Printer playing up - given up

Anyway. Printer seems fine.

Mini Review HP Envy Inspire 7220e

In some ways it's not as good as the old one. The paper guard needs manually pulling out and pushing back - if you don't leave it out all the time. Our old one had a nifty automatic paper guard that automatically popped out when you printed and could be pushed away again if needed.

It prints fine but seems a bit slower printing colour - but that might be my imagination.

Set up is quick and easy. Plug it in. Install the HP Smart app on computer and it sets it all up quite quickly in minutes.

At set up there is an option to opt for HP + (with or without instant ink). This just gives you the option to print remotely/cloud printing, and gives an extra year's warranty. It suggests there is additional security and malware protection as part of it and automatic updates. So decided to accept that. This requires you to sign up for an HP Account, but I already have one - with the old printer on it. The account enables you to see your warranty date etc. Part of the requirements for HP Plus are that you only use HP Ink cartridges. So if you don't want to do that, don't accept HP Plus. We've only used HP ink cartridges anyway.

I didn't sign up for the three months free instant ink because I don't like the system - tried it once before with the last system. Some people do like it. If you accept the three months free then there are conditions which I don't like. One is - if you go over the monthly page limit they can stop the printer working! And if you cancel the instant ink they can ask you to send the ink cartridges back.

So I opted not to have the free three months instant ink. Because you have to sign up and then cancel again after the three months, and it would be a palaver sending ink cartridges back.

The way Instant Ink works is you opt for a plan - however many sheets a month you're likely to print, and pay monthly and they automatically send you new cartridges out before yours run out. Some people like it. I don't like thinking about how many pages a month.

So I'd rather just buy the cartridges and have a spare set.

And - it's just a printer and it works. The "app" is just the option to have the HP Smart app on a phone - which isn't that necessary as you can print directly from a phone without that anyway. But for people who like to manage things on their phone rather than computer it could be useful.

HP already know everything about me as I've had an HP account for over 10 years - so I don't care that they know my email address and name or how many pages I print every month, or what device I print from (if that is what info is gathered). But from what I've read, that info is only gathered if you have the instant ink option.

HP plus includes cloud based printing - so it's not just remote - you can print directly from google docs or other such things, via the app. And it includes additional security. and malware blocking etc. Not sure how.

HP + also adds various additional functions to the HP Smart App.

Or you can ignore HP + at set up and just connect it as a standard wifi printer. If you want the instant ink though, you need the HP + as well - but instant ink is optional. HP+ requires you to be connected to the internet. Which most printers are anyway if you want different people using it from different machines throughout the house etc.

It does have usb but not ethernet. Plus bluetooth and dual band wifi. There's a separate tray for photo paper and you get a few free sheets with the printer.

It holds 125 sheets of paper and 15 sheets of photo paper

It also does borderless printing.

I actually preferred our old printer, for the automatic pop out paper guard. On the other hand that had a very small black and white screen and I Prefer the larger colour screen on the new one.

It shows up as two separate printers when going to print. One option is HP smart printing. The other is the printer itself. No idea what smart printing is. Maybe the cloud based option.

Edit. I might want to use cheaper cartridges in the future and you apparently can't cancel HP plus once you've accepted it. So on principle, I'm sending it back and buying it elsewhere to set up again from scratch. Only really accepted it for the extra year's guarantee! We don't do a lot of printing so the HP XL cartridges last a long time here. But even so, I'd like the option to use different ones. I don't think we really need cloud printing from google docs!

dacrone said:

meh... every conglomerate sells customer info. thats the way of the world now. by the way, was just about to post back.. you can check all printer driver packages on your pc by running

Command Prompt as Admin:

Code:

printui /s /t2

Click to expand...

Thanks - yes I just ran that after disconnecting the new printer that is being sent up. It was the easiest way to remove the hidden HP printer driver. Thank you. Did Windows R and the command and it just opened a list of printer drivers and was easy to delete (whereas DriverStoreExplorer couldn't even force delete it).

New identical printer arriving tomorrow with a 2 year guarantee from John Lewis and no need to sign up to HP Plus for the extra guarantee. I'll be setting it up as a bog standard printer! No cloud services. It works very well as a printer but I want to keep it simple.

Hazel123 said:

Edit. I might want to use cheaper cartridges in the future and you apparently can't cancel HP plus once you've accepted it. So on principle, I'm sending it back and buying it elsewhere to set up again from scratch. Only really accepted it for the extra year's guarantee! We don't do a lot of printing so the HP XL cartridges last a long time here. But even so, I'd like the option to use different ones. I don't think we really need cloud printing from google docs!

Click to expand...

Looking up HP Plus I think you made the right decision. I still have a old HP Office Jet 2830 printer that I kept for color printing if needed. It's been so long that I used it that I would be surprised if the ink cartridges still worked. I do all my printing on my Brother laser printer. I replaced my first Brother laser printer for a all-in-one laser printer. I gave my old one to my son.

Yes I think it was the right choice I can see Brother printers seem quite popular on here. I don't know much about them. They used to have a terrible reputation for typewriters a few decades ago! We've only had HP Printers before and the last two have been fine and lasted a very long time, hence I just went with a newer one. It was easier when you could just install the drivers and not have to use the HP Smart app.

The first one we had was extremely old - an ex office one that was donated. Usb only, no wifi. The next one was the one that just gave up the ghost and had that 10 years. Just want something to do occasional printing and scanning really!

I have an HP OfficeJet Pro 6975 All-In-One printer that I bought in 2018. I just installed the Basic Driver because that is all that was needed for full functionality. The setup always tries to install the HP Smart app but I then just uninstall it. It is annoying because it does its best to get you to get an HP Instant Ink subscription.

My two biggest annoyances that last six years were:

• A few times the printer driver stopped working after a Windows update. I had to wait for HP to release a new driver.
• One time I must have installed a firmware update without checking to see what it was updating. After that the printer would only work with genuine HP ink cartridges. I solved that by finding a way downgrade the firmware. I was then able to use third-party ink again.

Do you know if your new printer only uses genuine HP ink cartridges? How many ink cartridges does it use?

I'd be interested to know how you managed to get rid of the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only, because I read it wasn't possible! I fell for that when the printer arrived the other day, which is why it's going back and I have an identical one coming that I will set up without activating HP Plus.

From what I could see at set up last time (via HP Smart), if you don't activate HP Plus or Instant Ink, then you don't get the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only. Once you accept HP Plus then you can only use HP cartridges.

We always have used HP cartridges anyway - the printer doesn't get heavy use. But I would like the option to use alternative ones on principle.

If you do activate HP Plus, it immediately downloads the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only. It does tell you what you're signing up to at the time, but I had no idea that it couldn't be cancelled again - which is why I was not happy, reset it to factory settings and sending it back!

But I am getting the same printer again - I'll just be more careful with set up. I believe the software package and drivers is available for the printer - rather than HP Smart. It used to have two options - drivers only or drivers and software (the software was just a load of sales stuff).

You need to use HP Smart anyway though as it's the only way to scan.

That'll teach 'em.

So the new (identical) printer is here. Went through set up. Declined HP Plus, declined Instant Ink. But it still comes up with something that says this uses dynamic security measures and is intended to only work with HP cartridges, and there may be a firmware update at some stage, to ensure this happens - or something like that!

So at the next page I opted to decline automatic updates and ask first. So @MisterEd it seems they can indeed send out a firmware update later, whether or not you're on HP Plus. Although it does sound like your firmware update was removable. With HP Plus you're committed to automatic updates and committed to only using HP cartridges - which is why I'm glad I don't have it.

The irony is we have always used HP cartridges anyway as don't print that much and the XL ones last a long time. But I don't like having options removed! It sounds like they detect if it's not an HP cartridge and send a firmware update to stop it working (it mentioned that on an earlier notice). So maybe I won't get any firmware updates unless or until I try using non HP Ink cartridges.

Also HP Smart automatically signed me in to the existing HP account and has me designated as an HP Plus member. Maybe from the previous printer set up. So I now need to contact them to get that removed.

However the printer works if I log out of the HP Smart App so I can ignore it!

It prints well anyway and is quite fast.

So a little update! Yesterday I opened the paper tray to add paper. And a little message came up on the printer screen saying a firmware update was available. Did I want to install it, yes or no. I tapped on no and then a great big long message came up "reminding me" that this printer is only intended to use genuine hp ink cartridges. It went on a bit. Ha. So that's what the firmware update was for then obviously. They are being very pushy. I suppose they could say the guarantee isn't valid if you use different printer ink, but that's no reason to lock it to HP printer ink for life, once out of guarantee.

Thankfully I am not locked for life. 1 to me 0 to HP. Normally firmware updates are associated with security.

@MisterEd - out of interest, how did you manage to remove your firmware update?

Hazel123 said:

I'd be interested to know how you managed to get rid of the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only, because I read it wasn't possible! I fell for that when the printer arrived the other day, which is why it's going back and I have an identical one coming that I will set up without activating HP Plus.

From what I could see at set up last time (via HP Smart), if you don't activate HP Plus or Instant Ink, then you don't get the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only. Once you accept HP Plus then you can only use HP cartridges.

We always have used HP cartridges anyway - the printer doesn't get heavy use. But I would like the option to use alternative ones on principle.

If you do activate HP Plus, it immediately downloads the firmware that locks it to HP cartridges only. It does tell you what you're signing up to at the time, but I had no idea that it couldn't be cancelled again - which is why I was not happy, reset it to factory settings and sending it back!

But I am getting the same printer again - I'll just be more careful with set up. I believe the software package and drivers is available for the printer - rather than HP Smart. It used to have two options - drivers only or drivers and software (the software was just a load of sales stuff).

You need to use HP Smart anyway though as it's the only way to scan.

Click to expand...

If your considering using 3rd party ink I have two suggestions. 1. try to install the printer without the HP Smart software. I always connect my printers to my Wi-Fi router instead of the computer. Your computers should be able to find the printer from Control Panel > Devices and Printers. 2. Unless you start having trouble with the printer, Don't update the firmware. Manufactures of printers try to lore us in with reasonable priced printers then dig deep into our wallets by not only over charging for their ink cartridges but by trying to force us to only being able to use their ink cartridges.

Hazel123 said:

You need to use HP Smart anyway though as it's the only way to scan.

Click to expand...

No you don't. I use NAPS2 ( Not Another PDF Scanner) and VueScan. There are other programs one can use but they are the ones I like.

Thanks. I don't know much about printers I can just connect to wifi directly on the printer screen but the HP Smart app is how the drivers are installed. I don't think you can download the drivers separately any more - which is what I used to do on the old one.

Also yes, I think I won't do any firmware updates I rely on our router to keep devices secure.