Canon prism sensor & painted cartridge

[niftylogue]

I have an MP830 on the way, so I've been trying to gather info on refilling. One thing that came to mind, as I'm sure everyone has thought, was to trick the sensor to think that the cartridge is still full.

Has anyone tried covering the prism window on the bottom of the CLI-8 cart? I don't know what the physical CLI-8 cartridges are like, or if my question is even applicable if the CLI-8 is completely different.

I tried coloring/painting the bottom of an empty BCI-6C in an i560. First, I used a blue whiteboard marker (just happened to be what I had) to color the prism area. It was still detected as empty. So, I tried coloring the whole reservoir bottom, but it was still detected as empty. I then tried using a Bic Wite-Out and covered the whole reservoir bottom. After it's completely dry, I put it back on. The Status Monitor didn't say the cart was empty. To double check, I put in another empty cart (ok, detected empty), and put back the wite-out bottom again (not empty).

Manufacturers could make their carts with an opaque bottom if this works, but it just sounds too simple and too good to be true. Would this trick also work on CLI-8 printers, if done before the OE cart is detected empty? If it would work, does the chip also keeps a counter which eventually maxes out on either a programmed number or the byte limit (integer/long/double)? If so, and the condition is reached, what would the printer do?

 

[headphonesman]

does the chip also keeps a counter which eventually maxes out on either a programmed number or the byte limit (integer/long/double)? If so, and the condition is reached, what would the printer do?

Yes the chip on the cart is told by the printer how many firings of that color`s nozzle has taken place and will give an on-screen message saying the cart is low or empty- regardless of a large amount of ink still left in the cart.

In a properly working printer (warnings of low ink not overidden, Ink Status Monitor process still in place) , in the event of a cart suddenly losing all its ink , the prism will act as back up and advise "out of ink"


Ink Status Monitor , both Chip or prism driven, is withdrawn if the user elects to ignore an "ink out"warning , (i.e.refills and uses an "empty" CLI 8) . Ink Status Monitor is resumed if a new Chipped cart is subsequently inserted. Attempts to trick the printer by juggling new/used carts have proved fruitless.

 

[websnail]

Ink Status Monitor , both Chip or prism driven, is withdrawn if the user elects to ignore an "ink out"warning , (i.e.refills and uses an "empty" CLI 8) . Ink Status Monitor is resumed if a new Chipped cart is subsequently inserted. Attempts to trick the printer by juggling new/used carts have proved fruitless.

I can confirm this... Use of a CIS in an MP830 (where the ink level never drops) still results in the chip eventually smelling a rat and declaring the cartridge low and then empty..

 

[niftylogue]

So, I wonder what Canon's argument is on its disabling the low-ink warning? They disable the perfectly reliable prism sensor (has there been any documented case of failure on the pre CLI-8 printers?). They should just provide the warning that "using a non Canon Genuine ink cartridge will void warranty," force the user to acknowledge and accept by pressing the OK button, BUT they should still keep the prism sensor low ink warning functional.

This is like a car manufacturer disabling ABS when a non OE brake pads are used, but luckily no car manufacturer does it. I didn't know the detail of the Verizon bluetooth class action, but they did get hit for advertising bluetooth functionality that was instead disabled. Canon must have been careful enough and did not advertise low ink warning system that would be disabled with non OE ink carts.

In summary, I don't have any problem with Canon doing encrypted chip on their cartridges and not allowing any reset, but they should not disable the prism sensor low ink warning mechanism. Somewhere in there there might be a legal argument, but I'm not a laywer so I'm not sure. Of course, not disabling it would render the chip rather moot, but they would still be able to detect voided warranty, and also retain regular users (probably the majority of users) who would not do without warranty (they could extend the warranty longer to keep this more effective) or users who are afraid to use 3rd party ink.

 

[WhiteDog]

The Canon system is pretty obviously in violation of US fair trade practices acts, and not only the Magnusson Act. In my experience Canon is an arrogant corporation and is totally dominated in attitude and deed by the Japanese multimational. Last autumn I left an RFQ on the CanonUSA website for a product not sold in Canada. I have frequent dealings in the US and a US shipping address, and I buy stuff from Adorama, B&H and others. I live 15 minutes from the border too. The reply from Canon USA that my email address was foreign and I should get lost. Actually they were not that nice about it, but I am going to be. I had some correspondence about this with them and told them how much business I and my family would be doing in the future. So Canon, since we know you read these postings, get a human face on your business and start acting responsibly. This is all to say nothing of the debacle of the non-support of the ink delivery system (Canada and US) on the recently introduced ipf5000, where the forum postings will make your hair stand on end and run for an Epson.