I recently ordered an Epson ink jet printer RX500 so that I can print pictures from my digital camera. I've read reviews on the Epson R series printers and most are very happy with the results when printing photo quality prints.

The negative reviews had to do with Epson's smart chip utilized in their ink cartridges. Evidently the printer won't allow you to print if any one of the 6 ink cartridges are low even if you are not utilizing the color which is low in ink. I also read that Epson calculates when the ink is low and forces you to replace the ink cartridge even if it isn't empty. This situation apparently occurs more often if you rarely print in color.

After doing more research I ordered an Epson chip resetter which resets the ink cartridge tricking the printer that it is a new in cartridge.

Anyone have any experience with Epson smart chip ink cartridges or chip resetters?

My main printer is an obsolete HP Color Laserjet 5M. I love this printer since you simply refill the color toner bins when they are low. No need to replace expensive laser cartridges or expensive ink jet cartridges. The only down side of my color laserjet is that it cannot print on glossy paper, the fuser temperature gets too hot for the glossy paper which makes it unusable to print photo quality prints.

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Ray
1998 Mercedes E320, 200K Miles
2001 Acura 3.2TL, 178K Miles
1992 Chevy Astro, 205K Miles

The last Epson I had was bought in the late 90's.
It was cumbersome and slow. Back then it had very good resolution (720x720) for an off the shelf printer.
A little over a year ago (maybe 2 now) I bought an HP 932C. Better resolution, faster printing, and cheaper cartridges than the ones I bought for the Epson. I used to like Epson, and in some ways still do. But, now that I hear they are having this smart chip thing, I think I will make a wide berth around it.
Thanks for the update....sorry I couldn't help you as far as the chip thing goes.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

I have an older Epson 740....served me well but very rarely use it now....I also have a Samsung CLP-500N color laserjet....(nice printer) and my main printer is a HP 4000N (found it in an alley for free) .....

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

I had an Epson stylus740 also. It was a piece of crap. I only bought it cuz Larry Delor told me it was a good printer.

If you didnt use it at least once a week it seemed that the printhead would dry out and then you would have to make sure you ran the printer thru its headcleaning procedure a couple times before you started printing. The headcleaning procedure took a couple minutes by itself so it became very frustrating to use.

I now have a HP Officejet 5110 all-in-one and love it.

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Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

I bought an epson Stylus 980 a couple years ago. Dunno if it has that chip-thingee in it, but yeah, if one color, or the black, goes empty on ya, it won't print at all. Had a Stylus 720 before, and have mixed emotions about it. Printed nice, when it would print. Had to take it in twice because the print head got jammed up. Finally gave up on it and bought this thing(the 980). An excellent printer, but they don't give the cartridges away.
They bought me some cheap-o Epson at work. Cost something like $80, and printed real nice. But the stupid cartridges went empty in a heart-beat. I did most of my printing in black-n-white (text), but it would drain the color cartridge just as fast, no matter what settings I used. I tried everything I could. Then they nail ya almost as much for cartridges as the printer cost. What a racket! I gave it to one of the other guys at work after I found an old H-P up in the storage room that no one was using, and love it! My next personal printer will probably be an H-P.

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past MB rides:
'68 220D
'68 220D(another one)
'67 230
'84 SD
Current rides:
'06 Lexus RX330
'93 Ford F-250
'96 Corvette
'99 Polaris 700 RMK sled
2011 Polaris Assault
'86 Yamaha TT350(good 'ol thumper)

I've got the Epson 820 color printer and have mixed feelings about it. Overall, the quality of the prints is good and it's fine for photographs. But the heads can get clogged easily if I don't use it for a few days and waiting to do a head cleaning takes a lot of time and doesn't always have acceptable results for photos.

I think I'll change brands when this one quits on me. At least I can now buy aftermarket ink from Staples, but don't know if the quality is good enough that prints won't fade in a few years.

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Current:
2014 VW Tiguan SEL 4Motion 43,000 miles.

2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport (wife's).

Past:
2006 Jetta TDI 135,970 miles. Sold Nov. '13.
1995 E-320 Special Edition. 220,200 miles. Sold Sept. '07.
1987 190-E 16 valve. 153,000 miles. Sold Feb. '06.
1980 300-D 225,000 miles. Donated to the National Kidney Foundation.
1980 240-D manual, 297,500 miles. Totaled by inattentive driver.