If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
HP5500 Colour Laser Jet
Hi All,
I read with great interest the discussion regarding the new HP policy to dupe consumers into buying 4 toners when they only need one. We are the proud owners of 4 of these very fast, very efficient, clean, trouble free superb HP5500 Clour Laser jets. However the consumable costs are extreemly high when it is necessary to change all 4 toners when only 1 is empty. At first I assumed that I had failed in the set-up proceedure when I first installed them, and looked everywhere for a correction. I even printer 150 pages of solid Magenta to get a variation in toner levels. This worked even though it was only 4% lower on the Magenta status. However the very next day the printer consumables status had corrected itself and all toners were registering the same again. I called the HP Service Desk (Holland) who really had no idea of the problem and suggested that it was natural that there was an even distribution of colour usage and therefore there was no problem. I called them back some months later after the 4th change of all 4 toners and asked them to send a tech under the warranty as there was clearly a problem with consumable usage. It could no longer be a coincidence. Again they failed to see a problem and therefore could not send a tech or even open a case. Several weeks later I had the bright idea to call the HP Service Desk (U.K) They were a lot more helpful and after some consultations with superiors they admitted that they knew about this problem. They suggested that when Tray 1 was set to "Any" mode this problem did sometimes occur. They even gave me a case number. They suggested I ensured that Tray 1 was set to "A4 - Plain" this I did on all 4 printers. Needless to say that 2 weeks later there was no change. I called them again and quoted my case number and this time they carefully explained that as the page passed over each roller of each toner it picked up a percentage of toner powder and if the toner powder was not used is was deposited in a special receptical compartment of the toner cartridge. This is a designed cleaning process and this was the reason that when I weighed the cartridges the still very full Yellow and Magenta cartridges were considerably heavier than the supposedly empty Black and Cyan cartridges. It sure beat my logic, but to be fair, the staff on the HP Service Desk are not going to be informed by HP of the true nature of their latest money spinning gimmick. It would appear then that the official line from the HP Service Desk is that we are obliged to pay for toner that we don't use. It would seem that as the paper passes over the Toner roller it just dumps an equivalent amount of toner into a "used resevoir" as part of a designed cleaning process. Sure helps to clean out the customers wallet, that's clear. The one point I failed to get over to the HP Service Desk staff was WHY oh WHY did HP feel it necessary to provide a neat little graphical display on the Control Panel window with 4 separate bars to indicate the Toner available in each cassette.??? Such a neat idea but totally unnecessary as they supposedly get used up at the same rate." The Dutch newspaper "Algemeen Dagblad" had a report 2 weeks ago, exposing HP, Epsom and others for chipping the Toners in Black and White Printers to register the page count to indicate when the toner was empty. Of course we all know that there is still 16 20% toner left when the Control Panel advises Toner replacement. It also makes it very difficult for refill companies to conduct their business on a level playing field. The Dutch Consumers association have warned that action will ensue if this practice continues after 2003. I have noticed that the new HP4200 does not have this irritating feature. Users know when the Toner is running out because the printout becomes feignter. When some clever researcher finds a fix for the HP5500 problem I'm sure we will all be very pleased to hear about it. In the meantime we must consider some alternatives when we have to replace the remaining 45 aging Colour LaserJets we have on-site. These comments are purely my own critisisms and do not in anyway reflect the views of my customers, who pay the bills. groetjes uit Holland Roy Leon |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Roy,
Thanks for the thoughtful insight......The QMS 2200 Desklaser that I use is notorious for letting the processor determine the "wear & tear" on many of the consumables.....thereby prematurely ending the life of a perfectly good item...... Buy trial & error (and talking to a lot of good folks on this group)...I found ways to extend the life & save big $$$$ on this printer..... Sad to say, this printer would have had an extremely loyal following to QMS if they played fair... I hope myself & others use & still enjoy this fine Color Laser way into the future! But, It seems the mentality of most of the printer manufactures is to sell the printer reasonably cheap, then bend you over for the inks/toner!!! Joe "Roy Leon" wrote in message om... Hi All, I read with great interest the discussion regarding the new HP policy to dupe consumers into buying 4 toners when they only need one. We are the proud owners of 4 of these very fast, very efficient, clean, trouble free superb HP5500 Clour Laser jets. However the consumable costs are extreemly high when it is necessary to change all 4 toners when only 1 is empty. At first I assumed that I had failed in the set-up proceedure when I first installed them, and looked everywhere for a correction. I even printer 150 pages of solid Magenta to get a variation in toner levels. This worked even though it was only 4% lower on the Magenta status. However the very next day the printer consumables status had corrected itself and all toners were registering the same again. I called the HP Service Desk (Holland) who really had no idea of the problem and suggested that it was natural that there was an even distribution of colour usage and therefore there was no problem. I called them back some months later after the 4th change of all 4 toners and asked them to send a tech under the warranty as there was clearly a problem with consumable usage. It could no longer be a coincidence. Again they failed to see a problem and therefore could not send a tech or even open a case. Several weeks later I had the bright idea to call the HP Service Desk (U.K) They were a lot more helpful and after some consultations with superiors they admitted that they knew about this problem. They suggested that when Tray 1 was set to "Any" mode this problem did sometimes occur. They even gave me a case number. They suggested I ensured that Tray 1 was set to "A4 - Plain" this I did on all 4 printers. Needless to say that 2 weeks later there was no change. I called them again and quoted my case number and this time they carefully explained that as the page passed over each roller of each toner it picked up a percentage of toner powder and if the toner powder was not used is was deposited in a special receptical compartment of the toner cartridge. This is a designed cleaning process and this was the reason that when I weighed the cartridges the still very full Yellow and Magenta cartridges were considerably heavier than the supposedly empty Black and Cyan cartridges. It sure beat my logic, but to be fair, the staff on the HP Service Desk are not going to be informed by HP of the true nature of their latest money spinning gimmick. It would appear then that the official line from the HP Service Desk is that we are obliged to pay for toner that we don't use. It would seem that as the paper passes over the Toner roller it just dumps an equivalent amount of toner into a "used resevoir" as part of a designed cleaning process. Sure helps to clean out the customers wallet, that's clear. The one point I failed to get over to the HP Service Desk staff was WHY oh WHY did HP feel it necessary to provide a neat little graphical display on the Control Panel window with 4 separate bars to indicate the Toner available in each cassette.??? Such a neat idea but totally unnecessary as they supposedly get used up at the same rate." The Dutch newspaper "Algemeen Dagblad" had a report 2 weeks ago, exposing HP, Epsom and others for chipping the Toners in Black and White Printers to register the page count to indicate when the toner was empty. Of course we all know that there is still 16 20% toner left when the Control Panel advises Toner replacement. It also makes it very difficult for refill companies to conduct their business on a level playing field. The Dutch Consumers association have warned that action will ensue if this practice continues after 2003. I have noticed that the new HP4200 does not have this irritating feature. Users know when the Toner is running out because the printout becomes feignter. When some clever researcher finds a fix for the HP5500 problem I'm sure we will all be very pleased to hear about it. In the meantime we must consider some alternatives when we have to replace the remaining 45 aging Colour LaserJets we have on-site. These comments are purely my own critisisms and do not in anyway reflect the views of my customers, who pay the bills. groetjes uit Holland Roy Leon |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
|
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Deal All,
Further to my recent note about HP5500 Colour Laser Jet consumable ripoffs. I had the opportunity yesterday to weigh the Toner cartridges after use. That is after the Printer decided that the 4 Toners were now empty and needed replacement. Black Cyan Magenta Yellow 2374.8 2359.9 2337.3 2346.7 grams pre use(minus any packaging) 2141.4 2276.2 2302.6 2269.9 grams after use 223.4 83.7 34.7 76.8 Assumed Toner usage in grams. The advertised cost of Black Toner is €185 and the 3 x Colours are €245.50 each That makes the cost of Toner replacement €915.50 each time. Whereas I am convinced there is still plenty of Toner left in the colour cassettes. regards Roy Leon |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
my new mobo o/c's great | rockerrock | Overclocking AMD Processors | 9 | June 30th 04 08:17 PM |
HP IIP Scanner not scanning in colour | Mike Smith | Scanners | 3 | May 21st 04 12:23 AM |
Laser printer manuals | Wasi | General Hardware | 0 | November 4th 03 08:02 PM |
[Q] Color Laser Printer | _Jung | Printers | 4 | July 16th 03 09:34 PM |
Canon i950 & Adobe Photoshop 7 Colour Profile | Miles | Printers | 2 | June 30th 03 04:42 AM |