Epson R260 Generic ink?

[sandralink]

I'm thinking in buying this printer at $75.00 in Sam's club, I would like to start using the printer with a generic ink system or cartridges but I heard generic ink can clog up the heads, if this true? and if its not true then whats the best CIS or Refillables i can get? thanks

Even with epson ink, if you do not use printer for a long period of time, you still get clogged heads. So dont leave your printer inactivity, try to at least print nozzle checks or cleaning once a week.

regarding the r260 cis ink system, james has some good review for it
http://www.inkrepublic.com/members/jamesparker/Review.asp

good luck!

[chipscale]

PS: Nobody has yet to tell me by box packaging or on the printer how to tell when the printer was built other than by trial and error... But my guess is.. my the model number plate on the printer itself??
Mine reads: MODEL B411B
So to help track down which R260 printers need the newer chip how about posting the model number and when you purchased yours.... unless you know how to tell my serial number when a printer was built.

According to one generic ink supplier, the code for the EPSON R260 (and probably other EPSONs) is found on the right rear of the machine. It's not the serial number. It's a thin paper strip to the right of the serial number which has 19 letters and digits. The year of manufacture is the SEVENTH digit from the right (7=2007) and the month is the SIXTH digit from the right. (1=January, 2=February, etc.).

Ron

[faramith]

Bought the printer, it was manufactures on April 2007 , ABC ink says their cartriges are compatible with printers before April 2007, so this means theyre not compatble with mine?

[fotoguy1]

Just for the record, I'm new to posting on the Net.

Just installed G&G cartridges into brand new r260 and they are NOT recognized. Purchased them from Ink & Beyond who assured me they were in fact compatible with r260. After calling them today, I'm still waiting for their reply which was promised an hour ago. They said they would have to call their supplier for info. because they are "just a reseller". Caveat Emptor, guys!

Based on info here, r260 manufactured 05/07. Have not tried Epson cartridges packed with printer..hoping Ink and Beyond will step up and set things straight. Any ideas very much appreciated.

[SCDVD]

You know, I have used Epson printers for over 20 years starting first with a dot matrix printer. Since then, I have bought quite a number of Epson printers for both my own use as well as for work. But this grab ass crap Epson is pulling has cured me. I am going to be buying another printer soon to replace an aging R220. I don't know which model I will buy but I do know that it won't be an Epson. HP has a printer now that prints on optical media and so does Canon. I'm going to look at all my options. I have only ruled out one so far - Epson.

[fotoguy1]

Just spoke with "tech support" at ABC Ink i.e., Meritline, and they claim that currently available G & G cartridges for the r260 are NOT compatible with machines manufactured after April 07 as others have mentioned here. So the ones I purcased from Ink and Beyond which they said ARE compatible with my printer are in fact NOT. So I have already received my RMA and will return them tomorrow! As reported in this thread (if that's the correct term), there is a lawsuit in progress or pending where Epson has sued the cartridge manufacturers and we will have to see how it all plays out. The person I spoke with thought that one way or another we, the consumer, will have to pay Epson if they prevail in the litigation. It will be interesting to see if Epson wins, how it will affect HP etc.

[sandralink]

well, this is what I got from my CIS vendor - inkrepublic.com

==========================================

So far, Epson has changed 3 different generations of chip codes for
R260, R380, RX580. The first generation is back to the release date to
Feb 2007, then March 2007 to July 2007, then Aug 2007 till now. They
will keep changing the chip codes as soon as they move to next batch.
They make the same modification on 1400 too. So far, 1400 has two
different chipcodes.

We've been spending a lot of time to work around this from last
year, and our chipset covers all the modification. We have been
shipping quite a lot of R260/R380/RX580 and 1400 ink system from May
2007, so far, our users have not reported any incompatible problem.
All the printers, new and old, can recognize our chipsets.


Hope this helps, thank you,


InkRepublic.com

============================================

[oldandinthe way]

I have had it with Epson.

Decided to replace my CX4200 which suffers the Epson clogged head disease.

Ordered a CX5800F which used the same cartridges. Epson store prompty ships me a defective unit.

Call Customer Service. Indian gentleman takes all info about order. Puts me on hold. Comes back and tells me I need to talk to tech support and get a "number". Transfers me to tech support. American tech takes all of info again. Verifies that if it don't work it's broke. Gives me a number. Transfers me back to customer service. Indian lady takes all of information again and number from tech support. Puts me on hold for a whie. Tells me they will send replacement via 2 day service, expect it on Wednesday. Time elapsed 40 minutes.

Wednesday comes. 5PM call from Epson. Can't ship printer - out of stock. I ask what they intend to do about it? Indian Gentlemen does not know. Puts me on hold. Comes back and tells me he's transfering me to tech support. American technician comes on phone, I have to give him all info going back to original order. Tells me I will be upgraded to CX7000F. I ask if it uses same cartrdges, he tells me no. I tell him I want to use same cartridges. He tells me they no longer make any printers which use those cartridges. Agree to take CX7000F. He says can't ship until next day so will arrive Monday. Time on phone 40 minutes.

Printer arrives late monday. Unpack Tuesday. Guess what - no cartidges. Call customer service. Must give nice Indian lady info on all shipments and orders. She puts me on hold while she finds out what to do. Tells me she has placed an order for 4 cartridges. I tell her I neeed them next day. She tells me she'll put a note on the order. I request to speak to a manager. She asks "what kind of manager"? I tell her I want someone in sales who can make decisions. I am placed on hold. An American gentlemen then comes on the phone, I tell him the whole story and that I need to print. He agrees to send me 8 cartidges overnight. Time on the phone - 40 minutes.

Wednesday 4 cartridges arrive. Install printer and software, it works but is slower than CX4200. Begin to use printer - principally to print emails not pictures.

Friday 2 cartridges arrive, with paperwork indicating 2 are backordered. This is apparently the order my Indian Lady placed.

Monday printer which had been displaying all cartridges full except CYAN which was 80%, decides to display all cartirdges under 50%.

Next issue - return of defective CX5800F. Epson has emailed me a link to printout a FEDEX call tag. Link does not work.

Email Epson customer support with copy of their email so they have all info.

Two days later get response telling me to call customer service. I email back that I have no intention of calling "the black hole of Calcutta" and if they want their piece of crap back they will resolve the problem via email. Two days later a response via email with a Fedex login that works.

I never was a big Epson fan having felt their dot matrix printers (MX80,RX80) to run slower than other brands and cost more for ribbons. Got the CX4200 for free and was impressed by its performance. Knew that Epson' decision to use ink tanks without replacement heads would lower its life. But it was a free printer.

Used my Epson class-action settlement to buy the replacement, but even free is not cheap enough to make me continue to deal with Epson. Next time target has a $27 Lexmark all-in-one I'm going to buy it.

Between their ink games and the fact that they have shipped customer service to India and failed to provide these workers to tools to promptly resolve issues makes them another Japanese company bent on self-destruction.

[faramith]

Just spoke with "tech support" at ABC Ink i.e., Meritline, and they claim that currently available G & G cartridges for the r260 are NOT compatible with machines manufactured after April 07 as others have mentioned here. So the ones I purcased from Ink and Beyond which they said ARE compatible with my printer are in fact NOT. So I have already received my RMA and will return them tomorrow! As reported in this thread (if that's the correct term), there is a lawsuit in progress or pending where Epson has sued the cartridge manufacturers and we will have to see how it all plays out. The person I spoke with thought that one way or another we, the consumer, will have to pay Epson if they prevail in the litigation. It will be interesting to see if Epson wins, how it will affect HP etc.

I checked ABC ink's page and they have new chip cardtriges and they are more expensive than original ones....
Why would I pay more for generics?! isnt the whole Idea of generic ink to be cheaper? pft

if anyone knows where to get new chip ink at cheaper prices please let me know, I havent even connected the new printer yet.

thx

[faramith]

Well an update, I got myself a 6 compatible ink pack from meritline, the new chip ones that are compatible with April+ R260 printers, they are great! they print excelent and without trouble. The thing is when I went to order again I noticed they ran out of black ink, I checked ABC ink and they ran out of black ink too of the same ink, when I asked meritline this is what they told me:

"This compatible cartridge will be discontinued and we will introduce other new cartridges into our website .You can subscribe our newsletter to get newest information about it "

I dont know what the problem is? the ink works great, now when I run out of 1 of the colors of this type of ink Ill have to throw away all cardtriges and get me new ones. I tell ya im very pissed, cause I didnt installed epson priginal inks cause I just wanted to use the same brand of generics on my new printer.

sigh

[ShortT]

faramith,
Glad everything worked out for you...I've had similar issues before, I would have like to have found this forum sooner! I have not actually used Meritline, but I'm a little sqiddish about them because they've got lukewarm reviews on bizrate...one that works for me here in the UK is the supplies group, though I'm not sure if they have your specific Epson model? Worth a look anyway when you need more monochrome or colour toner. www.suppliesgroup.co.uk/epson-toner

Cheers!

[KTH]

The problem with the ink cartridges being discontinued is probably not the sellers fault, but the fault of Epson and a recent ruling on their behalf (see link below).


https://forum.videohelp.com/topic340093.html

[awiz]

As everyone should know by now, Epson won their lawsuit against generic manufacturers. It is still up for
repeal, but I doubt if it will be.
There is however a work around now being used to supply cheaper cartridges that Epson won't be able to stop.
Remanufactured cartridges are now being sold at about 1/2 to 1/3 of Epson originals. Remanufactured carts are
simply Epsons original cartridges which are cleaned refurbished refilled and the chip is reset.
Prices for sets of 2 or 3 packs generlly bring the cost down to 1/3 of Epson's price.
Wonder what Epson's plans to do next? Perhaps bit the bullet and charge reasonable prices for cartridges or
simply go out of business

[pip3]

why no used refillable cartridge i used refill cartridge on my rx680 and r380 ,it work
the printer i bought nov 2007 i have no problem using refillable cartridge

[sandralink]

i just bought an RX580 from Best Buy as it was on sale for $99.99, good thing i still have an almost new R340 that takes the old ink.

how the heck can you tell when it was made??

It should be fairly easy if you follow InkRepublic's knowledge base.
http://www.inkrepublic.com/KnowledgeBase/Date.asp

They have picture and decoding method showing the manufacturer date of all Epson printers - R260, R280, RX595, R800, R1800, R2400, 1400...

[awiz]

For anyone still following this thread, the best price I have found for Epson carts for the R260
is at http://store.houseofinks.com/co6t0se.html .They are $31.75 for a set of 6 77xxx,
which are the high capacity carts. After your first purchase, you can take a 5%
discount. They also have pricing for 2 and 3 sets of 6.
I have been buying them regularly and had not compatability problems.
The 77 series last a lot longer than the 78's.

[jake24feb]

Not sure but you could probably look at http://www.myinkcartridge.co.uk/epson.htm for a range of printer inks for epsons.

[stiltman]

So you dig up a 3 year old thread, with the last post being a year ago, to make your first post.
Then you recommend a UK site for a person in USA

I think this is a home run.
The OP only posted once 3 years ago and hasn't logged in since

[LCSHG]

Old thread and not sure this form is proper for printers
Epson, HP or most all Sell printers at very low prices. There goal is to sell ink at a high price. Like Gillette Razor They Gave the Razors and sold many blades.
I have an Epson NX300 and Workforce 600 both have the Same 4 cartridge system and use the same cartridges I have had these units for some time and are use them often . The cartridges were replaced, have been refilled often and do not require a reset.
I had posted this before with little responce. I would suggest doing a search on the issue One might take a Close look at inkproducts.com a US site . Remember these units as many mentioned are a contentious ink system