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From: printer newbie! on 16 Jun 2010 08:31
Hi all,

I read here: http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/forums/printers/konica-minolta-dl2300-waste-toner-message-189933.html
that toner cartridges as well as waste toner box is/could be booby-
trapped (chipped) in some manner...

I just ran out of my first black toner cartridge - according to the
software popup printer utility. The printer stopped working/printing,
although I could see that there was no problem on the print-outs... So
I actually hoped I could trick the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 into
continuing until I replaced the toner cartridge myself (based on low
output print quality). Because the printer stopped working, I had to
replace my black toner powder even though there is more toner in the
cartridge.

Question:

1) Is it right, that there's no easy way to fool the printer into
continuing to use my toner cartridges until I feel that the quality is
too low?

2) Is it waste of my money to enable "economy mode" if the next/
current toner cartridge stops working again, even though I can clearly
see there are no output quality problems?

3) Or does the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 use some optical sensor
to measure the amount of toner powder left?

4) Does anyone have any experience with this type of products?
http://www.printer-reset.com/MagiColor-4650-5550-Imaging-Magenta-Reset-Chip-non-OEM_1


Please note that I don't believe it's a good idea to save money on non-
OEM toner refill powder (I tried that with an Epson laser printer),
however, I would like to get the most out of my OEM paid Konica
Minolta toner powder and I believe this kind of chip booby trapping is
ridiculous... What's your opinion?


Thanks!

From: printer newbie! on 17 Jun 2010 19:03
On 16 Jun., 14:31, "printer newbie!" <newsbo...(a)gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I read here:http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/forums/printers/konica-minolta-dl230...
> that toner cartridges as well as waste toner box is/could be booby-
> trapped (chipped) in some manner...
>
> I just ran out of my first black toner cartridge - according to the
> software popup printer utility. The printer stopped working/printing,
> although I could see that there was no problem on the print-outs... So
> I actually hoped I could trick the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 into
> continuing until I replaced the toner cartridge myself (based on low
> output print quality). Because the printer stopped working, I had to
> replace my black toner powder even though there is more toner in the
> cartridge.
>
> Question:
>
> 1) Is it right, that there's no easy way to fool the printer into
> continuing to use my toner cartridges until I feel that the quality is
> too low?

Nobody has anything to say about this?

> 2) Is it waste of my money to enable "economy mode" if the next/
> current toner cartridge stops working again, even though I can clearly
> see there are no output quality problems?

Nobody has anything to say about this?

> 3) Or does the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 use some optical sensor
> to measure the amount of toner powder left?

Nobody has anything to say about this?

> 4) Does anyone have any experience with this type of products?http://www.printer-reset.com/MagiColor-4650-5550-Imaging-Magenta-Rese...

Nobody has anything to say about this?

?
From: Arthur Entlich on 23 Jun 2010 05:56
I have lots I could say, particularly about Ronica Minolta as a company
and their attitude toward waste, and the business model of trying to
force people to replace cartridges unnecessarily.

I used to be very impressed with the output of Ronica Minolta Magiccolor
printers, and while I am still impressed with the quality of the prints
their printers can produce, after owning one of their black and white
laser printers and seeing the booby trapping they incorporate in their
machines and subsequently having a conversation with the vice president
of marketing for their printer division about that left me with no
desire to own or recommend their products again.

Basically, all printer manufacturers have gone to similar business
models, which is to sell you the printer and some minimal toner or ink
quantity to be able to use the printer, for a bit above cost, and then
wait with baited breath for them to run out of ink or toner, and then
gouge you for the replacement cartridges.

However, Ronica Minolta printers have particularly nasty methods. On my
black and white laser printer, when the cartridge reached a certain
level of empty, I began getting pop up warnings that it was running low
on toner and I should buy a new "Ronica Minolta" cartridge. When it did
finally run out of toner, it burned out a chip which then informed the
printer that I had a used up cartridge. When I refilled it (with Ronica
brand toner, BTW" the printer continued to complain the cartridge was
not an original, 0or what past its usage limits and should be replaced.
It required I wait extra time and then click on a manual print
acceptance, which wasted time.

However, the worst was what the burned out chip also did. Normally, the
printer would do a brief cleaning cycles after printer to clean off any
excess toner powder on the drum. In spite of not degrading of the
image, after I refilled the cartridge, instead of doing a brief cleaning
after each page, the printer now required a lengthy cleaning cycle.
Ronica Minolta claims tis is because their toner is particularly finely
ground and pure while 3rd party product may not be. While I doubt much
of that, the cleaning cycle does do two things, one, it really slows
down multiple copy printing or printing a series of pages together. And
two, this process helps to wear down the printer's photosensitive drum
at least twice as quickly, so you may need to replace your drum
cartridge as well.

The last straw for me was when I tried to explain to the V.P. at Ronica
Minolta about the environmental damage this business model causes due to
the waste it creates relative to refilling or other methods.

He told me he was an engineer and didn't believe global climate change
was real, or correct and that we could grow ourselves out of it.

So now I warn people about their business practices and their staff's
attitudes.

In my opinion, no matter what the quality of the output might have been,
owners of printer should have the right to refill, or otherwise
regenerate the printer as they wish, particularly once it is out of
warranty, and companies that believe they can force your consumer
patterns with chips and the like, IMHO should be ignored in this
marketplace.


Art Entlich


If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

printer newbie! wrote:
> On 16 Jun., 14:31, "printer newbie!" <newsbo...(a)gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I read here:http://www.howtofixcomputers.com/forums/printers/konica-minolta-dl230...
>> that toner cartridges as well as waste toner box is/could be booby-
>> trapped (chipped) in some manner...
>>
>> I just ran out of my first black toner cartridge - according to the
>> software popup printer utility. The printer stopped working/printing,
>> although I could see that there was no problem on the print-outs... So
>> I actually hoped I could trick the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 into
>> continuing until I replaced the toner cartridge myself (based on low
>> output print quality). Because the printer stopped working, I had to
>> replace my black toner powder even though there is more toner in the
>> cartridge.
>>
>> Question:
>>
>> 1) Is it right, that there's no easy way to fool the printer into
>> continuing to use my toner cartridges until I feel that the quality is
>> too low?
>
> Nobody has anything to say about this?
>
>> 2) Is it waste of my money to enable "economy mode" if the next/
>> current toner cartridge stops working again, even though I can clearly
>> see there are no output quality problems?
>
> Nobody has anything to say about this?
>
>> 3) Or does the Konica Minolta Magicolor 4600 use some optical sensor
>> to measure the amount of toner powder left?
>
> Nobody has anything to say about this?
>
>> 4) Does anyone have any experience with this type of products?http://www.printer-reset.com/MagiColor-4650-5550-Imaging-Magenta-Rese...
>
> Nobody has anything to say about this?
>
> ?
From: printer newbie! on 23 Jun 2010 06:29
On Jun 23, 11:56 am, Arthur Entlich <e-printerh...(a)mvps.org> wrote:
> I have lots I could say, particularly about Ronica Minolta as a company
> and their attitude toward waste, and the business model of trying to
> force people to replace cartridges unnecessarily.

Ok, thank you for your comments. Seems like I just have to live with
it and there's nothing to do about it.


From: Arthur Entlich on 23 Jun 2010 09:38
First off, it appears my spell checker got the best of me and changed
each use of Konica to Ronica... that was not intended.

You should speak to or research on line cartridge refillers. You may be
able to get them refilled, and some may offer or install the chip for
you (I think they sell for about $10 each).

Also, on some of the HP color lasers there is a setting you can change
so the cartridge will continue to function until it runs out (and
beyond). The factory default is to have the printer warn and shut down
when any of the toner cartridges goes low. It can then be set to
actually reorder from HP the needed cartridges.

This is supposed to be for networked printers where it is important that
the users are notified of a near empty cartridge before they might
remotely try to print hundreds of a document and then find out it is
out of cyan, or whatever.

I don't have easy access to the Konica Minolta user manuals, but you
might wish to call Minolta if you can''t find otherwise and ask if they
have a setting to shut off the early warning system on low cartridge
toner levels.

Art




If you are interested in issues surrounding e-waste,
I invite you to enter the discussion at my blog:

http://e-trashtalk.spaces.live.com/

printer newbie! wrote:
> On Jun 23, 11:56 am, Arthur Entlich <e-printerh...(a)mvps.org> wrote:
>> I have lots I could say, particularly about Ronica Minolta as a company
>> and their attitude toward waste, and the business model of trying to
>> force people to replace cartridges unnecessarily.
>
> Ok, thank you for your comments. Seems like I just have to live with
> it and there's nothing to do about it.
>
>
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