this post was submitted on 14 Feb 2026
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I stumbled across this link in the comment of another post, and thought it was super promising!

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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[–] umbrella@lemmy.ml 9 points 3 hours ago

pretty stupid that we need shit like this in the first place, but thank foss this exists.

[–] barryamelton@lemmy.world 2 points 3 hours ago

CC BY-NC-SA

Not open printer. Not open source. You will only be able to get replacements from them, worse than some other printer companies...

[–] GaumBeist@lemmy.ml 37 points 7 hours ago* (last edited 7 hours ago) (10 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 7 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 7 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 5 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 5 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 7 hours ago

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

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 3 points 7 hours ago

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

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

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[–] GotExx@lemmy.ml 12 points 6 hours ago (1 children)

Why not use USB-C for power?

[–] silverneedle@lemmy.ca 14 points 5 hours ago

USB C is awesome for the electrics but mechanically mid range

[–] black_flag@lemmy.dbzer0.com 52 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

"Coming soon" for months now, I'll believe it when I see it.

[–] lengau@midwest.social 24 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

You don't use "soon" in geologic time?

[–] littlewonder@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago

It's actually a measure of distance.

[–] caseyweederman@lemmy.ca 2 points 4 hours ago

In dog
years

[–] btsax@reddthat.com 1 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Could have a single picture of it that isn't a render, to start

[–] NathanUp@lemmy.ml 3 points 5 hours ago

Those are photographs…

[–] RunningInRVA@lemmy.world 4 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Why oh why did they place the power barrel connector on the side like that?

[–] crusty@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

Looking at one of the images, probably so you can wall-mount the printer

Yes you can:

"... its flexible design can adapt to your workspace, working when installed on a wall or placed on a desktop."

[–] TankieTanuki@hexbear.net 3 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

I like the little pizza cutter that slices each page. I hope it's easy to sharpen.

[–] Feddinat0r@feddit.org 32 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

It wont work worse as any other printer

[–] Archer@lemmy.world 6 points 6 hours ago

It’s not like the bar is anywhere but on the floor though

[–] TheBroodian@hexbear.net 10 points 8 hours ago

HP Inkjet cartridges though cringe

[–] David_Eight@lemmy.world 16 points 9 hours ago

I've been seeing this thing for months and there's been no updates. Is there any word on release date/price, I really how this isn't vaporware.

[–] The_Grinch@hexbear.net 9 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago)

#Your printer includes tracking codes on every page you print

Including the serial number and where the printer was sold. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printer_tracking_dots

[–] partial_accumen@lemmy.world 13 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

Printhead compatibility: HP 63 (US), HP 302 (Europe)

[–] Fubarberry@sopuli.xyz 17 points 9 hours ago

Sounds like it comes with a refillable cartridge, but you can also use off the shelf HP cartridges.

And since there's no DRM, 3rd party cartridges will work too.

[–] icelimit@lemmy.ml 6 points 9 hours ago

Bring back the Scrolls!

[–] whyNotSquirrel@sh.itjust.works 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

CC BY-NC-SA

Does it mean you won't be able to buy spare part from other company and just from them?

[–] Rooster326@programming.dev 1 points 6 hours ago

Gotta start somewhere

[–] gon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

AWESOME!!!

The images and videos scared me a bit, thinking this only supports rolls, but seemingly it does also work with A4.

[–] jol@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 3 hours ago

The roll+cutter allows printing in both A4 and A3 which is amazing.

[–] takeda@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago) (1 children)

It looks like it is a roll as an input, but the printer has an integrated cutter.

Edit: looks like I was wrong

Found on another page: https://www.opentools.studio/

[–] rbn@sopuli.xyz 5 points 8 hours ago (4 children)

It clearly says...

Supported paper formats

North American letter, tabloid, and 11-inch wide paper roll European A4, A3, and 297 mm-wide paper roll

I guess then A4 is supported as an input.

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[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 5 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

I don't think DRM is a thing for this in the US, since it's using all original software and parts. I could be wrong, but that's how I read this.

https://uslawexplained.com/digital_rights_management_drm

[–] Creat@discuss.tchncs.de 6 points 7 hours ago (2 children)

I think it's about printers being required by law to (covertly) watermark copies as such, and make it somewhat traceable. This is supposedly to prevent duplication of protected works (books?) but also to prevent someone just using it to print money (badly, probably).

To my knowledge all major brands incorporate something like this.

Wikipedia article about the technology

[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 3 points 7 hours ago

I think it’s about printers being required by law

I didn't see anything about being required by law. Yes, all major brands probably do this, but for different reasons than required by law. Also, what about the lesser brands, are they required by law or can they skirt the law somehow? This printer is not a major brand. Again, not a lawyer, but I don't see how this is a problem. Also, it's going to be coming from France.

[–] corsicanguppy@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

required by law to (covertly) watermark copies

What a ridiculous rule that is -- and you know someone dramatically shouted "won't someone think of the children" somewhere in its passing.

[–] hector@lemmy.today 1 points 6 hours ago

Yes probably justified with arguments to prevent people from sharing child abuse pictures.

Yeah, "not legal in the US due to DRM laws" makes zero fucking sense in this context

[–] Frenchgeek@lemmy.ml 2 points 8 hours ago
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