Question why can't we "jail break" the new ul

[netsol]

i have been considering getting one of the newer generation of roland printers, with one thing stopping me (besides being incredibly cheap)
it kind of outrages me that you are locked out of service menu.

my position is once roland is paid, they no longer have standing to lock me out of my own machine & i will NEVER pay someone who probably has a skill level lower than my own to work on my machine (that cheap thing again)

i know there are a few people on this site with a skill set and background equal to my own and my tech

i think we should take the same approach apple owners have had to take. has anyone looked into the process of reflashing programable chips on the new rolands?

 

[Zoogee World]

I would love there to be a way around that stupid lock out, I do all my own servicing of my SP-300V's and VS-300i, I should be able to do my own servicing of the SG-300 as well. We had to recently change the heads on our SG-300, and I had to pay the dealer price for them and the tech fee, when if I could have had access to the menu, I could have gotten the same OEM parts for a fraction of the price and no tech fee and done it myself. Only good part of this experience is that one of the heads was defective after using for a week and they replaced it for free. I do figure that someday, someone will figure a work-around, but it is a way for Roland to continue to make money / or help dealers too. They should realize, that the people who aren't that skill or comfortable will still go to them, it's only those of us who are either too cheap or have the skills and knowledge to do it themselves that would do this. Okay, rant over, but I'm still upset, as I was only told after the ink upgrade about the lock-out.

 

[MikePro]

....but right to repair could give criminals access to hack your personal information and your wife & kids will never be safe!

 

[Solventinkjet]

Their excuse is usually one of two things, 1. The customer is too stupid to fix their own machine so we have to protect them from themselves. And 2. The customer is too stupid not to hurt themselves so we must protect them from themselves. There is no good excuse for locking people out other than money plain and simple. I can tell you that over the past 13 years I have helped thousands of people fix their own printer. Most of them are 100% capable of doing it with a little to no help from someone with experience over the phone or email.

I'd love to find out how to jailbreak the Rolands. We basically only support older models for this reason.

 

[netsol]

Their excuse is usually one of two things, 1. The customer is too stupid to fix their own machine so we have to protect them from themselves. And 2. The customer is too stupid not to hurt themselves so we must protect them from themselves. There is no good excuse for locking people out other than money plain and simple. I can tell you that over the past 13 years I have helped thousands of people fix their own printer. Most of them are 100% capable of doing it with a little to no help from someone with experience over the phone or email.

I'd love to find out how to jailbreak the Rolands. We basically only support older et models for this reason.

i think we will look into what type of chip programmer is needed.
it would be a good investment, i think

don't get me wrong, i love roland, but they are dead wrong on this.

 

[Notarealsignguy]

Aren't the Epsons locked out too?

 

[Zoogee World]

It's the more complex system, which requires the tech to connect to the printer and access it using their credentials and a temporary access code given by Roland from my understanding.

 

[highrolling24]

I had just talked to my tech because my vg2 is out of warranty this month and I had asked if I could change my own head and he said no butttttt he could unlock it for me so there is a way just need to have a good tech, so should I get the one year warranty for $1700 for a extra year?

 

[balstestrat]

Is the service menu a simple username/password, or is it somehow unlocked online by the tech. If it's a username, has nobody tried to bribe the tech that shows up?

Tech needs to connect to the printer with Peck and login with personal Roland tech account. You only have it if you are certified. Then you can unlock the service menu for that session.

 

[balstestrat]

I had just talked to my tech because my vg2 is out of warranty this month and I had asked if I could change my own head and he said no butttttt he could unlock it for me so there is a way just need to have a good tech, so should I get the one year warranty for $1700 for a extra year?

It probably doesn't include heads and the work for it? I wouldn't. Just save it for that future head replacement.

 

[WildWestDesigns]

don't get me wrong, i love roland, but they are dead wrong on this.

It's gotten to the point, that I think the ship has sailed on this, especially for the more mainstream OEMs. At best, would be looking at some 3rd party to come up with a solution, if "you" aren't able to do so on "your" own.

You know that saying that's making the rounds: "You will own nothing and you will be happy".

To an extent, this has been going on for a long time and it took a good bit to get to this point and sadly customers allowed for it to happen. I remember back in the 90s used to have the schematics to replace parts and tech manuals tended to be available even for the end user. OEMs didn't have an issue with safety or the security of their IP back in the good ole days (I'm talking in general terms with regard to OEMs, not any OEM specifically).

I may, emphasis on may, be able to understand if it was within warranty, but after that, all locks should be taken down and it would be up to the customer to repair it from then on in a manner that they would like to have it handled. Even at that point, there could be a gotcha depending on how replacement parts are handled. I can think of a company or two that has such a lock on the entire production line of their products, that they can make it to where we couldn't get (at least easily) replacement parts if we were so inclined to fix the product on our own.

 

[Joe House]

It probably doesn't include heads and the work for it? I wouldn't. Just save it for that future head replacement.

If you're getting the Roland Service contract, it is another year of the same coverage as the original warranty. Parts (heads included) and labor and travel, with the same limitations - no third party inks or parts used, physical damage is not covered, travel is limited to 400 miles from the dealer - full details at roland's website. Excess travel is negotiable. Not a bad deal if you like the security of knowing what your service costs will be for the year. Or if you're not afraid of a little risk, put the money in your savings. If you're not far, replacing a head should cost less than that. If something else goes - who knows?
As for logging in to a TR2 printer, it requires the PECK2 tool on our computer, I have to login with my Roland credentials and I have to have enough training points with Roland to be considered certified. Once you're logged in successfully then you have the same finger dance to unlock the printer's service mode. If I leave my job, my Roland credentials get deleted. If I don't continue my education, my certification is null. Either of these will lock me out of PECK2. I hope the insight is helpful.

 

[Solventinkjet]

If you're getting the Roland Service contract, it is another year of the same coverage as the original warranty. Parts (heads included) and labor and travel, with the same limitations - no third party inks or parts used, physical damage is not covered, travel is limited to 400 miles from the dealer - full details at roland's website. Excess travel is negotiable. Not a bad deal if you like the security of knowing what your service costs will be for the year. Or if you're not afraid of a little risk, put the money in your savings. If you're not far, replacing a head should cost less than that. If something else goes - who knows?
As for logging in to a TR2 printer, it requires the PECK2 tool on our computer, I have to login with my Roland credentials and I have to have enough training points with Roland to be considered certified. Once you're logged in successfully then you have the same finger dance to unlock the printer's service mode. If I leave my job, my Roland credentials get deleted. If I don't continue my education, my certification is null. Either of these will lock me out of PECK2. I hope the insight is helpful.

That's rough with the training credits. I've learned more in the field than any training I've ever been to. Mimaki doesn't allow access to their manuals if you're not trained. Mutoh gives me everything the day it's released regardless of training etc!

 

[FrankW]

That's rough with the training credits. I've learned more in the field than any training I've ever been to. Mimaki doesn't allow access to their manuals if you're not trained. Mutoh gives me everything the day it's released regardless of training etc!

Since version 5, to use the mutoh MSA-tool for example to upgrade firmwares, you need to have a „Mutoh Club for Dealers“-Login too.

 

[Terry01]

Do what others have done, fry the roland when it dies and buy a mimaki.
5 years of no sales will put them in a position where they will freely unlock the machines prior to purchase.

 

[netsol]

there are sites that sell the epson tools for all their machines, but not for roland
i wonder if CHRIS FABIAN is still monitoring this site?
he probably has the resources to do this, but just hasn't recognized the need for it and the potential sales

 

[netsol]

Do what others have done, fry the roland when it dies and buy a mimaki.
5 years of no sales will put them in a position where they will freely unlock the machines prior to purchase.

I would rather see us able to jailbreak, a "5 year plan" is not ideal.

 

[greysquirrel]

Most manufacturers offer end user svc “self maintainer” classes…try that route

 

[Superior_Adam]

Here is the work around. 1) Find you a tech that is cool as sh!t. 2) You plug in your laptop and they remote into that laptop and open their program which allows access to the service menu. 3)fix your printer.

 

[balstestrat]

If you're getting the Roland Service contract, it is another year of the same coverage as the original warranty. Parts (heads included) and labor and travel, with the same limitations - no third party inks or parts used, physical damage is not covered

Yeah so basically after a year you already know the head is working. And I know Roland is pain in the ass with the head warranty. One scratch on it and they won't cover it.
At the end you probably will have to pay for the wear&tear printhead yourself.