CIS vs Ink Cart: Please tell me...

[guy001]

Hi,
I burn about 4, 5 DVD a day and using R200 to print cover and DVD.

I used to buy Ink Carts from Megatoners (6 colors = 1set for 13.25 total)
I searched and found CIS is about $75.00 - $100.00

So, if 100ml CIS = more than 6 carts (one cart contains 15ml ink right?) then I don't see what advantage of buying CIS instead of buying ink cart.

BTW, 1 set ink cart I can print about 80 DVD+covers.

[Bodyslide]

Each ink color has 100ml of ink. I have done over 1500 dvd's with my CIS and still have a quarter of each color left.

[guy001]

Sorry I did not make it clear.
I know CIS has 6 colors and each color is 100ml.
1 set of ink cart has 6 carts, and each cart is 15 ml
So, 1 set of CIS = almost 7 sets of ink cart.
Ink Carts: 13.25 x 6.6 = 88.00 (round off)
CIS: $60 + $25 (S&H) = 85.00
So I just think those are almost same cost, and you don't need to spend big money in front, just pay $13.25 or 13.50 each time you need the ink cart.
And you don't have to worry about tube,...

BTW, Bodyslide, did you print DVD and DVD covers or you just print DVD (using Injet Printable DVD) only?

Thank you.

[Bodyslide]

Just Dvd's...

[jtoolman2000]

Remember how many times you have to change say cyan, and a few days later the magenta and a few days ,,,well you get the picture. I went through all that and I do my own instructional DVDs by the hundreds. Everytime you replace a cart or two , it runs a charging cycle. Are you aware that over 2-3 CCs of ink gets sucked out of the 6 colors everytime you replace a cart? There is a nasty little secret with Epson printers ( and I love them - really! ) where the waste ink pad that recieves this excess ink will eventually have to be replaced. The printer has a built in counter where an arbritary number keeps going up till it reaches what it deems to be the max limit for the waste ink pad. It will LOCK up your printer and you have to have the pad replaced and the counter reset by guess who,,,,, Epson of course.
I now run a CIS with auto reset chips and I get my inks from Sams Club at and average of $10 per 6 x 115ml bottles so I get 690 ml of each color for $9-11 each box. Depends on the color. That amount of ink will last me for ever!

What about that infamous little waste ink counter??? You open the back of the R200-300, the little door with a screw on it and remove the tube that leads the ink to the pad on the base of the printer and guide it to a waste ink bottle of your choice. I crazy glued mine to a screw cap that I then attach to a 6 OZ bottle. To reset the counter you use this. SSC Service Utility 3.80

I no longer use my R300 for printing DVD/CD but only for photos. I now own an automatic robotic disc printer for my disc printing needs. If you want to compare prices, their ink costs a total of $84 for the Black and the Color cart. OUCH!!!!! However, it runs unattended and can do a 50 disc job in about 1 hour

[macrovision]

I don't really think you understand the concept so if I may interject a cent or two.... the proper math is your carts+s/h.....and time wasted waiting for the shipment vs. The more raw ink(Samsclub $60.00 for 3,060ml of ink) and empty blank carts with auto-reset chips x 6 for $24 = $84 total. Does that help?

[jtoolman2000]

I don't really think you understand the concept so if I may interject a cent or two.... Ya are the proper math is your carts......s/h.....and time wasted waiting for the shipment vs. The more raw ink(Samsclub $60.00 for 3500ml of ink) and empty blank carts with auto-reset chips x 6 for $24 = $84 total. Does that help? smile.gif

What are you talking about???

The Carts come full and ready to use. You pop them in, route the tubing and run the initial carche and that's it! As far as the ink for Sam's goes, it should up in 2 days and you simply fill the 2 reservour like every two months with about 30 ml each. Man the work is killing me!

[macrovision]

That's not what I'm talking about.....I'm refering to refillable carts from waytoprint and the samsclub deal for 510ml of each color...approx. $10 each = $60 ......the other post was about ordering what I believe is "generic" carts at $13 x 6 .....he doesn't print alot and he posted about tubing being a problem so refillable carts $24 plus 510ml of each color $60 = $84 ...... I think he'll be better off. That will be 3,060ml of ink for aprrox.$60 +35 yearly membership fee http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?mt=a&n=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_1599049040.1...46527%3a887111
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/WAY-TO-PRINT_W0QQssPageNameZviQ3asibQ3astoreviewQQtZkm
I'm sorry.....the carts with chips are approx. $43.00 soooo. you'll spend about $100 at first. and then you'll have too much ink and end up printing just for the hell of it......Nothing but test pages to get rid of some of that damn ink!

[mikesbytes]

It seems there is confusion between the cost of the CIS system including ink and the cost of new inkto fill the CIS system. Reading above I see;
1. Cost of carts from megatones
2. Cost of a CIS including 1 set of ink
3. Cost of replacement ink for the CIS
4. Cost of replacing the waste cart

So over the life of the printer we have;

Printer purchase cost + carts + carts + .... + waste cart replacement + carts....

or

Printer purchase cost + CIS (including ink) + more ink + more ink ....

[jtoolman2000]

I will print 50 to 75 4x6 5x7 or 8x10s at a time so walking way from the printer nd not having to working about chaging a cart mid way is great. The chips reset themselves. I will use that 690 CCs of ink and more. Yes the cost if you buy carts from mag toners is practically the same maybe even cheaper. I still do not like the waste of ink as it recharges every color when you change just one. You all would be shocked when you look at the hose squirting ink like crazy into my waste bottle. during a cart change

[macrovision]

I know Jtoolman2000....My R200 is hooked up to a printonadime CIS and it'sonly 40ml per color.....I had the classic JLWSALES kit.....Inkwaste required a mod...Disco'd. the hose from the pump but now I work so much I print 75% less DVD's. I was gonna buy a Primera Bravo Pro but now I'm trying to move so money needs to be saved and my clientel has moved to computer repair/upgrades. Anyway, Since I have experience with this I made the suggestion of re-fillables to those that DONOT print massively (Like I used to).

[xxiangg]

I agree with what guy001 said. If I make my living on making DVDs,
it might make sense to use CIS. I am just wondering how many people
will make over 1000 DVDs. It is obvious that CIS is not for the majority.
In addition, I believe the ink only has about 2 years shelf live.

[guy001]

Okay, I would like to know about those empty refillable carts here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-T048-Spongeless-CIS-Refillable-Cartridges-with-Chips_W0QQitemZ...QQcmdZViewItem

$42 (6 carts) + $1 (Vacuum/Refill Syringe) + $3.85 (S&H) = $46.85

and this one cost only $39.00 (Free Ship, but no Syringe):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epson-R200-R300-C84-C86-Refillable-Cartridge-Ship-Free_W0QQitemZ...QQcmdZViewItem

So, which one should I buy?

[scubasteve2365]

Okay, I would like to know about those empty refillable carts here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/6-T048-Spongeless-CIS-Refillable-Cartridges-with-Chips_W0QQitemZ...QQcmdZViewItem

$42 (6 carts) + $1 (Vacuum/Refill Syringe) + $3.85 (S&H) = $46.85

and this one cost only $39.00 (Free Ship, but no Syringe):

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Epson-R200-R300-C84-C86-Refillable-Cartridge-Ship-Free_W0QQitemZ...QQcmdZViewItem

So, which one should I buy?

Here is my logic guy001.

I have no experience with the refill carts, but I recently placed my order, and I ordered from printforless. After doing my research here and other places this seemed like the best option. Look for posts by PoolEnglish.

Anyway, You want a TWO HOLE design, so that the carts can be refilled while they remain in the printer, this saves you from having to remove the cartridge and putting strain on the connecting points and the chip.

Spongeless may NOT be the best thing. Think about it, the SPONGES are in the factory carts for a reason, not because EPSON thought it would pretty for anyone that decided to take them apart. THEY must serve a purpose. My thoughts, are they serve a purpose of maybe stoping air from drawing back in or something, Im not really sure.

I am not aware of any TWO HOLE carts that are spongeless. the TWO hole carts ive seen have all had sponges in them.

This above, combined with PoorEnglish's recommendation is what convinced me to try them out. Hes been going a few months on them. He switched to them from a CIS and stated that he wish he would have gotten these instead of a CIS in the first place.

The carts complete with syringes and 600ml of ink were $90 shipped.

[macrovision]

Agreed.....scubasteve

[mikesbytes]

I still do not like the waste of ink as it recharges every color when you change just one. You all would be shocked when you look at the hose squirting ink like crazy into my waste bottle. during a cart change

So when a cart needs replacing, you should consider replacing the other carts that are almost empty.

What volume of ink is lost each charge?

[macrovision]

As for ink waste: the service manual quotes 15% waste during initial charging and 5-7% during head cleaning. Yes........that's a lot of wasted ink!

[mikesbytes]

So those of us that you cartridges;

When a cartridge runs out, we should change all cartridges that have less than 10% ink remaining.