Epson 7500 User Manual

User’s Guide

Printed on recycled paper with at least 10% post-consumer content

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of with this

Neither

EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for use

parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the U.S.) failure to strictly comply with

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any options

or any consumable products other than those designated as Original Products by

EPSON and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks and ESC/P Raster is a trademark of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

. EPSON SoundAdvice, EPSON FaxAdvice, and EPSON Perfect Picture are trademarks of Epson

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION’s operating and maintenance instructions.

EPSON Products or EPSON Approved

America, Inc. General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of

their respective owners. The E

NERGY STAR emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.

EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

8/97

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures.

◗ Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. ◗ Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. ◗ Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. ◗ Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused interfaces. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le materiel brouilleur du Canada.

iii

Introduction

System Requirements 2 How to Use Your Manual 3

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips 4

Where To Get Help 4

NERGY STAR Compliance 5

Energy-saving Tips 6

Important Safety Instructions 6

1 Basic Printing

Accessing the Printer Driver 1-1

Accessing the Driver from Windows Applications 1-2 Accessing the Driver from Windows 95 1-2 Accessing the Driver from Windows 3.1 1-2 Accessing the Driver from Windows NT 4.0 1-3

Using the Printer Driver 1-3

Checking Basic Settings 1-4 Using Advanced Mode 1-5 Printer Driver Setting Summary 1-7

Selecting the Correct Media Type Setting 1-11 Using the Spool Manager Programs 1-12 Network Printing on a PC 1-13

Network Printing with WindowsNT 4.0 1-14

Using the Printer Software’s Built-in Network

Support 1-14

Contents

Using Online Help 1-16

Accessing Online Help from Windows 95 1-16 Accessing Online Help from Windows 3.1 1-16 Accessing Help from Windows NT 4.0 1-17

2 Printing on Special Media

Choosing Paper and Other Media 2-1 Media Loading Guidelines 2-2 Loading Plain Paper 2-3 Loading Special Media 2-5

EPSON 360 dpi, High Quality, and Photo Quality

Ink Jet Paper 2-5

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper, Glossy Film,

and Transparencies 2-6

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets and

Iron-On Transfer Paper 2-6 EPSON Photo Quality Index Cards 2-6 EPSON Photo Paper 2-7 Envelopes 2-8 Printing Banners and Other Custom Size Projects 2-9

3 Using the Control Panel

Using the Printer’s Control Panel 3-1

Lights 3-2 Buttons 3-2

Running a Printer Check 3-3 Changing the Character Table 3-3

4 Maintenance and

Transportation

Cleaning the Print Heads 4-1

Using the Head Cleaning Utility 4-1 Using the Control Panel 4-2 Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern 4-3

Replacing an Ink Cartridge 4-3

Removing and Installing an Ink Cartridge 4-4 Aligning the Print Heads 4-6 Cleaning the Printer 4-7 Transporting the Printer 4-7

5 Troubleshooting

Diagnosing Problems 5-1 Print Quality Problems 5-3 Problems with Printing 5-6 Paper Handling Problems 5-9 Printout Is Not What You Expected 5-11

Contents

A Technical Specifications

Printing A-1 Paper A-2 Ink Cartridge A-4 Mechanical A-4 Electrical A-5 Environmental A-5 Safety Approvals A-5

vii

Contents

Glossary Index

viii

Introduction

Your EPSON Stylus 16 million colors, producing amazingly realistic photographic images and vivid computer graphic art. Its razor-sharp black printing also gives you laser-quality text, superb grayscale images, and detailed line art.

The printer software provides many automatic options and gives you control over the most subtle features of your image. It can even tailor its color correction scheme specifically for your image type, be it captured by digital video or still camera, imported from a photo CD, or created from a presentation graphics program.

You can also perform many printer maintenance procedures right from your computer, such as cleaning and aligning the print heads. And through printer operations in real time.

EPSON’s specially formulated ink cartridges and wide variety of

ink jet papers give you the best quality output and offer the most flexibility for getting the results you want. See page2-1 for ordering information.

COLOR 400 printer prints up to

EPSON’s extensive online help can guide you

Introduction

System Requirements

To use your printer and its driver, your system should have:

◗ An IBM

faster processor

◗ Windows

Windows 95, or Windows NT® 4.0

◗ At least 16MB of RAM (more for Windows 95) ◗ At least 20MB of free hard disk space for storing images

(50MB or more is recommended)

◗ VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor ◗ Double-speed CD-ROM drive (quad-speed or faster

recommended) for installing the printer software

◗ A shielded, twisted-pair parallel cable (6 to 10 feet long) to

connect your computer to the printer; the cable must have a D-SUB, 25-pin, male connector for your computer and a 36-pin, Centronics

compatible PC with at least a 386/25 MHz or

3.1x, Windows for Workgroups 3.11,

compatible connector for the printer.

To use the

EPSON A

nswers online guide (not available for Windows NT), you need at least a 486/33 processor. You also should have at least 20MB of free hard disk space for full program installation or at least 8MB of free hard disk space to run

EPSON Answers from the CD.

For system requirements for the

Software Suite, see your Setup Guide.

EPSON Perfect Picture

™

Introduction

How to Use Your Manual

To set up your printer and install your printer software, see the Setup Guide for instructions.

information you need to use your printer in these chapters: Chapter 1, “Using the Printer Software,” explains how to use

the printer driver, Spool Manager programs, and online Help. Chapter 2, “Using Special Media,” gives guidelines for

selecting the right paper or other media for your print job and instructions for loading it in your printer.

Chapter 3, “Using the Control Panel,” tells you how to use the printer’s control panel, run a printer check, and change the character table.

Chapter 4, “Maintenance and Transportation,” gives instructions for cleaning and aligning the print heads, replacing the ink cartridges, and cleaning and transporting the printer.

This User’s Guide contains the

Chapter 5, “Troubleshooting,” provides solutions for any problems you may have.

Appendix

details on your printer, ink cartridges, and EPSON media. A Glossary and an Index

, “Technical Specifications,” prov ides the technical

are

included at the end of the book.

Introduction

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

You’ll find this information throughout your manual:

Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your

equipment.

Notes contain important information about your printer.

Tips contain additional hints for great printing.

Where To Get Help

EPSON provides customer support through the following

services:

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON’s Home Page at

http://www.epson.com.

EPSON Internet FTP Site If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or

other software for FTP downloading) to log onto ftp.epson.com with the user name anonymous and your e-mail address as the password.

EPSON Download Service You can call the EPSON Download Service at (800) 442-2007. Set

your communications software to 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity. Modem speed can be up to 28.8 Kbps.

EPSON Forum on CompuServe

Members of CompuServe can type GO EPSON at the menu prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. For a free introductory CompuServe membership, call (800) 848-8199 and ask for representative #529.

Introduction

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON SoundAdvice

EPSON FaxAdvice

EPSON Referral Service For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or

™

Pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about EPSON products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call (800) 442-2110.

Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling (800) 442-2110. You must provide a return fax number to use this service.

Customer Care Center, call (800) 442-2110.

EPSON also provides technical support and information on the

installation, configuration, and operation of

EPSON products.

Dial (800) 922-8911, (310) 782-2600 (U.S.), or (905) 709-9475 (Canada), 6 A.M. to 6 P.M., Pacific Time, Monday through Friday.

Note: If you need help using software with an EPSON product, see the documentation for that program for technical support information.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

◗ Product name ◗ Product serial number ◗ Computer configuration ◗ Description of the problem

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, accessories, and parts from

EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S.

sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

ENERGY STAR Compliance

As an E product meets the E efficiency. The EPA E

NERGY STAR

Partner,

NERGY STAR guidelines for energy

NERGY STAR Office Equipment

program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of

EPSON

has determined that this

Introduction

energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

Energy-saving Tips

Here are a few tips you can use to be even more energy-wise: ◗ If your monitor isn’t E

when you’re not using it.

◗ Turn off your computer, printer, and monitor each day

when you are done using them.

◗ Use the print preview option in your software so you can

catch errors before you print something.

◗ Send e-mail rather than distributing memos. Not only is

this faster, but you’ll save paper and storage space too.

NERGY STAR compliant, turn it off

Important Safety Instructions

Before using your printer, read the following safety instructions to make sure you use the printer safely and effectively.

◗ Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean

with a damp cloth only. Do not spill liquid on the printer.

◗ Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a

radiator or heating vent.

◗ Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s cabine t

or insert objects through the slots.

◗ Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s

label.

◗ Connect all equipment to properly grounded power

outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.

Introduction

◗ Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be

easily unplugged.

Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise de contacte où la fiche peut être débranchée facilement.

◗ Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed. ◗ If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure

the total ampere rating of the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating. Also, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

◗ Except as specifically explained in this User’s Guide, do not

attempt to service the printer yourself.

◗ Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service

personnel under the following conditions: If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered

the printer; if the printer has been dropped or the cabinet damaged; if the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls that are covered by the operating instructions.

Introduction

Basic Printin

The printer software includes the following programs: ◗ Printer driver, which lets you control printing and choose

from a wide variety of settings to customize the appearance of your documents.

◗

EPSON Spool Manager, Despooler, and Status Monitor

(Windows 95 only), which monitor your print job and let you control how it prints.

EPSON S

◗

more information on your software whenever you need it.

This chapter tells you how to access and use these printer software programs. See Chapter 4 for instructions on using the Nozzle Check, Head Cleaning, and Print Head Alignment utilities to perform printer maintenance procedures.

tylus

COLOR

400 online help so you can look up

Accessing the Printer Driver

You can access the driver in different ways, depending on how you want the changes to be applied:

◗ To apply changes only to documents printed from your

currently running Windows application, see the following section.

◗ To apply changes to documents printed from all Windows

applications, access the driver as described on the next page for Windows 95, Windows 3.1, or Windows NT.

1-1

Basic Printing

Accessing the Driver from Windows Applications

Note: The settings you select through your Windows application apply only until you exit that application. Then the driver settings return to the default values selected through the Windows 95 Printer Properties or Windows 3.1 Control Panel (or the driver’s defaults).

Note: The settings you select using Windows apply to all your Windows applications, unless you change them for a particular application session, as described above. Also some application settings override driver settings (such as Paper Size or Orientation), so it’s a good idea to check the driver settings in your application too.

1. Choose

Print Setup

from the File menu of your

Windows application program. If you choose Print, you first see a Print dialog box that

contains the settings you change most often, including the number of copies and the pages you want printed.

2. To access the printer driver settings, choose the

Setup, Properties, or Options button. (You may need to

Printer,

select another option, depending on your software program.)

3. In Windows 95 and Windows NT, click the Main tab; you

see the Main menu, shown on page 1-3. In Windows 3.1, you see the Main menu when the driver opens.

Accessing the Driver from Windows 95

1. Double-click the My Computer icon.

2. Double-click the

3. Right-click the

Printers folder.

EPSON Stylus COLOR 400 icon (or

double-click the icon and then pull down the Printer menu).

4. Select

Properties.

5. Click the Main tab. You see the Main menu, shown on the

next page.

Accessing the Driver from Windows 3.1

1. Double-click the

2. Double-click the

Control Panel Printers icon.

icon in the Main group.

1-2

Basic Printing

Note: You can access the default Windows NT printer software settings only if you have the appropriate network access privileges, such as Administrator or Power User.

3. Choose

EPSON Stylus COLOR 400 from the list of

Installed Printers.

4. Choose

Setup. You see the Main menu, shown below.

Accessing the Driver from Windows NT 4.0

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then select Printers.

2. Click the

3. Open the File menu and select

EPSON Stylus COLOR 400 icon.

Document Defaults. You

see the Main menu.

Using the Printer Driver

When you access the printer driver, you may need to click the Main tab to view the Main menu.

Main tab

1-3

Basic Printing

Most of the basic driver settings you’ll need to check are on the Main menu. Settings controlling the paper size, orientation, and layout are on the Paper menu. You can run the printer utilities from the Utility menu (see Chapter 4 for details).

For a description of all the settings available in the printer driver, see page 1-7.

Checking Basic Settings

For most printing, you’ll only need to check these few basic settings to make sure they’re correct for your print job. The Current Settings box on the Main menu lists many of the options currently selected in the driver.

Note: If you select Automatic mode and the Plain paper Media Type, you see the Quality/Speed slider on the Main menu. Click the arrows or use the scroll box to select settings appropriate for either high quality or high speed, depending on the document type and the results you require.

To cancel your changes and exit the driver, click the Cancel button at the bottom of the menu at any time.

◗ Mode (Main menu). Select

Automatic

so the printer software can automatically choose the best settings based on the data in your print file. Choose

Advanced to customize

your settings; see the next section for details.

◗ Media Type (Main menu). Be sure to accurately choose the

media type you have loaded in your printer so the driver’s automatic features can accurately tailor your settings for it. See page 1-11 for details.

◗ Ink (Main menu). Select

any color data; select

Color if your print job contains

Black if you’re printing only in black.

◗ Paper Size, Orientation (Paper menu). Choose the size of

paper you’ve loaded in the printer and the orientation of the image on the page.

Once you’ve changed these basic settings as needed, check th e Current Settings box on the bottom of the menu to see if the other settings, such as Print Quality, are correct for your document. If you’re ready to print, click

OK. If you need to

adjust them, use Advanced mode as described in the next section.

1-4

Basic Printing

Using Advanced Mode

If you want to tailor your settings for a particular document type or just customize them to suit your needs, select

Advanced mode on the Main menu. When you choose

Advanced mode, the

More Settings and Save Settings buttons become active.

Selecting a Document Type

To select settings that are best for a particular document type, click the arrow in the Custom Settings drop-down list. Then choose one of these document types:

◗ Photo for printing scanned photographs ◗ Text/Graph when printing text and graphs, such as

presentation charts

Custom Settings drop-down list and the

Note: Be sure to also select the Media Type you’ve loaded in the printer and the correct Ink settings because the settings chosen for your document type depend on this information. Some settings may be limited by the document type you select.

◗ PhotoEnhance for printing images captured using a video

camera, digital camera, or scanner. Produces sharper images and more vivid colors by automatically adjusting the contrast, saturation, and brightness. Corrects for overall under- and over-exposure of the original image.

◗ Economy for faster printing of text drafts on plain paper to

save ink.

Each document type automatically sets other options in the printer driver, such as Print Quality and Halftoning, so you get the best results. You can also add custom document types to the list, as described on the next page.

1-5

Basic Printing

Customizing Advanced Settings

To select your own Advanced mode settings, click the More

Settings

Settings box.

button on the Main menu to bring up the More

In this dialog box you can change the Media Type and Ink settings you made on the Main menu, if necessary, and adjust many other settings to suit your needs. Then you can save the settings as a document type for later use, as described in the next section.

For a description of advanced settings (More Settings dialog box), see page 1-8.

Saving Customized Settings

You can save your group of custom settings with a unique name and add it to the Custom Settings drop-down list on the Main menu. Then you can easily select the settings (up to 10 groups) whenever you want to use them.

1. On the Main menu, select

1-6

Advanced

mode.

Basic Printing

2. Change your printer driver settings as necessary.

3. Return to the Main menu and click the

Save Settings

button to bring up the User Defined Setting dialog box.

4. Type a document name for your custom settings in the Name field (up to 16 characters).

5. Click

Save.

The name you assigned to the settings now appears in the Custom Settings drop-down list so you can choose it whenever you want to use the settings.

To delete a custom document type, select

Advanced mode and

the document type in the Custom Settings drop-down list. Then click User Defined Setting box, and click

Save Settings, select the document type in the

Delete. (You cannot delete

any of the predefined document types.)

Printer Driver Setting Summary

The following tables summarize the settings available in each menu tab (with default values in bold type). See your printer driver’s online help for more details, as described on page 1-16.

1-7

Basic Printing

Main menu settings

Setting Options Description

Mode Automatic

Advanced

Advanced mode document types *

Quality/Speed slide bar ** Quality

Media Type Plain paper

Ink Color

* Available only when using Advanced mode. ** Available only when using Automatic mode and Plain paper.

Custom Settings

Photo Text/Graph PhotoEnhance Economy

Speed

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Glossy Paper Photo Quality Glossy Film Ink Jet Transparencies

Black

More Settings dialog box settings

See page 1-4 for details.

See page 1-5 for details.

See page 1-4 for details.

See page 1-11 for a table of EPSON media names and the Media Type settings they require.

If your print job contains any color data, choose Color. If it contains only black data, select Black.

Setting Options Description

Print Quality * Fine - 720 dpi

Normal - 360 dpi Economy

Media Type Plain paper

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Photo Quality Glossy Paper Photo Quality Glossy Film Ink Jet Transparencies

Ink Color

Black

Selects either 720 dpi, 360 dpi, or Economy printing mode.

See page 1-11 for a table of EPSON media names and the Media Type settings they require.

If your print job contains any color data, choose Color. If it contains only black data, select Black.

1-8

More Settings dialog box settings

Setting Options Description

Basic Printing

Halftoning ** No halftoning

Error diffusion Coarse Dithering Fine Dithering

MicroWeave On

Off

High Speed On

Off

Flip Horizontal On

Off

Finest Detail On

Off

Color Adjustment settings

On or Off Mode Automatic Photo-realistic Vivid No Color Adjustment Brightness –25% to +25% (0%) Contrast –25% to +25% (0%) Saturation –25% to +25% (0%) Cyan –25% to +25% (0%) Magenta –25% to +25% (0%) Yellow –25% to +25% (0%)

Sets the method used to place dots of ink on the paper. See the printer driver online help for details.

Controls printing of dots in fine increments.

Controls bidirectional printing mode.

Lets you create a mirror image (useful for creating transfer images).

Controls printing of dots in the finest increments.

Control the color correction technique and various image and color adjustments when you’re not using PhotoEnhance or ICM mode (described below).

PhotoEnhance On

Off

ICM (Windows 95 only)OnOff

* The Print Quality is selected automatically depending on the current Media Type. If you choose a

Print Quality setting that is not appropriate for your media, the driver changes the Media Type setting. Always check that your Media Type is still correct after changing the Print Quality.

** In Automatic mode, the Halftoning setting is selected based on the data encountered in your

print job. In Advanced mode, Halftoning is preselected for each document type setting. No Halftoning is available only when you select Black as the Ink setting.

Produces sharper images and more vivid colors by automatically adjusting the contrast, saturation, and brightness. Corrects for overall under- and over-exposure of the original image.

Turns on an Image Color Matching color correction mode to match your screen and printed colors.

1-9

Basic Printing

Paper menu settings

Setting Options Description

Paper Size A4 210 × 297 mm

Letter 8 1/2 × 11 in

Legal 8 1/2 × 14 in B5 182 × 257 mm A5 148.5 × 210 mm A6 index card 105 × 148 mm Executive 7 1/2 × 10 in Half Letter 5 1/2 × 8 1/2 in Index card 5 × 8 in Index card 8 × 10 in EPSON Photo Paper 4 × 6 in Envelope #10 4 1/8 × 9 1/2 in Envelope DL 110 × 220 mm Envelope C6 114 × 162 mm User Defined *

Duplication Method Copies 1 to 99

Collate On or Off Reverse Order On or Off

Orientation Portrait

Landscape

Printable Area ** Maxim um

Centered

Indicates the size of the paper or other media you have loaded in the printer.

Lets you print multiple copies and collated copies, and reverses the order in which the pages are printed.

Sets the direction of printing on the page.

Selects the print margin to the maximum printable area or centered on the page.

* Using this option, you can add a customized paper size in this size range:

Width: 3.9 to 9.5 inches (100 × 241 mm) Length: 3.9 to 43.9 inches (100 × 1117 mm)

** This option is not available when you’re using a User Defined Paper Size.

Utility menu options

Utility Description

Status Monitor * See page 1-12 for details. Nozzle Check See Chapter 4 for details. Head Cleaning Print Head Alignment

* Available only when you’re using Windows 95.

1-10

+ 58 hidden pages