Please help interpret this IP6700 eeprom print test

[Hogwild]

Hat:

Not so much that, as I have limited time to run around and try to persuade people who are very busy to take an hour
to print test pages. Yes, it should take 3 mins. but it doesn't, cause they don't listen/can't follow instructions.

Also, I will be not be doing much volume. I plan to mainly only print a few DVDs here and there. But I appreciate the warning-I will try to print out an eeprom page and a service test page if I go look at the printer.

BTW Peter, you say there are better printers that can print to DVD/CD and are less expensive. How about some examples of what you feel would fall into that category?

 

[PeterBJ]

There are no Canon printers of the PGI-5/CLI-8 cartridge generation that are able to print CDs out of the box when sold in USA or Canada, but modification to print CDs was possible. But things become interesting with the introduction of the PGI-220/CLI-221 cartridge generation. It looks like the ban on CD printing was cancelled for Canada but still in effect for USA. So check out specs for printers of the PGI-220/CLI-221 and PGI-225/CLI-226 cartridge generations to see which models support CD printing. Some suggestions iP4600, iP4700, iP4820, iP4920. These are print only machines. There are also printer-scanner-copier models with CD print capability. Some examples are MG5220, MG6120 and MG8120. I do not claim the lists are complete or error free, so check specifications carefully before buying.

The way back machine found this page about CD enabling, if you want to modify a PGI-5/CLI-8 printer.

The printers and the print heads of the PGI-5/CLI-8 generation are getting old and old Canon print heads seem to be prone to failing electronically without apparent reason. I have lost print heads in an MP800 and an MP600R within the last months. I think newer printers might be more reliable in this resoect, so I recommend looking for the printers I listed, also because they need no modification for disk printing.

Even if the PGI-5/CLI-8 printers were very sturdily built, PGI-220/CLI-221 and PGI-225/CLI-226 printers are not bad, even if not as solid as the older printers. The newest printers of the PGI-250/CLI-251 and PGI-270/CLI-271 are no good in my opinion. They are flimsy, noisy and clumsy in my opinion, but I think they can print CDs if sold in the US too.

 

[Hogwild]

Thanks again, Peter. That's interesting info. I typically read some reviews on both Newegg and Amazon to get a feel for general reliability (barring newbie ignorance) and things like ink usage. The PGI-200/CLI-221 series printers you mentioned, and a couple of others, typically get 10-15% lower satisfaction ratings. One of the most common complaints is that they use ink much more rapidly than other printers (incl. Canons) that people have tried.

Yes, the reliability seems to be fair, but not great for some of the ones you listed. One of them got 61% satisfaction ratings. Can't remember which model.

Interesting what you said about PGI-250 based models, cause the IP8720 seemed to be an outlier in that it got solid reviews and minimal complaints.

 

[The Hat]

Reviews like these are a bit of a joke on these websites, they have hidden agendas, only on a forum like this can you can trust the recommendation you get, we don't sell printer...

 

[Hogwild]

Well, I have to disagree there. I find the positive reviews are often a joke, but the negative reviews pretty much always, in my experience, have some validity. And even if they're exaggerated, they give me an idea what kind of problems I might encounter.

A lot of IT people use Newegg as a part of their research process, but not all of it.

 

[stratman]

I will be not be doing much volume. I plan to mainly only print a few DVDs here and there.

If so, then consider a current model that is refillable, ie has a Canon warranty plus decent price to performance ratio.

Look for a current printer that can utilize XL cartridges and can be refilled, especially in concert with a chip resetter vs ARC chipped-after market cartridges.

You will still need to print something every week or so that uses all cartridge colors, eg a nozzle check, to prevent print head clogs, as you would with pretty much any Canon inkjet you get.

Of course, if you find an older model that is chip resettable and you can see inside the cartridge for refilling ease (not completely opaque), and the price is decent, then go for it.

One of the most common complaints is that they use ink much more rapidly

If using XL cartridges and you refill then cost and convenience are a fraction of an issue compared those using OEM Canon ink.

If shopping for a new printer, take some paper and a USB stick with an image file to a store that has printers on demo. They might let you print out your file so you can see the output quality. These demo models usually have a demonstration page they print out so you can see text quality.

For your consideration... buying an older model printer may mean no access to new replacement print heads. Canon only manufactures print heads for 5 years since the introduction of the last model printer using that specific model print head. This is especially important for you if you are an infrequent printer, ie increased risk of print head clog, and especially more critical to print something regularly to keep the print head in good working condition.

FYI: The print heads from China for discontinued print heads are a true gamble. All too often we've read they fail from the start or soon thereafter. It is thought they are cleaned up used print heads sold in counterfeit packaging.

 

[The Hat]

A lot of IT people use Newegg as a part of their research process, but not all of it.

From my experience, most IT people no little or nothing about running inkjet printers...

 

[Hogwild]

Alright, well I took some time and a big gamble today. I picked up that IP6600D. I did another test page.
I got similar results to the first one I posted above.

I immediately replaced 3 of the ancient cartridges with sealed ink cartridges, although the sealed ones were very old too (2007).

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0BwhuqW4sXCHtR0VsZXVNVkdLRGs

I replaced the Photo Cyan, Cyan and Magenta cartridges. I could tell the black was getting low, even though the red light wasn't flashing. The printer is now saying the black needs replacing too. Before I go out and blow more money, though, how does this nozzle check look? Obviously I know it needs more black, but why are the colours so dull? Will it look drastically better with photo paper? I assume there is no black needed for the other colour bars? Can you tell me anything more? Is it giant paperweight, or not yet?

Aw, damn..I can't even upload the photo. Can anyone tell me why every single graphic format I try (.tif, jpg, jp2) to upload only results in "There was a problem uploading your file".
Is it the site or something else?


Thanks

 

[stratman]

how does this nozzle check look?

Compare yours against image #1 "standard nozzle check" in this post. Except for what are probably scanner artifact causing the checkerboard appearance in both yours and the other poster's images, I would say yours looks good.

can't even upload the photo. Can anyone tell me why every single graphic format I try (.tif, jpg, jp2) to upload only results in "There was a problem uploading your file".
Is it the site or something else?

Hard to say what the issue was. I don't know if a "jp2" file format would work with the forum's software, it isn't a common file format, so best to avoid. A jpg should work. A TIF might be too large for the forum, though I am not sure what size is too large to upload.

Every time you take a cartridge or the print head out and put back in, the printer will perform a dump of ink. It is possible to drain a cartridge without printing much at all if you replace other cartridges, especially one at a time. Each cartridge pull from the printer triggers a purge/prime of ink from all the cartridges.

This is why when you refill I recommend you refill every cartridge that is at or near empty in the spongeless side, reset the chips and refill them. In this way, you do not have to refill as often or trigger as many maintenance ink losses.

There is another reason to refill this way discussed on the forum about not letting the sponge be drained of ink causing the sponge to dry out and cause ink flow issues in the future. I have not experienced this in any significant way as far as I know, though the CLI-8 cartridges I use with my MP830 may be protective compared to newer models.

Get yourself a chip resetter, a full complement of OEM Canon cartridges (or two sets) and have fun refilling and printing to your heart's delight.

 

[PeterBJ]

stratman has already answered your questions. I would like to add that the Canon nozzle checks are not meant to be bright and with highly saturated colours. Your nozzle check does also look OK to me, even if the light c, pc, m and pm stripes are faint and difficult to see.

I saved your image and inserted it in Irfan View and cropped it to reduce file size. I have also scanned a nozzle check from an MP970 that uses the same cartridges as the iP6600D plus pigment black for plain paper documents. Here are the two nozzle checks to compare, first your iP6600D:

And the MP970:

The extended nozzle check from the service test print will show if all nozzles are firing, but I think the print head is OK. Out of curiosity did you also get a CD tray and can you do CD prints?