Best Printer: Canon, Epson or HP? 3k Maximum Budget

[Motortrend]

You are probably better off extracting the firmware from the ESU and flashing that directly (if possible) as some of the more sophisticated malware can survive the firmware upgrade procedure.

Pacific Rim timeline: Information for defenders from a braid of interlocking attack campaigns – Sophos News

Quite sinister.

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I spent several hours looking for a way to extract the firmware image binary from the Epson .exe file. I even tried looking for it in program temp folders and such while the updater was running... all to no avail. There's just very little public information out there, if at all, to go about these things. This is more of a "you're on your own" type of deal.

The bin file I downloaded was extracted from the flash memory of an actual unit. I know this because everything about the source printer was also copied to mine.... printer stats, ink pad life, and even the serial number. So, do I think it's a compromised bin file? Possibly, but I highly doubt it.

Regardless, if stuff hits the fun, I have both Pi Hole and OPNsense+Zenarmor watching my back in the event it starts "calling home". But insofar as what the printer is accessing on the web, all my logs indicate that the printer is behaving normally.

Just continue to be vigilant.

[oj88]

Just continue to be vigilant.

So far so good.

A fortunate outcome of all this is that the firmware change essentially converted my EoL/Discontinued Epson L3150 into a more current L3250 model. From what I can tell, apart from certain cosmetic changes, the hardware between the L3150 and L3250 are essentially identical. But with the new firmware, my printer can now use Epson's Smart Panel mobile app, which the L3150 firmware did not support.

This is a stark reminder that manufacturers hold the prerogative to declare products obsolete at will, even when a simple firmware update could extend their lifespan by enabling support for newer software features.

[Motortrend]

So far so good.

A fortunate outcome of all this is that the firmware change essentially converted my EoL/Discontinued Epson L3150 into a more current L3250 model. From what I can tell, apart from certain cosmetic changes, the hardware between the L3150 and L3250 are essentially identical. But with the new firmware, my printer can now use Epson's Smart Panel mobile app, which the L3150 firmware did not support.

This is a stark reminder that manufacturers hold the prerogative to declare products obsolete at will, even when a simple firmware update could extend their lifespan by enabling support for newer software features.

Convenient way to achieve product end of life.

[LOLZ]

This is a stark reminder that manufacturers hold the prerogative to declare products obsolete at will, even when a simple firmware update could extend their lifespan by enabling support for newer software features.

Not as bad as HP breaking cartridges with firmware upgrades or Canon with their entry level non ink-tank units being blocked from having their waste ink counters from being reset(ironic that their G(1/2/3/4)010 series gets the functionality - the whole service tool really- added to their firmware through a firmware upgrade) requiring the use of the programmer. After all it costs money to maintain software but to actively develop software to break existing functionality is outright hostile,

[oj88]

Not as bad as HP breaking cartridges with firmware upgrades or Canon with their entry level non ink-tank units being blocked from having their waste ink counters from being reset(ironic that their G(1/2/3/4)010 series gets the functionality - the whole service tool really- added to their firmware through a firmware upgrade) requiring the use of the programmer. After all it costs money to maintain software but to actively develop software to break existing functionality is outright hostile,

Oh, HP is evil in that regard.

I used to own a Canon MP258 and back then, I was paying premium for their ink cartridges (which is a printehead+cartridge combo). I could've had it converted to CISS but rumor has it that since the printheads are part of the cartridge and practically disposable, they don't last long enough to make the conversion to CISS worth it. I got rid of it then got the Epson EcoTank. Been happy ever since, apart from the firmware hiccup I had recently.

At any rate, I have all the tools necessary to keep this Epson running for the foreseeable future. I have the adjustment program to reset the waste-ink pad counter. Not to mention the abundant replacement parts available online, and not the least of which, I can now flash it back to the original L3250 firmware image in case Epson decides to introduce new features I don't want in future firmware updates.

[LOLZ]

Oh, HP is evil in that regard.

I used to own a Canon MP258 and back then, I was paying premium for their ink cartridges (which is a printehead+cartridge combo). I could've had it converted to CISS but rumor has it that since the printheads are part of the cartridge and practically disposable, they don't last long enough to make the conversion to CISS worth it. I got rid of it then got the Epson EcoTank. Been happy ever since, apart from the firmware hiccup I had recently.

They are a consumable as they do use heat to get ink onto the paper wearing the printhead over time. Not sure if the combo cartridges actual print head is built any different from the one's used in printers that use individual cartridges but the latter don't really tolerate flow issues from poor aftermarket cartridge bodies (or clogged unprepped original ones if refilling) and bad ink. A CISS conversion has the potential to introduce both to the mix and pretty much a no-no to individual cartridge models.

[oj88]

They are a consumable as they do use heat to get ink onto the paper wearing the printhead over time. Not sure if the combo cartridges actual print head is built any different from the one's used in printers that use individual cartridges but the latter don't really tolerate flow issues from poor aftermarket cartridge bodies (or clogged unprepped original ones if refilling) and bad ink. A CISS conversion has the potential to introduce both to the mix and pretty much a no-no to individual cartridge models.

I would think that the heating element burns out eventually. Another reason why the MP258 wasn't suited for CISS is because the printhead had a chip with a counter on it. Once the counter runs out, the printer throws a fit telling you that the ink is out, even though the CISS is still full.

These things add to the complexity in maintaining it... replacing the cartridge (for the heater malfunction) then redoing the CISS, or replacing/reprogramming the chips (one each for Black and CMY ink) everytime the counter reads zero.

That's likely why Epson's marketing started saying the quiet parts loud with their "Heat-Free Technology" moniker.

[LOLZ]

I would think that the heating element burns out eventually. Another reason why the MP258 wasn't suited for CISS is because the printhead had a chip with a counter on it. Once the counter runs out, the printer throws a fit telling you that the ink is out, even though the CISS is still full.

These things add to the complexity in maintaining it... replacing the cartridge (for the heater malfunction) then redoing the CISS, or replacing/reprogramming the chips (one each for Black and CMY ink) everytime the counter reads zero.

That's likely why Epson's marketing started saying the quiet parts loud with their "Heat-Free Technology" moniker.

Redoing the CISS (either to replace the heads or the seals) is probably the majority of the hassle with a conversion or when refilling. The ink monitoring can be disabled for that cartridge/set (at the expense of more aggressive cleaning cycles) if auto reset chips are not available for the cartridge body.