Enlarge / HP generally bricks third-party ink and toner that is over 90 % full, Imaging Know-how Council claims.
HP printers have acquired quite a lot of flak traditionally and not too long ago for invasive firmware updates that find yourself stopping prospects from utilizing ink with their printers. HP additionally encourages printer prospects to enroll in HP+, a program that features a free ink-subscription trial and irremovable firmware that enables HP to brick the ink when it sees match.
Regardless of this, HP markets dozens of its printers with Dynamic Safety and the elective HP+ function as being within the Digital Product Environmental Evaluation Instrument (EPEAT) registry, suggesting that these printers are constructed with the atmosphere in thoughts and, extra particularly, don’t block third-party ink cartridges. Contemplating Dynamic Safety and HP+ printers do precisely that, the Worldwide Imaging Know-how Council (IITC) desires the Common Electronics Council (GEC), which is answerable for the EPEAT registry, to revoke at the very least 101 HP printer fashions from the EPEAT registry, which HP has “made a mockery of.”
Earlier than we get into the IITC criticism despatched Could 22 to GEC Senior Supervisor Katherine Larocque, we should always observe the IITC’s apparent stakes on this. The nonprofit commerce affiliation was based in 2000 and says it represents “toner and inkjet cartridge remanufacturers, part suppliers, and cartridge collectors in North America.” So its members stand to lose some huge cash from ways like Dynamic Safety. The IITC already filed a criticism to the GEC about HP in 2019 for firmware blocking non-HP ink, however there did not appear to be any noticeable outcomes.
The group is biased concerning this subject, however its criticism nonetheless mirrors many issues and issues that customers and class-action lawsuits have detailed concerning HP printers’ unique stance on ink. You will discover the total criticism right here.
“Killer firmware updates”
For a printer to make the EPEAT registry, it is speculated to adjust to the EPEAT Imaging Gear Class Standards, which relies on the 1680.2-2012 IEEE Customary for Environmental Evaluation of Imaging Gear (PDF). The IITC is hung up on part 4.9.2.1, which requires that registered merchandise don’t “stop using nonmanufacturer cartridges and non-manufacturer containers” and that distributors present documentation displaying that the gadget is not “designed to forestall using a non-manufacturer cartridge or non-manufacturer container.”
Commercial
Properly, because the IITC and shoppers who discovered their inked bricked mid-print will let you know, that sounds an terrible lot like what HP does with its Dynamic Safety printers.
Diving deeper, the IITC’s criticism claims that “within the final 8 weeks alone, HP has launched 4 killer firmware updates concentrating on dozens of EPEAT-registered inkjet printers.”
“A minimum of certainly one of these latest updates particularly focused a single producer of remanufactured cartridges without having any influence on non-remanufactured third-party cartridges utilizing functionally similar non-HP chips,” the criticism reads.
The commerce group additionally claimed at the very least 26 “killer firmware updates” occurred on EPEAT-registered HP laser printers since October 2020.
The criticism argues that the error message that customers see—”The indicated cartridges have been blocked by the printer firmware as a result of they include non-HP chips. This printer is meant to work solely with new or reused cartridges which have a brand new or reused HP chip. Exchange the indicated cartridges to proceed printing”—go in opposition to EPEAT necessities, but HP markets dozens of Dynamic Safety printers with EPEAT ecolabels.
Wordplay
The IITC’s criticism highlights quite a few locations the place HP claims EPEAT registration whereas seemingly contradicting the registry’s phrases.
For instance, it shared a EPEAT documentation (PDF) stating, “HP printers will not be designed to forestall using non-manufacturer cartridges and non-manufacturer containers.” In the meantime, HP’s Dynamic Safety web site says, “Dynamic Safety geared up printers are meant to work solely with cartridges which have new or reused HP chips or digital circuitry. The printers use the dynamic safety measures to dam cartridges utilizing non-HP chips or modified or non-HP digital circuitry.”
“Maybe it’s HP’s place that 4.9.2.1 permits it to dam any non-manufacturer cartridge that doesn’t use an HP chip. No matter whether or not HP cites ‘safety issues’ or another excuse, 4.9.2.1 affords no such leeway. The language of 4.9.2.1 is unequivocal and unqualified,” the IITC’s criticism says.
Dynamic Safety printers get periodic firmware updates that HP claims “can enhance, improve, or lengthen the printer’s performance and options, shield in opposition to safety threats, and serve different functions” but additionally “block cartridges utilizing a non-HP chip or modified or non-HP circuitry from working within the printer, together with cartridges that work right now.” Typically these cartridges are over 90 % full, in response to the IITC, which fails to see the place the “safety” in “Dynamic Safety” is available in:
The reality is, Dynamic Safety has nothing in any respect to do with safety, and the whole lot to do with irritating shoppers who select non-HP cartridges in an effort to enhance gross sales of real HP cartridges.
