Epson CPD 8882-R1 User Manual

CPD 8882-R1

Printer Basics

Printer Basics

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

Copyright Notice

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 SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for
use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other
printers.

Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third
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’s operating and maintenance instructions.

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 EPSON Products or EPSON
Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

Trademarks

EPSON and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

SoundAdvice is a service mark and EPSON FaxAdvice, Micro Piezo, and PhotoEnhance are trademarks of Epson
America, Inc.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of
their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

NERGY STAR

The E

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

ii

CPD 8882-R1

Copyright © 1999 by Epson America, Inc. 9/99

Contents

WELCOME! 1

About Your Software

About Your Documentation

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

System Requirements

ENERGY STAR Compliance

Year 2000 Ready

Important Safety Instructions

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions

VIEWING YOUR ELECTRONIC PRINTER MANUAL 7

Accessing Your Electronic Printer Manual

Navigating Your Electronic Printer Manual

PRINTING FROM START TO FINISH 11

Using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise

Printing with Windows

Loading Paper

11
12
12

2
3
3
4
4
5
5
6

7
8

Opening the Printer Software

Selecting Your Printer Software Settings

Controlling Printing

Printing Photographs

Using Custom Project Types

Using Advanced Settings

13
14
16
17
18
20

iii

Using Special Papers

22

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Paper

Envelopes

Selecting the Correct Media Type

22
22
25
26

MAINTAINING YOUR PRINTER 27

Cleaning the Print Head

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Using the Control Panel

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

Aligning the Print Head

Cleaning the Printer

Transporting the Printer

27
28
29
30
31
32
34
37
38
39

iv

PROBLEM SOLVING 41

Diagnosing Printer Problems

Checking the Control Panel Lights

Running a Printer Check

Printer Parts

41
41
43
44

Problems and Solutions

45

Solving Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software

Solving Problems with Printing

Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality

Solving Problems with Paper Feeding

Solving Miscellaneous Printout Problems

Uninstalling Printer Software

Reinstalling Printer Software

Where To Get Help

EPSON Technical Support

Creative Software Technical Support

45
46
47
50
51
52
52
53
53
54

INDEX 55

v

vi

Welcome!

Your EPSON Stylus® COLOR 660 printer is the ideal output device for small office
or home printing. You can print anything from reports and resumes to photos and
greeting cards with great results.

The printer comes with these features:

■ Resolutions up to 1440 by 720 dpi (dots per inch), even on plain paper

■ EPSON’s exclusive Micro Piezo

■ Four-color printing for photo-quality color and sharp black text on plain paper or

™

ink jet technology for smaller, cleaner dots

a variety of special media

■ Great results on any paper size, including letter, legal, envelope, card, and

panoramic paper

■ Creative software for implementing all your ideas for business or home

1

About Your Software

The printer software CD-ROM includes all the software you need for printing:

■ Your printer driver runs your printer and lets you control how your documents

look. You can’t use your printer without it.

■ Your creative software, including:

■ The EPSON Guided Printing Exercise, a quick step-by-step guide to

changing your printer software settings

■ Polaroid

■ ArcSoft

■ eFax

®

PhotoMAX™ Pro, a full-featured image editing program

™

PhotoPrinter™ SE, a photo layout program

™

, a program that allows you to send and receive faxes directly from your

PC (trial version)

■ EPSON Software

™

Film Factory™, a photo printing and organizing program

(trial version)

■ Your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide gives you complete

information about your printer. (You need an HTML browser—such as Internet
Explorer 3.0 or later, or Netscape® Navigator® 3.0 or later—to view the guide.)

If you haven’t yet installed your printer software from your CD-ROM, see Start Here
for instructions.

If you need to rerun the installation program, insert the CD-ROM,
double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,
then double-click the EPSON icon.

2

About Your Documentation

To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here card. This book
contains system requirements, important safety information, and instructions on:

■ viewing your electronic printer manual

■ printing with Windows

■ maintaining the printer

■ solving basic problems

For more details about printing with, maintaining, or troubleshooting your printer,
see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide. For instructions on
viewing it, see page 7.

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

Please follow these guidelines:

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 better printing.

3

System Requirements

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

■ An IBM

486/25 MHz (for Windows 95 or Windows NT® 4.0) processor (Pentium®
processor recommended)

■ Microsoft

■ At least 16MB of RAM (32MB for Windows 95 or 98, or 64MB for

Windows NT 4.0 recommended)

■ At least 50MB of free hard disk space (100MB recommended)

■ VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor

■ Double-speed (2x) CD-ROM drive (quad-speed [4x] or faster recommended) for

installing the printer software

■ A high-speed, bidirectional, IEEE-1284 compliant parallel cable (6 to 10 feet

long); the cable must have a D-SUB, 25-pin, male connector for your computer
and a 36-pin, Centronics® compatible connector for the printer

If you want to use your EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 with Windows 98 USB or a
Macintosh® with a built-in USB port, an optional USB/Parallel Adapter kit is
available. You can purchase the kit from EPSON Accessories at [phone] or
visit our website at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call
[phone] for dealer referral. The Macintosh printer driver and EPSON USB
Printer Device and Windows 98 USB drivers are included on the CD-ROM that
comes with your printer.

®

compatible PC with at least a 486/66 MHz (for Windows® 98) or

®

Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0

4

E

NERGY STAR

As an E

NERGY STAR

this product meets the E
efficiency. The EPA E

Compliance

Partner, EPSON has determined that

NERGY STAR

NERGY STAR

guidelines for energy

office equipment
program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and
office equipment industry to promote the introduction of
energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines,
and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

Year 2000 Ready

Your EPSON printer is Year 2000 Ready. However, be sure the other parts of your
computer system are also ready for the year 2000.

Important Safety Instructions

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

■ Be sure to follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer.

■ Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth only.

Do not spill liquid on the printer.

Always turn the printer off using the
switch off the power strip, or unplug the printer until the
power light is off.

■ Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heating vent

P power button. Don’t

or direct sunlight.

■ Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s case 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.

■ 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.

5

■ 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 manual, 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 case 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.

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions

■ Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its foil package.

Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in reduced
print quality.

■ Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch the cartridge during printing.

6

■ Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of the cartridge. If it does get

on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them
immediately with water.

■ Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

■ Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could result in

damage to the print head.

■ Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the clamp or remove the cartridge

except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become unusable
otherwise.

■ Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge package. For

best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of installing them.

■ Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.

■ Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise you may damage the printer.

■ Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is capped in the far right

position and the ink cartridges are in place.

Viewing Your Electronic Printer Manual

Your printer software CD-ROM includes an electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660
Reference Guide. The manual is in HTML format so you need a browser—such as

Internet Explorer 3.0 or later or Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later—to view it. If you
are using a different browser, the pages may not display correctly. (Browsers are not
included on the printer software CD-ROM.)

Accessing Your Electronic Printer Manual

You can view your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide from the
CD-ROM or copy it to your hard drive and view it from there. Follow these steps:

1. Insert your printer software CD-ROM.

2. Double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,

then double-click the EPSON icon. The installer Main Menu appears:

7

3. Click View Electronic Documentation.

The following screen appears:

4. You can either view the manual from the

CD-ROM (

View Reference Guide

copy the manual to your hard drive (

Reference Guide

) and view it from there.

) or

Install

If you copy the manual to your hard drive,
you can access it at any time by clicking

Start, Programs, EPSON, and selecting
ESC 660 Manual.

For guidelines on viewing the manual, see the next section.

Navigating Your Electronic Printer Manual

Here are some guidelines for viewing the Reference Guide. When you first open the
manual, you see this screen:

8

Click here to
expand the
table of
content s

Click a topic on the left to expand the table of contents.

After expanding the table of contents, you can click on the topic you want to view.

Expanded
table of
contents;
click here to
go to a topic

Click the right arrow to view subtopics.

Click on a topic to go to it or click the down arrow to close the list.

Closed list,
click to
expand

Click to go
to topic

9

10

Printing from Start to Finish

Here’s what you need to do to print a basic document—such as a memo, newsletter,
or photograph—from loading the paper to selecting print settings to controlling print
jobs. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this chapter. You can even practice
selecting settings using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise, as described below.

If you’re already familiar with ink jet printing, you can skip ahead to these sections:

■ Selecting custom project types with preset options for printing specific reports,

graphs, or drafts, or selecting a color-matching method, page 18

■ Fine-tuning your settings for maximum control of your printouts, page 20

■ Using special papers such as EPSON Photo Paper or envelopes, page 22

Using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise

Your printer software CD-ROM includes a Guided Printing Exercise with
step-by-step printing instructions. The Guided Printing Exercise shows you how to
access your printer driver and make changes to your printer settings.

If you didn’t install the Guided Printing Exercise when you set up your printer, you
can install it now. Follow these steps:

1. Insert the printer software CD-ROM.

2. Double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,

then double-click the EPSON icon. The installer Main Menu appears.

3. Click Install Creative Software, then click EPSON Guided Printing Exercise.

To run the exercise, click the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise icon on your
desktop. Then follow the on-screen instructions to print a full-color image.

11

Printing with Windows

This section describes these basic printing steps:

■ loading paper

■ opening the printer software

■ changing settings

■ controlling printing

Loading Paper

Make sure your printer and computer are turned on. Place your paper against the
right edge guide and slide the left edge guide against the paper’s left edge.

load paper only
up to this arrow

slide paper against
the right edge guide

12

Keep the following in mind when loading paper:

■ Load the printable side face up. The printable side is usually whiter or brighter.

■ Load letterhead or preprinted paper so the top of the paper feeds into the printer

first.

■ Don’t load paper above the arrow on the left edge guide.

■ If you are printing on envelopes or paper that isn’t letter-size, see pages 22

through 25 for loading instructions.

Opening the Printer Software

After you create your document and load your paper, you’re ready to change your
printer driver settings. Make sure the document you want to print is open and then,
from the File menu, click
(your Print dialog box may look slightly different):

Make the following selections on the Print dialog box:

. You see the Print dialog box for your application

Print

Select your printer here.

Click here to get to
the next dialog
box.

If you see a Setup,
Printer, or Options
button, click it.
Then click
Properties on the
next screen.

■ Make sure EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 is selected.

■ If your application’s Print dialog box contains a Properties button, click it.

If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. Then click Properties on
the next screen.

If you click the print icon on your application’s tool bar instead
of selecting Print from the File menu, you may not get the
option to change the printer driver settings for your print job.

13

Selecting Your Printer Software Settings

The most important thing to remember is to set the correct Media Type for the paper
you are using. The Media Type setting affects the other options you can choose in
your printer driver.

You can select the Media Type setting on the printer Properties dialog box. If
necessary, click the

tab to display the settings shown below:

Main

Make sure this setting matches the
paper you loaded (see page 26).

Select your Ink setting.

Select Automatic for the best
results on your paper.

Select between faster or
higher-quality printing.

14

Click OK to return to the
Print dialog box.

Make the following settings on the Properties dialog box:

■ Choose the Media Type you are printing on (click

the arrow button to scroll through the list).

If you are not sure which setting to select, see
“Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 26.
For instructions on loading special paper, see
page 22.

■ Make sure Ink is set to Color if you want to print in

color. To print a black text document, click Black.

■ Set the Mode option to Automatic. This lets the printer software determine the

best settings for your print job. It’s the easiest way to get good printing results on
all types of paper.

■ Set the slider in the Mode box to

Quality

or

Speed

. This lets you choose between
a higher resolution or faster printing for the media you’re using. (The slider is not
available when certain media types are selected.)

For more information about printer settings, click the Help
button. Or you can right-click any item on the screen and then
click What’s This?.

The printer settings you make apply only to the application
you’re currently using. If you usually print one type of
document—for example, black ink on legal size paper—you can
change the default printer settings. You do this by accessing the
Properties dialog box through the Printer utility:

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

2. Right-click the EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 icon.

3. Select Properties (Document Defaults in Windows NT). Then
click the Main tab.

4. Any changes you make will become the default settings for
all your applications and documents. Click OK when you’re
finished.

You can also save the settings as a custom project type; see
page 20 for instructions.

15

Controlling Printing

Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box, shown below.

click OK to start
printing

Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

After a moment, the Progress Meter appears and shows the progress of your print job.
You can use the buttons to cancel, pause, or restart your print job. You can also see
how much ink you have left and view printing tips.

16

name of the file
you’re printing

does not
appear if you
are printing
over a network

click to display
or close Epson
Printing Tips
below

pages printed/
pages in job

click to cancel printing

click to pause/resume
printing

click to view more details
about the displayed Tip

For more advanced printer settings, see pages 17 through 21.

For more information on printing—for example, previewing your printout, changing
the paper size, or adding a watermark—see the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660
Reference Guide. See page 7 for instructions on viewing the manual.

Printing Photographs

The printer driver includes PhotoEnhance™ options that can increase brightness and
contrast to improve the appearance of low-resolution images. You can also add special
effects such as Soft Focus. If you used photo editing software to increase your image’s
resolution or if you have high-resolution images, you may want to use the Automatic
setting instead.

PhotoEnhance does not affect your original image; it only affects your printout.
Printing with PhotoEnhance may take longer on some systems and images.

Follow these steps:

1. Create your image or document in
your application software.

2. Access the printer Properties dialog
box as described on page 13. You see
this dialog box:

3. Choose the Media Type you want to
print on. (If you’re not sure which
setting to select, see “Selecting the
Correct Media Type” on page 26.)

4. Choose Color ink. (You cannot select
PhotoEnhance in the next step if Black
ink is selected.)

5. Click PhotoEnhance.

6. If your photograph was taken with a
digital camera, you can click the Digital

Camera Correction

your printed images the appearance of
photographs taken with a film camera.

box. This gives

17

7. For more fine tuning, click Standard. You see a list of
specialized settings for photographs. Select the setting
that most closely matches your photograph (

Nature
Sepia

to get the exact look you want, especially if you have
multiple images on a page.

8. If you need to change your paper size, number of copies, orientation, and
printable area, click the Paper tab. (You can often make these settings in your
application software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

9. If you need to reduce or enlarge the image (proportional printing), print multiple
pages on a single sheet, “tile” an image to make a large poster, or add a watermark,
click the Layout tab. (You can often make these settings in your application
software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

10. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

11. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing. (Depending
on your system and the image, printing with PhotoEnhance may take longer.)

) or select one of the special filters (

). You may need to experiment with these settings

You can also make detailed settings on the Advanced dialog
box to fit your individual needs, as described on page 20.

People

Soft Focus

or

or

18

Using Custom Project Types

Your EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 printer software includes custom project types
with preset options for printing specific types of documents—such as reports, graphs,
or drafts. You can also select a color-matching method. These custom project types let
you quickly select the best settings for your particular type of document and paper.

You can also make settings on the Advanced dialog box to fit your individual needs, as
described on page 20.

Follow these steps to print with custom project types:

1. Create your image or document in your application software.

2. Access the printer Properties dialog box as described on page 13.

3. Choose the Media Type you want to print on. (If you’re not sure which setting to
choose, see “Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 26.)

4. Choose

5. Click

Custom

or

Color

, and then click

Black

ink.

Custom Settings

Always choose your Media Type and
Ink settings before you select a custom
project type. Some project types may
not be available with the Media Type
or Ink settings you choose.

Click Custom, then
click here to see a
list of project types.

. You see the list of project types.

6. Choose a setting for your project following these guidelines (remember that these
settings are restricted by the Media Type and Ink settings):

■ Text/Graph: For printing graphics-intensive documents like presentations

with charts and graphs.

■ Economy: For printing rough drafts of text on plain paper. Saves ink.

■ ICM (Image Color Matching; Windows 95 and Windows 98 only):

For printing documents created in an ICM compatible application.

■ sRGB (standard Red Green Blue; recommended only with Windows 98): For

printing documents created in an sRGB compatible application using sRGB
colors, such as those designed for the World Wide Web. See your
Windows 98 online help for details.

19

7. If you need to change your paper size, number of copies, orientation, and
printable area, click the
application software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

8. If you need to reduce or enlarge the image (proportional printing), print multiple
pages on a single sheet, “tile” an image to make a large poster, or add a watermark,
click the
software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

9. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

10. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

Layout

tab. (You can often make these settings in your application

tab. (You can often make these settings in your

Paper

Using Advanced Settings

For maximum control over your project, you can customize your print settings and
special effects. You can even save your custom settings as a group so you can use them
whenever you print a similar project.

To access the Advanced dialog box, follow these steps:

20

1. Create your image or document in your application software. Then access the
printer Properties dialog box as described on page 13.

2. Select your Media Type and Ink settings.

3. Click Custom, and then click the Advanced button. You see the Advanced dialog
box:

Click here to
change your
Print Quality
(resolution)

Some of these
options are
automatically
set or disabled
by other
settings you
choose

Changes
depending on
the Color
Management
setting selected
above

4. Check the Media Type and Ink settings. These settings are the same as the ones
you selected on the Main dialog box. You can change them here as you customize
your settings, if needed.

5. Choose a Print Quality setting.

6. Select a color management system (the availability depends on your operating
system).

After you customize your print settings for a special project,
you can save them as a group. Then you can reuse them
whenever you print a similar project. Click Save Settings in the
Advanced dialog box. Type a name for your setting group and
click OK.

7. Select any other settings you need to change.

8. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

9. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

For more information about the settings described in this section, see your electronic
EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

21

Using Special Papers

How can you get the best-looking photos, most vivid colors,
and sharpest text? Always use EPSON’s special ink jet papers.
To show you how much difference EPSON paper can make,
we’ve included some free samples.

Check out the EPSON Photo Quality Media Pack that came
with your printer. Instructions for printing on the samples,
along with other papers, are given in the following sections.

For a list of EPSON special ink jet papers and ordering
information, see the inside back cover.

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper is great for presentation materials and
newsletters. Load it as described on page 12. Before you print, be sure to select

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper as the Media Type.

EPSON Photo Paper

22

You can use EPSON Photo Paper to print photographs that look almost as good as

the ones you get from film processing. EPSON 4 × 6-inch Photo Paper is

micro-perforated around the edges so you can trim your printouts and “bleed” the
photo—extend it to the edge of the paper—on all sides. Photo Paper is available in a
variety of sizes; see the inside back cover for a list and ordering information.

Keep the following in mind when using EPSON Photo Paper:

■ Always load the paper with the whiter (glossier) side facing up.

■ Load up to 20 sheets of 4 × 6-inch, letter-size, or A4-size Photo Paper or 1 sheet

of Panoramic paper. Use a support sheet if it is included in the paper package.

■ To keep your printouts looking their best, store them in a resealable plastic bag or

other airtight covering and protect them from heat, humidity, and direct sunlight.
Return unused paper to the original package as soon as you finish printing.

If you’re using letter-size or A4-size Photo Paper, follow the instructions starting on
page 12 to load and print on the paper. Be sure to select

Photo Paper

as the Media

Type setting. If you’re using 4 × 6-inch or Panoramic Photo Paper, follow the steps in

the next sections.

4

6-inch Photo Paper

××××

1. Load the paper against the right edge guide
with the glossy side facing up and the
perforated margins positioned as shown:

You can load up to 20 sheets of 4 × 6-inch

Photo Paper at a time. Make sure you place
the included support sheets A and B beneath
the stack, but don’t print on them. (If you
don’t have the support sheets, use plain paper
cut to size.)

2. Slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the paper.

3. When you create the image in your application

software, size it to 4.25 × 6.25 inches. You can

also use your printer software’s Reduce/Enlarge
settings, as described in your EPSON Stylus
COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

trim size
printed

image size

4. Choose Photo Paper as the Media Type setting.

5. Choose Photo Paper 4

6 in as the Paper Size

×

setting and Maximum as the Printable Area setting
on the Paper tab.

6. After you print your picture, fold the paper back and forth
along the perforations and carefully tear the margins off.

23

Panoramic Photo Paper

1. Pull up the paper support extension. Load one sheet of Panoramic paper
glossy side up, then hold up its top edge and press the
it into the printer.

Support the
paper as it
feeds into
the printer

2. Choose Photo Paper as the Media Type setting and Panoramic 210 × 594 mm
for the Paper size setting.

E load/eject button to feed

Be sure to support
your Panoramic Photo
Paper as it ejects from
the printer so it doesn’t
fall onto the floor

24

Preserving Photos on EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Paper has been specially formulated to work with EPSON’s ink to
create prints that last as long as traditional photographs when protected from light in
photo albums or similar archival conditions.

When you display your EPSON Photo Paper prints in picture frames or mounted on
the wall, the paper provides extra UV (ultraviolet) light protection so your prints will
last longer than prints on other ink jet photo papers. Depending on the type and
intensity of the light your print is exposed to, a print on EPSON Photo Paper may
last two or more years before noticeable fading occurs. Fade resistance could decrease
in intense light conditions or increase if your print is protected by glass or special
laminates.

For optimum results and longer print life, print your digital photos on EPSON Photo
Paper. See the inside back cover of this manual for a list of available paper sizes.

Envelopes

You can load up to 10 envelopes at a time. Load the
envelope flap edge first and printable side up. Place it
against the right edge guide and adjust the left edge
guide as shown here.

You’ll get better results if you press each envelope flat
before loading it, or load one envelope at a time.

Select

Plain paper

as the Media Type and choose the

correct envelope size as the Paper Size setting in the printer software.

Set the thickness lever to the + position when you print on envelopes or other thick
media, as shown here. (Make sure you return the lever to the 0 position before you
print on regular media.)

Lever position for

envelopes and

thick paper

If the printing smears or you
have banding (light lines), try
turning off High Speed printing
in the Advanced dialog box.

Make sure
this option is
unchecked

25

Selecting the Correct Media Type

Your printer automatically adjusts itself for the type of
paper you select in your printer software. That’s why
the Media Type setting is so important. It tells your
printer what kind of paper you’re using and adjusts the
ink coverage accordingly.

Before you print, always check your Media Type
setting. Here are the settings you should choose for
your paper:

For this paper . . . Select this Media Type setting . . .

Plain paper sheets or envelopes

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Photo Stickers

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies

Matte Paper - Heavyweight

If any paper you buy comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use
the cleaning sheet with this printer; it may jam inside the
printer.

Plain paper

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Photo Paper

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Ink Jet Transparencies

Matte Paper - Heavyweight

26

Maintaining Your Printer

This section describes the most common maintenance procedures you’ll need to
perform to keep your printer working at its best and to prepare it for moving. Just
follow the instructions in this chapter for:

■ cleaning the print head

■ replacing an ink cartridge

■ aligning the print head

■ transporting the printer

For more details, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide as
described on page 7.

Cleaning the Print Head

If your printed image is unexpectedly light or faint, or dots are missing from the
image, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can
deliver ink properly.

When you don’t turn on your printer for a long time, the print
quality can decline. It’s a good idea to turn on your printer at
least once a month to maintain good print quality.

Cleaning the print head uses ink, so clean it only if print quality declines. You can
clean the print head in either of the following ways:

■ using the Head Cleaning utility in your printer software (when the printer is

connected to a local port, not over a network), as described on page 28

■ using the printer’s control panel buttons, as described on page 29

Always wait until your document has finished printing before cleaning the print head.

27

If any paper you buy comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use
the cleaning sheet with this printer; it may jam inside the
printer.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Follow these steps to run the Head Cleaning utility:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the

B black and

A color ink out lights are off. (If an ink out light is flashing, replace the ink

cartridge before continuing.)

2. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as
described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660

icon in the Printers windows. Then select Properties

(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

3. Click the Utility tab.

4. On the Utility menu, click the Head Cleaning button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to clean the print head. Cleaning takes a
little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

P power

light flashes.

P

Never turn off the printer while the
unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than
5 minutes.

power light is flashing,

28

6. When the

P power light stops flashing, run a nozzle check to confirm the print

head nozzles are clean and reset the cleaning cycle.

Make sure paper is loaded in the printer and click Print nozzle check pattern.
Then click Next. The nozzle check pattern prints; see the next section for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click Finish.

If the pattern is missing dots, click

to clean the print head again. If you

Clean

don’t see any improvement after cleaning three or four times, check the solutions
in “Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 47. You can also turn
the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—and then
try cleaning the print head again.

Using the Control Panel

Follow these steps to clean the print head:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the
A color ink out lights are off. (If an ink out light is flashing, replace the ink
cartridge before continuing.)

2. Press the

R cleaning button and hold it down for three seconds. Cleaning takes

about a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the
light flashes.

P

Never turn off the printer while the
unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than
5 minutes.

power light is flashing,

B black and

Ppower

3. After the

P power light stops flashing, print a page to test the print quality and

reset the cleaning cycle.

If your printer is connected directly to the computer, go to step 4 to run a nozzle
check.

If you’re printing over a network, open an application and print a small document
containing black and color data. Then go to step 8.

4. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as
described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660

icon in the Printers windows. Then select Properties

(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

5. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu.

29

6. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer, click the Nozzle Check button, and click

. The nozzle check pattern prints; see the next section for details.

Next

7. If the nozzle check pattern has no gaps in its dots, click

If the pattern is missing dots, click

to clean the print head again.

Clean

Finish

.

8. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning three or four times, check the
solutions in “Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 47. You can
also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—
and then try cleaning the print head again.

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Examine the nozzle check pattern you print. It should look something like this:

Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps
in the dot pattern. If your printout looks okay, you’re done. If any dots are missing, as
shown below, clean the print head again; see page 27 for instructions.

30

missing dots

missing dots

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When the

B black or

A color ink out light flashes, the indicated cartridge is low on

ink. This is a good time to make sure you have a new cartridge. When the light stays
on, the cartridge is empty and you need to replace it.

You cannot print if either ink cartridge is empty. Leave the
empty cartridge installed in the printer until you have obtained
a replacement. Otherwise the ink remaining in the print head
nozzles may dry out.

Use these EPSON ink cartridges within six months of installing them and before the
expiration date on the package:

■ Black ink cartridge: S020187

■ Color ink cartridge: S020191

To ensure good results, use genuine EPSON ink cartridges
and do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to
your printer not covered by EPSON’s warranty.

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at
[phone] or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In
Canada, please call [phone] for dealer referral.

If you need to replace an ink cartridge before the lights flash (because the ink is too
old, for example) follow the instructions in “Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge”
on page 34.

31

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

You can replace a cartridge when the

B black or

A color ink out light is either

flashing or on. (If you perform these steps when both ink out lights are off, the printer
cleans the print heads as described on page 27.)

Be sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. Once you start the ink
cartridge replacement procedure, you must complete all the steps in one session.

Follow these steps to replace ink cartridges:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing (the

Ppower light should be

on, but not flashing), then open the printer cover.

2. Press the
head moves slightly left and the

R cleaning button and hold it for about three seconds until the print

Ppower light begins flashing.

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by
hand. Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to
replace it with a new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you
can’t reuse it, even if it contains ink.

3. Unwrap the new ink cartridge.

4. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top.

32

You must remove the yellow tape
from the top of the cartridge or you
will permanently damage it. Don’t
pull off the blue portion or try to
remove the clear seal underneath
the cartridge.

black cartridge
(S020187)

color cartridge
(S020191)

5. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder. (The
illustration shows the color ink cartridge replacement. To replace the black ink
cartridge, lift up only the smaller clamp on the left.)

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap
and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately
with water.

7. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward
the back of the printer.

33

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. If you need to replace the other ink cartridge, repeat steps 5 through 8 before
continuing with step 10.

10. Press the

R cleaning button and close the printer cover. The printer moves the

print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The

Ppower light flashes, and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about one

minute. When it’s finished, the

Never turn off the printer while the
unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than
5 minutes.

Ppower light stops flashing and stays on.

P

power light is flashing,

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

If an ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it. How can
you tell? You may notice that your printouts don’t look as good as they used to. If
print quality doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head, you can
replace one or both cartridges.

Follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge before the
light is flashing or on:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing (the
on, but not flashing), then open the printer cover.

B black or

A color ink out

Ppower light should be

34

2. Press the

E load/eject button and hold it for about three seconds until the print

head moves slightly left and the

Ppower light begins flashing.

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by
hand. Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to
replace it with a new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you
can’t reuse it, even if it contains ink.

3. Unwrap the new ink cartridge.

4. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top.

You must remove the yellow tape
from the top of the cartridge or you
will permanently damage it. Don’t
pull off the blue portion or try to
remove the clear seal underneath
the cartridge.

black cartridge
(S020187)

color cartridge
(S020191)

5. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder. (The
illustration shows the color ink cartridge replacement. To replace the black ink
cartridge, lift up only the smaller clamp on the left.)

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap
and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately
with water.

35

7. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward
the back of the printer.

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

36

9. Press the

E load/eject button again and close the printer cover. The printer moves

the print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The

Ppower light flashes and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about one

minute. When it’s finished, the

Never turn off the printer while the
unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than
5 minutes.

Ppower light stops flashing and stays on.

P

power light is flashing,

Aligning the Print Head

If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, you may need to align the print
head. Your printer must be connected to a local port, not on a network, to use the
Print Head Alignment utility.

For the best results, load EPSON ink jet paper in the printer
whenever you check the print head alignment.

Follow these steps:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and letter-size paper is loaded.

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This
prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging
your printouts.

2. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as
described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660
Defaults

in Windows NT).

icon in the Printers windows. Select Properties (Document

3. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu.

4. Click the Print Head Alignment button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page.

6. Select the most precise alignment pattern from the printed choices on the test
page. Enter the number of the best aligned pattern following the instructions on
the screen.

37

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year.
Follow these steps:

1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and disconnect the printer cable.

2. Remove all the paper from the sheet feeder.

3. Clean the exterior of the printer with a soft, damp cloth.

4. Clean ink out of the printer’s interior with a soft, damp cloth.

Don’t touch the gears inside the printer.

Never use alcohol or thinner for cleaning; they can damage
the printer components and case.

Don’t use a hard or abrasive brush.

Don’t get water on the printer components and don’t spray
lubricants or oils inside the printer.

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special media;
they may jam inside the printer.

38

Transporting the Printer

If you move your printer some distance, you need to prepare it for transportation in
its original box. Follow these steps:

To avoid damage, always leave the ink cartridges installed
when transporting the printer.

Be sure to remove the tape used in step 4 after installing the
printer in its new location.

1. Turn on the printer, wait until the print head locks in the far right position, then
turn off the printer.

2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the printer
cable from the printer.

3. Remove any paper from the printer and remove the paper support.

4. Open the printer cover. Secure the ink cartridge holder to the printer with tape as
shown, then close the printer cover.

Tape the ink cartridge holder
to the printer case; remove
the tape after installing the
printer

5. Push in the output tray extensions and close the tray.

6. Repack the printer and attachments in the original box using the protective
materials that came with it. See the unpacking sheet that was packed with your
printer.

Be sure to keep the printer level as you transport it. If you notice a decline in print
quality after transporting the printer, clean the print head (see page 27); if output is
misaligned, align the print head (see page 37).

39

40

Problem Solving

This section gives you the basics for diagnosing and solving printer problems.

■ First see “Diagnosing Printer Problems” to help determine what the cause of the

problem may be.

■ Then see “Problems and Solutions” on page 45 for solutions to common setup

and software problems.

It’s a good idea to check EPSON’s web site periodically for
possible updates to your printer driver. Visit www.epson.com
and check the section for your product to see if there is a new
driver available for downloading to your computer.

Diagnosing Printer Problems

You can diagnose some problems by checking the printer’s control panel lights, as
described below. It may also be helpful to try running a printer check; see page 43 for
instructions.

Checking the Control Panel Lights

load/eject button

paper out light

black ink out light

color ink out light

cleaning button

power button

power
light

41

Follow these guidelines when the control panel lights come on or flash:

P is on The

S

flashes When the

S

is on When the

B

or A flash When an ink out light flashes, your ink supply is low. Make sure you

B

or A are on When an ink out light comes on, you need to replace the ink cartridge.

P and S flash

and

B

and A are on

P power light is on when the printer is on and ready to print. It

flashes when the printer is receiving a print job, charging ink, or
cleaning the print head.

S paper out light flashes, you have a paper jam. Turn off the

printer and gently pull out all the paper. Make sure none of the sheets
are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the
stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to
the paper’s left edge. Then turn the printer on.

S paper out light comes on, your paper is out or incorrectly

loaded. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck
together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge
guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge. Press

E

load/eject button to resume printing.

the

have a replacement cartridge (black S020187, color S020191).

Make sure you have a replacement cartridge (black S020187, color
S020191). See page 31 for replacement instructions.

When the
color ink out lights come on, jammed paper may be blocking
movement of the print head. Turn off the printer, wait a few seconds,
and turn it back on. If no paper ejects, turn off the printer, remove the
jammed paper, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash, contact your
dealer or EPSON; see page 53 for contact information.

P power and

S paper out lights flash and the

B black and

A

42

P S B A flash When all the lights flash, your printer may have an internal error. Make

sure you removed all the packing material as described on the
unpacking sheet in your printer box. Then turn off the printer, wait a
few seconds, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash, contact your
dealer or EPSON; see page 53 for contact information.

P S B A are off When all the lights are off, the printer is not receiving power. Try

these solutions:

■ Make sure the printer is turned on.

■ Turn off the printer, plug in the power cord securely, and turn on

the printer again.

■ Make sure the outlet is operable and is not controlled by a switch

or timer.

■ Try using another outlet.

Running a Printer Check

You can run a printer check to determine whether the problem comes from the
printer itself or some other source. Follow these steps to run the printer check:

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

3. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.

4. Hold down the
Continue holding down the

E load/eject button, then press and release the

E load/eject button until the

Ppower light starts to

Ppower button.

flash, then release it.

The printer prints one page showing its ROM version number, ink counter, and a
nozzle check pattern. Only the nozzle check pattern is shown below.

5. To end the check, turn off the printer after it prints the check page. Then
reconnect the interface cable and turn on your printer and computer.

■ If the results are satisfactory, the problem lies in your software settings, the

interface cable, or your computer.

■ If the check page does not print correctly, you may have a problem with

your printer. Try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” on page 45 for
more information.

43

Printer Parts

If you need help identifying the parts of the printer, refer to the following
illustrations:

paper support

sheet
feeder

left edge
guide

right edge guide

printer cover

output tray

output tray extensions

thickness
lever

ink cartridge
holders

control panel

44

Problems and Solutions

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips if you have any problems setting up your
printer, installing software, or getting good print quality.

Solving Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software

The printer started making noise
after you installed the ink
cartridges . . .

■ The first time you install ink

cartridges, the printer must
charge its ink delivery system for
a couple minutes. Wait until
charging is finished (the
light stops flashing) before you
turn off the printer. If you turn
off the printer while it is
charging, it will begin charging
again the next time you turn on
the printer and use more ink than
necessary.

■ Make sure the ink cartridge

clamps are locked down
completely and that no packing
material remains in the printer.

Ppower

The printer has finished charging
the ink cartridge, but the

Ppower

light is still flashing . . .

■ Make sure the ink cartridge

clamps are locked into place.

■ Make sure all packing material

has been removed.

■ If the printer is not moving or

making noise, but the light is still
flashing after 5 minutes have
passed, turn the printer off. If the
light is still flashing when you
turn it back on, contact your
EPSON dealer or see “Where To
Get Help.”

You’re having problems installing
the printer software . . .

■ Carefully follow the instructions

in Start Here.

■ Make sure your printer is turned

on and the printer cable is
securely connected.

■ Make sure you’ve closed all other

applications, including any screen
savers. Then try installing the
software again.

45

If you installed the software and
cable for the parallel connection
and now want to use the
USB/Parallel Adapter . . .

You must first uninstall the printer
software as described on page 52,
then install the USB/Parallel Adapter
software.

If you installed the USB/Parallel
Adapter software and cable and
now want to use a parallel cable . . .

Follow the steps below (you don’t
need to reinstall the software).

computer documentation or the
manufacturer for instructions.
(ECP/DMA doesn’t need to be
enabled if you’re using the
USB/Parallel Adapter cable.)

You’re printing over a network . . .

See your electronic EPSON Stylus
COLOR 660 Reference Guide for

computer configuration instructions.

Solving Problems with Printing

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Disconnect the USB/Parallel
Adapter cable and connect the
parallel cable to your printer and
computer.

3. Double-click the My Computer
icon.

4. Double-click the Printers icon.

5. Right-click your printer icon and
select Properties.

6. On the Details tab, select LPT1,
then click OK.

7. Close any open windows, then
restart your computer.

You’re using the parallel port . . .

For maximum print speeds, enable
ECP/DMA mode on your
computer’s parallel port. See your

Only the
nothing prints . . .

■ Make sure the interface cable is

■ Run a printer check as described

P power light is on, but

connected securely. (Use a fully
shielded IEEE-1284 compliant
parallel cable.)

on page 43.

If you ran a printer check
successfully, make sure your
printer and application software
are installed correctly. If you’re
printing on a network, you may
need to set up your printer for
network printing, as described in
your electronic EPSON Stylus
COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

46

The printer sounds as though it is
printing, but nothing prints . . .

Make sure the print head nozzles are
not clogged. To clean the print head,
see page 27.

Printing is too slow . . .

Make sure your system meets the
requirements listed on page 4. If you
are printing a high-resolution image,
you need more than the minimum
requirements listed. You may also need
to do the following:

Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality

■ Clear space on your hard disk or run

a defragmentation utility.

■ Don’t run too many applications at

the same time.

■ Increase your system’s memory

(RAM).

For the fastest printing, try the
following:

■ Choose Black ink if your document

does not include any other color.

■ Set the Quality/Speed slider to

Speed.

■ In the printer software’s Advanced

dialog box, turn MicroWeave off.
and turn High Speed on.

Your printer makes noise when you
turn it on or after it has been sitting
for a while . . .

Your printer is performing routine
maintenance.

You see horizontal banding . . .

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print
head, see page 27.

■ Make sure the Media Type setting

matches the paper you loaded. See
page 26 for guidelines.

■ Make sure the printable side of the

paper is face up. It is usually whiter
or shinier.

■ Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink. If either ink out light is
flashing, replace the ink cartridge;
see page 31. If your ink cartridge is
more than six months old, you may
need to replace it; see page 34.

■ Try using Automatic mode. See

page 14 for instructions.

■ For most papers, make sure the

paper thickness lever is in the

+ position, as shown on the next

page. If you’re printing on thicker
paper or envelopes, set the lever to 0.

47

You see vertical banding . . .

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print
head, see page 27.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for instructions.

■ Make sure the paper thickness lever

is in the 0 position, as shown below.
Set the thickness lever to the

+ position when you print on

thicker paper or envelopes. You may
also need to turn off High Speed
printing in the printer software’s
Advanced dialog box.

Your printout is blurry or
smeared . . .

■ Make sure your paper isn’t damp or

loaded face down (the printable side
should be loaded face up). If it’s
damp, reload a new stack of paper.

■ Use a support sheet with special

media or try loading your media
one sheet at a time.

■ Make sure your paper or media

meets the specifications listed in
your electronic EPSON Stylus
COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for instructions.

■ Check the paper thickness lever

position. If it’s in the + position,
your printer is set for thicker paper
or envelopes and your image may
smear. For most papers, set the
paper thickness lever to the 0
position, as shown to the left.

48

Your printout is faint or has gaps in
the image . . .

Your printout contains incorrect or
missing colors . . .

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print
head, see page 27.

■ Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink. To replace an ink
cartridge, see page 31.

■ Make sure the Media Type setting

matches the paper you’re using.

■ Make sure your paper isn’t

damaged, old, dirty, or loaded face
down. If it is, reload a new stack of
paper with the printable side up.
The printable surface is usually
whiter or shinier.

■ Make sure the Ink setting is set to

Color for color images.

■ Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print
head, see page 27.

■ Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink or too old. If either ink
out light is flashing, replace the ink
cartridge; see page 31. If your ink
cartridge is more than six months
old, you may need to replace it; see
page 34.

■ If you are printing a high-

resolution image, try turning
off PhotoEnhance.

■ Try using Automatic mode. See

page 14 for instructions.

■ Your printed colors can never

exactly match your on-screen colors.
However, you can use a color
management system to get as close
as possible. For information on your
printer software’s color matching
options, see your electronic EPSON
Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

49

Your printout contains incorrect
characters . . .

■ Your printer’s interface cable may

not be securely connected. Check
that the cable is locked firmly in
place at both ends to ensure
proper communication between
your printer and computer. After
adjusting the cable, try printing
from an application again.

■ Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for
instructions.

■ You may need to increase the

image resolution or print it in a
smaller size. See your software
documentation for instructions.

Color documents print in black
and white . . .

■ Your printer may not be selected

as the current printer in your
application or as the Windows
default printer. Be sure to select
EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 in
your application. For instructions
on selecting the Windows default
printer, see your Windows
documentation or online help.

■ Make sure there aren’t any stalled

print jobs. If there are, delete
them and then try printing again.

■ Make sure you’re not using a

switch box with your printer;
connect the printer directly to
your computer and try printing
again.

Your printout is grainy . . .

■ Try using a higher quality paper.

■ Make sure your printer and port

are selected in your software
application.

■ Make sure color printing is

selected in your application and
the printer software.

Solving Problems with Paper Feeding

Paper doesn’t eject fully or is
wrinkled . . .

■ If the paper doesn’t eject fully,

you may have set the wrong paper
size. Press the
to eject the paper. Then make
sure you select the correct paper
size in your application or printer
software.

E load/eject button

50

■ Make sure you set the

Quality/Speed slider to the

Quality setting in your printer

software; see page 14 for
instructions.

■ If it’s wrinkled when it comes

out, the paper may be damp or
too thin.

Paper doesn’t feed . . .

Remove the stack of paper from the
sheet feeder. Check that the paper:

■ Isn’t curled or creased

■ Isn’t too old

■ Isn’t loaded above the arrow on

the left edge guide

■ Isn’t jammed inside the printer.

(If the

S paper out light is

flashing, paper is jammed.)

Multiple pages feed at the same
time . . .

Remove the stack of paper from the
printer.

■ Make sure the paper isn’t too

thin.

■ Fan the edges of the stack of

paper to separate the sheets.

■ Reload the paper as described on

page 12.

Then reload the paper as described
on page 12, making sure the left
edge guide is adjusted to fit the
paper’s width.

Paper jams inside the printer . . .

Turn off your printer, open the
cover, and remove all the paper
that’s inside, including any small
pieces that may have torn off.

Reload the paper as described on
page 12. If your paper jams
frequently, make sure you:

■ Use smooth, high-quality paper,

loaded printable side up.

■ Fan the stack and then even the

edges before loading it.

■ Don’t load paper above the arrow

mark on the left edge guide.

■ Place the paper against the right

edge guide and adjust the left
edge guide to fit the width of
your paper.

■ Make sure the edge guides are

snug against the edges of the
paper.

■ If too many copies are printing,

check the Copies settings in both
the printer software and your
application program.

Solving Miscellaneous Printout Problems

The margins are incorrect . . .

■ Make sure the paper settings are

correct for your paper size.

■ Check your software

documentation for instructions
on selecting the correct margins
for your paper size. Make sure
the margins are within the
printable area of the page. See
“Specifications” in your
electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR
660 Reference Guide for more
information.

51

The image size or position is
incorrect . . .

2. Double-click

Programs

.

Add/Remove

Make sure the paper and/or layout
options are set correctly.

The image is inverted, as if viewed
in a mirror . . .

Turn off Flip Horizontal in the
printer software or the mirror setting
in your application software. (If you
are printing on EPSON Iron-On
Cool Peel transfer paper, turn on the
Flip Horizontal setting so the image
will view correctly after it is ironed
on.)

The printer prints blank pages . .

■ Make sure your printer is selected

in your application or as the
Windows default printer.

■ Make sure the paper settings in

the printer software are correct
for your paper size.

3. Click

EPSON Printer Software

in the program list.

4. Select the EPSON Stylus
COLOR 660 printer icon.

5. Click the Add/Remove button
and follow the instructions on
screen.

6. If you installed the software for
the optional USB/Parallel
Adapter, continue with step 7.
Otherwise skip to step 9.

7. Click EPSON USB Printer

Software in the program list.

8. Click the Add/Remove button
and follow the instructions on
screen.

9. Restart your computer. To
reinstall your software, see the
next section.

52

■ Make sure the print head nozzles

are not clogged. To clean the
print head, see page 27.

Uninstalling Printer Software

If you need to uninstall your printer
software, follow the steps below:

1. Double-click the My Computer
icon, then double-click the

Control Panel icon.

Reinstalling Printer Software

If you need to reinstall your printer
software, follow the instructions in
Start Here. Before you begin, make
sure you uninstalled the printer
software, following the instructions
in the previous section.

Where To Get Help

If you need help with your printer or its software, see the contact information below.
For help with the creative applications on the printer software CD-ROM, see page 54
for contact information.

EPSON Technical Support

EPSON provides technical assistance through electronic support services and
automated telephone services 24 hours a day, as listed in the following tables:

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web

EPSON Internet
FTP Site

EPSON Forum on
CompuServe

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

http://www.epson.com

If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or
other software for FTP downloading) to log onto
with the user name
password.

Members of CompuServe can type
prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. For a free
introductory CompuServe membership, call [phone] and
ask for representative #529.

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON
SoundAdvice

EPSON
FaxAdvice

EPSON Referral
Service

SM

TM

For pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about
EPSON products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call

[phone].

Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling

[phone]

this service.

For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or
Customer Care Center, call

.

ftp.epson.com

anonymous

. You must provide a return fax number to use

and your e-mail address as the

GO EPSON

[phone]

at the menu

.

53

To speak to a technical support representative, dial:

■ U.S.: [phone], 6

to 8PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday and

AM

7AM to 4PM, Saturday

■ Canada: [phone], 6

to 8PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday

AM

and 7AM to 4PM, Saturday

Toll or long distance charges may apply.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

■ Product name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 660)

■ Product serial number (located on the back of the printer)

■ Computer configuration

■ Description of the problem

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, and accessories from EPSON
Accessories at [phone] or visit our website at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S.
sales only). In Canada, please call [phone] for dealer referral

.

If you need help using another manufacturer’s software with an EPSON product, see
the documentation for that software for technical support information.

54

Creative Software Technical Support

If you need help with the creative software on the printer software CD-ROM, please
contact the manufacturer, as listed below:

Contact
method

Phone

Fax

Online

Mail

Polaroid PhotoMAX Pro
ArcSoft PhotoPrinter

[phone], 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Pacific Standard Time

[phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]
web site: http://www.arcsoft.com

ArcSoft Technical Support
46601 Fremont Blvd.
Fremont, CA 94538

Index

Numerics

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper, 26
4 x 6-in Photo Paper, 23

A

Accessories, 4, 54
Advanced settings

custom project types, 18 to 20
print quality, 20 to 21
special effects, 18, 20 to 21

Automatic mode, 15

B

Banding, 47
Bonus software, 2
Browser, 7

C

Cable, printer, 4
Cleaning

print head, 27 to 30
printer, 38

sheets, 26, 28, 38
Color management settings, 21
Creative software, 2
Custom project types, 18 to 20

D

Digital Camera Correction setting, 17

E

Economy setting, 19
Electronic manual, 7
ENERGY STAR, 4
Envelopes, 25
EPSON

Accessories, 4, 54
help, 53 to 54
media and paper, 26

F

Faint images, 49
Flip Horizontal setting, 52

G

Graph setting, 19
Guided Printing Exercise, 11

H

Head Cleaning utility, 28
Help, 15, 53 to 54
High-resolution images, 17

I

ICM (Image Color Matching) setting, 19
Incorrect colors in printout, 49
Ink cartridge

replacing, 31 to 34
replacing outdated, 31, 34 to 36

safety instructions, 6
Ink Jet Transparencies, 26
Ink level, 16

55

Ink setting, 14, 17, 19, 21
Installation

software, 52
troubleshooting, 45

Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper, 26

L

Layout

problems, 52

settings, 18
Lever, thickness, 25, 47, 48
Low-resolution images, 17

M

Macintosh, 4
Media Pack, 22
Media Type setting, 14, 19, 21, 26
Mirror images, 52
Monitoring ink level, 16
Moving printer, 39

Print Head Alignment utility, 37
Print head, cleaning, 27 to 30
Print quality, 27, 47 to 50
Printable area setting, 23
Printer

cable, 4
noise, 47
parts, 44

Printer software

problems installing, 45
reinstalling, 52

uninstalling, 52
Printer status, 16
Printing, 12 to 17
Problems

installing software, 45

miscellaneous, 51

paper handling, 50 to 51

print quality, 47 to 50

printing, 46

setting up printer, 45
Progress Meter, 16
Project types, custom, 18 to 20

56

N

Network printing, 46
Nozzle check pattern, 30

P

Panoramic Photo Paper, 24
Paper

handling problems, 50 to 51
loading, 22 to 25
thickness lever, 25, 47, 48

types, settings, 14
Photo Paper, 22 to 24, 26
Photo Quality Glossy Film, 26
Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, 22, 26
Photo Quality Media Pack, 22
PhotoEnhance settings, 17 to 18
Photographs, printing, 17 to 18

Q

Quality/Speed setting, 15

R

Reinstalling software, 52

S

Safety instructions, 5 to 6
Service, 53 to 54
Smears, 25, 47, 48
Software

bonus, 54
creative, 2
installing, 2
troubleshooting, 45

Special effects, 20 to 21

Special papers, 22 to 26, 28
sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue) setting, 19
Support, 53 to 54
System requirements, 4

T

Text/Graph setting, 19
Thickness lever, 25, 47, 48
Transfer Paper, Iron-On Cool Peel, 26
Transparencies, 26
Transporting printer, 39
Troubleshooting, 53 to 54

U

Uninstalling software, 52
USB, 4, 46
Utilities

Head Cleaning, 28

Print Head Alignment, 37

W

Windows

printer status, 16

system requirements, 4

USB, 4, 46
World Wide Web, 53

Y

Year 2000, 5

57

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.

58

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.

EPSON Ink Jet Papers

Use EPSON’s paper and inks to get the same photo quality results that have earned your printer all of
its awards! EPSON’s papers are specially coated to work with EPSON’s quick drying inks. You’ll notice
that when prints come out of your printer, you can immediately handle them. There is no drying time,
no smearing or smudging, and your image is clean and smooth. Here are just a few of EPSON’s papers:

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Bright white, with a smooth matte finish to create your best impression. Perfect
for presentations, newsletters, color reproductions, and all your photo and craft
projects.

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Durable, bright white film sheets with the highest-gloss finish. Perfect for
printing professional quality, high-resolution photographs of all your digital
images.

Photo Paper and Panoramic Photo Paper

Photo lab quality, heavier weight glossy paper available in a variety of
sizes. Perfect for color photo keepsakes of snapshots, framed art,
banners, and panoramics.

Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

Transfer your designs and photographs onto t-shirts or other cloth items. Perfect
for ironing onto team t-shirts, canvas bags, crafts, and gifts.

See the inside back cover for a list of EPSON papers and ordering information.

62

How to Order EPSON Ink and Paper

To order EPSON ink cartridges, paper, and other printing media, contact your dealer or call EPSON
Accessories at [phone] or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In
Canada, please call [phone] for dealer referral.

Ink Cartridges

Black S020187
Color S020191

EPSON Papers

Paper name Size Part number

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper Letter S041060

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041059

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041111

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041117

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041062

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041061

Legal S041067

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054

8 x 10 inches S041122

EPSON Photo Paper 4 x 6 inches S041134

Letter S041141

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041140

Panoramic (8.3 x 23 inches) S041145

EPSON Photo Stickers Kit (CD-ROM/paper) A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041144-KIT

EPSON Photo Stickers (refill) A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041144

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film Letter S041072

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041071

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041107

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Letter S041064

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041063

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041106

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper Letter S041153/S041155

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper Letter S041124

A4 S041126

Matte Paper - Heavyweight Letter S041257

63