HP Photosmart A310 User Manual
HP Photosmart A310 series
User Guide
Support phone list
The following support phone list is continued on the inside back cover of
this guide.
Copyrights and trademarks
© 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
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 material is prohibited without prior written permission of
Hewlett-Packard, except as allowed under copyright laws.
The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth
in the express warranty statements accompanying such
products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as
constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for
technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein.
Trademarks
HP, the HP logo, and Photosmart are property of HewlettPackard Development Company, L.P.
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
Mac, the Mac logo, and Macintosh are registered trademarks
of Apple Computer, Inc.
The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth
SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Hewlett-Packard
Company is under license.
PictBridge and the PictBridge logo are trademarks of the
Camera & Imaging Products Association (CIPA).
Other brands and their products are trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective holders.
Environmental statements
For Environmental Stewardship information, see the electronic
Help.
Regulatory model identification number
VCVRA-0604
For regulatory identification purposes, the product is assigned
a Regulatory Model Number. The Regulatory Model Number
for the product is VCVRA-0604. This regulatory number should
not be confused with the marketing name (HP Photosmart A310
series) or product number (Q8471A).
Contents
1 Welcome...............................................................3
Find more information ...........................................3
Printer parts ..........................................................4
Optional accessories ...........................................11
Use the optional battery ......................................12
2 Paper basics.......................................................15
Choose and load paper .......................................15
Use HP Advanced Photo Paper ...................15
Load your paper ...........................................15
3 Print basics.........................................................19
Print from a PictBridge-certified camera .............19
Improve the quality of your photos using Photo
Fix .......................................................................21
4 Print from Bluetooth devices or your
computer.............................................................23
Print from a Bluetooth device ..............................23
Make the Bluetooth connection ....................23
Print ..............................................................23
Print from a computer .........................................24
Transfer photos from your camera to a
computer .......................................................25
About the HP Photosmart software suite
.......................................................................26
5 Maintain and transport the printer...................27
Replace the print cartridge ..................................27
Clean and maintain the printer ............................30
Clean the outside of the printer ....................30
Automatically clean the print cartridge ..........31
Print a test page ...........................................32
Manually clean the print cartridge
contacts ........................................................34
1
Align the print cartridge .................................35
Update the HP Photosmart printer driver
software ..............................................................36
Store the printer and print cartridge ....................38
Store the printer ............................................38
Store the print cartridge ................................38
Maintain the quality of photo paper .....................39
Transport the printer ...........................................40
6 Troubleshooting.................................................43
Printer hardware problems ..................................43
Printing problems ................................................48
Bluetooth printing problems ................................54
PictBridge camera error messages .....................56
7 Specifications ....................................................61
System requirements ..........................................61
Printer specifications ...........................................61
8 HP support .........................................................65
Support process ..................................................65
HP support by phone ..........................................66
Phone support period ...................................66
Placing a call ................................................66
After the phone support period .....................67
Additional warranty options .................................67
HP Warranty .......................................................68
A Install the software............................................69
B Indicator lights...................................................71
Index..........................................................................77
2 HP Photosmart A310 series
1
Thank you for your HP Photosmart purchase! To get the
maximum use out of your new printer, read this guide.
Learn how to:
● Quickly and easily print beautiful photos directly
● Print photos from any Bluetooth device—
● Connect the printer to a computer, and take
● Get higher quality photos with the help of the built-
● Take your portable, lightweight photo printer to
Welcome
from any PictBridge device—including digital
cameras, camera phones, and video cameras.
wirelessly!—with an optional Bluetooth adapter.
advantage of the photo editing, storing, sharing, and
creative project capabilities of the included HP
Photosmart software.
in HP Real Life Technologies, which correct red-
eye, color, and contrast problems with the touch of
a button.
social events to print and share photos instantly.
Find more information
Your new HP Photosmart A310 series printer comes
with the following documentation:
● Setup Guide: The setup instructions that explain
how to set up the printer and install the
HP Photosmart software. Read this document first.
Welcome 3
● Printer User Guide: This is the book you are
reading. This guide describes the basic features of
the printer, explains how to use the printer without
connecting it to a computer, and contains hardware
troubleshooting information.
● Camera or camera phone documentation (only if
a camera or camera phone came in the box with your
printer): The documentation that came with your
camera explains how to use the camera to take
pictures and includes troubleshooting and
maintenance information. In addition, the camera
image display provides information.
● Electronic Help: The electronic Help describes how
to use the printer with a computer and contains
software troubleshooting information.
After you have installed the HP Photosmart software
on your computer (see page 69), you can view the
electronic Help on your computer. The Help displays
on your computer screen and describes how to use
the printer with a computer and how to troubleshoot
software problems.
To access the electronic Help:
– Windows: From the Start menu, select
Programs or All Programs, point to HP,
HP Photosmart A310 series, and then click
Help.
– Mac: Choose Help, Mac Help in the Finder, and
then choose Library, HP Photosmart Printer
Help.
Printer parts
This section gives an overview of the parts of your
printer, and provides references to sections where the
parts and functions are described in more detail.
4 HP Photosmart A310 series
Front view (closed)
1 On: Press to turn the printer on or off, or to cancel a print
job that is in progress.
2 OK: Press to turn Photo Fix on or off, or to resume a print
job after an error.
3 PictBridge port: Connect either a PictBridge-certified
device (such as a PictBridge digital camera, camera
phone, or video camera), or the optional HP Bluetooth
wireless printer adapter to this port.
For information on printing from a PictBridge device,
see page 19.
For information on printing wirelessly using Bluetooth
technology, see page 23.
4 Output tray (closed): Open this to print. The input tray
opens automatically when you open the output tray.
Welcome 5
Front view (open)
1 Handle: Extend to carry the printer.
2 Input tray: Load paper here. The input tray opens
automatically when you open the output tray. To close the
input tray, you must first close the output tray. For more
information about loading paper, see page 15.
3 USB cable holder: Store the USB cable for your
PictBridge camera in here for easy access.
4 Input tray extension: Pull out to support paper.
5 Paper-width guide: Move to the width of the current
paper to position the paper properly.
6 HP Photosmart A310 series
6 Output tray (open): The printer deposits prints here.
When you open the output tray, the input tray opens
automatically.
7 Print cartridge door: Open to insert or remove the
HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge. Close to print. For
more information about replacing the print cartridge,
see page 27.
Rear of printer
1 USB port: Connect the printer to a computer here, using
a USB cable. For more information on printing from a
computer, see page 24.
2 Power cord connection: Connect the power cord here.
Welcome 7
Indicator lights
1 On light: Solid green if the printer is on. Flashing green
if the printer is busy or the optional battery is low. Slowly
flashing green if the optional battery is charging.
2 Photo Fix light: Solid green if Photo Fix is turned on. For
information about the Photo Fix feature, see page 21.
3 Resume light: Flashing green if the printer is out of paper
or if there is a paper jam. Indicates that the OK button
should be pressed to resume printing after the error is
cleared.
4 Print Cartridge light: Solid red if the print cartridge is low
on ink. Flashing red if there is a print cartridge error, if the
print cartridge is missing, or if the print cartridge door is
open.
5 Attention light: Solid or flashing red if there is a printer
error, such as a paper jam, that must be addressed before
you can continue printing.
For troubleshooting information, see page 43.
8 HP Photosmart A310 series
For more information about the indicator lights, see
page 71.
6 PictBridge light: Solid green if a PictBridge camera is
connected to the PictBridge port. Flashing green if the
printer is printing a photo from your camera. Do not
disconnect your camera if the light is flashing green.
Tip For more information about the indicator lights,
see page 71. For troubleshooting information, see
page 43.
Welcome 9
Bottom of printer
1 Battery compartment button: Slide to release the
compartment cover.
2 Battery compartment cover: Open this cover on the
bottom of the printer to insert the optional
HP Photosmart Internal Battery.
3 Internal battery compartment: Insert the optional
HP Photosmart Internal Battery here.
4 Internal Battery: You must purchase the battery
separately.
See page 11 for more information.
10 HP Photosmart A310 series
Caution Always make sure to unplug the
printer power cord before opening the battery
compartment cover. Do not touch the coppercolored contacts on the battery or the contacts
inside the battery compartment.
Optional accessories
There are several optional accessories available for the
printer that enhance its portability for printing anywhere,
anytime. The appearance of the accessories may vary
from what is shown. To purchase accessories, go to:
● www.hp.com/eur/hpoptions (Europe)
● www.hp.com, choose your country/region, and then
click Buy or Online Shopping (All other countries/
regions)
For camera accessories, see the documentation that
came with your camera.
HP Photosmart Internal Battery
The HP Photosmart Internal Battery lets you take the
printer with you wherever you go. For more information,
see page 12.
Welcome 11
HP Photosmart Carrying Case
The lightweight, durable HP Photosmart Carrying Case
holds and protects the printer and its accessories for
hassle-free printing on the go.
Note You will need to transport your digital camera,
camera phone, or video camera in a separate carrying
case. See the documentation that came with your
camera or other device for accessories information.
HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter
The HP Bluetooth wireless printer adapter, model bt450,
plugs into the PictBridge port on the top of the printer and
lets you use Bluetooth wireless technology for printing.
For more information about using Bluetooth wireless
technology, see page 23.
Use the optional battery
A fully-charged HP Photosmart Internal Battery has
sufficient charge to print approximately 75 photos.
12 HP Photosmart A310 series
When the battery power is low, the On and Attention
lights flash. When the battery charge is completely
depleted, the printer will shut down and any print jobs
that are in progress will be cancelled.
To recharge the battery, leave it inside the printer and
connect the printer to an AC power source. If the printer
is turned on, the On light slowly flashes green to indicate
that the battery is charging. The printer does not need to
be turned on to charge the battery.
The battery should fully charge in approximately four
hours when the printer is not in use. The first time a
battery is charged and when the battery has been fully
discharged, it could take up 12 hours to recharge.
Note If the printer is operating solely on battery power,
it automatically shuts down after 8 minutes of inactivity
to conserve battery power.
Welcome 13
14 HP Photosmart A310 series
2
Paper basics
Choose and load paper
Learn which is the recommended HP paper for use with
the printer, and learn how to load it into the input tray for
printing.
Use HP Advanced Photo Paper
Always use HP Advanced Photo Paper with the
HP Photosmart A310 series printer. It is especially
designed to work with the inks in your printer to create
beautiful photos.
To purchase HP Advanced Photo Paper or other
supplies, go to:
● www.hp.com/eur/hpoptions (Europe)
● www.hp.com, choose your country/region, and then
click Buy or Online Shopping (All other countries/
regions)
Load your paper
Paper loading tips:
● You can print on 10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) photo paper,
10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) or smaller index cards, L-size
cards, A6 cards, or Hagaki cards 100 x 148 mm (3.9
x 5.8 inch).
● Before loading paper, slide out the paper-width
guide to make room for the paper.
● Load only one type and size of paper at a time. Do
not mix paper types or sizes in the input tray.
Paper basics 15
● Do not load more than 20 sheets of 10 x 15 cm (4 x
6 inch) photo paper.
● If you are using tabbed paper, load the paper so the
tab feeds in last.
● In dry conditions photo paper can curl. To prevent
curling, store photo paper in a plastic bag, not in the
input tray of the printer.
1 Input tray
2 Paper-width guide
3 Output tray
16 HP Photosmart A310 series
To load paper
1. Open the output tray. The input tray opens
automatically.
2. Load up to 20 sheets of photo paper with the print
side or glossy side facing the front of the printer. If
you are using tabbed paper, load the paper so tab
feeds in last. When loading, slide the paper to the
left side of the input tray and push the paper down
firmly until it stops.
3. Adjust the paper-width guide to fit close to the edge
of the paper without bending the paper.
Paper basics 17
18 HP Photosmart A310 series
3
Printing photos directly from your camera is the easiest
and fastest way to turn your digital photos into
outstanding prints.
This section describes how to print from digital cameras
using a direct USB connection and PictBridge
technology, and how to improve the quality of your prints
using the printer's built-in Photo Fix feature.
Note Although this chapter describes the procedure for
printing from a PictBridge digital camera, the procedure
for printing from other PictBridge devices—such as
camera phones and video phones—is very similar.
Review the documentation that came with your
PictBridge device for specific information.
Print basics
Print from a PictBridge-certified camera
You can print photos by connecting a PictBridgecertified digital camera directly to the PictBridge port on
the top of the printer with a USB cable. When you print
from your digital camera, the printer uses the settings
that you selected on the camera. For more information,
see the documentation that came with your camera.
Make sure you have turned on the printer and inserted
a HP 110 Tri-color Inkjet print cartridge before you try to
print.
Print basics 19
Note If you connect a non-HP camera and encounter
problems while printing, see the documentation that
came with your camera. HP is not able to provide
technical support for non-HP cameras.
To print using a PictBridge-certified camera
1. Turn on your PictBridge digital camera. Make sure
the USB configuration is set to Digital Camera, so
that your camera is able to successfully connect to
the printer and print photos.
2. Load photo paper into the printer.
The printer automatically prints using the best
quality settings for HP Advanced Photo Paper. To
change the paper type or quality settings, print your
photos from a computer. For more information on
printing from a computer, see the electronic Help.
Note If you are printing from an HP Photosmart
E427 digital camera, you can print using Normal
print quality for faster prints. The print quality may be
noticeably lower, especially if you are not using HP
Advanced Photo Paper. Print quality is best when
Best print quality is selected.
3. Connect your camera to the PictBridge port on the
top of the printer using the USB cable for the
camera. The PictBridge light turns solid green
when the connection is established.
4. Use the menu on your camera image display to
select and print photos. The On light and the
PictBridge light flash while the photos are printing.
Important: Your photos are instantly dry, and can be
handled immediately after they are printed. However,
HP recommends that you leave the printed surface of
your photos exposed to the air for 5–10 minutes after
20 HP Photosmart A310 series
printing, to allow the colors to fully develop before you
stack them with other photos or place them in albums.
Improve the quality of your photos using Photo Fix
The printer uses Photo Fix to enhance your photos
with HP Real Life technologies. Photo Fix will:
● Sharpen blurred photos.
● Improve the dark areas of a photo without affecting
the light areas of the photo.
● Reduce red-eye that can occur in photos taken with
a flash.
● Improve the overall brightness, color, and contrast
of photos.
Photo Fix is turned on by default when you turn on the
printer. The Photo Fix light is solid green when the
feature is turned on.
HP recommends leaving Photo Fix on, but if your photos
do not print correctly, or if you want to print a photo
without the Photo Fix improvements, turn Photo Fix off.
To turn off Photo Fix, press OK. The Photo Fix light
turns off. Photo Fix remains off until you press OK again,
or turn the printer off and on again.
Print basics 21
22 HP Photosmart A310 series
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