Home » Uncategorized » Epson – you are on your last strike…
Oct
27

I really hate hardware. Yes, I have said this a million times, and I mean it. I hate recommending it, I hate buying it, I hate shopping for it, and I hate the fact that I need it to so the thing I love doing every day, which is creating software. OK, a million and four times.

My second Epson color printer has died. The first one I owned was a C80 which I purchased based on the great output and experience Steve Sawyer had with his Epson. The big draw was the ink used, the brightness of the color, and the fact that there were separate cartridges for the colors (three different cartridges) and the one black. No more wasting the colors just because one ran out. The first printer lasted just over a year and probably weeks past the warranty it died. To better this experience the printer died just after I bought new cartridges. You know, the same cartridges that cost more than the stoooopid printer!

So I replaced it with the Epson Stylus C84. This printer lasted a little longer, but it too died a premature death (at least premature in my opinion). No kidding, I have a set of fresh cartridges for this as well. Joy.

So I was talking to Steve Bodnar last week and he was telling me how Steve Sawyer just purchased a new Epson Stylus Photo R200 for US$49. So Steve bought his own R200 based on Steve’s recommendation (yes it was absolutely fun having two Steves and business partners {g}). Heck this is cheaper than cartridges. So I go shopping and cannot find the same deal my friends got. Bummer.

So shopping at the local computer store I see Epson has a deal for the Stylus Photo R300 for US$99. It has six different cartridges (naturally none compatible with the set rotting on the shelf in the office) and prints on CDs and DVDs. It also has a card reader slot so I can print pictures direct from the memory card. This is only twenty bucks more than I paid for the old printer and seems to have a bunch of features I never had before.

So what the heck is the deal with “disposable printers”? I hate it. At least the US$300 HP InkJet printer I purchased years ago lasted several years. Maybe this is better though as I get the same life out of my US$300 bucks and get newer and better features each time.

However, I can say one thing to Epson – this is your last shot. Swing and miss and you are out of here. This printer better survive multiple years and better not die just after I purchase a new set of cartridges. I am tired of filling up landfills with inexpensive hardware that breaks. I would rather spend a couple more dollars and have something last. It will save me time and aggravation dealing with procuring new hardware. Didn’t I mention how much I hate doing this?

5 Responses to “Epson – you are on your last strike…”

  1. Tim Saylor
    October 28th, 2005 at 12:22 | #1

    Hi guy. You can often fix those Epson printers, at least for a while. A vacuum tube that evacuates the ink during cleaning becomes displaced. Turn it on, wait till the head moves left & pull the power plug. Look under where the head normally resides for an unattached plastic tube. Reattach it and you’re home free. It helps to do a bit of disassembly first. Needle-nosed pliers, alligator clips and a third arm would also be helpful. Good Luck.

  2. Anonymous
    October 28th, 2005 at 15:01 | #2

    Steve,

    Here’s a tip. Since the ink carts cost more than the printer, rather than buying new carts when the ink gets low, buy a new printer.

    Remember, these companies make money selling you ink carts, not printers!

    Bob Archer

  3. October 28th, 2005 at 15:16 | #3

    BOb,

    The problem with this is two-fold. Piling up the landfills with perfectly good printers, and secondly the ink you get with the printer is starter ink. The refill cartridges typically have more ink in them.

    (you can call me Steve, but I typically respond faster when ya call me Rick {g})

  4. October 28th, 2005 at 15:19 | #4

    Tim,

    The problem with taking the time to fix them is that I am not a hardware expert, and I can bill the time and be ahead of the game making the new purchase. Sad, huh?

  5. Anonymous
    March 6th, 2006 at 18:17 | #5

    I refuse to purchase another product with the name EPSON on it.

    I bought an item, it did not work as the documentation said, I called EPSON, NO HELP.

    They should be charged with false advertising.

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