Brother printers causing issues with third party inks: Difference between revisions
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*No prior warning of change in the printer's core functionality had been given before these firmware updates were installed. | *No prior warning of change in the printer's core functionality had been given before these firmware updates were installed. | ||
*Workarounds tend to involve blocking the firmware updates or attempting downgrading the firmware, both of which Brother actively discourages. | *Workarounds tend to involve blocking the firmware updates or attempting downgrading the firmware, both of which Brother actively discourages. | ||
==User evidence & reports== | ==User evidence & reports== | ||
===Hacker News Discussion (2022)=== | ===Hacker News Discussion (2022)=== | ||
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===Quality example=== | ===Quality example=== | ||
[[File:Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32 before registration deleted.png|alt=Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of colour registration.|none|thumb|800x800px|Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of color registration.]] | [[File:Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32 before registration deleted.png|alt=Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of colour registration.|none|thumb|800x800px|Brother HL-L9310CDW 1.69 1.32, before deletion of color registration.]] | ||
==Brother's response== | |||
On March 5th 2025, following the publication of a video on the Louis Rossmann YouTube channel, Brother addressed the issue in a response given to Ars Technica and stated the following: <ref name="ars-response">[https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/03/brother-denies-using-firmware-updates-to-brick-printers-with-third-party-ink/ Brother denies using firmware updates to brick printers with third-party ink]</ref> | |||
<blockquote> | |||
"We are aware of the recent false claims suggesting that a Brother firmware update may have restricted the use of third-party ink cartridges. Please be assured that Brother firmware updates do not block the use of third-party ink in our machines." | |||
</blockquote> | |||
They also detailed that: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
"Brother printers do not intentionally degrade print quality based on whether a Brother Genuine or non-genuine ink/ toner cartridge is used. Brother cannot verify the quality of printing that will result when using a third-party compatible with a Brother printer." | |||
</blockquote> | |||
In their conclusion, they've attributed consumers' confusion and frustration to the following: | |||
<blockquote> | |||
"Brother encourages the use of Brother Genuine ink and toner for optimal performance and reliability, and it is standard practice that we perform a Brother Genuine check when troubleshooting a Brother printer. Compatible supplies may range in quality, and in order to verify that a printer is working properly, we like to troubleshoot with Brother Genuine supplies. We believe this check in the process may have led to a misunderstanding[,] but as we confirmed, the firmware update would not be responsible for the degradation of quality or removal of printer features." | |||
</blockquote>While Brother's response indicates a simple issue with compatibility, the previous acceptance of third-party cartridges indicates a software-based compatibility issue rather than hardware-based. This implies that a software update has the potential to fix the compatibility issue and allow users to return to their previously accepted cartridges. | |||
==Comparison to other industry decisions== | ==Comparison to other industry decisions== | ||
Other printer companies such as HP, Epson, and Canon have similar errors that actively promote more purchases of OEM cartridges even if the core issue is unrelated: | |||
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!Company!!Tactic Used | !Company!!Tactic Used | ||