Here we go again! Epson appear to have revised and updated the firmware affecting printer models using the T16 series cartridges. There are also indications that this is the case with T29 series cartridges. We are not certain on the T29 series cartridges just yet.
Unfortunately if you operate a printer that uses these series cartridges and you are using non-Epson branded cartridges, this firmware revision could affect you.
What happens after a firmware revision is released, that unknown to you, your computer will automatically communicate with the Epson update servers (may be third party servers) and will download the firmware. At some point your computer will comunicate the firmware revision to your printer and will update the firmware in your printer. If you are using Epson branded cartridges there should be no impact on your printer however, if you are using third party cartridges, either compatibles, refillable cartridges or a continuous ink supply system, you may well experience issues with cartridges not being recognised.
The first impact indications with this new firmware update are that the better quality third party compatible cartridges do not appear to be affected but refillable cartridges and continuous ink supply systems that are using auto re-set chips are being affected and the printers no longer work with these ink cartridge types. This will be the case until the chip manufacturers have responded to the firmware release which is approximately 3 months.
How this firmware update process works is through automatic update of devices which can be turned off on your computer and in most instances on your printer. The task scheduler is also affected and if you check, tasks have been added to the task library when you installed the printer software. The task scheduler will have been advised to check daily for firmware updates.
We will work through assisting any of our customers to prevent, or to overcome the impact of this firmware update. We will not assist non customers, as we assume that thier respective printer or consumable supplier offers the same level of service to thier own customers.
Note
We sell printers into the dye sublimation printing market and despite pre-advising customers of these issues and asking them to call us to assist in avoiding this issue in the first instance, or getting around the impact of a firmware update when our customers fail to heed our advice, we are being aggressively treated by the same customers who choose not to listen and want to blame us for the inconvenience to them by Epson updating firmware.
The printer returns have reached silly proportions, 90% of which are from Ebay customers who appear to be encouraged by Ebay just to return anything willy nilly and apparently with no regard to common sense. We have acted on this and have discontinued supplying technical printers through our hobbyprint Ebay shop. Those are printers that may require any form of customer understanding of printer issues.
In all instances the printers received back to us were up and running in less than 5 minutes and have been on-sold to customers who know a little more and who will become long term customers. Where returns have been from customers that could have been simply put right without the return hassles, we no longer wish to supply this kind of customer.