this post was submitted on 06 Feb 2025
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Do It Yourself

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Is it worth trying to fix a home printer? (self.diy)
submitted 3 months ago by Thoven to c/diy@beehaw.org
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I got a canon pixma tr4520 from a technologically challenged relative, who told me they couldn't get it to print and it was mine to try and fix. I worked out that it didn't have an ink cartridge in it (not even an empty), bought a replacement, and got it printing. But now it has vertical alignment issues and paper jams. I can't afford a new printer right now, and I would love to fix this one. My fear is that I'll sink half the cost of a new one into it between the ink I already bought and replacement parts, just for it to come out not working anyway. Is it worth my time to try and fix or should I cut my losses and start saving for a new unit?

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[–] Radiant_sir_radiant@beehaw.org 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

There's been some talk about Brother imitating HP lately. Last thing I heard is that they've been attributing it to a 'faulty' firmware upgrade and offering a 'fix'. Personally I'm not yet sure what to think of it - it's one thing I'll be keeping an eye on though. My current HP printer will still happily work with third-party toner but is slowly approaching the end of its lifespan.

Generally speaking, for the average user who doesn't need special hardware to produce ultra-quality borderless photo posters on a regular basis:

  • If you only print a few pages each month, the cleaning cycle of an inkjet will waste an insane amount of ink to the point where a laser printer is cheaper.
  • If you print a lot, the cost per page will be lower on a laser printer, so you should buy a laser printer.