25 ms·

The current state of printers is sad. Everything wrong with tech is enclosed within them. 1. You get DRM inc, which increases the cost even you buy the "requir

The current state of printers is sad. Everything wrong with tech is enclosed within them. 1. You get DRM inc, which increases the cost even you buy the "required toners" [^1] 2. Don't get to control what they print: - Adds stuff to your page [^2] - Won't let you print certain patterns [^3] [^1]: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/01/chip-shortage-has-canon-telling-customers-how-to-skirt-its-printer-toner-drm/ https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2022/01/chip-shortage-ha... [^2]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machine_Identification_Code [^3]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EURion_constellation

throwaway914 3y ago
Thank you for this. I didn't know about the EURion constellation thing. Very cool/alienating examples of DRM.
sva_ 3y ago
I'm pretty happy with my Brother laser printer.
- OfSanguineFire 3y ago
  Recent HN discussions on this subject mentioned that Brother, too, has begun to betray their reputation for openness.
  - basilgohar 3y ago
    It was only a matter of time. I bought mine for this reason, and I realize that when the time comes to replace it, I will have to find another vendor, if one even exists, since Brother no longer waves that banner of openness.
  - cbo100 3y ago
    Yep, as a relatively recent (2.5 years ago) convert from HP to Brother because HP was pulling all this crap with with 3rd party toner cartridges. The Brother has proved to be just as bad, and in some ways even worse. Once it decides the (genuine) toner must be empty it basically refuses to print without some complex reset procedures. At least the HP would just happily print faded pages all day long.
    - mochomocha 3y ago
      My Brother printer once said the cartridge was empty and I refused to believe it. After browsing the internet a bit, I found a trick on an obscure forum that worked for me: you put a small piece of tape on the cartridge chip, and miraculously it's not detected as "empty" anymore. Two years after the procedure, I'm still printing on the same cartridge that was supposedly empty.
zapataband1 3y ago
Also the recyclability of those toners and ink cartridges, they'd rather sell you a subscription for cartridges than allow 3rd party refillable ones
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

throwaway914 3y ago

Thank you for this. I didn't know about the EURion constellation thing. Very cool/alienating examples of DRM.

sva_ 3y ago

I'm pretty happy with my Brother laser printer.

OfSanguineFire 3y ago
Recent HN discussions on this subject mentioned that Brother, too, has begun to betray their reputation for openness.
- basilgohar 3y ago
  It was only a matter of time. I bought mine for this reason, and I realize that when the time comes to replace it, I will have to find another vendor, if one even exists, since Brother no longer waves that banner of openness.
- cbo100 3y ago
  Yep, as a relatively recent (2.5 years ago) convert from HP to Brother because HP was pulling all this crap with with 3rd party toner cartridges. The Brother has proved to be just as bad, and in some ways even worse. Once it decides the (genuine) toner must be empty it basically refuses to print without some complex reset procedures. At least the HP would just happily print faded pages all day long.
  - mochomocha 3y ago
    My Brother printer once said the cartridge was empty and I refused to believe it. After browsing the internet a bit, I found a trick on an obscure forum that worked for me: you put a small piece of tape on the cartridge chip, and miraculously it's not detected as "empty" anymore. Two years after the procedure, I'm still printing on the same cartridge that was supposedly empty.

zapataband1 3y ago

Also the recyclability of those toners and ink cartridges, they'd rather sell you a subscription for cartridges than allow 3rd party refillable ones

deleted 3y ago

[deleted]