Should I Replace Whole i960 or Printhead?

[KCDoug]

I decided to start a new thread rather than tack this onto my other one related to attempts to resuscitate my printhead. Interestingly or coincidentally, my printhead clog (photo cyan) and faint streaking from photo magenta were the two that I'd installed hobbicolors ink & cart this past summer.

I'm trying to make a quick decision about whether or not to replace the printhead ($80-90 w/shipping) or the whole printer - I might be able to pick up a comparable, soon to be discontinued, PIXMA 6000D that uses the same ink and carts for under $95 w/shipping, same resolution but slower printing with fewer nozzles - and thought I'd seek opinions from the wisdom pool here.

>> I do not print a high volume of pictures, and could be categorized as an infrequent user perhaps printing every other month or so. I estimate that I print 200-250 pics a year, mostly 4x6, and mostly on high quality stock.

The approx. 2.5-year-old i960 has generally printed beautifully for me, but I am disappointed that the printhead has gone belly-up. My expectation is to get 5+ years out of a quality printer. The price to replace the printhead seems high relative to the overall cost of a new printer.

Points of consideration that I'd welcome opinions and facts on:

1. (a) Given my relative infrequent use of the printer, is there another ink jet printer of comparable or better print quality to the i960 that has a more reliable and/or less expensive head replacement cost?

(b) How about cost of ink -- all oem ink is pretty pricey up front. Are there comparable (to i960) quality aftermarket refill resources (ink/carts)?


2. I don't mind performing simple routine/preventive maintenance, but I don't have the time to turn this into a full time hobby, so this is also a factor.

3. Based on cost and relative reliability & quality, would you recommend just replacing the printhead instead of replacing the printer? (I'm also wondering if I can find some good after Christmas sales that would factor in.)


Thanks much,

-Doug

 

[panos]

I would search for quality differences between 6 colors at 1 picoliter and 6 colors at 2 picoliters. I know they exist in 4 colors, but I am not sure about 6 colors (since the main point in decreasing the droplet size is to emulate light tones for magenta and cyan which 6 color printers already provide).

Here are two reviews from photo-i.co.uk:

http://photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/interactive/Canon i965/page_1.htm
http://photo-i.co.uk/Reviews/interactive/Canon 6700D/page_1.htm

Vincent provides a sample from the 6700:

and a sample from the 965:

In my eyes they don't look really different in detail (color is an entirely different issue). Therefore I would incline to the new printhead option (and the very important advantage of non-chipped cartridges)

Merry Christmas to all!!!

 

[KCDoug]

Reading review on Steve's Digicams about the ip6000D (where I discovered the i960), seeing a positive comment from Granddad elsewhere on Nifty, and having found the 6000D on the canon site outlet center for $79. w/free shipping, I decided to snap up the new printer rather than a printhead for the i960. When I ordered, I got a back order notice, but hopefully I'll still be able to get a new one within a month or so. The 6KD will not print as quickly as the 960 does, but for my use, speed is not an issue. All other things being equal (using the same ink and carts as 960 and getting comparably great prints) I'd rather go with a completely new unit for the same price as a new printhead. I will, however, miss my 960 - it was fantastic for me.

-Doug

 

[hpnetserver]

No matter what caused your i960 print head to clog you probably have killed it. If you buy another inkjet printer and print only once every month or two you will likely to repeat your i960's fate. If you still want an inkjet printer you should consider an ip1600 or one that's similar at a very low price. It uses ink cartridges with built-in print head. If it clogs you can buy a new cartridge and it comes with a new print head. You will not lose the printer if it ever happens again. The difference of a higher and a lower end printers is in the speed of printing. They all have a similar 1 or 2 pico liter ink droplet. They all print photos very well. You still can refill the cartridges if you want to. It may be slower to print a photo but if you only print a few every month or two you have no reason to rush. The cartridges, CLI-40, CLI-41, are not too expensive to buy. You definitely should not try to buy another i960 or a newer one and hope to be trouble free continuing with the infrequent usage style you had.

Or you can buy an Epson. Epson print head will not be killed because of clogging. It will be still tough to clear a clog but at least it will not be damaged the way Canon print head will be. I960 prints fantastic photos. So are most new Canon printers, slow or fast, cheap or expensive, these days.

 

[mikling]

I should add that many Canon printer heads are not killed because of clogging per se but because of severely caked ink on the heaters and leading to eventually burn out heaters within the print head. The symptoms of missing colors to the untrained would appear to be a clog.

The cause of this is generally poor ink flow from the cartridge. This could be due to a poorly designed new compatible cartridge, ill fitting cartridges, improperly refilled cartridges or even properly refilled OEM cartridges but refilled multiple times or too many times.

The printer has built-in automatic ink ink flush routines that pretty much minimizes the potential for really severe real clogs. Suffice to say that INK FLOW is CRITICAL on the Canons and that unfortunately is often overlooked.

 

[KCDoug]

Appreciate your knowledgeable comments. It is unfortunate that the print manufacturers themselves don't clearly explain the pratfalls of infrequent use - seems that safe inkjet printing is the province of moderate-heavy users. Although I am not a heavy user, I am particular about the output, and have been teaching myself Photoshop Elements and boning up on my basic photograph taking. Unfortunately, other demands on my time do not enable me to make this a full-blown hobby.

All said, I did pull about full 2.5 years out of the i960. If I can still acquire the ip6000 for just $79. (on backorder from Canon Outlet Store) I think I will do okay if I get a couple years out of that. Perhaps I can be more proactive on preventive maintainence and seek advice here for that. And likely will stay with oem cartridridges for the relative safety and based on the frequency of my use. If I find that I step up the pace to monthly printing, I can always reconsider 3rd party inks/carts.

Thanks,
-Doug

 

[KCDoug]

Update: I cancelled my backorder of the ip6k. After doing more research I'm going with an ip4300 based on cheap cost and the relatively good reviews for comparable units such as the unavilable 4200 & 5200 (Steve's Digicams, PC Mag, Consumer Reports, and other forum posts): the 4300's printhead and inks are equivalent to the well regarded ip5200 and the supposedly better fade-resistant ink is a potential plus for me. I realize that the replacement cart cost is more expensive than the 6 series, and that they are not readily refillable. However, at my current volume and frequency of use (250-300 prints/yr, generally print maybe once a month or less) ink refills are probably not a tremendous value for me, so OEM replacement cost~value is not too unreasonable. I got a competitive price for the 4300 on the ecanon store (their sale price + add'l 10% customer loyalty discount when I called them & they offered free overnight shipping). For only $25 I may later opt for the 2-yr. extended warranty which is definitely cheaper than the cost of a replacement head. If my print quantity needs later increase to justify a better printer I can subsequently upgrade - and perhaps by then cart refillability issue will have been more completely resolved and refined.

Thanks again for your expertise. I will continue to check in for tips and will also recommend Nifty to others.

-Doug

PS - New printer arrived as I was writing this. Now have to figure out what to do with old i960 and hobbicolor supplies.

 

[fotofreek]

If using compatable ink, your cost for doing some printing a few times each week will be minimal and will extend your printer's longevity. Just a few minute per weeks invested will save buying a new printer if the present one would clog for lack of use.

The new chipped carts can be easily refilled with the same technique as the bci-6 and bci-3ebk. You will just lose the ink monitor function. Even two cart set refills per year will make aftermarket inks pay off and save enough for enough printer.

Call Hobbicolors by phone and ask about the differences iin refill ink for the 4000 vs the 4300 printers I read somewhere that the only difference in color tone is magenta.