HP (Hewlett-Packard) 5900 User Manual
HP Deskjet 5900 series
User's guide
Hewlett-Packard Company
notices
The information contained in this
document is subject to change
without notice.
All rights reserved. Reproduction,
adaptation, or translation of this
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copyright laws.
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and services are set forth in the
express warranty statements
accompanying such products and
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construed as constituting an
additional warranty. HP shall not be
liable for technical or editorial errors
or omissions contained herein.
Acknowledgements
Apple, the Apple logo, ColorSync, the
ColorSync logo, Finder, Mac,
Macintosh, MacOS, Powerbook,
Power Macintosh, and Quickdraw are
trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.,
registered in the U.S. and other
countries.
TrueType is a U.S. trademark of
Apple Computer, Inc.
Adobe, AdobeRGB, and Acrobat are
trademarks of Adobe Systems
Incorporated.
Copyright 2005 Hewlett-Packard
Development Company, L.P.
Terms and conventions
The following terms and conventions
are used in this user’s guide.
Terms
The HP Deskjet printer is also
referred to as the HP printer or printer.
Cautions and warnings
A Caution indicates possible damage
to the HP Deskjet printer or to other
equipment. For example:
Warning Keep both new
and used print cartridges out
of the reach of children.
Caution Do not touch the
print cartridge ink nozzles or
copper contacts. Touching
these parts will result in
clogs, ink failure, and bad
electrical connections.
A Warning indicates possible harm to
you or to others. For example:
Contents
1 Welcome................................................................................................................3
2 Special features....................................................................................................4
3 Get started.............................................................................................................5
Printer features ......................................................................................................5
Buttons and lights ..................................................................................................6
Paper trays ..........................................................................................................10
Print cartridges ....................................................................................................13
Ink-backup mode .................................................................................................14
Automatic paper-type sensor ...............................................................................15
4 Connect to the printer........................................................................................16
USB .....................................................................................................................16
Networking ...........................................................................................................16
5 Print photos........................................................................................................17
Print borderless photos ........................................................................................17
Print photos with a border ....................................................................................19
HP Real Life technologies ...................................................................................20
Photo print cartridge ............................................................................................21
Color options .......................................................................................................22
Advanced color management ..............................................................................22
Maximum dpi .......................................................................................................23
Store and handle photo paper .............................................................................23
Save money when printing photos .......................................................................24
6 Print photos from a digital camera.................................................................... 25
About PictBridge ..................................................................................................25
PictBridge printing ...............................................................................................25
7 Print other documents.......................................................................................28
E-mail ..................................................................................................................28
Letters .................................................................................................................29
Documents ..........................................................................................................30
Envelopes ............................................................................................................31
Brochures ............................................................................................................32
Greeting cards .....................................................................................................33
Postcards .............................................................................................................34
Transparencies ....................................................................................................35
Labels ..................................................................................................................36
Index cards and other small media ......................................................................37
Iron-on transfers ..................................................................................................38
8 Printing tips.........................................................................................................40
Select a print quality ............................................................................................40
Set the page order ...............................................................................................40
Print multiple pages on a single sheet of paper ...................................................41
Select a paper type ..............................................................................................41
Resize a document ..............................................................................................42
Print preview ........................................................................................................42
User's guide 1
9 Printer software..................................................................................................43
Print settings ........................................................................................................43
Manage the printer (Mac OS X 10.3) ...................................................................44
Manage the printer (Mac OS X 10.2) ...................................................................45
View and change the status of a print job (Mac OS X 10.3) ................................45
View and change the status of a print job (Mac OS X 10.2) ................................46
10 Maintenance........................................................................................................47
Install print cartridges ..........................................................................................47
Set the auto-off feature ........................................................................................50
Align the print cartridges ......................................................................................50
Calibrate color .....................................................................................................50
Automatically clean print cartridges .....................................................................50
Print a test page ..................................................................................................51
View estimated ink levels .....................................................................................51
Maintain the printer body .....................................................................................51
Remove ink from your skin and clothing ..............................................................51
Manually clean print cartridges ............................................................................52
Maintain print cartridges ......................................................................................53
HP Printer Utility ..................................................................................................54
11 Troubleshooting.................................................................................................55
Printer does not print ...........................................................................................55
Paper jam ............................................................................................................56
Paper problems ...................................................................................................57
Paper mismatch ...................................................................................................58
Printer is stalled ...................................................................................................59
Print cartridge problems ....................................................................................... 59
Photos do not print correctly ................................................................................61
PictBridge problems ............................................................................................63
Print quality is poor ..............................................................................................65
Document is misprinted .......................................................................................67
Problems with borderless documents ..................................................................67
Error messages ...................................................................................................72
Printer lights are on or flashing ............................................................................73
Document prints slowly ........................................................................................77
If you continue to have problems .........................................................................77
12 Supplies...............................................................................................................78
Paper ...................................................................................................................78
USB cables ..........................................................................................................78
13 Specifications ....................................................................................................79
Printer specifications ...........................................................................................79
14 Environmental information................................................................................80
Environmental statement .....................................................................................80
Print cartridge recovery ........................................................................................ 81
Index...........................................................................................................................83
2 HP Deskjet 5900 series
1
Welcome
To find an answer to a question, select one of the following topics:
● Special features
● Get started
● Connect to the printer
● Print photos
● Print photos from a digital camera
● Print other documents
● Printing tips
● Printer software
● Maintenance
● Troubleshooting
● Supplies
● Specifications
● Environmental information
User's guide 3
2
Special features
Congratulations! You have purchased an HP Deskjet printer that is equipped with
several exciting features:
● Borderless printing: Use the entire page surface when printing photos and
brochures with the borderless printing feature.
● Six-ink upgradeable printing: Enhance photo printing with a photo print
cartridge (purchased separately).
● Ink-backup mode: Use ink-backup mode to continue printing with one print
cartridge when the other print cartridge has run out of ink.
● Printing from a digital camera: Print photos directly from a digital camera using
the PictBridge port.
● Panoramic printing: Print panoramic photos with borders or without borders.
● Real Life technologies: HP Real Life technologies make it easy for you to get
better photos. Automatic red-eye removal and adaptive lighting to enhance detail
in shadows are just a few of the many technologies included.
● Print Cartridge Status display: Know when a print cartridge is low on ink by
viewing the Print Cartridge Status lights.
● Automatic paper-type sensor: Use the auto paper-type sensor to optimize print
quality for various papers.
● HP Vivera Inks deliver true-to-life photo quality and exceptional fade resistance
resulting in vivid colors that last. HP Vivera Inks are specially-formulated and
scientifically tested for quality, purity and fade resistance.
4 HP Deskjet 5900 series
3
Get started
● Printer features
● Buttons and lights
● Paper trays
● Print cartridges
● Ink-backup mode
● Automatic paper-type sensor
Printer features
The printer has several features to make printing easier and more efficient.
1 Buttons and lights
2 Print Cartridge Status lights
3 PictBridge port
4 Paper trays
User's guide 5
Chapter 3
1 Automatic paper-type sensor
2 Print cartridges
3 Ink-backup mode
1 USB port
Buttons and lights
Use the printer buttons to turn the printer on and off, cancel a print job, and restart a
job. The printer lights give you visual cues about the status of the printer.
6 HP Deskjet 5900 series
1 Power button and light
2 Print Cartridge Status lights
3 PictBridge lights
4 Resume button and light
5 Print Cancel button
Power button and light
Use the Power button to turn the printer on and off. It can take a few seconds for the
printer to turn on after you press the Power button.
1 Power button
The Power light flashes when the printer is processing.
Caution Always use the Power button to turn the printer on and off. Using a
power strip, surge protector, or a wall-mounted switch to turn the printer on
and off might cause printer failure.
Print Cartridge Status lights
The Print Cartridge Status lights indicate the status of the print cartridges. The lights
are located in the center of the control panel.
User's guide 7
Chapter 3
1 Print Cartridge Status lights
1. The left status light represents the tri-color print cartridge, which is installed in the
left side of the print cartridge cradle.
– The light is on and solid when the tri-color print cartridge is low on ink.
– The light flashes when the tri-color print cartridge needs to be serviced.
2. The right status light represents the black or the photo print cartridge. One of
these print cartridges is installed in the right side of the print cartridge cradle.
– The light is on and solid when the black or photo print cartridge is low on ink.
– The light flashes when the black or photo print cartridge needs to be serviced.
PictBridge lights
Plug a PictBridge-enabled camera into the printer PictBridge port using a digital
camera USB cable to print digital photographs.
8 HP Deskjet 5900 series
1 Connection light
2 Error light
When the camera is connected correctly, the green Connection light is illuminated.
The printer Power light flashes and the Connection light remains lit solid when printing
from the camera. If the camera is not PictBridge-compatible or is not in PictBridge
mode, the amber Error light flashes.
Print Cancel and Resume buttons
The printer also has a Print Cancel button and a Resume button and light.
1 Print Cancel button
2 Resume button and light
Pressing the Print Cancel button cancels the current print job.
The Resume light flashes when an action is required, such as loading paper or
clearing a paper jam. When the problem is solved, press the Resume button to
continue printing.
User's guide 9
Chapter 3
Paper trays
For information about the paper trays, select one of these topics.
Unfold the paper trays
Follow these steps to unfold the paper trays:
1. Lower the In tray.
2. Lower the Out tray.
3. Pull out the Out-tray extension.
In tray
The In tray holds paper or other media.
10 HP Deskjet 5900 series
1 In tray
Paper guide
Print on different sizes of media by sliding the paper guide to the right or to the left.
Out tray
Printed pages are deposited in the Out tray.
1 Out tray
Raise the Out tray to load paper or other media. Lower the Out tray before printing.
User's guide 11
Chapter 3
To prevent paper from falling out of the Out tray, fully pull out the Out-tray extension. If
you are printing in the Fast draft mode, unfold the Out-tray extension stop.
1 Out-tray extension
2 Out-tray extension stop
Fold the paper trays
Follow these steps to fold the paper trays:
1. Remove paper or other media from the paper trays.
2. If the Out-tray extension stop is raised, lower it and then push it into the Out-tray
extension.
3. Push the Out-tray extension into the Out tray.
12 HP Deskjet 5900 series
4. Raise the Out tray.
5. Raise the In tray.
Print cartridges
Three print cartridges can be used with the printer.
1 Black print cartridge
2 Tri-color print cartridge
3 Photo print cartridge
Use print cartridges
The print cartridges can be used in the following ways:
● Everyday printing: Use the black and tri-color print cartridges for everyday print
jobs.
● Quality color photos: For more vibrant colors when printing color photographs
or other special documents, remove the black print cartridge and install a photo
print cartridge. The photo print cartridge, in combination with the tri-color print
cartridge, provides you with virtually grain-free photos.
User's guide 13
Chapter 3
Replace print cartridges
When buying print cartridges, look for the print cartridge selection number.
You can find the selection number in three places:
● Selection number label: Look at the label on the print cartridge that you are
replacing.
1 Selection number label
● Printer documentation: For a list of print cartridge selection numbers, see the
reference guide that came with the printer.
● HP Printer Utility: Open the HP Printer Utility, and then select the Supplies
Status pane.
If a print cartridge runs out of ink, the printer can operate in ink-backup mode.
For information about installing a replacement print cartridge, see the print cartridge
installation page.
Ink-backup mode
Use the ink-backup mode to operate the printer with only one print cartridge. The inkbackup mode is initiated when a print cartridge is removed from the print cartridge
cradle.
Ink-backup mode output
Printing in ink-backup mode slows the printer and affects the quality of printouts.
Installed print
cartridge
Black print cartridge Colors print as grayscale.
Tri-color print cartridge Colors print but black is grayed and is not a true black.
Photo print cartridge Colors print as grayscale.
Note HP does not recommend using the photo print cartridge for ink-backup
mode.
14 HP Deskjet 5900 series
Result
Exit ink-backup mode
Install two print cartridges in the printer to exit ink-backup mode.
For instructions about installing a print cartridge, see the print cartridge installation
page.
Automatic paper-type sensor
The HP automatic paper-type sensor detects the paper in your printer, and then
selects optimal print settings for that media. The result is fewer mouse clicks to start
printing, and automatic optimal print quality on plain, photo, brochure and other highquality papers. The sensor also checks the paper width to ensure it matches the size
selected in the printer software. If the widths are different, the printer warns you so
that you do not waste a sheet of paper.
When the auto paper-type sensor is engaged, the printer uses a red optical sensor
light to scan the first page of a document and determine the best paper-type setting
and check paper width. If the paper width is different from the printer software, the
printer warns you and gives you the opportunity to stop printing. If the width matches,
the printer determines the paper-type setting and the page is printed.
For more information about using the automatic paper-type setting, see Select a
paper type.
Caution Do not place the printer in direct sunlight. Direct sunlight can
interfere with the auto paper-type sensor.
User's guide 15
4
USB
Connect to the printer
● USB
● Networking
The printer connects to the computer with a universal serial bus (USB) cable.
For instructions about connecting the printer with a USB cable, see the setup poster
that came with the printer.
Note A USB cable might not be packaged with your printer.
Networking
The printer can be connected to a network through a computer or by using an HP
Jetdirect Print Server
Connect through a networked computer
The printer can be connected directly to a computer on a network and then shared
with other computers on the network.
For instructions about sharing the printer on a network, use the printer software CD
and follow the onscreen network setup instructions.
Use an HP Jetdirect print server
The printer can be connected to a network by using an HP Jetdirect print server.
For instructions about sharing the printer on a network, open System Preferences
and then double-click Sharing.
Note HP Jetdirect print servers are not available in all countries/regions.
16 HP Deskjet 5900 series
5
Print photos
The printer software offers several features that make printing digital photos easier
and improve photo quality.
Learn how to perform the following tasks:
● Print a borderless photo.
● Print a photo with a border.
● Use HP Real Life technologies to touch up photos.
● Use the photo print cartridge for great colors and virtually grain-free photos.
● Achieve the highest printing resolution with maximum dpi.
● Improve printed colors with the following software options:
– Color options
– Advanced color management
● Prevent photo paper from curling by following the photo paper storage and
handling guidelines.
● Use HP Everyday Photo Paper to save money and ink when printing photos.
Print borderless photos
Use borderless printing to print to the edges of certain paper types and to print on a
range of paper sizes—from 4 x 6 inch photo paper to a 210 x 594 mm (8.5 x 23.4
inch) custom photo size.
Guidelines
● For high-quality results, use a photo print cartridge in combination with the tri-
color print cartridge.
● Do not print borderless photos in ink-backup mode. Always have two print
cartridges installed in the printer.
● Open the file in a software program such as Adobe Photoshop and assign the
photo size. Ensure that the size corresponds to the paper size on which you want
to print the photo.
● For maximum fade resistance, use HP Premium Plus Photo Paper.
● Verify that the photo paper that you are using is flat. For information about
preventing photo paper from curling, see the photo paper storage instructions.
● Do not exceed the In tray capacity: 30 sheets of photo paper.
Prepare to print
Show me how to load photo paper.
1. Raise the Out tray.
2. Slide the paper guide all the way to the left.
3. Verify that the photo paper is flat.
4. Place the photo paper in the In tray, with the side to be printed on facing down.
User's guide 17
Chapter 5
If you are using photo paper with a tear-off tab, verify that the tab is pointing away
from the printer.
5. Slide the paper guide firmly against the edge of the paper stack.
1 Small photos
2 Large photos
Note Some panoramic paper sizes might extend beyond the edge of the
In tray.
6. Lower the Out tray.
Print
1. Open the Page Setup dialog box.
2. Choose the appropriate borderless paper size in the Paper Size menu, and then
click OK.
3. Open the Print dialog box.
4. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane, and then select the following settings:
– Paper Type: The appropriate photo paper type
– Quality: Best or Maximum dpi
5. Select the Real Life Digital Photography pane, and then set the HP Real Life
technologies as appropriate.
6. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
If you printed on photo paper that has a tear-off tab, remove the tab to make the
document completely borderless.
18 HP Deskjet 5900 series
Print photos with a border
Follow these instructions to print photos with a white border.
Guidelines
● For high-quality results, use a photo print cartridge in combination with the tri-
color print cartridge.
● For maximum fade resistance, use HP Premium Plus Photo Paper.
● Open the file in a software program such as Adobe Photoshop and assign the
photo size. Ensure that the size corresponds to the paper size on which you want
to print the photo.
● Verify that the photo paper that you are using is flat. For information about
preventing photo paper from curling, see the photo paper storage instructions.
● Do not exceed the In tray capacity: 30 sheets of photo paper.
Prepare to print
Show me how to load photo paper.
1. Raise the Out tray.
2. Slide the paper guide all the way to the left.
3. Verify that the photo paper is flat.
4. Place the photo paper in the In tray with the side to be printed on facing down.
5. Slide the paper guide firmly against the edge of the paper stack.
User's guide 19
Chapter 5
1 Small photos
2 Large photos
Note Some panoramic paper sizes might extend beyond the edge of the
In tray.
6. Lower the Out tray.
Print
1. Open the Page Setup dialog box, and then select the following settings:
– Paper Size: The appropriate paper size
– Orientation: The appropriate orientation
2. Click OK.
3. Open the Print dialog box.
4. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane, and then select the following settings:
– Paper Type: The appropriate photo paper type
– Quality: Best or Maximum dpi
5. Select the Real Life Digital Photography pane, and then set the HP Real Life
technologies as appropriate.
6. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
HP Real Life technologies
HP Real Life technologies make it easy for you to get better photos. Automatic redeye removal and adaptive lighting to enhance detail in shadows are just a few of the
technologies included.
20 HP Deskjet 5900 series
Open HP Real Life technologies
Follow these steps to open HP Digital Photography Real Life technologies:
1. Open the Print dialog box.
2. Select the Real Life Digital Photography pane.
Use HP Real Life technologies
Choose from the following items:
● Summary: View all the current settings at a glance.
● Auto Red-eye Removal: Click On to automatically remove or reduce red-eye in
the photograph.
● Adaptive Lighting: Adjust the exposure in dark areas of photos to bring out
detail. Click Auto to allow the printer software to automatically balance lightness
and darkness.
● Photo Brightening: Automatically enhance colors and contrast for washed-out
photos. Click Auto to allow the printer software to intelligently brighten your
photo, focusing only on areas that need adjustment.
● SmartFocus: Enhance the image quality and clarity of low resolution images
such as those downloaded from the Internet. Click On to allow the printer
software to sharpen details in the image automatically.
● Smoothing: Soften an image. Click Auto to allow the printer software to set the
level of smoothing for the image automatically.
● Sharpness: Adjust the image sharpness to your preference. Click Auto to allow
the printer software to set the level of sharpening for the image automatically.
Photo print cartridge
The photo print cartridge, when used in conjunction with the tri-color print cartridge,
provides virtually grain-free photos. It offers exceptional fade resistance for photos
that are printed on HP Premium Plus Photo Paper.
The photo print cartridge can be purchased separately if it is not included with your
printer.
Install the photo print cartridge
To install the photo print cartridge, remove the black print cartridge from the printer,
and then install the photo print cartridge in the right side of the print cartridge cradle.
User's guide 21
Chapter 5
Note To protect a print cartridge when it is not in the printer, follow these
storage guidelines.
Use the photo print cartridge
1. Open the Print dialog box.
2. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane.
3. Choose the appropriate photo paper type in the Paper Type menu.
4. In the Quality menu, select Normal, Best, or Maximum dpi.
5. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
Store the photo print cartridge
Follow these guidelines when storing the photo print cartridge.
Color options
Use color options to adjust color levels in your photos and change color brightness,
tone, and saturation.
When you adjust color options, the printed colors in your photos differ from the colors
that appear on your computer monitor.
Follow these steps to set color options:
1. Open the Print dialog box.
2. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane.
3. Verify that ColorSmart/sRGB is selected in the Color pull-down menu.
4. Click the Color Options tab.
5. Adjust the Saturation, Brightness, and Color Tone sliders to affect how overall
colors are printed.
6. Adjust the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black sliders to specify the level of each
color that is used in printing.
7. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
Advanced color management
Color management defines the range of colors that can be printed. The printer
software translates the colors of your document from their current color settings to the
color management option that is selected.
Follow these steps to select a color management option:
1. Open the Print dialog box.
2. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane.
3. In the Color pull-down menu, click one of the following options:
– ColorSmart/sRGB: ColorSmart/sRGB is an appropriate option for most print
jobs. It is used for most Web-based documents and current imaging devices.
– ColorSync: This option allows the printer driver to manage the color of the
document.
– Grayscale: Use this option to print colors as grayscale.
22 HP Deskjet 5900 series
– Application Managed Colors: Use this option to allow the program from
which you are printing to manage the color of the photo.
– AdobeRGB: Use the AdobeRGB setting for documents or photos that were
originally created in the AdobeRGB color space. When using AdobeRGB to
print from a professional software program, turn off color management in the
program and allow the printer software to manage the color space.
4. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
Maximum dpi
The maximum dpi print quality setting offers 4800 x 1200 optimized dots per inch (dpi)
printing.
The 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi is the highest quality resolution for this printer. When
4800 x 1200 optimized dpi is selected in the printer software, the tri-color print
cartridge prints in the 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi mode (up to 4800 x 1200 optimized
dpi color and 1200-input dpi).
If a photo print cartridge is also installed, the print quality is enhanced. A photo print
cartridge can be purchased separately if it is not included with the printer.
Note Using maximum dpi increases the printing time and requires a large
amount of disk space.
Follow these steps to print in the 4800 x 1200 optimized dpi mode:
1. Open the Print dialog box.
2. Select the Paper Type/Quality pane.
3. In the Paper Type pull-down menu, click Photo Paper, and then click the
appropriate photo paper type.
4. In the Quality pull-down menu, click Maximum dpi.
5. Select any other print settings that you want, and then click Print.
Note Use an HP premium photo paper when printing in the maximum dpi
mode to enhance color matching and detail in the photo.
Store and handle photo paper
Follow these instructions to maintain the quality of HP brand photo paper.
Storage
● Keep unused photo paper in a plastic bag. Store the packaged photo paper on a
flat surface in a cool place.
● When you are ready to print, remove only the paper that you plan to use
immediately from the plastic bag. When you have finished printing, return any
unused photo paper to the plastic bag.
● Do not leave unused photo paper in the paper tray. The paper might start to curl,
which can reduce the quality of your photos.
User's guide 23
Chapter 5
Handling
● Always hold photo paper by its edges. Fingerprints on photo paper can reduce
print quality.
● If the corners of the photo paper curl more than 10 mm (0.4 inch), flatten the
paper by putting it in the storage bag, and then gently bending it in the opposite
direction of the curl until the paper lies flat.
Photo paper should be flat before it is printed on.
Save money when printing photos
To save money and ink when printing photos, use HP Everyday Photo Paper and set
the print quality to Normal.
HP Everyday Photo Paper is designed to create quality photos with less ink.
Note For higher-quality photos, use HP Premium Plus Photo Paper and set
the print quality to Best or Maximum dpi.
24 HP Deskjet 5900 series
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