Homebrew PCBs

On Sat, 01 Jul 2006 17:24:37 +0200, fenrir_co <fenrir@...>  
wrote:

>
> Epson printers store the ink level information on the chips, not in
> the printer. If you take one set of cartridges out of the printer, and
> put it in another, it will still show the ink depleted. The printer
> checks for this data, and also checks to see if they are Epson branded
> chips (aftermarket regular chips and auto-reset chips were built from
> scratch to avoid patent infringement, while they work, they are not
> the same, and the printer can tell). The printer should not have a
> problem with the chips being re-set, otherwise the $10 resetters from
> Staples wouldn't work for people who refill their cartridges. Unless
> you mean you are resetting while the printer is still on and not in
> cartridge-change mode, which might confuse it.


I thought the same as you do.

BUT, the printer _does_ store a copy of the ink level in that little eprom  
on the controller PCB.
If the chips show a different value than they should it does a cleaning  
cycle at power on. I don't think this is a long priming cycle, only a  
normal cleaning. When i just switch it on without and changes to the chips  
it does not do that.

Anyway, i have found reasonably priced spongeless carts with auto reset  
chips at <http://www.4-u-all.com>.
The spongeless cart with auto reset chip is about 3.5eur per cart. I think  
this is acceptable and have placed an order.
I'm not sure it will go through though because they say one needs a  
verified paypal address (meaning you need a credit card), which i don't  
have.
This outfit is in ireland so that would be great for me customs-wise.

Anyone know another place where the sell spongeless carts in case this  
doesn't work out? It would need to be reasonably priced, not $15 per auto  
reset chip and $5 per chipless spongeless cart like inksupply.com. I think  
with those prices they are just nasty parasites latching onto the epson  
chip fraud. Nobody can make me believe a chip is worth $15.

ST