- Open Printer challenges traditional printers with serviceable open hardware design
- Raspberry Pi powers a printer based on user control
- The project rejects DRM restrictions through firmware and open designs
The printers have earned a reputation for frustrating owners through DRM chips, subscription ink schemes, and firmware that completely locks out unbranded cartridges.
Paris-based Open Tools now wants to challenge that model with a serviceable open hardware inkjet called Open Printer.
The printer is powered by a Raspberry Pi Zero W, which drives the print server, while a separate STMicroelectronics STM32 microcontroller independently manages the cartridge board.
Hardware built to repair, not restrict
Users can interact with it through a 1.47-inch TFT LCD display paired with a jog wheel, along with USB-C, USB-A, Bluetooth 4.1, and a 24V DC input.
Printing is done via CUPS, the open source Unix Common Printing System, allowing the device to run on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS without vendor-specific drivers.
Print resolution reaches 600 dpi for black and white printing and 1200 dpi for color printing.
The prototype accepts HP 63 cartridges in the US, HP 302 in Europe, and HP 803 in Asia, with color and black tanks operating independently.
Open Tools licenses its electronic products, firmware, mechanical files, and bill of materials under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 agreement.
This non-commercial license allows owners to repair, modify, and share the design, but explicitly prohibits anyone from manufacturing and selling the printer commercially.
Relying on HP cartridge bodies poses a strange contradiction, given HP’s long association with cartridge locks through its HP+ and Instant Ink programs.
This means that Open Printer’s refill freedom is entirely dependent on HP continuing to sell those cartridges in a format that accepts third-party ink.
Progress continues, but key details remain unresolved
Beyond cartridge and licensing issues, Open Tools continues to refine various technical aspects of the machine’s core function.
Wi-Fi and Ethernet connectivity are still being integrated, according to the company’s latest development update shared with its followers.
Engineers are also refining ink drying, print head cleaning cycles, paper insertion mechanics, and screening algorithms used for color reproduction.
The spec sheet lists Wi-Fi 5 support, which surpasses the older 802.11n radio built into the Raspberry Pi Zero W.
This suggests that networking will likely rely on an additional module, although final implementation details are not yet confirmed.
Open Tools has not released a funding target, stating that the final price depends on production volume and component costs.
Certification requirements and remaining engineering work will also affect the final price once crowdfunding formally begins.
Almost nine months after its first appearance on Crowd Supply, the project still has no confirmed price, release date, or print speed.
In a recent video, the company shared a working prototype of this device and revealed that it earned two French Design Award nominations.
However, prototypes and design award nominations do not guarantee product shipping, and open hardware crowdfunding projects often stall before reaching customers.
Whether Open Printer ever reaches buyers remains the real question hanging over its DRM-free promise.
Via Tomshardware
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