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Dymo 550 Thermal Printer DRM Hacking

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EEVblog:
So the new Dymo 550 Turbo and other 500 series models now have DRM via an RFID tag in the roll  >:(

The printer is supposedly identical to the 450 apart from the DRM stuff. And the PC software now does roll ID and label count. So I'd bet the DRM is done in the PC software and that if you spoof the PC into thinking it's a 450 then the software would just print?

SeanB:
Dymo paper is only good initially, they will quickly devolve to using the cheapest nastiest paper they can get soon enough, because the consumer has no choice any more, use the shyte Dymo sells, or have to change printer ecosystem. You will find many software vendors will not write for any other printers, because Dymo will pay them to write software in that only uses the particular printer.

Soon you will then find that you can only use branded paper for printers as well, and they will not work with other paper other than OEM, yet the exact same paper is sold with different brands on it, and different ID's in the RFID chip, that you will have to put in the printer, which will count off the sheets till it decides the paper is finished.

Incidentally, you can buy labels for under $1 per thousand, which have varying tack levels, and also labels that are designed for removal, or designed for permanence. Just have to buy a Zebra printer instead, which does not care about the label, and does not even care if the label is in the printer, or fed in through the slot in the rear so you can put the roll of 100 000 there and have it churn away 24/7 printing them. Seen them with thousands of kilometres of print on the head, and it is warrantied for a million metres of print.

EEVblog:

--- Quote from: SeanB on February 23, 2022, 04:09:37 pm ---Just have to buy a Zebra printer instead, which does not care about the label, and does not even care if the label is in the printer, or fed in through the slot in the rear so you can put the roll of 100 000 there and have it churn away 24/7 printing them. Seen them with thousands of kilometres of print on the head, and it is warrantied for a million metres of print.

--- End quote ---

Yeah but that doesn't help people who have already invested in the Dymo ecosystem.

thm_w:
I don't know about the "450 and 550" are identical part. The 550 claims to be able to read the installed paper type and remaining, the 450 never claims that. So at the very least the 550 should have the additional RFID reading capability. You can see the boards in these photos are totally different (but maybe other models exist):

550: https://fccid.io/RGDLW550/Internal-Photos/Internal-Photos-5092146
450: https://www.ifixit.com/Guide/DYMO+LabelWriter+450+Power+Button+Assembly+Replacement/115376

There may still be a way to use it as a "generic" printer, if the protection is really on the PC side as you say.

This user has re-used the official RFID tag, but, it may run out after a certain amount of prints:
https://www.reddit.com/r/dymo/comments/qhww6m/new_labelwriter_550_turbo_label_hack/

Brady does a similar thing, with the protection is entirely integrated into the printer itself (although the printer is more expensive). They have a sticker with RFID tag deviously glued under it, so if you try to peel the sticker, the RFID IC will separate its connection, and no longer work. They will sell you a "ribbon bypass device" for $30 to get around this..

EEVblog:

--- Quote from: thm_w on February 23, 2022, 11:06:13 pm ---I don't know about the "450 and 550" are identical part. The 550 claims to be able to read the installed paper type and remaining, the 450 never claims that. So at the very least the 550 should have the additional RFID reading capability. You can see the boards in these photos are totally different (but maybe other models exist):

--- End quote ---

Yes, of course. But they are very likely very compatible from a driver and protocol point of view. The 500 series would just have some extra command capability to send the RFID data back.

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