[freebird1963]

While looking for refill carts for my brother came across this, which I had not seen or heard about. Not sure of its accuracy or reliability but thought since alot of us use refills and 3rd party might be worth a look into.

From this site : WARNING!! Do Not Be Fooled By Epson Firmware Updates

WARNING!! Epson Update

WARNING!!
Do Not Be Fooled By Epson Firmware Updates

This information is very fresh and may not apply to US printer models yet. There is a strong indications that Epson have decided to up stop third party consumables through the use of a clever firmware update system available with newer Epson printers. The updates can shut the doors on third party consumables that work with earlier firmware versions and effectively tie your printer into using only Epson OEM/Original cartridges. This has been reported from some after market company's in the UK.

If you don’t want to be forced to use Epson original consumables, don’t install any firmware updates
Once downloaded and installed this software will check to make sure that you are using the latest firmware and software for your Epson product. If updates are available the Epson Download Navigator will guide you through downloading and installing these updates. DO NOT DO THIS!!!!!

Once you update, you are stuck and MUST buy the Epson cartridges if this happens bring back the printer and may be they will STOP this nonsense.

It is possible that someone will work out a way to roll-back to an earlier firmware version but at present such information is not available and Epson certainly would not provide any tools to make it happen.

 

[freebird1963]

and from a second source out of the UK.

Waste Ink – lings » Blog Archive » Epson Firmware Update = Compatible Cartridge problems

Epson Firmware Update = No to Compatibles
Epson Intel25.01.2012
This information is very fresh and incomplete, but there’s some strong indications that Epson have decided to up the ante when it comes to third party consumables through the use of a clever firmware update system available with newer Epson printers. The update(s) shut the doors on third party consumables that work with earlier firmware versions and effectively tie your printer into using only Epson OEM/Original cartridges.

In short, if you don’t want to be forced to use Epson original consumables, don’t install any firmware updates

To date the printer models affected seem to be the PX730WD, PX830FWD and siblings in the same line (eg: TX730WD, Artisan 735, etc..)/p>

Firmware? What Is it?
Firmware, for the uninitiated, is the computer instruction set that any piece of hardware has installed on its internal chips. It tells the printer how to communicate, how to move motors, fire nozzles and most important of all, how to recognise original vs’ compatible (non-original) cartridge chips.

Updates Are Good Right?
Under normal circumstances, yes you’d expect any firmware update to be a positive move. Normally such an update might includes fixes or tweaks to resolve issues with ink usage, nozzle firing or something that slipped through testing that causes headaches for end users.

Unfortunately it seems that Epson is also using the firmware updates to stop non Epson cartridge chips being accepted by the printer.

What Does This Mean?
Short version, if you want to use third party cartridges, CIS systems or anything that hasn’t been produced by Epson, then you do not want to install these firmware updates, ever!

What’s affected?
At present this problem is only starting to surface with Continuous Ink Supply system sellers first noticing a problem when a high rate of chip failures were being reported by customers with PX730WD and PX830FWD printers. Further investigation helped nail the culprit down to customers installing updates on their computer and accepting the “kind” offer from the software to update their printer firmware to the latest version.

Is There An UnDo/Roll-back?
Once you update, you’re stuck until new chips are released by the third party consumable providers.

It’s possible someone will work out if/how to roll-back to an earlier firmware version but at present such information is not available and Epson certainly won’t provide any tools to make it happen.

Additional Information?
At present the scope of this problem is still being investigated as very few sellers have looked beyond a higher than normal rate of returns or support queries. Whether this affects single use third party cartridges as well as Auto Reset Chips (ARCs) remains to be seen but it’s worth avoiding the firmware update option until more is known.

Unconfirmed
The primary culprit with these updates seems to be the Epson Download Navigator software. It is described as being:

Once downloaded and installed this software will check to make sure that you are using the latest firmware and software for your Epson product. If updates are available the Epson Download Navigator will guide you through downloading and installing these updates.
Compatibility is listed for the following models:

Epson Stylus Office BX535WD
Epson Stylus Office BX635FWD
Epson Stylus Office BX935FWD
Epson Stylus Photo PX730WD
Epson Stylus Photo PX830FWD
Epson Stylus SX440W
Epson Stylus SX445W
…and various Epson WP laser models
The above list contains the UK/EU models but the sibling equivalent models in other global sales zones (eg: Artisan, Workforce, TX, etc..) will likely also be compatible

 

[mgparrish]

and from a second source out of the UK.

Waste Ink – lings » Blog Archive » Epson Firmware Update = Compatible Cartridge problems

Epson Firmware Update = No to Compatibles
Epson Intel25.01.2012
This information is very fresh and incomplete, but there’s some strong indications that Epson have decided to up the ante when it comes to third party consumables through the use of a clever firmware update system available with newer Epson printers. The update(s) shut the doors on third party consumables that work with earlier firmware versions and effectively tie your printer into using only Epson OEM/Original cartridges.

In short, if you don’t want to be forced to use Epson original consumables, don’t install any firmware updates

To date the printer models affected seem to be the PX730WD, PX830FWD and siblings in the same line (eg: TX730WD, Artisan 735, etc..)/p>

Firmware? What Is it?
Firmware, for the uninitiated, is the computer instruction set that any piece of hardware has installed on its internal chips. It tells the printer how to communicate, how to move motors, fire nozzles and most important of all, how to recognise original vs’ compatible (non-original) cartridge chips.

Updates Are Good Right?
Under normal circumstances, yes you’d expect any firmware update to be a positive move. Normally such an update might includes fixes or tweaks to resolve issues with ink usage, nozzle firing or something that slipped through testing that causes headaches for end users.

Unfortunately it seems that Epson is also using the firmware updates to stop non Epson cartridge chips being accepted by the printer.

What Does This Mean?
Short version, if you want to use third party cartridges, CIS systems or anything that hasn’t been produced by Epson, then you do not want to install these firmware updates, ever!

What’s affected?
At present this problem is only starting to surface with Continuous Ink Supply system sellers first noticing a problem when a high rate of chip failures were being reported by customers with PX730WD and PX830FWD printers. Further investigation helped nail the culprit down to customers installing updates on their computer and accepting the “kind” offer from the software to update their printer firmware to the latest version.

Is There An UnDo/Roll-back?
Once you update, you’re stuck until new chips are released by the third party consumable providers.

It’s possible someone will work out if/how to roll-back to an earlier firmware version but at present such information is not available and Epson certainly won’t provide any tools to make it happen.

Additional Information?
At present the scope of this problem is still being investigated as very few sellers have looked beyond a higher than normal rate of returns or support queries. Whether this affects single use third party cartridges as well as Auto Reset Chips (ARCs) remains to be seen but it’s worth avoiding the firmware update option until more is known.

Unconfirmed
The primary culprit with these updates seems to be the Epson Download Navigator software. It is described as being:

Once downloaded and installed this software will check to make sure that you are using the latest firmware and software for your Epson product. If updates are available the Epson Download Navigator will guide you through downloading and installing these updates.
Compatibility is listed for the following models:

Epson Stylus Office BX535WD
Epson Stylus Office BX635FWD
Epson Stylus Office BX935FWD
Epson Stylus Photo PX730WD
Epson Stylus Photo PX830FWD
Epson Stylus SX440W
Epson Stylus SX445W
…and various Epson WP laser models
The above list contains the UK/EU models but the sibling equivalent models in other global sales zones (eg: Artisan, Workforce, TX, etc..) will likely also be compatible

Mark,

This is true and it does apply to the US. Many 3rd party providers in the US including Cobra have simlar warnings.