Printer ink...a scam??

NorthstaNder · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:32

I'm wondering why my HP Photosmart 6300 is nearly out of cyan and magenta ink when it's set to print using the black ink only, 95% of the time!?

I print a lot of auction site packing slips so do them in fast draft using black only...but the colour cartridges are still dropping :confused:

jak731 · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:34

When the black gets low the printer automatically uses some colour ink to make the black go further, i find it annoying as well, not sure how to turn it off on my epson printer.

Hughsy · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:38

Not sure if there is an option to turn it off, just a plot to make you buy more ink in the long run

capriboy1978 · 1 Aug 2009 at 17:38

yes it's a big cash cow. My ink costs are next to nil, i print next to everything at work

PhillyDee · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:25

Lol.

Get an HP laser. Can get one from the Highstreet for £79. Faster, better quality, and if you only print black, then worth it.

Lakeland · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:33

I used to have this problem. The solution? I bought a HP Laserjet P1005 which I use when printing out in mono, anything with colour and I use the original colour printer! It will soon pay for itself as colour ink is an absolute rip off

PhillyDee · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:38

jaxon said:
I used to have this problem. The solution? I bought a HP Laserjet P1005 which I use when printing out in mono, anything with colour and I use the original colour printer! It will soon pay for itself as colour ink is an absolute rip off

I bought the P1006. It was a fiver cheaper at the time

My g/f was amazed at how quick it printed 12 sheets of black out.

Swordfish · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:41

I use a Continuous Ink Supply System for my Epson R265 - superb all the way

No mucking around with cartidges etc. Cost me around 12 quid a year in ink and I print a lot of stuff...

Lemin · 1 Aug 2009 at 18:54

Swordfish said:
I use a Continuous Ink Supply System for my Epson R265 - superb all the way

No mucking around with cartidges etc. Cost me around 12 quid a year in ink and I print a lot of stuff...

I agree, hope i can find a good dvd/cd printer when my old Epson R320 dies.

dustofnations · 1 Aug 2009 at 21:20

Swordfish said:
I use a Continuous Ink Supply System for my Epson R265 - superb all the way

No mucking around with cartidges etc. Cost me around 12 quid a year in ink and I print a lot of stuff...

Sounds very interesting, I'm assuming these systems are all third party as the manufacturers wouldn't want to tread on their own feet? I assume the ink is reasonable quality, had a few cheap 'generic' type cartridges that have attempted to destroy the print-heads.

JonJ678 · 1 Aug 2009 at 21:50

PhillyDee said:
Get an HP laser. Can get one from the Highstreet for £79.

Cough. An actual laser printer? As in sprays the paper with powdered plastic, runs a laser over the surface, blows the plastic off and calls it good? Last time I checked they cost around 500 quid, that's fantastic if they're cheap now.

I never print colour on A4, so would love a laser printer of my very own

Oh yeah, the thread. Printer ink prices are hilarious, I've sold black ink for £6 a litre. Learning to refill your printer can be difficult though, and some cartridges continue to report empty even when refilled.

dustofnations · 1 Aug 2009 at 21:53

JonJ678 said:
Cough. An actual laser printer? As in sprays the paper with powdered plastic, runs a laser over the surface, blows the plastic off and calls it good? Last time I checked they cost around 500 quid, that's fantastic if they're cheap now.

I never print colour on A4, so would love a laser printer of my very own

I've seen some decent reviews for the Xerox Phaser 6125. That the sort of thing you're after?

JonJ678 · 1 Aug 2009 at 21:59

That's colour laser for $300. Feels like Christmas, I just had no idea these things were available. Colour I can pass on, I only ever cad work in colour, and that's A3. Black and white for letters and so forth sounds an absolute success, I shall find reviews and so forth. Thanks for the link dust

Welcome to the forums, in case someone missed that on your first post

Lakeland · 1 Aug 2009 at 22:16

Swordfish said:
I use a Continuous Ink Supply System for my Epson R265 - superb all the way

No mucking around with cartidges etc. Cost me around 12 quid a year in ink and I print a lot of stuff...

how does this work? my colour printer is the epson r265 and it abuses ink like there's no tomorrow!

Swordfish · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:13

jaxon said:
how does this work? my colour printer is the epson r265 and it abuses ink like there's no tomorrow!

Works very well.

I have a 265 and here is a few photo's that show what it is like.

Apologies for poor quality but just my trusty N95 available for photos at mo!!

PermaBanned · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:20

Isn't black a mix of all the colours? So you would have to set it to black ink cartridge only.

Lemin · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:21

WoW! big pics! stressed my 20mbit conection anyhow !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86xPmuMqd3c

CISS are not good ink, but, for printing dvd/cd = perfect
.All my mates think the quality of pics i do for them is great ! just we know better.

Swordfish · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:26

Lemin said:
WoW! big pics! stressed my 20mbit conection anyhow !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86xPmuMqd3c

I resized them after I uploaded them. Try again.

Swordfish · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:27

Superewza said:
Isn't black a mix of all the colours? So you would have to set it to black ink cartridge only.

No. Each cartridge has it's own supply.

PermaBanned · 8 Aug 2009 at 20:30

Yes, but when printing black the printer will use a mixture of all of the colours, instead of just the black ink cartridge. Print in Grayscale and Print with Black Ink cartrige only are different things.