HP Blocks Third-Party Ink with Printer Firmware Update

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Image: HP

HP seems to be upset about people using its printers with cheaper, non-official ink. As highlighted by an enormous number of complaints on the “assholedesign” subreddit, HP has sent out a new firmware update that prevents third-party inks from being used with its printers, an indication that owners have little option but to use HP’s own ink cartridges going forward. According to an HP support article, this is a security feature that was partially implemented to protect customers, although it seems to have done much more than that, having prompted outrage among what appear to be all users, some of whom insist that this isn’t even legal.

From an HP support article:

HP printers are designed to work with original HP ink and toner cartridges. As is standard in the printing business, HP printers use a process to authenticate cartridges. In certain HP printers, this authentication process includes dynamic security measures. Dynamic security relies on the printer’s ability to communicate with the security chips or electronic circuitry on the cartridges. HP uses dynamic security measures to protect the quality of our customer experience, maintain the integrity of our printing systems, and protect our intellectual property.

Dynamic security equipped printers are intended to work only with cartridges that have new or reused HP chips or electronic circuitry. The printers use the dynamic security measures to block cartridges using non-HP chips or modified or non-HP electronic circuitry. Reused, remanufactured, and refilled cartridges that reuse the HP chip or electronic circuitry are unaffected by dynamic security.

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Tsing Mui
News poster at The FPS Review.

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