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MUTOH Firmware, 1000ml ink & the truth :)

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Binker

New Member
Hi All,
I have a quickie question around the good ol' faithful 1304 valuejet. So, we all know if you're running 1l bulk in these things you have to run multiple smart cards to get through the litre. I recently picked up the details of what each firmware revision included (old news to most no doubt). The latest, 2.01, now ups the machines ability to read a 1000ml smart card...not only that, but it lists the partnumber of the ultra ink it relates to the 1l 1324 & 1624 inks. My question is this, to the Mutoh engineers, can that firmware be put on my 1304, or are there undisclosed physical changes during the machines production over the years which facillitate this? I'm just trying to run genuine ink bought as 1000ml, I just can't get the cards! Any thougths or is the magic smart card unlock the only route???
 
B

Binker

New Member
Thanks henryp, I'm fully aware of that. However the smart cards supplied with the 1l eco ultra ink bags will only run in the 1324x era machines I'm told. Reading the firmware bulletin for the 1304 I believe the latest firmware will allow it to these new cards, but can't seem to get an answer as to whether the firmware will work on my older machine?
 
G

GTSTech_1

New Member
You will/should get an error message of "Wrong Firmware for Printer Model". The X does make a difference. Just a FYI, the latest firmware for the 1304/1324 won't allow you to run OEM Mutoh 440cc carts, per Mutoh the 440's were never intended to run with the baby VJ models (only 64" models).

Just my .02
 
Solventinkjet

Solventinkjet

DIY Printer Fixing Guide
The boards are designed so that once a firmware version has been installed to a main board it will never allow another model to be installed.
 
H

henryp

New Member
Binker said:
Thanks henryp, I'm fully aware of that. However the smart cards supplied with the 1l eco ultra ink bags will only run in the 1324x era machines I'm told. Reading the firmware bulletin for the 1304 I believe the latest firmware will allow it to these new cards, but can't seem to get an answer as to whether the firmware will work on my older machine?
Click to expand...

The latest firmware, V2.01 will allow you to use 1000 ml inks. I could be wrong but the way I understand the attached screenshot below, there should be no reason why this firmware will not work as long as you will be using MSA ver 3.0.0 or higher (btw, the latest version of MSA in now ver 4.1.9.
 

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B

Binker

New Member
henryp...good shout, i had a similar bulletin which suggested this very fact. So, just a preliminary trial. I picked up another 1304 which by pure coincidence has the new firmware (although the old heater firmware). It does recognise the Mutoh gen' ink bag 1l cards and isn't throwing an error!! That's good enough for me to buy an adapter to try... As for non genuine inks, it came with 440's in it and non gen cards - also working. I won't know until it screams 'ink end' whether its seeing them as 440's or 220's but on the face of it all is good! Will keep Y'all posted on what works. It does have a separate print issue but I think that's one for another thread...
PS - don't suppose you know how having the wrong heat f/w would effect it?
 
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J

Joe House

Sign Equipment Technician
Binker said:
PS - don't suppose you know how having the wrong heat f/w would effect i
Click to expand...
The card readers connect to the heater control board, so that firmware is one of the first obstacles that the signal has to overcome on the way to the main board.
 
H

henryp

New Member
Binker said:
henryp...good shout, i had a similar bulletin which suggested this very fact. So, just a preliminary trial. I picked up another 1304 which by pure coincidence has the new firmware (although the old heater firmware). It does recognise the Mutoh gen' ink bag 1l cards and isn't throwing an error!! That's good enough for me to buy an adapter to try... As for non genuine inks, it came with 440's in it and non gen cards - also working. I won't know until it screams 'ink end' whether its seeing them as 440's or 220's but on the face of it all is good! Will keep Y'all posted on what works. It does have a separate print issue but I think that's one for another thread...
PS - don't suppose you know how having the wrong heat f/w would effect it?
Click to expand...

You can download the heater controller firmware from the Mutoh America website, click on the support tab, then select Public FTP. In there, select Printer Information and Manuals, select Legacy Printers, then select VJ-1304

https://mutoh.com/
 
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B

benski

New Member
Binker said:
Hi All,
I have a quickie question around the good ol' faithful 1304 valuejet. So, we all know if you're running 1l bulk in these things you have to run multiple smart cards to get through the litre. I recently picked up the details of what each firmware revision included (old news to most no doubt). The latest, 2.01, now ups the machines ability to read a 1000ml smart card...not only that, but it lists the partnumber of the ultra ink it relates to the 1l 1324 & 1624 inks. My question is this, to the Mutoh engineers, can that firmware be put on my 1304, or are there undisclosed physical changes during the machines production over the years which facillitate this? I'm just trying to run genuine ink bought as 1000ml, I just can't get the cards! Any thougths or is the magic smart card unlock the only route???
Click to expand...

Just get the printer unlocked. Ive done it on my 1304 no more chip cards.
 
U

Umca

New Member
If you upgraded just main firmware without heater board firmware - you lost connection metween main and heater board. This case unlock will not help you.
You have to upgrade heater board firmware to version what corresponds to main board firmware.
Downgrade of firmwares on Mutoh Valuejet is impossible.
 
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