R260 Compatible Ink - Must Read!

R260 Compatible Ink Cartridges will not be available much longer in the United States?

Yep, it's true.

A recent ruling by the International Trade Commission in favor of Epson has determined that many brands of compatible ink cartridges for Epson R260's along with other models, infringed upon Epson's patents for cartridge design. This ruling has been in the works for a couple years now as Epson has tried very hard to crack down on the compatible ink cartridge industry.

This is to the dismay of many American consumers that have enjoyed their right to choose to save money by using compatible ink cartridges in their Epson printers. How this will affect Epson's market share of home and office desktop printers remains to be seen. Most consumers are unaware of this ruling and there has been little publicity regarding it.

Epson R260 Compatible ink cartridges are still available from a few online suppliers ...

However, 24 online merchants have been sued by Epson for both importing and selling compatible cartridges that Epson claims infringe on their design patents.

In my opinion...

I think that Epson is really hurting theirselves on this one. I don't buy original name brand ink cartridges for ANY of my printers and I never will. The day that the supply runs out is the day that my printer hits the trash can. I just don't have time for someone telling me that I am forced to use their brand of ink.

That's like General Motors telling me that I can only buy BP Oil. It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

If you're looking for R260 Compatible Ink Cartridges, this is where I by mine. Keep in mind that the R260 uses Epson Claria inks, which are based on a synthetic dye that cannot be reproduced. The colors are a great match with the compatibles that I use, however, the fade resistance cannot be expected for 200 years, as Epson claims that Claria inks will last... IN THE DARK!

Thank you for reading my article. My name is Mike P. Nelson. I enjoy writing articles for the internet and hope that my article has been enjoyable. I aim to add some positive information to the online community and appreciate your reading. Thank you. P.S. Yes, I love my R260!

Generic HP Ink - Watch Out!

Are there good sources of generic HP ink?

Yes. Finding them though, that's another story. I've been using generic HP inks for the last 6 years and I can tell you that I've tried them all.

I'll fill you in on the details...

You see, the majority of generic HP inks are made in China. This isn't bad I don't guess, but apparently they don't really care that much about print quality too much. They seem to design their inks to be for temporary use only. I dunno.

Here's my point...

HP printers, at least all of them that I've ever seen, all use a pigmented black ink. They don't use dye based blacks in hardly any of their printers unless you're talking about a professional series printer like a Designjet.

Most generic inks that are advertised for HP printers, are in fact dye based black inks. They don't even produce a pigment black ink over there for refill kits or compatible cartridges for HP printers. I don't understand it. Most HP generic inks are remanufactured cartridges anyways, so you would think that they could come up with a pigment based black ink for these cartridges.

What I've found is that if your going to get a good generic ink or cartridges for your an HP printer, you've got to buy them from a supplier that uses American made inks in their cartridges. This isn't so easy to find and most suppliers don't even advertise the source of their inks. That is what you need to do though.

My name is Mike P. Nelson and I am a desktop publisher. You have your choice of what you want to do, I personally buy mine here. They have a two year shelf life and a good guarantee that I've never had to cash in on, yet. The blacks are pigmented though and I've never had a problem.

If you're looking to replace your printer with a new one, may I suggest that you choose your printer based upon INK cost, not the initial cost of the printer. That's what usually gets people in trouble. I hope that you have enjoyed my article.

How to Clean a Printer

Does your printer have frequent paper jams? Does it put ink where ink shouldn't be? Is the outside of your printer dirty or covered with smudges? If so, it is time to clean your printer.

First, there are some general rules that apply to cleaning just about any electrical device. It is best to turn off the printer before cleaning it. Do not spray water or cleaner on or in the printer. Instead wet the rag with it and clean the printer with the rag.

Different types of printers require different cleaning methods. So if you can get your hands on cleaning instructions for your make and model of printer, do so and follow them. Unfortunately, many manufacturers only make that kind of information available to their licensed technicians. In that case, you are stuck with these instructions, so read on.

Open up your printer and take a look.

If you have an ink jet printer and there is an ink mess inside, clean it up with wet paper towels.

If you have a printer that uses toner either vacuum or blow it out. Some toner, especially color toner, can be harmful to you, so only use a vacuum with a micro-toner filter or blow and run. Figure out where the drum is (it is shiny and larger in diameter than the rollers) and do not touch or scratch it. If you do, the scratches will turn up as marks on every paper that you print and will require that you replace the drum (not a cheap option) to fix it.

Examine the path that the paper takes through the printer. Clean all of the rollers (but on a toner printer, not the drum or rollers near the drum and watch out for the rollers after the drum because they may be hot). It may take some disassembly and/or contorting of your arm to get to some of the rollers. Access is not always easy. The most important rollers to clean are the ones which pick up the paper from the paper bin and transfer it into the printer. If these rollers are dirty or bad, they will cause consistent paper jams.

The rollers are made of either hard plastic or rubber. All of the rollers can be cleaned with water or rubbing alcohol. If the rubber rollers have deposits that you can't get off, you can use harsher cleaners but be careful because those cleaners can damage the plastic rollers and parts.

To clean a roller, wipe across the roller with a wet rag, rotate the roller, and wipe again. Do this until you have worked your way all the way around the roller. Look at the rag. If it has been blackened by the roller, move to a clean part of the rag and clean the roller again.

Once everything is clean on the inside, close it up and clean the outside. Wipe off the case and each of the buttons or knobs. If there are staples or paper clips sitting on it or wedged in the cracks, remove them and throw them away.

Other areas of the printer can be cleaned but to do so, you will have to either get training and special tools or leave it to a trained professional.

Using Compatible Ink Cartridges - What You Should Know About Using Compatible Ink

Here's a few tips that you should know about using compatible ink cartridges.

There are a couple good sources for compatible inks, however, you should be aware that the majority of compatible inks on the market are simply generic inks that are produced overseas and are marketed for quick sale and not long lasting photos, or printers for that matter.

Most people are not aware that most HP, Dell and Lexmark printers use what is referred to as a "pigmented black" ink. This is very different from more common "dye based inks" that are used for color cartridges in printers made by these manufacturers.

Where the Problem Lies...

Most people, when they consider using compatible ink cartridges, don't know this. They don't know that they are not buying the right inks for their printer. Just because an ink cartridge fits into your printer and will function, does not mean it has the right inks for your specific printer. Most compatible ink cartridges do NOT contain a pigmented black ink as mentioned above and only contain a dye based black.

This Can Lead to Major Problems...

Using compatible ink cartridges, specifically BLACK, that contain a dye based ink rather than the needed pigment based ink can lead to printhead failure, printhead clogs, streaky prints and prints that smudge. It is critical, that you know that the supplier you choose can be trusted and that they will in fact provide you with the right inks for your printer. This can be a little difficult to find.

My name is Joe Joe Johnson and I am a desktop publisher. I've been using compatible inkjet cartridges for several years now and only buy from this supplier. Maybe that will help you along your way. I enjoy printing family photos at home, playing guitar and having fun with my friends.

I also enjoy writing articles and trying to add some good information to the internet when all there seems to be these days is spam. I hope you've enjoyed my article and that I've been able to help you in some small way.