Protip - if it’s a networked printer, fuck with it’s DNS/IP gateway settings or block it at your firewall. Brother was accused of pushing firmware that locks out 3rd party cartridges .
My network gateway is actually 10.0.0.1 but I configured the printer’s gateway for 10.0.0.254 - that way any attempts to leave the 10.0.0.0/24 network will fail.
Brother has enshittified and their inkvestment “ink tanks” aren’t actually ink tanks at all, just ink cartridges with DRM chips. You cannot refill them with generic ink.
Actual ink tanks are Canon MegaTank, Epson EcoTanks, and HP Smart Tank, which explicitly allow you to refill with generic ink. Ink Tank printers do however require maintenance/replacement of a waste pad (basically a sponge).
Of the three, Canon’s Megatanks don’t have a waste pad at all and just randomly dump ink so you have to throw the printer out, Epson offers a replacement with a DRM chip (although cheap), and in a rare HP win the waste pads for their Smart Tanks are user serviceable (albeit somewhat labour intensive).
Protip - if it’s a networked printer, fuck with it’s DNS/IP gateway settings or block it at your firewall. Brother was accused of pushing firmware that locks out 3rd party cartridges .
My network gateway is actually 10.0.0.1 but I configured the printer’s gateway for 10.0.0.254 - that way any attempts to leave the 10.0.0.0/24 network will fail.
I’ve blocked outgoing access on router level, two clicks and done.
I bought an ink tank brother, you just put ink in the tank, no DRM possible baby
Brother has enshittified and their inkvestment “ink tanks” aren’t actually ink tanks at all, just ink cartridges with DRM chips. You cannot refill them with generic ink.
Actual ink tanks are Canon MegaTank, Epson EcoTanks, and HP Smart Tank, which explicitly allow you to refill with generic ink. Ink Tank printers do however require maintenance/replacement of a waste pad (basically a sponge).
Of the three, Canon’s Megatanks don’t have a waste pad at all and just randomly dump ink so you have to throw the printer out, Epson offers a replacement with a DRM chip (although cheap), and in a rare HP win the waste pads for their Smart Tanks are user serviceable (albeit somewhat labour intensive).