HP Software Time Bomb against Non-Hp Ink Jet Cartridges

[RodTBay]

The following information documents my recent problems with HP ink cartridges in an HP Officejet Pro 8610 multifunction printer.

First, I must express how angry and disappointed in am with HP.  I currently own 3 HP printers and have for many years come to trust HP.  I will reconsider who to look to first when purchasing my next printer based upon the current deceptive actions and response from HP.

I recall receiving the firmware upgrade to the printer some time ago.  I got messages from the printer (I don’t recall the exact message wording) that I needed to replace one or more ink cartridges.  I had been using non-HP cartridges quite successfully to that point.

I ordered new non-HP cartridges and put them in.  I then started getting the following error message on the LCD of my printer, “One or more cartridges appear to be damaged. Remove them and replace with new cartridges.”

I took the message to mean exactly what it said that the cartridges were somehow “damaged” and replaced them with a second set of new cartridges from the same supplier (I had ordered two of each cartridge).  When they “appeared” to be “damaged” also, I emailed the supplier who informed me of the “time bomb firmware upgrade” from HP that rejects non-HP cartridges.

So where has that left me?  With no ability to print from the printer.  With a set of new cartridges that I put in and replaced that will now not last because they are out of their sealed packaging.

HP’s formal response is that it did not properly inform customers and that only a few are affected.

However, it is my view that HP intentionally misled customers into thinking they had “damaged” cartridges, not just non-HP cartridges, and in my case caused me to try a second set of cartridges that I would not have tried if the message had been honest, if the message had simply identified that the cartridges were non-HP and that HP was blocking use of the printer with non-HP cartridges.

So I understand HP is going to issue a software/firmware fix in mid-October that will allow non-HP cartridges to be used.  But who is going to reimburse me for the new cartridges I tried and HP identified as damaged and are now out of their sealed packaging?

RodTBay

[Bob_Headrick]

The post here has information you have probably already seen. HP has indicated there should be a firmware update soon that will "fix" this.  I would suggest you keep the second set of cartridges for later use.  The HP 950 and 951 cartridges are self-sealing.  HP ships these in a simple cardboard box and they do not have sealing tape or other items that would have been removed that would allow the cartridges to dry out.  There should not be any issues storing the opened cartridges for later use.

[RodTBay]

You seem to have missed the point that the cartridges I removed due to the "damaged" message were NOT HP cartridges.  They did have sealing tape that had to be removed before being installed and came in heavy shrink-wrapped plastic from which I removed the cartridges before installation.

I think HP needs to step up and at least replace that one set of cartridges that it incorrectly and deceptively identified as "damaged".

RodTBay

[Bob_Headrick]

While the cartridges you received were wrapped and sealed I am saying that this is not necessary for the design used in the 950/951 cartridges. Presumably your third party design has similar seals to those in the HP cartridges, otherwise they would not properly mate to the printer and/or would dry out in the printer.  If you are worried about the cartridges drying out you could put them in a sealed zip-lock bag but this is not necessary.

[RodTBay]

It appears that I will have to wait to find out if your assumptions about my cartridges are correct.  I still doubt that your assumptions are correct; if they were, then why would the manufacturer of my cartridges have gone to the trouble of using a sealing tape over the hole on the top of the cartridge and sealing the entire cartridge in heavy shrink wrap.

Moreover, I threw out cartridges that were in the printer due to the "damaged" error message I initially encountered.  That message was my initial reason for ordering new cartridges.  So even if it did turn out that your assumptions were correct, I have sufferred loss due to the "damaged" message.

Finally, HP has not acknowledged the deception it committed with the error message saying the cartridges were "damaged" or the consequences to me and I am sure others as a result. I see no reason why I or other consumers should continue to support HP given such an attitude.  I can understand when a company makes a poor decision and then takes steps to correct it - we all make mistakes.  I cannot accept HP's apology that it was poor at communicating to consumers as a sincere measure to correct its ill-conceived and deceptive behaviour of leading consumers to believe thet had "damaged" cartridges.

I had hoped that my reaching out about this issue would result in HP taking steps to make sincere amends to those customers negatively impacted not only by loss of use of their printers but also by financial loss due to discarding cartridges thought to be "damaged".  I guess my only choice now is to tell as many people as I can about HP's actions so that they will not be negatively impacted by such a non-customer centred attitude.

[Sjd8]

In the same boat. Thoroughly fed up with HP. Despite having a couple of replacement generic ones i had to spend out on new genuine cartridges that also failed to work. Took it to repair shop who laughed and laughed....LOADS of HP printer issues from firmware update. My final solution-Printer and useless HP cartridges in bin. Replaced with Canon printer. I'll never buy hp again

[Sonic-Mustang]

I too got the damaged cartridge message on my 8610 but DID NOT throw away my continous ink system (which includeds aftermarket cartridges).  I expect it to work with the rollback firmware.

I phoned the manufacturer of the CIS and they informed me of the firmware download.  Before that snivling weenie Jon Flaxman posted his mea culpa, I wasted almost $100 on a set of HP cartridges.   Mean while, I put the HP startup cartridges back into the printer.

I unboxed the new HP cartridges so I cannot return them.

I doubt HP will refund my loss or yours, but here's what I'm doing to amortize it.    You can refill original HP cartridges with bulk ink and use them over and over.  Bulk ink is much cheaper than aftermarket cartridges. 

I hassled a HP Customer Support until he gave me the ink capacities of 950, 950XL,951 and 951XL cartridges:

950 = 24 ml (HP list price = $21.99 per ounce)

950XL = 53ml

951 = 8ml

951XL = 17 ml (HP list price = $23.99 per ounce)

Obviously, you can calculate the cost per ounce or ml of your after market cartridges.

The company I bought my CIS from sells a bulk refill kit for 950/951 cartridges with 520ml of in (all fou colors) and syringes and special vented tips to refill HP cartridges for under $50.   Extra ink without the "kit" is cheaper.

The ink in the kit costs 9.6 cents per ml.  That means refilling a 950 black cartridge would cost you $2.30 and refilling a 951XL would cost you $1.63.

I don't know what your aftermarket cartridges cost,  lets assume $12 each.  You could refill a black 950 cartridge over 5 times for $12 and you could refill a 951 over seven times for $12.   

In order to refill original cartridges, you need two sets of factory cartridges.  You wait until a cartridge is completely empty or "depeleted" (not low) and replace it with the second HP cartridge.  You refill the depleted one and when the second comes up depleted, replace it with the refilled one. 

This method is bullet proof and works with original cartridges with the current lockout firmware on the HP8610.  Depending on how much ink you use, it might make sense for you to buy an extra set of original cartridges and the refill kit. 

You could also switch to a continous ink system for about $90 with 500 ml of ink and then just buy ink by the bottle for even less than the ink in the refill kit.

Whatever you do, make sure you reinstall the printer SOFTWARE and read the entire license agreement.  The last page of the license has paragraphs you must uncheck to stop automatic firmware downloads.

After the rollback, my 8610 is going offline.  No more Wifi, I'll plug in to my computers via USB as I don't trust HP to stay out of my printer.

You have to stop and think about one thing.  If HP didn't cross the freakin' Hog Line (Securities Exchange Commission term for excessive greed) and sell ink for between $3,500 and $5,500 per gallon maybe they wouldn't have spawned an entire aftermarket ink industry.  

[RodTBay]

You make very good points about how to keep ink costs down.  The only issue I have with following your suggestion is that I would have to purchase HP cartidges (2 sets) and I refuse to give another dime to HP after learning the hard way the way they treat their customers.

[Sonic-Mustang]

I feel the same way.  If HP comes through with the rollback, a CIS is the way to go.   

I have alot of experience with refliing and aftermarket ink.  The mistake I made was not reading the entire license agreement.  Because I did't uncheck some boxes on the last page, I gave HP permission to overide the selections I made on the printer control panel about updating oand communicating with HP.

Whichever way you go, make sure you reinstall the printer on every computer and read the entire license.  If the rollback works and they pull the same stunt again, I'll buy a URL like HPinkSupport.com and put up a forum for disgruntled customers.

[Bob_Headrick]

The post here indicates the new firmware is now available for download.