't know the IPR (Ink Pad Reset) utility has been available from the Epson USA site for about a year now. To get it you need to have a North American printer, the serial number off the back and a WinXP or Vista machine (Apple Mac owners need not apply).
The first version of the resetter is pretty simple and has the filename epson12462.exe which in turn contains the file "EpsonIPRUtility_A10.exe". This little utility will work on a number of printers which include some outside of North America but only if the model name is the same... Getting hold of it was pretty difficult as well but a little searching turns up copies in public spaces now as well.
It seems that Epson weren't content with this approach to their reset utility though as they've taken their utility to the next level, namely activation... Yep... You have to "Activate" their software using an activation code that you get by submitting your serial number, email and your printer model. If you don't have an internet connection, the utility will not work... Once you've activated the software your code will no longer work on another machine, and so on...
What makes the mind boggle is that they've taken this approach with something that allows a printer owner to continue to use their printer without requiring an expensive service. The only argument for this that makes any sense is that they want to make sure people understand the risks of spillage, need to deal with the waste ink, etc... but they could do that with a message in the utility itself. QED, no excuse.
I have to admit this new bit of intel was a real bolt from the blue... I have to wonder WTF Epson were even thinking with this approach and whether they are now in fact opening themselves up to greater regulatory challenge from those developing environmental policy here in the EU and in the USA, Canada, etc...
I've started blogging and writing up the whole Waste ink thing on a separate site now so if you're interested there's a couple of articles with more info here.
All in all though, you just have to wonder what on earth is going on that Epson have to protect a waste ink pad... :/
NB: In the interests of full disclosure, I do have a vested interest in this topic as I now sell waste ink kits. That said, most printers are now easily modified by anyone (with or without my kit) and the ability to reset a waste ink counter and continue to use the printer would seem to be an inalienable right for a printer owner, not something users get locked out of by simple greed.
For those who don't know the IPR (Ink Pad Reset) utility has been available from the Epson USA site for about a year now. To get it you need to have a North American printer, the serial number off the back and a WinXP or Vista machine (Apple Mac owners need not apply).
The first version of the resetter is pretty simple and has the filename epson12462.exe which in turn contains the file "EpsonIPRUtility_A10.exe". This little utility will work on a number of printers which include some outside of North America but only if the model name is the same... Getting hold of it was pretty difficult as well but a little searching turns up copies in public spaces now as well.
It seems that Epson weren't content with this approach to their reset utility though as they've taken their utility to the next level, namely activation... Yep... You have to "Activate" their software using an activation code that you get by submitting your serial number, email and your printer model. If you don't have an internet connection, the utility will not work... Once you've activated the software your code will no longer work on another machine, and so on...
What makes the mind boggle is that they've taken this approach with something that allows a printer owner to continue to use their printer without requiring an expensive service. The only argument for this that makes any sense is that they want to make sure people understand the risks of spillage, need to deal with the waste ink, etc... but they could do that with a message in the utility itself. QED, no excuse.
I have to admit this new bit of intel was a real bolt from the blue... I have to wonder WTF Epson were even thinking with this approach and whether they are now in fact opening themselves up to greater regulatory challenge from those developing environmental policy here in the EU and in the USA, Canada, etc...
I've started blogging and writing up the whole Waste ink thing on a separate site now so if you're interested there's a couple of articles with more info here.
All in all though, you just have to wonder what on earth is going on that Epson have to protect a waste ink pad... :/
NB: In the interests of full disclosure, I do have a vested interest in this topic as I now sell waste ink kits. That said, most printers are now easily modified by anyone (with or without my kit) and the ability to reset a waste ink counter and continue to use the printer would seem to be an inalienable right for a printer owner, not something users get locked out of by simple greed.
) for their new printers R260,R380...and after.
