My printer is a Canon i320 and the black ink has run out. Is there any way I can trick it into using the three colours to make black? My old Epson had either color or black, and if it had a colour cartridge it would *make* black. I'm wanting to print PDFs.

Click File, Print, Click Properties and click black and white. I print PDFs using draft so it will save ink.

It doesn't work for me. I think black and white just converts colours to black and white. I want to turn black and white into something that will be printed using the colour tanks.

Quote: Originally Posted by username#132 It doesn't work for me. I think black and white just converts colours to black and white. I want to turn black and white into something that will be printed using the colour tanks.

You can't do it. The whole reason that the black cartridge is there is to print black. The other cartridges are designed to print colour. You'd save a lot of time and energy just going and buying a new cartridge or a refill for what you've got.

I have to agree with reflux......

You need to either buy a new cartridge or have it refilled.
Black is the default printing color.....without it your printer is nothing but a paperweight.

Your printer can print without color but cannot print without black.

Unfortunately without black there is no way to jimmy rig it to print black.

Time for a another cartridge......

dude i sell printers and they are right also most newer printers dont work when either one is out
whenever you do replace the printer you have look at the ink cartridges efficiency id check the volume printed in ml or it may just give an estimate on the number of prints at 5% print coverage look for printers that cost between 2 and 5 cents a page anything less efficient than that and its a one time disposable printer...



i use an hp 1350 it uses 56blk 57clr and 58photo the 56 is 20$ and does about 500-600pages thats about 3cents a page and if you dont print much color than just do at least one page a month to keep the ink from gelling up on you

the 57/56 will do 150-250 pages and using the 57/58 together will do300-400 photos

but anyway whatever you get just look for something more efficient your i320 does it use individual ink tanks for each color and what number is on the side?

I don't think any useful information is given on the side of my cartridges - I use compatibles anyway. My old Epson had one compartment - you either inserted a colour cartridge (CMY) or black and if you used colour it made black by mixing CMY. I've got cartridges at home but I'm at uni and I don't want to be more cartridges. They call this progress? Pfft...

all i need is the cartridge number to tell you what volume the cartridge has and how efficient it is
if you give me that info ill be able to give you better info

Some drivers will allow you to print "black" using the color cartridges, this is known as "process black". It's more of a dark grey than true black.

But, if the printer won't print at all without a black cartridge in it, you're screwed.

Take your files to Kinkos for printing.

It can be done as joecoin alluded to, but definately requires extra (expensive) software typically.
I have been out of the print industry for a while now, but maybe AntiM could shed some more light on what would be needed... assuming your printer would even support it.

Quote: Originally Posted by joecoin Some drivers will allow you to print "black" using the color cartridges, this is known as "process black". It's more of a dark grey than true black.

Yeh, true. It's also called 'registration'. But seriously....buy a new cartridge!