IP4500 using non genuine carts

[hurders]

Ok, so my original cartridges that came with my IP4500 are starting to run out. I bought a couple of full sets of non genuine replacement without chips from www.prink.co.uk as they were the cheapest (about 20 for 2 full sets). Anyhow, I have had to replace the large black PGI-5 cartridge as the message came up on screen that the ink was run out. So I swapped the chip and popped the non-genuine cartridge in closed the lid and then pressed the resume button on the printer to tell it to keep using the black ink even though it was reporting it was out. Now I assume that is the correct proceedure to put a non genuine cartridge in the IP4500?

Of course, now the ink monitoring doesn't work as the printer see that cartridge as being out of ink but I think it is using is correctly. The issue I have though is that I think the print quality has been reduced quite a bit using the non genuine cartridge. Yeah, I understand that non genuine cartridges aren't to be quite as good as genuine ones in theory but I have never really noticed a drop in image quality likr this on other printers when using non-genuine carts. The quality reduction is noticeable most on pages of text with the characters being a bit more blurry round the edges whereas with the genuine canon black cart the text was almost laser quality sharp even on normal print quality settings.

Has anyone else noticed this drop off in print quality with non genuine carts on the IP4500? I am seriously considering getting some genuine carts, I'm not really keen on the fact that I lose my ink monitoring with non genuine carts either but I'm really not keen on paying over half the cost of the printer for a full set of genuine carts!

Does anyone have any suggestions where I can get some better quality non genuine carts (ideally with reset chips on) for fairly cheap (in th UK)?

Also I am also still having this issue with slightly jagged printouts on normal quality, my original post is here - http://www.nifty-stuff.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=3026, so if anyone has any further suggestions for that it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[KnightCrawler]

You really need to use GOOD quality refill ink like Hobbicolors or inktec. Just buying carts or cheap ink without a little research isn't a good idea.

 

[Cleancity]

Agree. Compatible cartridges cannot compare with original cartridges in printing effect.

 

[lin]

Ok, so my original cartridges that came with my IP4500 are starting to run out. I bought a couple of full sets of non genuine replacement without chips from www.prink.co.uk as they were the cheapest (about 20 for 2 full sets). Anyhow, I have had to replace the large black PGI-5 cartridge as the message came up on screen that the ink was run out. So I swapped the chip and popped the non-genuine cartridge in closed the lid and then pressed the resume button on the printer to tell it to keep using the black ink even though it was reporting it was out. Now I assume that is the correct proceedure to put a non genuine cartridge in the IP4500?

Of course, now the ink monitoring doesn't work as the printer see that cartridge as being out of ink but I think it is using is correctly. The issue I have though is that I think the print quality has been reduced quite a bit using the non genuine cartridge. Yeah, I understand that non genuine cartridges aren't to be quite as good as genuine ones in theory but I have never really noticed a drop in image quality likr this on other printers when using non-genuine carts. The quality reduction is noticeable most on pages of text with the characters being a bit more blurry round the edges whereas with the genuine canon black cart the text was almost laser quality sharp even on normal print quality settings.

Has anyone else noticed this drop off in print quality with non genuine carts on the IP4500? I am seriously considering getting some genuine carts, I'm not really keen on the fact that I lose my ink monitoring with non genuine carts either but I'm really not keen on paying over half the cost of the printer for a full set of genuine carts!

Does anyone have any suggestions where I can get some better quality non genuine carts (ideally with reset chips on) for fairly cheap (in th UK)?

Hi hurders, the reason you are getting poor quality text print for the non OEM compatible PGI-5BK, is because most aftermarket PGI-5BK carts are being refilled with dye black ink. The Original Canon OEM PGI-5BK is pigment ink.

Usually dye black ink on normal ordinary plain paper, there will certain bleeding issue for printing text. However it also depend on the quality of the dye black ink. I have seen some dye black ink where the bleeding is lesser compare to another dye black ink which makes reading unbearable. All dye will still show a certain amount of bleeding. It's the degree/how much it bleeds for that particular dye black ink. See the below picture. Brand A dye black ink bleeds rather badly. Brand B dye black ink while still bleeds but not as much as Brand A.

Brand C is pigment ink. When magnified to high degree, in fact pigment ink text will still show certain steps or edges but usually when we hold paper, it's at a distance. Such steps or edges with letter will not be so obvious.

You have 2 options if you want better text quality,

1) One is to purchase pigment black ink and refill into the PGI-5BK yourself. However, pigment ink will cost slightly more (I am not too sure if there is any aftermarket compatible PGI-5BK cartridges where they have already filled with pigment black ink and at the same time is priced reasonably. Probably those who know if there are any pigment black compatible cartridges will be better able to advice you on the source.)

2) Continue to use dye black ink but use some special Inkjet Coated Paper. The dye ink will adhere much better on such inkjet coated paper giving text slightly more sharper look. However, special inkjet coated paper cost more as well.

So you need to do your own calculation and check those material (ink & paper) where you have access at UK or from oversea, to find out what combination (whether you want to refill with pigment ink or use inkjet coated paper) that will give you the best overall saving & result you are expecting/looking for.

 

[hurders]

Thanks guys, I should really have done some research before buying replacement carts but there are so many internet shops selling the non-genuine carts and all claim "these cartridges are as good as the original canon cartridges, bla bla bla etc." so its difficult to know which is going to be the best.

My text printouts with the non-genuine pgi-5bk cart definitely look like the brand A picture in lin's post whereas the original canon cart was like the brand c picture.

The loss of quality, while noticeable, isn't a massive problem but knowing how well it does print with the pigment ink I will certainly look out for some of that when I need some more carts.

Will using the non-genuine pgi-5bk carts with dye black ink do any damage to my printer?

 

[jflan]

Will using the non-genuine pgi-5bk carts with dye black ink do any damage to my printer?

Not likely as long as the dye-based ink was of good quality.
Being very protective of my printers, I would install the proper ink ASAP.
Some would choose to deplete the supply of dye-based ink and not worry about it.

On the other hand pigment-based ink mistakenly placed in a printhead designed for dye-based ink could mean sudden death for that printhead.