# Crazy 'puter Stuff!



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

Printer ran out of ink to-day - it's a Lexmark about 4 years old, fax scan copy print. :yes:

Went over to local 'puter place for some ink? WTF! Two cartridges for printer Â£24.99 and Â£27.99 respectively = around Â£53.00 - oh and mine is now discontinued (the printer that is) New Lexmark X3580 fax scan copy print plus takes SD cards and sticks for direct print of piccies - on special "Managers offer" with two spare cartridges comes in at Â£60.00 ! :yes:

What would you have done? Samer as me I supect, buy a new printer on offer for seven quid more. :blink: Printer, four cartridges and all in only 7 squidoolies more than two new cartridges. Bl**dy good job Mrs Mel was there alongside, she said why buy two cartridges when the whole shebang is cheaper?

Computer game is just plain stoopid! :lol:


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## rev (Oct 12, 2007)

Nice one Mrs mel! wish my 710 was like that!

Andy


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2008)

mel said:


> Printer ran out of ink to-day - it's a Lexmark about 4 years old, fax scan copy print. :yes:
> 
> Went over to local 'puter place for some ink? WTF! Two cartridges for printer Â£24.99 and Â£27.99 respectively = around Â£53.00 - oh and mine is now discontinued (the printer that is) New Lexmark X3580 fax scan copy print plus takes SD cards and sticks for direct print of piccies - on special "Managers offer" with two spare cartridges comes in at Â£60.00 ! :yes:
> 
> ...


iTS cRAZY mEL - had similar problem a while back ,nearly cheaper buying a computer with free software rather than buying software ie operating system -a few quid difference :blink:


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Its all about the consumables...

They want you locked in to buy theirs......


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Lexmark are probably the worst for this but all the major players do it. I took some Lexmark carts to one of those re ink shops and walked out with a new canon printer. Beauty of the canon is I can easily re ink it myself'.


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

It's disgraceful that people have to throw away perfectly good printers because the cost of buying cartridges/ toner is almost as much as a new printer with the consumables included. What about the impact on the environment if people put the old printer in the wheelie bin (which they shouldn't but will because the council charges Â£10 to dispose of it properly)?

Don't think newer laser printers are immune either, the toner cartridges are getting the same "chip" treatment that inkjets have had for some time and the price per print had been increased too.

Bloody shameful!


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## b11ocx (Mar 19, 2008)

If you analyse HP profits, you will find the majority come from Print...

It's all about dragging you in. My criteria for a printer now is how much the cartridges cost rather than how good the printer is.... they are all good enough.


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## thunderbolt (May 19, 2007)

It's scandalous. :taz: I have found these people very reasonable in the past. As they "remanufacture" cartridges, usually with double the volume of ink in the originals, quality can be a bit it and miss at times. They once sent me one where the lug for the retaining clip had broken off! :blink:


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

Stan said:


> which they shouldn't but will because the council charges Â£10 to dispose of it properly


Won't be long until its more expensive to dispose of things than it is to buy them.

Its about time we returned to a 'repairable' society rather than a 'disposable' one


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## b11ocx (Mar 19, 2008)

Robert said:


> Stan said:
> 
> 
> > which they shouldn't but will because the council charges Â£10 to dispose of it properly
> ...


Completely agree, how much packaging and waste is involved in the whole life costs.

Economies based upon false economy can not be a good thing.


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## KEITHT (Dec 2, 2007)

b11ocx said:


> Robert said:
> 
> 
> > Stan said:
> ...


I always have a least a go at repairing anything...seeing the words ' *Do not open, no servicable parts inside *' is like a challenge to me...saved myself a fortune over the years..although i must say my one and only go at opening a used ink cartridge is best forgotten!!


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## Stan (Aug 7, 2003)

KEITHT said:


> b11ocx said:
> 
> 
> > Robert said:
> ...


I agree, the only caveat would be "lethal voltage" (unplugged). Strange that IBM made certain parts CRU (customer replaceable unit) rather than everything FRU (field replaceable unit requiring a technicians intervention) and then provided instructions to customers how to obtain FRUs and how to fit them, innit?

Now, that's the way to look after your customers.


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## JonW (Mar 23, 2005)

Interesting thread..been in the same position myself when shopping for a cartridge for my in laws and did the same.

Interesting talk of HP tho... I have a HP printer with 7 diff inks. I bought it as I hated the fact I always ran out of one colour but now needed to replace the whole 'colour' cart. So I got this one. cool printer, its wireless as well. two years down the line and not many pages printed it now tells me that 2 of my carts are 'past their use by date' and that if I continue to use them I will void my warranty by using them. WTF?!?! Ive continued to use them feeling that if the printer dies Id just chuck it away anyway and get a new one. I bought a new black the other day as the small one that came with the printer finally gave up the ghost and in the shop I checked all the ones they had. Most said 'fit to printer before march 08'... so they were selling out of date stock  I found one that said Nov 08 in the end. Its pathetic tho... HP know how to make money thats for sure...

Also with these of course if you refil you still have this date issue and it stops you printing as it needs user input everytime you switch it on... very annoying on an otherwise very cool printer.


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## Guest (Jun 6, 2008)

I too have a Lexmark all in one jobbie, its a pretty good machine for the limited amount of printing we do...............but I'm totally pissed off with being ripped off by their chipped cartridges.

I've dug my old Canon BJC 4200 out of the shed, the cartridges are easy to refill so it costs a fraction of the lexmark to run.


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## Robert (Jul 26, 2006)

This subject just came up in the office and it seems that the WEEE 2006 regulations require the retailer to 'take back' your old equipment. Most, like Currys, say it is a free service they provide but its actually a legal requirement upon them

_The obligations on retailers_

Retailers and distributors have a legal obligation to provide for

customers to dispose of waste electrical equipment free of charge.

Retailers can do this by accepting old electrical goods from the

customer in-store when the retailer sells an equivalent new item

(â€˜in-store take backâ€™), or by directing customers to a designated

collection facility


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## SuperBrother (Jun 1, 2008)

We had the exact same thing a year or so ago.

No wonder the price of oil is going through the roof when items such as this which contain loads of plastic have a lifespan 12 months or so.


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Lexmark are the worst for this; supply a printer with 50-60% capacity starter cartridges and sting you on the refills!


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

Was in Morrisons doing the weekly grocery shop yesterday. They are selling a Lexmark all in one scanner/copier/printer for Â£30!


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