Is this easily done?

[easytimes]

I just received my new IP4700 printer, and in the installation, it calls for my location... the detail of the question was different from my elderly printers, and I'm sure it's something I will have to undo if I perform the hacks for making it print optical disks.

The question is... if I select Europe as the country where the printer will be used, could that possibly make the ink tanks here in the US, unusable, since European ink tanks are numbered differently from US ink tanks. Does anyone know if that difference might include something contained in the chip?

On a side note... I was installing the printer, last night, and both times I tried to connect it, I got a pop from the plug, so I stopped cold... I tried one of my existing Canon printer cords and no pop, so I called Canon and told them. They are now sending me a cord. Then another guy called me today and asked for the popping cord, and sent me a prepaid UPS return mailing slip, and for my trouble is sending me a change of inks. Not too bad.

While I had him on the phone, I asked him about the disk print question, and he was pretty much ambivalent about customers making the printer print disks, said he didn't know which company it was, but one of them has the rights to sell disk printing machines or something. Originally, I was thinking it may not be true, because HP did sell a disk printer, but I noticed that they stopped selling disk printing models... either that or they made the a lot more difficult to find... not that I really want another HP printer.

 

[The Hat]

easytimes

All the computer wants to know is what region youre in so as to install the print driver correctly.
It wont affect which cartridges you are using, in this case its the 220s that came with the printer..

 

[easytimes]

Ah, I get The Hat, again...
In my past printer installations, it only wanted a simple for where I am by country... but this time, it was pretty specific by region. I still might try the European installation, just to see if it makes disk printing a little more easy. What the heck, if it all fails and messes up the installation on that computer, I'll just install it on one of the others. Shouldn't ruin the printer, anyway.
Thanks

 

[iP4XXX]

While I had him on the phone, I asked him about the disk print question, and he was pretty much ambivalent about customers making the printer print disks, said he didn't know which company it was, but one of them has the rights to sell disk printing machines or something. Originally, I was thinking it may not be true, because HP did sell a disk printer, but I noticed that they stopped selling disk printing models... either that or they made the a lot more difficult to find... not that I really want another HP printer.

I think the reasan HP is/was able to sell printers with CD/DVD print capabilities in the U.S. was because they paid a licensing/royalty fee to Epson, which Canon elected not to do.

 

[easytimes]

I figured something on that order... just seems a little cloak and daggerish, and not too many people "know" the details. Surely there is a time limit on this repression of competition. These things usually sunset at some time. I just don't know if I'm going to be here for that long.
Thanks iP4XXX

 

[ghwellsjr]

On a side note... I was installing the printer, last night, and both times I tried to connect it, I got a pop from the plug, so I stopped cold... I tried one of my existing Canon printer cords and no pop, so I called Canon and told them. They are now sending me a cord. Then another guy called me today and asked for the popping cord, and sent me a prepaid UPS return mailing slip, and for my trouble is sending me a change of inks. Not too bad.

It's perfectly normal for electronic devices with switching power supplies like printers have to "pop" when plugged in. You may also see a spark or an arc at the power plug whenever you hear the pop. It is caused by a surge of current that is charging a capacitor.

My newer MX850 does it much more often than my older i860. It can also make a difference when you are testing for the effect if the printer has been previously plugged in and the capacitor is already charged. My i860 will hold a charge for over ten seconds as evidenced by the fact that the power light will come on momentarily if I hit the power button after the printer had been unplugged for up to ten seconds. My MX850 will not light the power light when it is unplugged so it may have a bleeder resistor to discharge the capacitor as soon as the printer is unplugged and that may be the reason it seems to be more prone to popping.

I'm sure if you repeat your tests with both power cords and the new one coming to you, you will find that it makes no difference which power cord you use. But, it was a brilliant way to get a new set of ink cartridges, even if it was unintentional on your part.