Archive for the ‘Print Quality Troubleshooting’ Category

Tiled printing is when users produce a massively large project using a standard inkjet printer.  For instance, a large banner on the side of a building or a hallway wall is not one long piece of paper, yet multiple standard size pieces of paper that are printing separately then attached together.  Each tile or sheet will have a small portion of a large image, much like a puzzle.  The main program that is used to accomplish tiled projects is ‘The Rasterbator’.

The first thing that a user needs to do after loading the proper software is to find the desired image from the web or personal folders and download it to be converted into a jpeg image.  Once it has loaded, cropping and resizing options will be available.  Once you have selected the appropriate coordinates, the image will be sent to the server.  This will take up an abundance of memory, so be patient if you find yourself in a queue. 

Once all of the pieces to your picture have printed out, you can decide how to mount them or where to display it.  The separate tiles allow users to be creative with the final project.  Perhaps a few tiles should not be completely level with the others, or maybe only a few prints will be in color while the rest are black-and-white as to add emphasis on certain parts of the image.  The options are limitless, and the final product will add some pizzazz to a white bedroom wall or turn people’s heads whe they see it hanging from the old football stadium.

One of the largest tiled prints ever produced was by a small college in Massachusetts.  The final product was approximately 1,500 tiles, creating a record breaking tiled image.  Rasterbation is the most exciting form of printing since lettered banners that could be taped together.

In order to print, you need a couple of things working properly on your printer. One of the first things all buyers have to set up when they take their new HP printer out of the box is the printer driver. While many printers must use a specific driver to get up and running, there is an option out there called the Universal Printer Driver, or UPD.

When should you choose a Universal Printer Driver? Though they tend to work like a “one size fits all” product, that doesn’t mean it should be your first option—actually UPDs are the last option for most. Even if your product has a UPD listed, it may not be the best for your unit. Here are some situations in which an HP UPD is the right option.

• If printing in a mixed environment. This means if there are Windows operating systems and Mac operating systems operating with the same printer, you may want a UPD. If any mixture of operating systems is being used in conjunction with each other.
• If a basic driver wasn’t included upon purchase.
• If you are hoping to achieve compatibility with old versions of LaserJet printers.
• If printing intense graphics on Adobe is needed.
• IF printing on an enterprise environment to multiple printer models.
• If you want to upgrade your driver, but there are no updates available.

It is imperative that you only download a UPD if you are working on a machine that prints only. Multifunction machines and all in ones should not be used in conjunction with a UPD.

To download a UPD, go to Support and Drivers on HP’s website. Here you should find a list of printers, including yours. Follow the instructions, and if you have any questions or concerns on whether a UPD is right for you, call your manufacturer.

If you have a Lexmark printer, you know that there are a number of different errors that can happen here or there. One of the infamous errors is the 1203 error message that is primarily seen on the Lexmark 3300 series of all-in-one units.

What does this message mean? Generally you will see this error because a communication failure has occurred between one of the cartridge’s printheads and the machine itself. You may also see this error if there is a short in a printhead.

In order to fix this error, turn off the all-in-one machine and remove the power from the back of the unit. After about thirty seconds, put the power supply back into the machine and turn the multifunction device back on. If the error message goes away, try printing a test page. If the test page works, the error is resolved. If the test page doesn’t work or the error message returns, you will need to try a few more things.

Next, turn the unit off and remove the power cord again. Open up the top of the all in one, and gently move the cartridge to the middle of the machine. Take out both cartridges, close the top, put the power supply back in and turn the unit back on. If the message returns, you most likely will need to call Lexmark.

If the message does not return, power off the unit and remove the power from the back. Open the top, and move the cartridge carrier to the middle of the unit. Now insert the color cartridge and turn the machine back on. If the message returns, you need to clean your cartridge contacts. If you have cleaned them and it still returns, run a defective cartridge test.

Now do the same thing for the black cartridge. If the message comes back, you will need to follow the same procedures as before. If there is no message, print a test page and the error should be resolved.

No matter how excellent, all electronic devices experience trouble at some point—and HP scanners are no different. Though every HP scanner is different, HP has does have some general fixes for when your Photosmart scanner decides to quit working. These quick and easy fixes will work for scanners in the series, and they may also work for scanners with networking, as well as those that are e-scanners.

If you think the issue is software related, you need to uninstall and reinstall your HP scanning software. Go to “Add/Remove Programs”, which can be found on your desktop. A list of options should appear, and you need to click on “Uninstall”. Wait for the program to uninstall, then reinsert the scanner software that came with your HP scanner upon purchase. Follow the installation instructions. If you do not have the original CD, go onto the HP website.

Sometimes the scanner not operating properly has something to do with Windows. If that’s the case, the first thing you need to do is disable all start-up options in Windows. Then, go to “Run” and enter “MSCONFIG”. This will open up the system configuration window where you need to uncheck all programs in the “Selective Start-up” menu.

If your scanner isn’t working, but is making a strange mechanical noise, disconnect the machine from its power source for at least one minute and then reconnect all cables to the scanner and the power source. This should make the sound go away.

If  there’s a chance your scanner isn’t cooperating because its running with outdated software, install any updates your machine may be missing and try downloading a new driver from HP.

The last thing that can cause your scanner real problems is a dirty surface. To clean the glass, open the scanner up using a screwdriver. Once it’s open, use glass cleaner and a dry cloth to clean off dust and debris on both sides. Then reinstall.

There are so many parts inside a laser printer, it’s hard to know what everything is and does. The transfer belt, for instance, happens to be one of those key ingredients to a printer that people completely forget exists. However, if you don’t replace your transfer belt on your Samsung CLP-510 at the appropriate time, it can cause big problems with your printer and the quality of documents produced.

What exactly is a Samsung CLP-510 transfer belt and what does it do? The transfer belt is a large rotating belt inside your unit that helps ensure accuracy of prints. The belt moves in front of all the toner cartridges inside the CLP-510 and helps each of the layers of toner to be applied to the page in a precise manner. Basically it is responsible for transferring the image from the cartridge to the media. The great thing about the Samsung CLP-510’s transfer belt is that it was created to be replaced quickly and easily by any consumer.

First you will need to turn off and unplug the CLP-510. Wait around 15 minutes before you take apart the machine. This will keep your printer from burning you during the replacement process. Find the handle on your machine and pull it to open the left cover. This will open at a 90 degree angle. Hit the release button on the top cover and open the top cover all the way.

Locate the old transfer belt and grab the handle. Gently slide the transfer belt out and discard it according to the regulations in your local area.

Open up the packaging for your new transfer belt. Make sure you remove the label and protective seals on both sides of the belt. If you don’t do this, the belt won’t work inside the machine.

Align your new belt with the slots by holding the handle. Slide the belt down inside the printer until it locks firmly. On each side of the top cover, push the lock levers down. Close the top cover and turn the machine back on, and you will be able to print

Those who have a Xerox Phaser printer in the 700 series probably know all about those indicator lights on the front panel. You may not know, however, what they mean or why they decide to turn on. Knowing why the light is on, though, is half the battle of fixing the problem. Listed below are the different indicators your Phaser will give off, what they mean and how to clear them.

If your power indicator light is off, that means your printer is off. It may also go off if the machine has detected an error or if the machine is broken or disabled.

If your power indicator is blinking, that means the printer is printing, processing or receiving a print job or that you have simply hit the menu option on the front panel. To clear it, all you need to do is wait until the print job is complete or close the menu operation.

If the error indicator is on, there is something wrong with the machine that is causing the printer to be unable to operate. When this light occurs, you should look at the front panel where the condition will be made aware to you. One example may be that your toner is low.

If the error indicator light is blinking, your printer has stopped printing due to a correctable error. Examples of correctable errors are paper jams or open doors. The front panel should tell you exactly what the issue is and what to do, but if it doesn’t choose the “Info/More” option on the front panel. Also, if the message included an error number, consult your user’s manual or your manufacturer to figure out what the error may mean.

If your front panel menu has returned to “Ready” without anyone selecting ready, your front-panel has probably timed-out. This may happen if there’s been no activity for 5 minutes after a print job has been selected. In this case, just simply press “Menu”.

If you own an HP LaserJet printer, you know that they are capable of printing very high quality documents with every print. However, there are things that can affect your LaserJet, causing the quality of the printed documents to look less precise than they should, meaning the colors are lighter than desired or perhaps printing in the wrong color.  Below are some common reasons why LaserJets may experience these decreases in quality and how to fix them.

First, remove the toner cartridge from the printer and shake it gently back and forth a few times. Some of your toner could be clumped up due to the temperature or environment. This will cause the clumps to loosen up.  

Also, you may want to check your LaserJet’s settings. You can do this by going to your control panel and clicking the icon called “Printers and Preferences”. For the highest quality output, you want to make sure you have “Best” marked as the quality setting instead of “draft”. If you are “draft mode”, your printer is set to print out text documents. Also, if your printer is in “Toner Save” mode this can affect the quality of documents as well.

Another reason you may experience low quality prints from your LaserJet could be because either there is a problem with your cartridge or one of your cartridges is running low on toner. To test this, print a color test page either on the HP website or the site you purchased your cartridges from.  It will be obvious which cartridge is having the problem due to the color being faded or having an imperfection in the print. In this case, if the cartridge is the problem with the prints, you will need to replace the cartridge sitting inside.

You can also try cleaning the toner cartridge and the inside of printer of any loose toner. If these procedures aren’t the easy fix you need, you will need to consult your manufacturer’s manual.

HP LaserJet printers, like all printers, can experience problems every now and then. At times, your LaserJet might print out with lines that may be annoying and frustrating to you. Every line represents a different problem that your machine could experience, though, and each line has a different way of being fixed.

If you are experiencing horizontal lines equal distances apart, such as 1 inch, there are a couple reasons this might have occurred. One cause is that the internal contents of the cartridge have been damaged during shipping or due to climate or that the cartridge is near the end of its life.  Another cause though could be that the print cartridge has been opened yet unused for three or more weeks. If that’s the case, print around 100 pages to clear the issue up. You can also try printing troubleshooting pages as well.  If the lines printed are disoriented or fuzzy, the cartridge is damaged and will need to be replaced. Horizontal lines that are white generally mean that the fuser may need to be replaced.

If you have vertical lines that appear in the same spot in every print, you probably have a foreign object stuck to the cartridge that will need to be removed—this could mean the cartridge itself needs to be replaced. It may also mean that the drum has been damaged or scratched and is leaving that mark with every print, meaning you will need to also replace this. If you have similar lines that are broken, this could be caused by the same factors or low temperature and high humidity.

The last type of problem you may experience is little lines or marks going vertically on your page. This generally means that the roller on the cartridge has gotten nicked or scratched, meaning you will need to replace the cartridge.

Like all printers, sometimes a laser printer can give you problems.  Here are some common problems, what they mean and how to fix them quickly and easily.

If your printer is refusing to print, you should check your front panel settings and cables.  The printer needs to be online or selected on the panel. Your problem could also be that your Brother TN360 toner printer requires an IEEE 1284 cable instead of the parallel cable that is standard. A Serial Cable or LocalTalk cable may be required.  If you look at your user’s manual, your printer’s specific cables should be mentioned.

If your prints are coming out faded, this could mean you are almost out of toner.  Try shaking the Canon FX-9 toner cartridge so you can get more prints for your money before replacing the cartridge. If this doesn’t work, simply buy a new toner cartridge.

If your printer is printing gibberish or garbage, this usually means that your printer driver is wrong.  Sometimes this also indicates that the driver is corrupt.  One example is using a PostScript driver on a computer that is not compatible with PostScript.

If there are lines printing on your documents or smeared HP CC530A toner, your fuser may be dirty or broken.  You can try cleaning your fuser based on manufacturer’s directions.  However, usually this will mean you need a replacement.

If letters are printing jumbled together, it most likely means that the font you are printing in is unavailable.

If each print takes longer than it should or only half of each page prints, this is a good indication that your printer is trying to print text in graphics mode. To fix this, at the beginning of the document, change the font code to a font that exists on your printer so the Canon C106 toner can be applied.

If prints are coming out fuzzy, usually the problem is actually in the paper because it is slightly damp.  This usually happens because moisture from the air is getting trapped in your paper, so paper that has been out of its package for an extended amount of time can be damp.

Ghosting is a term used for repeated images printed on a page. It may appear as a graphic that shows up multiple times on a page, usually each one a little lighter than before, or as a block of text that exhibits the same behavior.  This can cause many problems, such as unnecessary depletion of sometimes expense printer toner cartridges.

Most problems with ghosting relate to a problem with the imaging drum, the imaging kit, or the transfer belt. A printer transfers the toner from the cartridge by charging parts of the imaging drum, which causes ink toner to stick to it, and the drum then rolls across the page, transferring the laser printer toner to the paper. If some toner remains stuck to the drum, it can sometimes be transferred to the page a second time as the drum rolls across again. This can cause ghosting.

The main cause of ghosting is an imaging drum, imaging kit, or transfer belt that is near the end of its life and is not working correctly. Many printers give an estimate of the life left in these parts. If it is estimated to be at the end of its life, replacing it may fix the problem. Most imaging drums can be replaced by the user, but the imaging kit or transfer belt may require a professional repair shop on some models.

Another possible cause of ghosting is an improper electrical supply. The imaging drum becomes electrically charged during printing, which causes the toner to stick to the drum in certain areas. If the power supply to the drum is not correct, it can cause printing problems. It is possible that a faulty power outlet could be causing the ghosting. Plugging the printer into a different power outlet can sometimes alleviate this problem. If you suspect that all power outlets in the office have a problem supplying adequate power, another option would be to use an uninterruptible power supply, which can regulate the power output to more exacting standards.