[srb]

My BIGGEST Gripe is even though we only print GRAY-SCALE on the back of scrap paper I have yet to figure out why the darned things still drain the color ink.  And if that isn't bad enough the thing shuts down when the color cartridge is empty.   And yes Color isn't used in Grayscale....  or is it?

Many color inkjet printers use color inks when printing Grayscale for better image quality and smoother grey tones than is possible printing gray with black halftone patterns.  Check your printer driver and disable grayscale printing and see if there is an option to print Black and White only.

Many color printers will refuse to print black and white if any of the color cartridges are empty and I believe Canon is one of them.  Google your printer model and "print black and white with empty color" to see if there might be a known software bypass sequence for your particular model printer.

Steve

[aldcoll]

I was using or had checked the Black only box in both units.  I even went so far as to call the Help line on the HP and when that didn't work I went over to my neighbor who at the time was head of the Printer Cartridge series # XXX at HP.  I would have thought she might have some inside help but that didn't work.  I did get a supply of half used colors.    I was wanting a patch to put on the cartridge that told the mother board I have ink.   My neighbor really didn't understand that.

[Johnny2Bad]

I was using or had checked the Black only box in both units.  I even went so far as to call the Help line on the HP and when that didn't work I went over to my neighbor who at the time was head of the Printer Cartridge series # XXX at HP.  I would have thought she might have some inside help but that didn't work.  I did get a supply of half used colors.    I was wanting a patch to put on the cartridge that told the mother board I have ink.   My neighbor really didn't understand that.

It's sad, really. Could be a great company with great products but support is just plain broken at HP, and it's not because they don't take it seriously, it seems to be more of a thing where no amount of effort is enough. Must be a corporate culture thing because it's always been that way there.

[Don_S]

I have had HP and now a Canon 3 in 1 that have been good units.   My BIGGEST Gripe is even though we only print GRAY-SCALE on the back of scrap paper I have yet to figure out why the darned things still drain the color ink.  And if that isn't bad enough the thing shuts down when the color cartridge is empty.   And yes Color isn't used in Grayscale....  or is it?

Happy hunting, I think I will look for a Black and White but I am sure that will cost more.

Which printer uses color for gray-scale?   My 2 HPs did not use color for gray-scale.  And I only had one color cartridge go bad in many years of not using it. I have never had a black cartridge go bad and they live in the printer for years.  I can't complain about cartridges drying out by not being used for WEEKS at a time.  That is not where the failures were.

I went to Office Max today.  The Canon laser jets with scanners were huge monsters.  The Humvees of printer/scanners. And the affordable ones only printed black.  I would like the option to print in color.  It is not a deal breaker but the lack of color printing is a negative factor. I could have been tempted if the printers with scanners were more modest sized.

I am considering a Canon Pixma MX 492.  Any info on that model?  Will it use the color cartridge to print gray-scale?

I

[aldcoll]

Don Sorry for hijacking you hunt for a printer    Our printer scanner is used primarily at tax time and less then 100 pages the rest of the year.  And of those pages I will guess 1/3 of the page or less is what is desired or needed.

I have read everything and I will look for the software patch possibility Thanks SRB.   

And Yes I have checked BLACK only as default and went through all the variable's in the print setup.   Any way enough about this as we are really all waiting for the reports from RMAF and the Tyson and Pez show.   We return to  out regular broadcast as somebody else says on this board.

Added:  I am using a Canon MX870 and it has a black only use all selection.

[srb]

I have read everything and I will look for the software patch possibility Thanks SRB.  ......  Added:  I am using a Canon MX870 and it has a black only use all selection.

Not a software patch but usually a button press sequence.

If black only printing is selected, this may only work if Plain Paper is selected and Borderless Printing and Duplex Printing are not selected, other wise color ink may be used anyway.

Also, some websites and PDFs may have embedded codes that can also override the black only setting.

Steve

[Don_S]

aldcoll,

Not hijacked at all.  You merely gave me one more thing to worry about. 

[JohnR]

We bought a Brother, which one of the salesman at Staples recommended about a year ago and I hate it. The DB levels of that thing when it's running is criminal. We are in a small office and when that thing turns on even before printing you can't talk on the phone, then it runs for another 20 or 30 sec. after it's done printing. The model number because "hey" they might not all be like that is HL2270D. The only redeeming quality is it still works although personally I hope it dies very very soon.

I have a Brother HL-2270DW, and I agree, it's noisy as heck. The redeeming feature of the "W" model is that it's wireless so it's been put in the spare room. Good for that "short break from the computer screen." I buy aftermarket cartridges for it on eBay at something like a 90% discount over genuine, the pages get some splotch marks on them but it's good enough for proofing.

As I recall, I paid about $5000 for my first laser printer...