Printcartridgedirect

Videogames - Graphics or gameplay?

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:28:00 +0000

Jet Set Willy

Like most people, I love videogames and today I read an article about the soon to be launched Nintendo 'Wii U' which detailed the fact that this new games console had graphic capability lower than that of both the Sony Playstation 3 and Microsoft's Xbox 360, both of which are now over 5 years old.

A lot of comments from users stated that the console would fail to sell because of it's lack of killer graphics and that the new console needed to have a graphics processor which was at least capable of producing games that look similar in quality to that of both the current gen leading players.

This subject is a bit of a move away from my usual blogging of late. Let's be honest, printer cartridges can be a little boring after a while and this article got me thinking, 'are graphics the be all and end all in gaming or should the gameplay be the important factor when game developers produce their titles?'

I'm old enough to remember the home computer boom in the early 1980s and back then the technology was far from photo realistic or indeed colourful if you were lucky to have the Sinclair ZX81. The main selling point were the games themselves and their originality. Although I suppose you could say that because the industry was young, every game launched was original. All I know is that the games were fun to play.

Like modern day games, certain genres of game sell better than others. Back in the 80s, platformers were king whereas today FPS or (First Person Shooters) far outsell anything else. Anyone with a games console under their TV probably has a copy of Call of Duty, I know I have. Similarly, in the 80s, Jet Set Willy was THE game to play. A lot of money and work go into making the games today and budgets can match that of major movie studios to provide a realistic and immersive experience for the player. But are they fun and does realism matter?

I like to play a game and be entertained and the sad fact is that I've become critical of a game because my character runs into a wall and continues to run while his/her nose is pressed again the wall in question. Call it trivial but I expect game coders to at least realise that if my character hits a dead end, it stops and does not keep on running. And this is the problem, we expect our games to be lifelike.

Running while stationary (or 'moonwalking' as I like to call it) is not the only problem. Playing a shooting game with friends is fun, honest, well sometimes. You see, we all end up screaming and shouting offensive words at the screen because someone kills us in the game and we can't accept it because we use the excuse 'well that just wouldn't happen in real life!' I don't know about you but I don't want to know if it's real or not. I just want to have fun. Besides, does it matter? It's a game. It's fantasy!

Trashman - brilliant game

I can remember playing games on my trusted Spectrum 48K and loving every minute. The graphics were crude but colourful but it was the gameplay that really stood out. Remember 'Trashman'? A game about a binman and what a concept. It was a great game and was original. Image how they would produce that today. Motion capture, expensive sets, copywritten music. Budget of millions. I much prefer an original game that was written by some clever guy in his bedroom.

I love games and yes, I'm getting old but at the end of the day I just want to have fun. Will I buy the new Wii U? No, I like to remember the days of old with my little rubber keyboarded friend during those long summer holidays playing great games.

I have a PS3, my second after the first gave up with the dreaded 'Yellow light of death'. Also had two Xbox 360s. The first one had the 'Ring of Death' and then I sold my replacement. Maybe this is another problem of modern gaming, the consoles themselves. They do too much. Games, movies, social networking, internet browsing. Isn't that what PCs were created for? The consoles themselves do not last and failure rates are high compared to the early home computers.

Interestingly enough, graphic intensive games may damage your console as the heat output by the processor trying to move all those polygons and textures about can melt your motherboard contacts soldering and cause problems.

Games, I do love them but maybe, just maybe todays games are just not as good as we like to think they are. Give me a good challenge or level that's fun rather than real looking grass or blood splattering across the screen anyday.

Right, I'm off to do a bit of moonwalking....

Epson Stylus SX125 printer

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 09:17:00 +0000

Epson Stylus SX125

The Epson Stylus SX125 is an all-in-one printer ideally suited to the home user. The printer is versatile with features such as copying, scanning and printing. The printer is perfect for school projects, general printing and copying or scanning documents such as recipes, photographs etc.

The printer itself uses four ink cartridges so you only replace the colours you use rather than having to replace a single cartridge which may have only used one colour making this method very cost effective. Amongst the software provided is Easy Photo Fix and Easy Photo Print. These pieces of useful software help you restore old photos, remove red eye and enhance your photos or pictures. Another useful piece of software is the Abbyy Finereader OCR software used for scanning in documents, letters, emails in fact any form of text.

Some printer specifications:

Ink cartridges - T1281 black cartridge, T1282 cyan cartridge, T1283 magenta cartridge, T1284 yellow cartridge
Print resolution - Up to 5760x1440 dpi
Print speed - Black Text A4 - Up to 28 ppm
Print speed - Colour Text A4 - Up to 15 ppm
Print speed - Photo 10x15 - Approx 89 seconds
A4 flatbed colour image scanner
Scan resolution - 600x1200 dpi
Paper capacity - 100 A4 sheets (75 g/m2)
Paper size - A4, A5, A6,10x15, 13x18, 16:9 wide, letter, legal, 9x13, 13x20, 20x25, 100x148, No.10, DL. C6

Printer dimensions - (W)436x(D)304x(H)150 mm
Weight - 3.9KG (including cartridges and power cable)
Operating systems supported - Windows XP/XP-x64/Vista, Win 7, Mac OS 10.4.11 or later
Software included - Epson Easy Photo Print, Epson Scan, Epson Event Manager, ABBYY FineReader 9.0, Print(PC), ABBYY FineReader 8.0 Sprint Plus (Mac)

Compatible Cartridges - Will they void my warranty?

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 12:24:00 +0000

Will using compatible inks invalidate my warranty or ruin my printer?

Compatible or original?

These are the questions asked the most by home printer users. There are a lot of opinions out there on the internet and here is our take on this controversial topic.

Basically, the simple answer is no.

Firstly on the warranty issue, you are allowed to use any ink cartridge brand you like in your printer and by law the printer manufacturer cannot insist that you use their brand solely. There may be patent infringement issues involved but that is between the compatible cartridge manufacturer and the original printer manufacturer and does not concern the end user.

Will using compatible cartridges in my printer damage it? This is slightly harder to answer but as long as you buy from a reputable shop, be it online or on the high street, the answer is no. Remember, compatible cartridges are brand new and like original inks there has been a lot of investment by the manufacturers in developing the cartridge to fit your printer. Another point to remember is that compatible ink cartridges are manufactured by the thousands so everything has to be correct.

If the compatible cartridge you bought did not work or ruined your printer then you would not buy another. To ensure sales, cartridge manufacturers insist their products have to be of high quality so that you continue to use them time after time and for the compatible cartridge manufacturer to re coup his investment and make some profit.

A little about the benefits and disadvantages of using compatible cartridges

For normal day to day use, compatible ink cartridges give great results. The savings made when buying compatible inks compared to original inks far outweigh any downsides you may experience by using compatible inks. That's not to say that the print quality produced by a compatible cartridge is disappointingly low. However, original ink cartridges do provide a better option for intense colour prints or documents you may wish to archive but these qualities come at a cost.

Let’s face it original cartridges are designed for the printers that they are made to fit, vast sums of money are invested in making sure the results are spectacular. These costs need to be replaced so the customer must pay for it. For example, typically an original toner cartridge you may pay around £100 for. The same cartridge available in a compatible version may cost less than £25.00. As you can see there can be a big difference in price.

What you print could also govern which format of cartridge you choose to use. Printing everyday letters, emails are ideal uses for compatible cartridges. Photos can achieve good results but in time you may find that the ink fades. Bright colours are also sometimes not guaranteed either but in general print results are good. For crisp photo prints and archival documents you should use more expensive original cartridges.

For great prices on compatible printer cartridge inks visit www.printcartridgedirect.com

Printing by AirPrint

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 10:41:00 +0000

Easy wireless printing with AirPrint

If you're lucky to own an Apple device such as the iPAd, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4 or the iPod Touch then you will be able to print out your pictures and documents through a new wireless technology called 'AirPrint'.

Providing your have a compatible wireless printer, (at the moment HP, Canon, Epson, Brother and Lexmark are available to use with this technology) you can print from your device without having to hook up to a printer. The main benefit to using this is the fact that you do not have to install any printer drivers or set up any printer settings to enable printing. You simply use the 'print' icon on your Apple device and the software will scan the wireless network, find any printer connected and print out the material.

As with all Apple applications, the software is clear and easy to use. You can easily print out some web content while surfing, check emails and print them, look through your photos you have on your phone and then print your favourites, all without the usual hassle and cables associated with traditional computer printing.

More and more printer manufacturers are making their newest printer models with AirPrint features. Unfortunately you can't just use any printer connected via USB to your main computer on the network. For a full list of AirPrint supported printers visit Apple support.

Some of the printers that are compatible with the AirPrint software are:

HP Photosmart AiO - This printer uses HP 364 cartridges. Replacement printer cartridges start from just £9.99 per cartridge.
HP Photosmart Plus-AiO - This printer uses HP 364 cartridges. Buy replacement printer inks from just £9.99 per cartridge.
HP Photosmart Premium e-AiO - This printer uses HP 364 cartridges. Buy a set of high capacity HP 364XL cartridges for only £14.99.
HP Photosmart eStation All-in-One - Buy a set of remanufactured HP 364XL ink cartridges for £36.99
HP LaserJet Pro M1536DNF - CE278A black remanufactured toner cartridge from £18.99

How to make sure your cartridge doesn't dry out

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 09:00:00 +0000

We've all been in this situation. We need to print something important before a certain time and we hasten to set everything up and then click print. The paper comes out blank. Disaster, the ink has dried in the cartridge!!

Using these hints and tips could stop this becoming a reality for you and may enable you to get that deadline print out on time. It pays to look after your ink cartridges because getting replacements could prove costly.

Keep on printing - Use the printer regularly. Even just printing a simple test page or a short word document will keep the ink flowing. Print something once every week if it's not used on a regular basis.

Put them away - If you know that you won't be using the printer for a long period of time, maybe you're going away, moving or taking the dog for a very long walk, then remove the cartridges from the printer and store then away (more on that later).

Refill regularly - If you refill your cartridges then refill at regular intervals, say after every 150 pages. This will keep the ink topped up and prevent the ink drying out in the cartridge sponge.

Keep them nice and safe - If you remove your ink cartridges for any length of time, store them in a cool, dark place. Wrap it in a damp paper towel to keep the cartridge moist and then store it inside a sealable plastic bag

Follow these basic hints and tips and your ink cartridges should provide you with many more quality photos and document printouts.

For quality printer ink cartridges at great, competitive prices visit www.printcartridgedirect.com

How to change an ink cartridge sponge

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:39:00 +0000

Cartridges can have 1 or more sponges

Refilling your ink cartridges can be a cost cutting process that will make your cartridges last longer. However, there are still something that you will need to replace besides refilling the ink. From time to time you may need to replace the sponge.

What is the sponge used for?
The main function of the sponge inside the cartridge is to contain the ink inside the casing or ink tank from flooding through the printhead and it also stops the ink from leaking out of the cartridge.

Why do they need to be changed?
Over time the sponge can clog and ink can dry out in the sponge causing the flow of the ink to be restricted. It's advisable to regularly replace the sponge as this keeps the cartridge running to it's potential and guarantees a good ink flow.

Before you start it's worth pointing out that ink cartridges can be messy so ensure you have some newspaper or paper towels to hand to catch any spillages.

Here we go...

Remove the ink cartridge from the printer.

Next, you'll need to drill two holes into the cartridge it it hasn't been refilled before. A hole in the top and the other in the bottom of the cartridge. More holes may be needed if it's a colour cartridge

Using a liquid syringe, extract any leftover ink from the cartridge from the holes you have drilled. You can store the ink in a clean container to replaced back into the cartridge later.

The next step should be fairly easy and may depend from cartridge to cartridge. You need to remove the top of the cartridge. Use a flat-headed screwdriver or something similar to prise open along the crease between the top and the cartridge body. You may need to apply a little force to achieve this.

Remove the old sponge and dispose of it accordingly. Be careful as there will still be a little ink in it. Make a note of how the sponge sat and replace with the new sponge.

You can now place the top back on the cartridge, block the hole on the bottom of the cartridge using tape or a rubber plug and then refill your cartridge with ink. Seal the hole with tape and you cartridge will be ready to be used.

You will find great deals and prices on all popular printer ink at www.printcartridgedirect.com

How to fit a chip onto a compatible HP 364 cartridge

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:04:00 +0000

If you have an HP printer that takes 364 ink cartridges you may be wondering if you can get a cheaper compatible version of the cartridge. Compatible versions of these cartridges are very hard to find due to a shortage.

However, you may still be able to save a large amount of money when buying a compatible 364 ink cartridge but you will have to transfer the chip which is found on the bottom of your original 364 cartridges to the new compatible cartridge. No need to worry though as the process is pretty much pain free and explained here.

What you will need

Your original HP 364 cartridge
A new unchipped HP 364 compatible cartridge
A knife or flat headed screwdriver

Removing the chip - Fig 1

Turn your empty original cartridge upside down so the bottom is facing towards you. You will see at the opposite end to the inkjet a small chip. This chip is what needs to be transferred.

Make a note of the direction that the chip sits on the cartridge, contacts facing the outer edge. Using a knife, screwdriver or some flat, thin object, carefully lift up the chip from the cartridge. The chip is stuck on with glue so should be lifted from the cartridge quite easily.

Preparing the compatible cartridge - Fig 2, Fig 3

On the top of your compatible 364 cartridge you will see a tab (usually yellow in colour - Fig 2) that needs to be removed. Remove this and then remove any clips that may be used to store the cartridge in transit - Fig 3.

Attaching the chip Fig 4

Turn the compatible ink cartridge over with the bottom facing you. You will see a small depression at one end of the cartridge where the chip fits. Carefully place the chip from your old cartridge onto the new cartridge making sure the contacts face the outer edge. The chip should stick down with the glue that was originally used - Fig 4.

Insert the cartridge into your printer and you should be good to go...

Luckily for you compatible, unchipped HP 364XL compatible cartridges (with more ink than the standard cartridge) are available from Printcartridgedirect from just £14.99

Print your own Mother's Day card

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:18:00 +0000

The 18th March 2012 is Mother's Day in the UK and May 13th for the US. The origins of Mother's Day are not quite known for definitive but can be traced back to 1870 when the 'Mother's Day Proclamation' was written in reaction to the American Civil War. In 1914 it was recognised as a holiday in the US.

Spoil your mum on Mother's Day

It's a very special day to celebrate our mums who we all love and without whom we wouldn't all exist and what better way to show our appreciation than with a Mother's Day card. Many millions of sons and daughters will be buying cards with all kinds of themes and verses but why not add a little more thought and care by creating your own.

You can print a card, in fact you can print a card for any occasion using just a standard colour inkjet printer. You can buy printing card and ink at reasonable prices from the thousands of internet printer stores on the web.

When choosing a design for your card you could use a graphics software program, a specialist card design program or simply search the internet and find free printable card designs. When you're happy with the design and the verse you want to put inside, fire up your printer and then print it out.

It certainly says a lot more if you take the time and put the effort into creating some personal rather than simply popping to the local store or supermarket to buy a card. Mums will find it more personal too and I'm pretty sure she'll appreciate it more because you've taken the time to make it.

So on March 18th and May 13th wish your mum a happy Mother's Day with a hand crafted card... don't forget the chocolates or some flowers too!!...

You can buy plain greeting cards to print your design onto at fantastic prices from Printcartridgedirect.com. You'll also find replacement ink cartidges at really low prices.

Compatible ink cartridges - Some information

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 10:02:00 +0000

Replacing your ink cartridges can be an expensive purchase. During today's tough economic climate we all are looking to save as much money as possible but still expect to achieve the same quality. Ink cartridges are no different and there are cheaper alternatives to buy. Compatible ink cartridges are such an option.

The main thing that you will notice when searching compatible ink cartridges is the price difference from original ink cartridges, savings of up to 80% can be found. Compatible ink cartridges are produced for all the popular manufacturer's printers such as Epson, Brother and some Canon.

Compatible cartridges

Compatible cartridges are available for printers that have the print head built into the printer. What this means is that when you replace the cartridge all you are changing is the ink tank. Some cartridges have smart chips to measure ink content based on printed pages. Page quantity should be the same, although some compatible inks contain more ink than original alternatives and you will get more printing from them. Overall, compatible ink cartridge chips are designed to work exactly the same as originals without breaking the patent.

The quality of compatible ink cartridges is generally very good and as long as they contain the correct additives to prevent the ink jets from blocking, then for day to day use they will produce good quality printing. Ideal for documents and every day photo printing. However, one thing needs to be clear, original ink cartridges are developed for use in the particular printers they are intended for and if you want fine quality long lasting prints that won’t fade, you should always use original inks.

Voiding my warranty

This is a very topical question and one that ignites many a debate. The answer is simple, using compatible inks will not void your printer's warranty, in fact it is illegal for the printer manufacturer to insist on the use original printer cartridges. Compatible cartridges are designed and then not released onto the market until a design patent has been passed.

As a summary, for day to day use compatible inks will save you a great deal of money and produce adequate results with no worry about using them in your printer.

For a wide selection of compatible ink cartridges visit Printcartridgedirect.com. All our inks come with a 100% money back guarantee. Order before 3.30PM for same day despatch.

What is the difference between dye and pigment inks?

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 16:21:00 +0000

Pigment Vs Dye Based Inks

There are two common types of inks used in inkjet printers, 'dye' and 'pigment'-based. Here is a brief description of the two ink types so that you an better understand the differences.

Dye based printer ink

Dye based inks are water soluble. The ink is created by dissolving a colourant into water. Colours are brighter using dye based inks than when using pigment based inks. There is a downside however in that dye based inks do fade a lot quicker in sunlight and will have a shorter shelf life over pigment inks. The reason that light fades out the ink is because the process used to produce the brighter, more vivid colours (optical brighteners) are affected by chemical exposure and light, breaking down over a long period and causing the ink to fade.

You will notice that dye based inks are used for printing colour photos and graphics and can be found in most popular colour inkjet printers.What you may also discover is that dye based inks do take longer to dry meaning that the ink may smear if you handle the paper straight from the printer. Similarly, because the dye is water based, the ink will smear or run on the paper if the print out comes into contact with water. This may even happen if the ink has already dried.

Pigment based printer ink

Pigment ink is made by grounding chemically-based polymer resins into a fine powder which is added to water. Pigment ink has a longer shelf life and can resist sunlight better because of the way it is created but the colour will be not as vivid as dye based inks.

Used mainly for mono printing (black, white) and grayscale printing, pigment ink is generally more expensive because of the manufacturing costs in producing the ink. Many printers can use both pigment ink (black) and dye inks (colour cartridges) but these particular models of printer may be expensive because special hardware inside the printer may have to be used.

If you need to archive documents over long periods of time then pigment ink is advised because of it's resistance to light and water.

Overall Summary:

Dye based
Pros

Cheaper to buy
Brighter colours
Ideal for colour printing

Cons

Can fade in sunlight
Smears if not dry
Can smear in contact with water
Shorter shelf life

Pigment based

Pros

Longer shelf life
Prints last longer with reduced fade
Ideal for black (mono) and grayscale printing
Less likely to smear

Cons

Likely to be more expensive
Colours not as vivid

Printcartridgedirect supply both pigment and dye based printer ink cartridges at competitive prices.

Epson SX125 Ink Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:48:00 +0000

Epson SX125 Printer

Epson bring out a new model printer quite frequently during the year and following closely behind are cheaper compatible ink cartridge that can be used with the new printer model, saving you money.

Using compatible cartridges has been a huge talking point, sparking many a debate amongst computer users. Many suggest that using compatible cartridges will void any warrant or guarantee covering the printer. The compatible cartridge must not break any patent laws and it's this step that may potentially void the printer user's guarantee. If the patent is sound and legitimate then the compatible cartridge is safe to use.

Epson's SX125 printer is one such printer in the new Epson range and it uses the T1285 multipack. When this printer was first launched there were no cheaper, alternative compatible T1281 ink cartridges available for it. After a short time, a few months to be precise, a compatible cartridge which did not break patents was developed. These compatible cartridges gave equal results when compared to original cartridges but the price was only slightly less than the original counterparts.

Why is this you may ask? Well, development costs in creating a valid patent design cartridge had to be recouped. Now that costs have been recouped from the development process there has been a massive reduction in the price of Epson SX125 ink cartridges

A set of four cartridges will now cost only £8.98 from Printcartridgedirect.com, a third of the price compared to original Epson T1285 cartridges. All compatible cartridges that are available on our website are safe to use in your printer.

Epson T1285 ink cartridges available now at Printcartridgedirect.com. Quality you expect equal to original cartridges containing more ink enabling more prints.

How to clear a paper jam

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:02:00 +0000

My printer ate my paper

Paper jams are one of the most annoying things to happen to anyone using a printer. You've filled up the paper tray with enough sheets of nice, clean white paper and have started to print out your several hundred page document.

You leave the printer do it's thing but when you come back you hear a beeping or see an on screen error giving you a chill... 'paper jam!!' and you still have many pages left to print.

What's the best way to clear one? Read this simple guide to find out.

There is no correct way to clear a jam but maybe these brief hints may make the process less painful.

1. 'Auto clear' - Try turning the printer off then on again. It may clear itself.

2. If solution 1 doesn't work then you're going to have to get tough with your printer.

2.1 Turn off your printer

2.2 Remove the paper trays or remove the paper from the printer feed. Check to see if any of the paper is damaged or wrinkled. The corners of paper can jam if they are slightly curled.

2.3 Most laser printer provide you with an error code on the front display to inform you of the location of the jam. Open any access doors or covers to the toner or ink cartridge.

2.4 You may have to remove the toner/ink cartridge. Carefully place it to one side inside a bag to protect it from light.

2.5 Once you find the paper jam you will need to remove the paper. Ideally, you need to remove the jammed paper in one piece. The best way to do this is to firmly grip either side of the paper and slowly begin to pull the paper out. Try not to tear the paper.

If there is more than one piece of paper jammed then try removing the middle sheet first as this may loosen the other sheets. Sometimes no matter how hard you try not to, the paper will tear. Don't panic. Try searching for the roller. This should be found on the inner and to one side of the printer. Rotate this to release the jammed paper.

Remember not to force anything!

2.6 Once you believe that the jam is clear, replace the cartridges, close all doors and access panels and switch the printer back on. If all is OK, the printer should be ready to print. If a jam is still detected then repeat the process.

Printcartridgedirect.com supply quality grade paper at cost effective prices including gloss, matt and speciality paper. - www.printcartridgedirect.com

How to Reset PG 40, CL 41 Ink Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:38:00 +0000

You may have refilled your Canon PG-40 or CL-41 ink cartridges, expecting to continue printing to your hearts content when unfortunately your printer announces to you via your computer screen you cartridges are in fact are '..empty'.

You did fill them with ink, right?

Errors such as these can be common place when using remanufactured ink cartridges and I'm happy to tell you that all is not lost and there is a way to fix this and still use you freshly filled cartridges. Here's a brief explanation about what is happening.

Some manufacturers fit their cartridges with a set limit as to how many pages are printed per cartridge. As you print, the pages are counted and when the limit is reached, the printer sees this and says to you 'sorry...no can do. You're all out of pages to print...' (it doesn't actually say this but instead returns an error that the cartridges are empty or that there is a problem with the cartridge). No matter what you do to refill the cartridges or which printer you place the cartridge in, if the limit has been met, the cartridge will register as empty.

Here's the good news. On the cartridge, there may be a chip, a small circuit board that connects with the printer to relay data and information about the print. This chip on the Canon PG-40 and CL-41 ink cartridges holds the page limit set by the printer manufacturer and it's this that needs to be reset. Once the limit has been reset, you can continue to print with the refilled cartridges.

Here are the steps to reset the page limit on the chip:

Turn off your printer
Hold down 'STOP/RESET' button then press and hold down the 'Power' button
Keep the 'Power' button pressed down and release 'STOP/RESET' button
Press the 'STOP/RESET' button twice
Wait for about 20-30 seconds
Press the 'STOP/RESET' button four times
Press the 'Power' button twice

Now, when you turn the printer back on the counter should have been reset and you can continue to print. Easy when you know how.

Find your lost printer driver

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:34:00 +0000

Driver - a software program

Over the past few years the cost of printing at home has decreased dramatically. The emergence of big supermarket chains on the high street offering low prices on home electronic goods has made it even more tempting to buying a new printer for your home computer.

But what if you have an old printer in working condition in the cellar or attic that could save you having to spend valuable money which could be spent on things elsewhere?

Computers and it's devices are funny things. They can do all kinds of fantastic projects but they need certain things to make them work properly. The humble printer is no exception and unless they have a small piece of software that communicated to your computer then it's rendered useless. This important software program is called a 'driver'.

A driver is supplied with your printer when you buy it along with any design software that is usually bundled with the printer and the driver may have been provided on a CD or a computer disk. The trouble is that these can easily get lost in storage.

What is a driver?
A software driver is a small program that is installed onto your computer and this allows your computer and your printer to talk to each other down the printer cable that connects them together.

As you create a document or project and then click the print button, your computer gathers all the information for the print, communicates with the printer and then uses the 'driver' to encode or translate all the relevant information into a format or language that the printer understands. The data is sent to the printer and then can start to print.

All this happens in a fraction of a second but without it, your printer will just sit there and your computer will report an error, usually 'cannot recognise printer' or 'no printer connected'.

Will my operating system have the software already installed?
Most operating systems come supplied with a library of drivers that may be compatible with your printer. During the installation process you may be able to select one of these options and you may be able to use this driver instead.

I don't have my driver disk and my printer isn't listed in my operating system drivers - What now?
Not to worry, you may be able to find you printer's driver on the internet and download it.

For a vast selection of printer drivers visit www.printcartridgedirect.net. We have all the popular brands of printers available with drivers you can download for FREE!!

The process is simple. Find your printer via the navigation options and then download the driver file. This file will usually be a compressed file or 'Zipped' file. All you need to do then is 'unzip' the file onto your computer's desktop or a chosen folder of your choice and run the setup.

Now that you've got your printer working you may need to get some fresh ink cartridge for your printer. Fear not as all you have to do is visit www.printcartridgedirect.com where you will find ink for both inkjet cartridges and toner cartridges at great prices.

T1285 ink cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:16:00 +0000

The T1285 compatible ink cartridge set has taken a while to settle down in price but we are proud to be able to share our great savings on these cartridges with you. We are offering a full set of four compatible ink cartridges for the truly great price of just £9.99 including VAT.

Buy a full set of T1285 compatible ink cartridges

We are sure you'll agree that this is a fantastic saving over many of our competitors. You can be rest assured that any savings that we can find, we will pass onto the buying public.

Don't want a full set? No problem. We have all the cartridges in the T128 range for just £3.99 (including VAT) per cartridge.

Postage is just 99p! and these cartridges are just fit and print

The T1285 compatible ink cartridge set comprises of a black T1281 cartridge, a cyan T1282 cartridge, a magenta T1283 cartridge and a yellow T1284 ink cartridge. There are quite a few Epson printer modelS which use these cartridges including the BX305F, BX305FW, S22, SX125, SX130, SX235W, SX420W, SX425W, SX435W AND SX445W

Our prices are reviewed daily, so you can be sure to get the best possible price and if there are any more reductions to come in the future, we will let you know.

Take advantage of these low prices and grab a bargain on your next set of ink cartridges.

Ink cartridge recycling tips

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:51:00 +0000

Did you know that you can recycle your empty, used printer cartridges? Did you also know that by recycling your ink cartridges you could indeed make a little money for yourself or for your local club or school?

Recycling is a very important part of our life in this modern disposable age. Instead of throwing away non-biodegradable materials, you can either refill the ink cartridge or recycle it.

For more information about recycling your printer cartridges and how you can receive funds by return visit How to recycle your empty ink cartridges

Changing Ink Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 14:05:00 +0000

Maybe you've never changed a printer's ink cartridges after they have run out so here is a very short, quick guide to changing them.

A quick note...If your printer is an Epson printer and you wish to fit compatible ink cartridges, never mix original and compatible ink cartridges together. This may cause errors or prevent your printer from printing.

Firstly, you will need to make sure the printer's cradle (this is the container that the cartridges fit into within the printer) is in the correct position for you to access. Your printer may automatically reset your cradle to the correct position when an ink runs out. There may also be a button to press to allow the cradle to reset.

For re-manufactured cartridges
Take out the remanufactured cartridges, it may be a little difficult or tight on some cartridges. Refill the cartridges or buy a new cartridge. When re-placing with a new cartridge, ensure that the tape or 'tab' has been removed. This can be usually found across the 'printhead' (where the ink comes out'). If you don't remove the tab, the printer may reject the cartridge or your printer may not print properly.

Close the lid and your printer should detect the cartridges, reset itself or 'charge' the inks ready for use.

Once the cartridge has been installed and the printer is ready, run a nozzle check and make sure the cartridge is working correctly. For more help on running a nozzle check, consult your printer's manual.

For original and compatible cartridges
Remove the empty cartridges. Remove the tape or 'tab' on the cartridge. Place back into the printer, ensuring that you fit the cartridge into the correct slot and that the cartridge 'clicks' back into place.

Close the lid and your printer should detect the cartridges, reset itself or 'charge' the inks ready for use.If your printer rejects the cartridge, simply remove and re-fit. Always ensure you use compatible cartridges without any original cartridges installed.

Once the cartridge has been installed and the printer is ready, run a nozzle check and make sure the cartridge is working correctly. For more help on running a nozzle check, consult your printer's manual.

Now you can carry on printing....

Tips to help avoid printing problems

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:43:00 +0000

Looking after your ink cartridges will make your printer more cost effective and will give you more printouts for your money. A printer without ink is like a car without fuel, it can't do anything useful.

Here are a few handy tips to keep your ink cartridges working to their top potential.

One of the biggest problems people experience with inkjet printers are dried out cartridges. Leave your printer off with ink cartridges installed inside may see your ink cartridge nozzles dry out. Once dry, you may find that your printer will not print fully and you may have difficulty in getting the same level of printing quality that you had before even if you do manage to get your ink cartridges working again.

When you're not planning on using your printer for a long period of time, remove them from the printer, place them in a air tight container and store them somewhere cool. It's also advisable to not let your cartridges run completely out.

If you do experience a dried-out problem there are a few things to try to unblock printer ink cartridges.

Place your ink cartridge printhead (nozzles where ink comes out) into a small, shallow container with approx half a cup of 50% hot water and 50% bleach).

Keep the printhead immersed in the solution for around two to three minutes (this should loosen the dried ink and allow the ink to flow again). Use a paper towel and dab the printhead carefully. You should see ink bleeding out. If not repeat the process.

Once ink is flowing onto the paper towel, place them back into your printer and run your printer's cleaning problem. You may need to do this a number of times before your print quality is back to normal.

There are a number of printer tools and maintenance programs that are usually installed onto your computer when you first install the printer. Using these tools you can quite easily fix any problems or printing errors you may experience.

A few examples...

Missing colour or black in my printout.
Use the nozzle check tool and then use the cleaning cycle. Once all the colours are printing as normal when you complete a nozzle check you are then ready to continue printing normally. If not simply repeat the process.

Printouts have white streaks.
This may be caused by blocked printheads. Run the cleaning program and then a nozzle check.

Please check your printer manual for more information about the maintenance features.

How to find out if that Fantastic printer deal is really fantastic.

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:52:00 +0000

At this time of the year, just before Christmas, it's common for the high street retailers to bombard you with unbelievable special offers and deals that you may very well consider to take advantage of. One of the areas which are popular for this is the home computer market.

There will be a large number of people who are looking to buy a new computer or laptop for their child or as a family computer. Most retailers offer free printers as deals that push sales on their products, usually stock which isn't selling too well or models that are slowly becoming outdated. While these printers may seem a good deal, if you do some research into the printers themselves that are being included in the deals you may find that the deal is not that special after all.

Buying a new printer is a relatively simple task. Deciding what you need the printer for is the main question and most budget printers are capable now of handling nearly all the modern families printing tasks. Photo's, reports, cards, invites and more are all available from a cheap printer. There is one thing to watch however and that is the cost of replacing the ink cartridges that your printer uses.

This is where the super-duper deal that is winking at you from the shop window shows its true value. The printer that is included for free may well be a low cost printer and the store will be able to afford to give it away with the computer/laptop package because it knows that it will make it's money on the replacement cartridges that they sell for the printer.

Some cartridges can cost more than the actual printer themselves. There are printer manufacturers whose replacement ink cartridges are very expensive while others are relatively inexpensive to buy. Looking into the cost of the printer ink cartridges is the key as to if that 'fantastic' deal is in fact fantastic!

Even if you do decide to opt for the computer package after you've wagered if the printer will be expensive to run or not, there is another thing to be wary of. Printer manufacturers who include a set of ink cartridges with their printer may include printer cartridges that have only small amount of ink in them. These 'tester' or 'starter' inks may soon run out as you start to print all those holiday snaps on your new shiny printer.

Unfortunately there is little to do in this case. The cartridges are included and do get you started printer so the printer manufacturer may in fact be helping you out.

Before you go and check out all those deals and special offers just be aware that you may need to buy a USB cable before you can do anything with your printer and your new, sparkling computer/laptop. Nearly all retailers do not give USB printer cables away and they will cost you a few pounds.

So there you are. Remember to check out the printer model that is on offer and how much replacement cartridges are for that printer. When you do need ink cartridges simply visit www.printcartridgedirect.com, we have a huge selection of ink cartridges, toner cartridges, fax ribbons and accessories. Postage is just 99p on all orders.

Recycling Your Empty Ink Cartridges - How and Why

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 09:04:00 +0000

Recycling Your Empty Ink Cartridges - How and Why

Merry Christmas and 10% Off

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 09:16:00 +0000

Printcartridgedirect.com would like to wish all our customers a very happy Christmas and to say thank you for all your valued custom, we are giving you the chance to save a little bit extra during this holiday season.

We can't drop down your chimney but we can offer you a 10% discount that you can use when ordering any compatible or re-manufactured ink and toner cartridges. Use this code 'XMAS10' in the promotional code box during the ordering process when you place an order and you will have 10% taken off your total.

This offer is valid until 5PM December 24 2011. Original ink and toner cartridges do not apply to this offer.

Merry Christmas

Kodak Printer Inkjet Cartridges| Print Cartridge Direct - Ink Cartridges = Low Prices

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 13:06:00 +0000

Kodak Printer Inkjet Cartridges| Print Cartridge Direct - Ink Cartridges = Low Prices

T1295 Compatible Ink Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Printcartridgedirect) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 12:54:00 +0000

T1295 Compatible Cartridge Set

At Printcartridgedirect.com we are constantly working on getting the best possible prices for our customers, without compromising on quality, and these New T1295 Compatible cartridge sets are no exception.

Recently launched, these Cartridges Provide all the quality and page yield as the Original, at less than half the cost.

Visit us for more information on Pricing and offers onT1295 Compatible Cartridges

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Mar 2007 09:55:00 +0000

Welcome to PrintCartridgeDirect.com the ink cartridge and printer cartridge specialists.