BACKGROUND
For years compatible cartridges have been increasingly undermining Epson's market share of the replacement inkjet cartridge market. Print quality of many (but not all) alternative inkjet cartridges is arguably every bit as good as compared to an Epson replacement cartridge and in comparative studies there is a perceptible or even a distinct improvement in colour vibrancy with some makes of Epson compatible inkjet printer
cartridges.
Epson began adding chips onto cartridges a few years ago · They called them
"Intellidge" cartridges.
The impression is given that the chips are "clever" and measure ink levels, however, they in fact do no more than add complication and act as a "control" over how many prints a user gets from a cartridge.
The use of the "Intellidge" chip system has been extended to all new Epson inkjet printers over that period · to date. Indeed it looks as though Epson will not be manufacturing any new printers which do not use chips.
ABOUT THE EPSON INTELLIDGE CHIP SYSTEM
FACT (1) The chip does not measure actual ink level(s) inside the cartridge
FACT (2) The chip has no connections inside the cartridge body
FACT (3) The chip simply sits on the cartridge · and when installed it is connected to circuitry inside the printer. Without a chip connected and without a chip which "reads an ink level" · The printer will not function
FACT (4) The printer will function properly with non Epson chips
HOW DOES THE EPSON Intellidge
System "WORK"?
When a new cartridge is installed the chip registers "full" and therefore the Ink Level Monitor shows "full". During printing (or indeed cleaning cycles) the droplets of ink fired through the printhead are being counted · once the total number for the cartridge is reached the chip is "switched off" At that stage the printer can not be used to print and in normal circumstances an end user would instal a new cartridge.
CHIP
RESETTER · REFILL SYSTEMS
A number of new systems which allow users to reprogramme or reset the chips and refill cartridges with ink have appeared. The first "Universal" model with unlimited resets was the JY168. This was improved and appeared as the JY268. The latest model available with the best chip reset indication & recognition is the YXD268 See below for more details
We have also incorporated the resetter
with refill bottles of formulated matching inks to make up refill kit options for popular models of Epson Printers
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