Someone mentioned something about in the US, this would be illegal due to DRM laws - not sure about the specifics of this, but regardless an open source printer seems like something we've needed for ages, as printers are something that always seem like way more of a headache then they need to be. It seems like such a simple technology that has existed for quite some time, but they are always such a pain to deal with. (Maybe it's just my bad luck with printers?)

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[–] GaumBeist@lemmy.ml 38 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 9 hours ago) (6 children)

>inkjet

LED printers have been around for fucking ever, and the average person doesn't need the graphic fidelity that only an overpriced pigment soup, which goes bad in a month, can supply.

Oh, and literally every part of a toner-based printer is easier to replace/repair... so why would a printer designed around repairability and upgradability use ink???

Edit' And I almost forgot: toner is cheaper per page than ink! Whyyy???????

[–] einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works 18 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

because it makes it way more easy to build such a "open source" printer, the print head with all its mems chips structures is already on the ink cardrige, meaning hardware wise this thing is just a 2 stepper motors, one for x and y axis.

laser/led printers would be in fact the superior printer, but it would also be way more complex hardware wise.

[–] NathanUp@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 hours ago

This. Based on my (elementary) understanding of laser printers, you have to have a laser zap a transfer belt to charge it so that it will elecromagnetically attract the toner, then precisely lay down a fine layer of toner onto the belt, then lay the microplastics + iron filings from the belt onto the page, repeat this four times, then roll the page through a tiny oven to bake on the thin, shiny layer of plastic. It's very complicated, and have you seen the price of new fuser units or transfer belts?

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 3 points 7 hours ago

They're taking an HP printer head and customizing only the motors and controls. This is a lot easier but also a lot more reliant on HP

[–] Redkey@programming.dev 2 points 6 hours ago

Thanks to the proliferation of portable devices, a lot of people no longer need a printer for "regular" printing at all in 2026, and some of the more interesting printing substrates either don't accept toner well or won't survive the heat of a laser printer's toner setting stage.

Also, while the technology is theoretically simpler, it may be harder for an individual to source or make the physical components like rotating drums and high-res LED arrays.

[–] NathanUp@lemmy.ml 5 points 8 hours ago

I mean, toner is also made out of microplastic and iron filings.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 points 9 hours ago

toner is cheaper per page than ink! Whyyy???

I think a toner re-fill is a little harder to get/make/do.

[+] Rooster326@programming.dev -3 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (4 children)

[deleted]

[–] UnfinishedProjects@piefed.zip 9 points 8 hours ago

I think it might largely depends on your 1. Career/job/ or even hobby requirements 2. Where you live (government agencies requiring paper documents, signatures, etc)

[–] anon_8675309@lemmy.world 8 points 8 hours ago

I like a printed copy of recipes (I put them in page liners so they’re reusable and cleanable). Books on the counter suck.
kids have projects to do.
not everyone does e signatures so you have to print it sign it then scan it.

There’s more. I’m just bored.

[–] Korhaka@sopuli.xyz 1 points 5 hours ago

If printers didn't suck I may consider using them by choice. Does also depend on cost per page, which I suppose varies by what you print.

[–] Farvana@lemmygrad.ml 1 points 8 hours ago

I print recipes (don't want to worry about spilling on devices), worksheets for my daughter, and gov't/bank documents that require physical signatures. Occasionally I'll make a print and play game as well.

I don't like the obsolescence cycle of tablets.