Printer newbie mistake?

[resander]

I bought an HP 930C about three years ago for printing text and house floor plans. It has been good at that. The problem is that it is expensive to run.

A black replacement cartridge costs $30 and a color cartridge $35.

A couple of weeks ago the printer ran out of black ink, so I went to a local computer shop to have the cartridge refilled. Cost $6. I used the printer for a couple of days and then suddenly got an 'out of ink' notification. It should have lasted a lot longer, so I took the printer to the repair shop and was told the cartridge had been leaking and was totally damaged and had to be replaced.

I decided to cut my losses by buying another inkjet. It was urgent, so I did not have time to do my homework. I just surfed to

www.pcbodega.com
www.villman.com
www.pcgilmore.com
www.pcx.com.ph

all of them physical and online computer shops in Manila, Philippines. After a quick scan I bought:


Epson Stylus C45 Inkjet P2250 ($42)
Ink Jet, 2880 X 720 dpi, 12ppm black, 5.4ppm Color, USB Interface, T038 Black, T039 Colour (from pcbodega's website).

because it was one of the cheapest to buy and run. Manufacturer's cartridge costs were $9 for T038 and $15 for T039, less than half the cost of replacements for the HP930C.

When I installed T038 and T039 I noticed a small chip on the outside wall of the cartridges.


Q1. Is the presence of the chip essential for the operation of the printer, or are there lower priced compatible cartridges available (without such chip)?

Q2. Is it possible to have the T038 and T039 refilled?


We have a digital camera, but have always taken the memory stick to the photo shop to get the photos. I now realize I can do it myself, but


Q3. Is the resolution 2880 X 720 dpi of the Epson Styles C45 good enough for photos?


Did I make a mistake in choosing the Epson Stylus C45?


I need to buy a second inkjet for our children's school project work and for printing photos. Budget is limited to P3000 (ca $60). I was thinking of buying a second Epson C45, but am now holding my horses...

The following two Canon Pixmas are taken from pcbodega's website.

Canon Pixma IP1200 Inkjet P1700 ($32)
4800x1200 dpi with FINE Cartridge, Chromalife 100 Technology for brilliant, longer lasting Photos, Print Borderless 4" x 6" photo in approximately 70 seconds, True borderless printing up to A4, Canon # 40 black, # 41 Color.

Canon Pixma IP1600 Inkjet P2980 ($56)
4800 x 1200 - Print Speed : 11 ppm Mono, 16ppm Color - Ink Drop Size : 2/5pl - No of Color : 4 color / 2 Cartridge


Q4. is one or both of these better than the Epson C45 for our purpose?


The IP1200 seem to be for printing photos.


Q5. Can IP1200 print good quality text and graphics too?


Q6. Are there other better choices costing less than $60?


Would be grateful for advice before buying the second inkjet.


Ken Resander

 

[Osage]

To resander,

You will find many Canon fans on this forum----I am one also----but when you pay a very small initial price for a printer---you are asking to get ripped off on the ink---and every inkjet printer manufacter will be happy to sell you a cheap printer that will gouge you on replacement ink cartridges.

Pair that with the fact that photoprinting really consumes ink means that photoprinting only becomes cheaper than a commercial printer when you can get a inkjet printer that is more economical with ink.

For most of us----it means refilling our own cartridges----while the ip1200&1600 can be refilled---the cartridge capacity is so small---so it becomes effort intensive---which is why many of us favor the old non-chipped Canons using the BCI-3&6 cartridges---and even the newer chipped Canons using the CLI-5&8 series which are more annoying but still easy to refill.

My advice is to up your initial purchase price point---------and get something that will save you a bundle down the road. Read up here for recommendations----but something like a ip4000 or ip5000 would be far better---but now hard to find---but while you are saving your pennies nickles and dimes to be able to afford such a printer---you can start looking----or consider something like the ip6000d---which is selling for $80. in the states---see the post one above you.

 

[mikling]

Don't throw that Hp930C away. It's not the fastest but consider the ink capacity. 42ml for the Black and near 40 for the color as well. It's not the best photo printer but it's a darn good workhorse and a real WORKHORSE.

First thing.... did you reset your cartridge/printer after it was refilled. If no, then that is the cause of your problem. There are reset instructions all over the web for that. Go to misterinkjet or something like that. It involves taping some contacts and re-inserting three times.

The only issue with the 930C is the HP78 refill can be tricky. When refilling, it must be done SLOWLY and it must be injected below the current level of the ink. Refill before empty always. The 78 also needs a cartridge /printer reset as well.

I think you'll find the print quality of the HP45 to be better than the Epson you bought when printing text.

 

[jackson]

http://stratitec.com/inkrefill/support/hplowink.html
I agree with that statement about this printer regardingd its strenghs as a reliable printer.
The procedure is shown above.I threw away a lot of what were perfectly good carts that I had refilled before I found out about this.
Like, five years later.

Don't throw that Hp930C away. It's not the fastest but consider the ink capacity. 42ml for the Black and near 40 for the color as well. It's not the best photo printer but it's a darn good workhorse and a real WORKHORSE.

First thing.... did you reset your cartridge/printer after it was refilled. If no, then that is the cause of your problem. There are reset instructions all over the web for that. Go to misterinkjet or something like that. It involves taping some contacts and re-inserting three times.

The only issue with the 930C is the HP78 refill can be tricky. When refilling, it must be done SLOWLY and it must be injected below the current level of the ink. Refill before empty always. The 78 also needs a cartridge /printer reset as well.

I think you'll find the print quality of the HP45 to be better than the Epson you bought when printing text.