The Printer Chip Resetter WORKS!!

Excuse me while I take just a moment to dance around for joy!

Last week, I lamented my problem I’d suddenly had with my Canon MP530 All-in-One printer. I just LOVE the printer and it’s so easy to use. But I was suddenly getting an “Error U150,” saying that there was something wrong with the printer ink cartridge. It wasn’t being “recognized” by the printer. The cartridge was only half empty, and I wasn’t about to spend another $50 on a new cartridge. I’d spend that money and get a different printer if it came to that! This little bitty cartridge was shutting the entire printer down– I was unable to scan, copy, send/receive faxes, everything. All because of a stinking ink cartridge error. That’s evil. folks.

So I did some searching around and found out that this is an all too common and frustrating problem with Canon printers. I thought Canon was a high-quality brand, but apparently not. I had always gone with HP in the past, but my HP printers were doing strange things (like saying the ink cardtridge was empty, etc). I dumped my HPs thinking Canon was better. Looks like a whole lot of printer manufacturers are scheisters! They make cheap printers and then force consumers to purchase gallons of ink– even wasting the ink– and making their money that way. Um, Mr. Printer Manufacturer, that makes people angry. Why would you do such a thing and make people angry and hate your product?? Why would we want to throw away another perfectly good printer into another landfill because you can’t fix an ink cartridge problem??

ANYWAY, I’d also read that there existed an amazing little gadget called a “chip resetter.” This tiny device is used on ink cartridges that have microchips. Microchips on ink cartridges are the things that always cause the problems– they tell your computer that there is something wrong with an ink cartridge and you need to shell out more dough to get another one! Even when you have plenty of ink in that cartridge yet!

The chip resetter will reprogram the microchip. It tells the microchip to start over– a reboot, in a way. It reprograms to microchip to original manufacturer’s data. So now the computer thinks there is a brand-new cartridge in there. PERFECT!

The chip resetters are NOT cheap. This little piece of plastic cost me $30.00. But if it reprogrammed just one ink cartridge, I’d have immediately recouped my ink investment, plus $20.

IT WORKS! My Canon printer is back in business. So now I can receive faxes, send faxes, scan, copy, and print once again. But I will never chang emy mind that what these printer manufacturers are doing is EVIL and it should be outlawed. It’s corporate theft!

My Take on LCD Monitors

I am very, VERY fussy about my computer monitors. For one, I spend all day in fron the of computer. Two, I have sensitive eyesight, and dim or unclear monitors cause strain and pain. I had an HP Pavilion laptop (well, I still have it) with a failing monitor and I would go to bed with SUCH eye pain after sitting in front of it all day. So I like my monitors big and I like them very bright and clear. In my younger years, I really didn’t care what kind of monitor I had (I was just so happy to have a computer!!), but now I am quite fussy. I will pay a little extra for the uograded, higher-end “Harley parts” monitor than a cheaper, name-brand monitor. I don’t know if it’s just old age or refining tastes!

Well, anyway, I was very happy with my Toshiba laptop monitor until my daughter got an HP laptop. The HP monitor is SO much nicer! It’s clearer and brighter. I am not too crazy about HP computers, but I was pretty impressed with their monitors. So I decided to check them out at various stores, to see if HP really measured up.

They do! I’ve been keeping my eye on monitors and quality for several months (more like a year now). I’ve seen the Acer, Dell, Gateway, Westinghouse, HP, and Samsung brands. I’ve been to various computer stores, read online reviews, and surfed the Net for specs. Here’s what I found:

HP monitors are consistently high quality. And they aren’t paying me to say that (although I wish they were). They are vivid, crystal-clear, and although they cost more than the “generic” models, I think you get a great deal for your dollars. The HPs often have a glass-like surface. It’s glossy and extremely clear. The Dells and Acers I saw were dull in comparison.

As far as monitors go, there are some qualification you should look for. Most monitors worth their weight in salt have a good refresh rate, 5 milliseconds or so. 5ms is as high as I would go; like I said, I’m fussy. Some monitors have 8 milliseconds and that’s OK if you are not fussy. But once you get in the 10ms or higher, you’re going to have a lower response rate. If you view a lot of videos or do gamng, you really want a 5. I’ve even seen some at 2, which is very good (the one I saw at 2ms was an HP one).

Another important thing to consider is contrast ratio. To me, something like 300:1 or 500:1 is excellent. But you can still get something with 1000:1 and still do well.

LCD monitors now come with speakers, I see. You can probably guess that the speakers aren’t anything to write home about; after all, speakers are extra. The HP monitors get low marks for their speaker quality (I think almost all LCDs do??), but the quality is OK if you’re doing everyday computing. If you want to fill your room with the chordant swells of Beethoven, use your regular speakers. A monitor speaker just isn’t going to cut it.

Finally, size is a big issue when choosing monitors. In my opinion, anything smaller than 17″ isn’t worth getting. LCD monitors re just gorgeous– why get a mini one?? I have a 19″ and I just love it. A 22″ would be nice, too, but anything larger then 22″ is too large, in my opinion. I’ve seen the 24″ and I just can’t imagine sitting in front of it all day– it would be like watching tennis– back and forth, back and forth. It’s probably good for work, when you can use all that real estate for a billion open windows… but a 17″ to 19″ is just right for a personal computer, I think. By the way, here’s a little reminder– if you have a computer desk with immovable shelving, measure the inside of the space and take it with you to the store. This will prevent you from accidentally getting a great, but huge, monitor that won’t fit in your desk!

I hope this information helps somewhat, should you find yourself looking for a new monitor. We sure have come a long way with them! I couldn’t ever imagine going back to a Cathode-Ray-Tuibe monitor!

Another Coupon Site!

I’ve found another great coupon site for your Frugal Hacks out there! It’s called Coupon Money– click here for online coupons. I love the assortment. There are even coupons for Amazon, PetSmart, Overstock, and Staples. Check it out. Remember what Mrs. Mecomber always says: never shop online without checking for online coupons first! Why pay more when all you need is a coupon or promo code to save?

Window Shopping

Looking for window coverings? I found an outstanding company that sells discount window blinds and more. I’m very impressed with the quality of the website. I don’t know about you, but when I did my first several online shopping transactions (ten years ago now!) I was quaking more than a bowl of jelly! It seemed so unreal, typing in my credit card information to buy something I couldn’t tangibly touch or see. After ten years of online purchases, I have never been disappointed. I am more and more impressed with the convenience and safety of buying things online. Of course, I am always looking for reputable, quality companies and I go back to them.

ShadesShuttersBlinds.com has an excellent website. They even have a telephone number and a blog! Talk about customer service! Plus, they have a terrific selection of cheap mini blinds and a gorgeous shade design selection. The Roman shades are exquisite. Roman shades are my favorite. I cannot sew them very well, so I’ve been on the lookout for some good deals. Aren’t these beautiful?

The company will even mail out little sections of fabric for the customer to see it and feel it. Such incredible customer service is unsurpassed, in my opinion- wow! The blinds are also American made.

The blog is very informative. I am in the middle of a huge renovation project on my house, so I have been keen to websites that offer quality products and information. The blog is very readable, and mentions upcoming sales, too.

The Internet has opened up a huge “window” (haha) of opportunity for us. We can literally buy things “wholesale” and at deep discounts, whereas years ago we were at the mercy of the middleman retailer and his “sales.” Finding a quality company is notable. Check out ShadesShuttersBlinds.com if you are in the market for affordable and beautiful window coverings, or check out their blog for information. This is an excellent company, and they will be receiving my business in the future. I’ve gotta get those walls and windows up first, however!

exp. 6/11