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- Re: do i have to buy color ink cartridges? HP Officejet Pro ...
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05-15-2013 01:00 PM
I own a HP Officejet Pro 8600 Plus. The printer stated that the blank ink cartridge was empty. I went to the store and purchased a new black ink cartridge #950. I installed the new black ink cartridge into the printer.
Then, after I installed the new black ink cartridge, the printer stated that the Cyan ink cartridge #951 was empty. However, the printer maintenance program showed that the yellow and magenta ink cartridges were at 25% capacity. I went back to the store. Because I rarely use color, and because the printer had yellow and magenta ink, I only bought the cyan ink cartridge.
I installed the new cyan ink cartridge into the printer. The printer continued its game. It stated that the yellow and magenta ink cartridge were now empty. I went back to the store. I bought new yellow and magenta ink cartridges. When I got back to my office and was about to install the new yellow and magenta ink cartridges, the printer notified me that it can print in greyscale if I want. Why not tell me that before? I have spent months looking for a way to just use black ink. I just about threw the printer out the window.
I really do not care about explanations involving "print heads" and keeping ink in them or whatever. Yes, from a technology perspective, the cartridges must have ink to keep the device functioning. Yet, from reading the other posts, I certainly understand the frustration over the lack of respect shown by HP to its customers. I will never purchase an HP product again in my life.
05-16-2013 07:29 AM
@text413, printing in greyscale will not bypass an empty cartridge.
The reason for this is because when you print in black the HP unit will pull color into the printout for print quality reasons. The printer doesn't look for a huge amount of ink during the printout, but when you're completely out of ink this issue will appear.
05-21-2013 10:39 AM
I agree that this is a horrible way to sell more ink. Same thing happened to me. Ran out of black, bought more, now I can't print because of yellow. I will never buy HP again. Way to lose customers is to be dishonest.... Printer ink is the biggest scam of the decade.... No need to respond HP... You are like the federal government... You feel like you have to protect the consumer from himself. LET ME LIVE MY OWN LIFE AND MAKE MY OWN DECISIONS....
05-21-2013 11:11 AM
Hi,
I just replaced my black ink because it said it was low in my new hp Officejet Pro 8600. Now it is saying that 2 other cartridges are damaged. Some times it say Y is, sometimes Y & C, sometimes M,C, &Y are damaged. So frustrated. I have end of year reports that I need to print. How do I fix this? Thanks
05-28-2013 07:24 AM
Can you have the color cartridges refilled with black ink? I purchased 3 of these printers from costco on the advice of an HP representative who was in the store when I went there to look for a laser printer. He convinced me that this printer give me the better costs per printed pages than a laser. He never told me about needing to replace the color cartridges. Had I known, I would not have purchased this printer - which I am happy with the performance but not with this problem.
05-31-2013 02:00 PM - edited 05-31-2013 02:01 PM
Hello gchaz,
Unfortunately, this wouldn't work.
06-01-2013 02:03 PM
My experience was EXACTLY the same, in the exact same order! Black and cyan first, then able to print only TWO pages, then was told that I needed a yellow cartridge!
After being an avid HP printer buyer -- I must say NEVER again. The frustration I have experienced in trying to get a single black and white print is inexcusable and unacceptable. Shame on you HP!
06-03-2013 06:16 AM
Like probably most of the people who purchased Officejet Pro 8600 printers I am very UNHAPPY that I have to buy color cartridges in order to print in black only.
I feel that HP was intentionally mis-leading in its advertizing for this product.
When I purchased it, I bought a spare xl black cartridge and would have purchased spare color cartridges at the same time had I known I would need them to finish my print job when one my colors was depleted.
I think this is an issue that should have been clearly explained in the advertizing and on the outside of the box.
rider5
06-05-2013 02:29 PM
We have 3 of these printers where I work and I have software that scans/monitors ink levels on all of our printers every 15 mins.
On more then one ocassion, I've had to replace ink, even when the person was out of town and nothing was being printed. How does that happen?
I suspect there is mechanism where ink is being used up/wasted even if the nothing is being printed.
The explanation that color is being used to improve printing quality is nonsense.
This is just HP's way of selling more ink.
06-07-2013 08:37 AM
"I fully agree that HP should provide a disclaimer that their printer does not print in black and white if the printer runs out of color ink."
I second that as well.
The inability to print in black and white with depleted color cartridges is ridiculous. It should be possible to print even without any three of the four cartridges. Not likely to buy HP again.
Luiz S
Officejet 6100 owner
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