After a bit more digging it was possible to get hold of an IPR (Ink Pad Reset) utility for the RX680 which is one of the newer printers that hasn’t been covered by the older A10 IPR.
Unfortunately the news on this is not good…
Epson have obviously decided that the consumer need even greater protection from themselves when it comes to waste ink pads and have adopted an activation strategy which you would expect in situations where software piracy was an issue, not someone wishing to service their own printer.
Of course it’s hardly surprising because Epson are still protecting their income in the same way that they have spent more R&D money on making their cartridges virtually impossible to refill.
Frustration aside, the net effect of this approach means the following:
- You can easily download the utility you need from the Epson website
- BUT, In order to use it you’ll need to have registered using the form here
- The form requires a valid North American serial number
- Epson then send you an activation code
- You then run the utility on your computer and input your serial number and activation code
- The utility then sends this information to Epson over the internet (it fails if you don’t have a connection) and activates your utility
- Of course this then means that your activation code and serial number can no longer be used again
Net result is that this little utility will only work on one computer with an internet connection and for a customer who has the right printer and an email address
Frankly I’m amazed that Epson felt this was important enough to do as there are plenty of printers that need a service for reasons other than just “the pads are full” but it seems they’re determined to protect the end user from themselves and in the process frustrate those more than capable of looking after their own printer
The second link for for reset software seems to be gone. The first one I downloaded and scanned with Adaware and Spybot. Nothing found, but that is probably not definitive. File size is 446,464 bytes.
Has anyone used it?
I’m guessing you meant the other IPR post in which case both links appear to be working.
I would never presume to recommend a link is clean though when it’s on a third party site as it can always change so the rule of thumb is ALWAYS scan ANY download..
EDIT: .. and just to note, yes the utility will work for those printers it supports. (Tested on 1400 and C86)