HP locks down their inkjet printers even worse

[thewayne]

They pushed an update that completely blocks third-party ink! If anything but a new or used HP cartridge is inserted, an error is displayed on the LCD and the printer refuses to work.

They people continue to buy HP inkjet printers, I do not know. Now I won't touch their lasers, personally. In fact, I don't know a single piece of equipment that I would consider buying. They have proven themselves to be massively consumer un-friendly and I am happy to shop with my feet and dollars elsewhere.

https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/03/customers-fume-as-hp-blocks-third-party-ink-from-more-of-its-printers/

Comments

[kaishin108]

How awful. No wonder the HP printers are always on sale, sigh.

[armiphlage]

I hate HP with a passion, ever since my first (and only) HP printer didn't work, and their support line tried to charge me $25 to tell me that their product was defective and needed to be replaced by the seller.

[thewayne]

My hatred goes back to the '90s.  I was working IT at a police dept, we sent three of our techs to be certified to service scanners and printers.  They come back with their certificates, and then HP won't sell us parts kits so we can fix our own gear! If in a work environment I have to use their gear, that's out of my control.  But I strongly advise against buying any of their inkjet printers and pretty much anything they make.

[disneydream06]

WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I already have an expensive HP paperweight printer.
I bought one recently. IT's wireless, and I can't get it to hook up to my computer. ARGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lesson learned I guess. :o
Hugs, Jon

[thewayne]

It's definitely tricky configuring printers to work wirelessly.  I configured a client's Mac to work with a Canon inkjet, and that was dead easy once I figured it out.  My dad's Brother laser was a little tricky, but I got it working.  Haven't worked with any other brand. I'd go to a USB connection if it isn't too far away.  And sometimes you can cable the printer to your WiFi router and make them work that way, some routers these days have USB ports for printers or hard drives.

[silveradept]

Feh! Time for someone to commit some felony contempt of business model and find a way to flash an alternative. That, or for everyone to stop buying HP anything, if they can. They certainly have failed to distinguish themselves in anything for the last several decades.

[thewayne]

I have never been a huge fan of HP computer equipment, their lasers seem to be a possible exception.  When they merged with Compaq, my opinion was 'two mediocre companies merging to create one that's even worse.' No, I won't own their gear.

[silveradept]

Yeah, definitely not wanting to have any kind of HP gear if I can avoid it. It's time for them to be replaced by non-predatory entities.

[acelightning73]

I have owned HP printers, and HP computers, and they all sucked. Printer ink is like razor blades - trick them into buying proprietary refills, cause the other brands don't work in what you have. I see ads for printers with "infinite ink tanks", and I don't know how they work, but it's a hell of an idea.

[thewayne]

I've seen those 'infinite' ads also, I'm not sure what's going on.  Part of me suspects they have you on a subscription service and when the printer senses you're down to 5-10% remaining, they send you a new one.  But I don't know.

[acelightning73]

There's no way to make an ink container hold a lifetime supply of ink, without some dimensional chicanery. And the contract details would have to be something you sign when you buy the device.

[kellan_the_tabby]

ugh, welp, this'll be my last HP then. It's served me well so far, at least ...