DC test of a new no limits PGI-550/CLI-551 resetter

[PeterBJ]

I just noticed this druckerchannel.de test of a new resetter for PGI-550/CLI-551 cartridges. A Google translation is here. This resetter is not limited to 100 resets. I never believed the explanation that a resetter should be limited to 100 resets, else it was violating a Canon patent. According to druckerchannel.de this is not true. See this thread for a test of the old limited resetter.

 

[palombian]

Indeed, at € 39.95 very reasonable.

This makes it less urgent to hoard 525/526 printers (they will become scarce one day or another also).
OTH most of the 550/551 printers have less and smaller paper feeds, and I doubt if you can set them in service mode when the ink pads are full.

 

[PeterBJ]

The 550/551 printers have no rear feed for photo paper, and the entry level models have no paper cassette, only a bottom tray for paper. See this from a druckerchannel comparison test. I have an MG5550 and I have not been able to get it into service mode. See this.

A second line of defense against refillers is the concept of small setup and "regular" versus normal sized "XL" cartridges. For refilling to make sense you need to source one or more sets of XL cartridges. Have "virgin empty" cartridges started to show up on Ebay and other places?

 

[mikling]

A North American model is being planned as well.

Here is the marketability issue. Typically an AIO printer such as the MX922 will have a street price of $99 to $110 CAD. To use the resetter as a real option, you'd need to purchase a set of XL cartridges afterwards....just as PeterBJ indicates These are blessed with complete blackout to boot...no windows. A set of XL cartridges for this $100 machine costs $130 CAD for the set.....more than the AIO printer cost. If you had purchased a lower end AIO such as the MG5620, the cost would vary between $49 to $79 CAD depending on the sale. You'd still need to purchase a set of XL sized cartridges for $130 CAD, possibly twice what the printer cost.....

Now add to that the cost of the resetter plus inks. So to start refilling after having purchased the printer which would vary between $49 to $99 , you'd need to spend approx $130+$40 resetter+cost of ink. I'd say close to $200. Keep this in mind...for a printer that cost $49. Ouch....that's for refilling.

The Alternative is to acquire some ARC refillable cartridges from the far east and inks. This would reduce the $200 expenditure to somewhere around $60-70. vs. $200 if a resetter was used. Now granted, the ability to reset at will is lost but you would need to spend $130 less. For the consumer who purchases a printer for $49-$99.....this $130 saving is HUGE.

One option would be IF the resetter could reset ARC chips as well, then you'd have something of interest. Why? Clear cartridges and lower entry cost and the option of the resetter would be targetted to those that printed higher volumes.

The aspect of setup cartridges is a HUGE weapon against refilling of OEM carts. Once the initial cartridge no longer had the full capacity....the system was RIGGED. Now for the unknowing folks...the standard capacity cartridges actually deliver less than they appear against the XL because of the ink maintenance routine each time a cartridge is changed out.


Purchasing Ebay cartridges,,,you'd have to consider that you probably will have to properly FLUSH those out first. Also many of those cartridges have the orange caps at the bottom missing....or broken. Wonder why the desktop refilling interest is fading fast?

Consider this....for the total outlay for an MX922 prepped for refilling with good OEM carts, you can purchase a more upmarket MB2020 and use all pigment and aftermarket cartridges with no real issues for less money!...and never need to flush, have archival prints and waterproof and superior color.

Comments?

 

[palombian]

There is still a part of the users who buy new OEM carts, and probably XL's since they are more economic.
I was able to collect enough empty 525/526 carts for free from such (kind) people, or from broken printers, so this must be possible also for the 550/551 XL's.
I once received a bag of about 30 cheap 3th party cartridges with clips together with a second hand printer.

These efforts and the investment in resetter and ink is more justified on a larger scale, I supply now for 4 households.

For daily printing refilling those consumer dye printers are extremely cheap, but I agree pigment ink is better.

 

[websnail]

We're playing with the 550 and 551 unit ourselves and getting our ducks in a row so we can offer them as an option. Initial impressions of the units are that they are solid, work reliably and don't have the problems we'd originally anticipated (fried chips, etc..). The main niggle is that the CLI adapter is a little tight and tends to cling to the cartridge but that's about all. As they're REdSETTER units we really didn't expect any issues at all but it's always nice to confirm.

In terms of comparison (Of course we've only heard about the refillables with ARC's so it's not a fair comparison yet). But for refillables most issues revolve around the sponges in the third party refillables, where the feed characteristics seem to degrade over time. It's not 100% but it has been reported enough that we're keeping a closer eye out for it.

Chip issues have existed (we hit a bad batch of those at one point) but a frequent user query is the way the chips refuse to reset until the cartridge prism shows empty and the chip indicates empty. End users get a little nervous about relying on the prism and chip to trigger before the cartridge reaches empty and like to top-up regularly. In real terms a top-up process, that stops a reset happening, doesn't harm anything and the prism should act as a fail-safe anyway but ultimately end-users don't like having a big exclamation mark against the ink level indicator which is pretty understandable.

Of course, it's going to be a case of what suits individual users and (for the resetter option) having a supply of OEM XL carts, luckily that last has been ticked this end.

 

[PeterBJ]

Resetter + Empty OEM XL carts =

 

[Vorkolor]

Does anybody know if the 550/551 resetters also work with auto-reset chips?

 

[websnail]

Just to note the 250/251 models are rolling out of the manufacturers already so they'll be on the market very soon. Inkjetcarts, among others, will have them shortly.

Can't confirm for the 250/251 models yet but it's also looking as if the 550/551 REdSETTER will also reset ARC chips too... I do need to confirm with an actual printer but obviously that increases the utility for those who've already wed to a refillable cartridges (with ARC) solution.

EDIT: Whoa @Vorkolor ... It's like you were reading my mind!

 

[websnail]

Just to note we've got the 250/251 (as well as the 550/551 units) in stock for those who've been waiting.. Doubtless they'll be out there for other resellers in short order soon.

This might help too: REDX50D5 (£5 off for first 5 orders)