Cartridges

“Cartridge” refers to a detachable sub-unit that is held within its own container.  They were popularized by early home computers like Commodore 64 and early TV games systems. The advantage of cartridges lies in the fact that they facilitate quick loading of software from one media format to another. It also helps maintain the software in a sturdy and damage-resistant form.

Throughout the 80s and the 90s, all home video game systems were cartridge-based. As technological advancements in the late 90s ushered in CD technology as a cheaper alternative for data storage, hardware companies shifted from cartridges to CD-based game systems. This was on account of the lower costs and larger storage space provided by a CD-ROM. 

Now, cartridges are most commonly used in printers. They are encased in a larger container, which has both inlet and outlet ports that contain around 13500 fibers and 16KB of space for storing table of contents and file-location information. Each cartridge can store about 25MB of uncompressed data.

There are several types of cartridges, including inkjet cartridges, laser cartridges and toner cartridges. These cartridges come pre-filled with ink, though there are some innovative cartridges that are refillable on the market as well – these are called remanufactured cartridges.

Remanufactured cartridges of all types are abundant so care should be taken to ensure that the job of refilling them has been done safely and problem. The most common problem with remanufactured cartridges is they can be prone to leakage, especially if not filled correctly. If remanufactured cartridges are leaking inside the foil pack, then they should be returned to the place of purchase