Virtual exhibition BUSINESS-INFORM 2013

Characteristic Properties of Compatible Cartridges Function

For more than 10 years the main printer, MFP, and copier producers (OEMs or vendors) have been installing chips on cartridges for their printing solutions. The producers’ agenda tells that this feature allows theimprovement of service level for consumers. The chip informs user when it is time to replace cartridge. The owner also gets a chance to trace a number of copies for a defined period of time. This is undoubtedly allows you to evaluate the effectiveness of equipment usage and optimize printing costs. And in some color-printing equipment, the machine, reading chip-data, can even minimize the effect of drum wearing, by controlling the amount of charge sent to the printer.

On the other hand, cartridges using chips made life of remanufacturing companies or Chinese-produced compatibles (non-OEM) suppliers much harder. Chip is usually an integrated circuit, sometimes with a primitive micro-processor to perform simplest operations. Its memory contains various data: identifier, serial number, date of manufacture, number of copies, etc. It is the printer that writes any of the additional data to the chip, and only some additional operations are performed by chip’s micro-processor.

Lately it has been a trend among many producers to use circuits with various forms of data protection. This put serious obstacles in a way of creating a fully usable alternative chip needed for remanufacturing or producing compatible cartridges. To speed up the process of creating the working solution the alternative producers have chosen to create “emulators”. Emulator-chip reproduces data exchange between the chip and the printer similar to data exchange betweenthe original chip and the printer. But the emulator-chip is only able to reproduce the data-exchange variations known when it was developed. If OEM changes the printer software version or releases the new model that works with the same cartridge, the emulator-chip won’t be able to work with it. The secret is that new printer software uses data from the protected part of chip’s memory and the emulator-chip simply doesn’t know this sequence.

Of course after some time (around 3 months) “fresh” emulators would be understanding new software, their makers pretending to solve the problem, but there is NOTHING that prevents an OEM from releasing a new software version (with an option to get updates from the Internet). Downloading and using of this software automatically turns the compatible cartridge (with an emulator-chip) into a useless piece of plastic, advising the user to bring his money to the OEM and buy the original cartridge, a prospect not everyone is happy about.

If you still determined to save money using remanufactured or new compatible cartridges, there are two ways to do this: either you use emulator-chips with an “old” software or Fix-firmware. The Fix-firmware updates the “brains” of your printer or MFP. Practically speaking, it means changing the existing equipment’s software to Fix-firmware. After this operation the equipment will not require chips so you can use cartridges without chips. But using Fix-firmware might not always be successful and ALWAYS strips you of all warranties.

Due to the reasons stated above, the producers of non-original cartridges (remanufactured or newly made compatible) have no other option but to release cartridges with USAGE RESTRICTIONs in relation to some machines. These cartridges do not work in all printer models, in which the originals work. So, there appears to be a gap in the list of printer and MFP series machines between models, in which an original cartridge can be used, and models, in which a compatible cartridge can be used. The RAMIS Company went so far as to introduce new term “RESTRICTED USAGE” to the product name. This reflects, what was said above with a precise definition of the RESTRICTIONS.   

For instance:

1.                     SAMSUNG ML-2850D/SCX-4824, Xerox Phaser 3250/ WC 3210/3220 (ML-D2850B) (5K) Cartridge (without chip, RESTRICTED USAGE) UNITON Eco – This cartridge is sold to the customers, who applied Fix-firmware to their equipment. Also this cartridge can be used in usual printers but only after the installment of a corresponding chip. So, this cartridge cannot be used in usual printers of corresponding models. Its usage range is limited.   

2.                     SAMSUNG ML-2160/2165/SCX-3400/3405 (MLT-D101S) (1,5K) Cartridge (RESTRICTED USAGE. Requires Special Software) UNITON Premium – This cartridge has a chip that works only with one of the first versions of printer software. The cartridge has a sticker with instructions – where to download and how to install this version of software. So in 95% of cases to use this cartridge one needs to install special software. Without it the cartridge won’t work. So, its usage range is limited.

3.                     XEROX Phaser 3100MFP Print Cartridge (106R01379) (6K) (RESTRICTED USAGE, for 2.07t Software) UNITON Premium – This cartridge uses smart-card that is “understood” only by MFPs that have 2.07t (or earlier) version of software installed. More than that in latest version of 2.07t Software, namely ‘boot 3.01’, this smart-card doesn’t work either. That is why it cannot be used in all Xerox Phaser 3100 MFPs. That is why its usage range is limited.

 Due to all that was said, we advise you to be attentive when buying an alternative cartridge.