Kodak DC4800 User Manual 2

Large Format 4800 Series Inkjet Printers

Reference

Guide

WARRANTY

United States

Kodak warrants its printers (“PRODUCT”) to be free from defects in workmanship and materials for
a period of one year from the date of purchase.

Kodak reserves the right to make changes or improvements to Products, without incurring any
obligation to similarly alter Products previously purchased.

Buyer’s sole and exclusive rights pursuant to this Warranty shall be for the repair or replacement of
defective Product. Kodak specifically disclaims any and all other warranties, expressed or implied,
including but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular
purpose. In no event shall Kodak be liable for any loss of profit or other commercial damages,
special, incidental or consequential damages, or any other damages or claims, whatsoever.

This Warranty gives Buyer specific legal rights, and Buyer may also have other rights that vary
from state to state.

Reference Guide

This Warranty applies only to printers purchased from Kodak, or authorized Kodak distributors or
dealers. The intent of this Warranty is to repair or replace defective Products subjected to normal
wear and tear, when operated according to Kodak instructions.

This warranty does not cover damage to the Product resulting from the following:

· Accident or negligence.

· Unauthorized modification of the Product.

· Adverse environmental conditions.

· Service of the Product by other than a Kodak authorized service provider.

· Unauthorized or improper use, including but not limited to:

- Use in applications for which the Product was not designed.

- Using cartridges, ink, or media other than Kodak products.

- Lubricating any part of the printer.

Internationally: Contact your dealer or distributor for warranty information.

i

FCC Statement (U.S.A.)

The United States Federal Communications Commission has specified that the following
notice be brought to the attention of users of the KODAK printers.

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION RADIO AND TELEVISION
INTERFERENCE FOR CLASS A DEVICE

Statement

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a

Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC rules. These limits are designed
to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is
operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses and can
radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation
of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which
case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.

Reference Guide

ii

VDE statement

Hiermit wird bescheinigt, daß der Drucker in Übereinstimmung mit den Bestimmungen
der BMPT-AmstbIVfg 234/1991 funkentstört ist. Der vorschriftsmäßige Betrieb
mancher Geräte (z.B. Meßsender) kann allerdings gewissen Einschränkungen
unterliegen. Beachten Sie deshalb die Hinweise in der Bedienungsanleitung.

Dem Zentralamt für Zulassungen im Fernmeldewesen würde den Inverkehrbringen dieses
Gerätes angezeigt und die Berechtigung zur Überprüfung der Serie auf die Einhaltung der
Bestimmungen eingeräumt.

Industry Canada

This Class A digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference­Causing Equipment Regulations.

Cet apparell numérique de la classe A respecte toutes les exigences du Réglement sur le
matériel brouilleur du Canada.

Reference Guide

VCCI Japan

This is a Class A product based on the standard of the Voluntary Control Council for
Interference by Information Technology Equipment (VCCI). If this equipment is used in
a domestic environment, radio disturbance may arise. When such trouble occurs, the user
may be required to take corrective actions.

iii

Material safety data sheet

To obtain information on the proper use, handling, and disposal of Kodak inks, consult the
material safety data sheet (MSDS) which should have shipped with your first ink order.
MSDSs can also be obtained from the Kodak Environmental Services web page (http://
www.kodak.com/go/kes) by using the product name or catalog number. MSDSs can also
be obtained by calling the Kodak Information Center (KIC) at 1-800-23KODAK.

The disposal of any product is typically municipality dependent. There should be enough
information on the MSDS to provide enough guidance for proper disposal. If you are
unsure, contact your local municipality or the Kodak Environmental Services group at
[phone].

Printer Disposal

This product contains a small amount of lead. Disposal of this product may be regulated
due to environmental considerations. For disposal or recycling, please contact your local
authorities.

Reference Guide

General operating safety

The use of a <HAR> cord set (rated 10A, 250VAC) with the proper plug configuration
for the country where the device will be used, is required for continued safety compli­ance.

Ein harmonisiertes (<HAR>) Netzkabel (min. 10A, 250V~) mit dem vorgeschriebenen
Netzstecker für das entsprechende Land in dem das Gerät installiert wird, ist unbedingt
notwendig für die elektrische Sicherheit.

El uso de cable poder <marcado HAR> (capacidad de 10A, 250V~), con el enchufe
apropiado para el país donde se use el producto, es requerido para acatamiento de
seguridad eléctrica.

L' emploi d' un cordon surmoulé <HAR> (estimé 10A, 250V CA) avec la configuration
de la fiche convenable pour le pays où l' appareil sera utilisé, est exigé pour la conformité
à la sécurité continuée.

iv

Dryer safety

CAUTION: Never open the dryer. There are no user serviceable parts
inside. Refer servicing to qualified service personnel only.

CAUTION: This assembly heat by radiation.

CAUTION: Once the dryer is plugged in, there is continuous power to the

dryer,

Manual conventions

Reference Guide

even when the printer is turned off.

DISCONNECT POWER CORD BEFORE SERVICING!

ê

Indicates a procedure for you to follow in order to perform a specific function.
Read the accompanying explanatory text before following the step-by-step
procedure.

! Indicates a warning. Ignoring the warning can damage the printer or result in an

unsatisfactorily printed image.

3

Other reference materials

In addition to this guide, the following additional documentation is included with your
printer:

Quick Start Guide - Tells you how to assemble and install the printer's hardware.
System CD-ROM - the system CD-ROM contains:

Indicates a tip or suggestion that can make using the printer easier or improve
your printed images.

• Maintenance Guide, instructions for maintaining your 4800 printer; and

• print server software.

v

Reference Guide

Contents

Introduction ....................................................................................................1-1

Printing with 4800 Series printers ....................................................................................1-1

Obtaining quality results ..................................................................................................1-2

Use the Correct Inks and Media ...................................................................................... 1-2

Caring for Media ..............................................................................................................1-2

Caring for your ink and cartridges ....................................................................................1-3

Nine Factors that Affect Print Quality ..............................................................................1-5

Printer options ............................................................................................... 2-1

Cartridge set ...................................................................................................................2-1

Choosing print mode options ........................................................................................... 2-2

Color mode ......................................................................................................................2-3

Quality modes .................................................................................................................2-3

Dots per inch................................................................................................................... 2-4

Print passes.................................................................................................................... 2-5

Carriage speed ................................................................................................................ 2-5

Print direction .................................................................................................................. 2-6

Choosing feed media options........................................................................................... 2-6

End of media ................................................................................................................... 2-6

Media counter .................................................................................................................2-7

Choosing paper options ...................................................................................................2-8

Supply Type ....................................................................................................................2-9

Media standard ...............................................................................................................2-9

Margins .........................................................................................................................2-12

Auto-Load Delay ............................................................................................................2-13

Auto-Cut........................................................................................................................2-13

Auto-Cut Delay ..............................................................................................................2-14

Delay Status ................................................................................................................. 2-14

Save Media ...................................................................................................................2-15

Defining user setup........................................................................................................ 2-15

Choosing a language ..................................................................................................... 2-16

Choosing ink options ..................................................................................................... 2-16

LCD Contrast ................................................................................................................ 2-18

Printing the settings ...................................................................................................... 2-19

Returning to the default settings .................................................................................... 2-19

Printer Default Settings ................................................................................................. 2-20

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Reference Guide

HP-GL/2 options............................................................................................. 3-1

Printing vector data.......................................................................................................... 3-1

Accessing HP-GL/2 features ........................................................................................... 3-1

Palette select .................................................................................................................. 3-2

Control ............................................................................................................................3-2

Rotation ..........................................................................................................................3-3

Reprints ..........................................................................................................................3-3

Nesting ........................................................................................................................... 3-4

Nest wait time .................................................................................................................3-5

Ink limit ...........................................................................................................................3-6

HP-GL/2 Test File ............................................................................................................3-6

Installing additional memory ...................................................................... A-1

Acceptable DIMM sizes ................................................................................................. A-1

DIMM installation ........................................................................................................... A-1

Technical information .................................................................................. B-1

Menu tree........................................................................................................ C-1

Main menu at a glance ................................................................................................... C-1

Main menu ..................................................................................................................... C-2

Feed media menu .......................................................................................................... C-3

Setup menu at a glance ................................................................................................. C-4

Setup menu.................................................................................................................... C-5

Utility menu at a glance................................................................................................ C-11

Utility menu .................................................................................................................. C-12

Error messages ............................................................................................. D-1

Error Messages .............................................................................................................. D-1

Cartridge Errors .............................................................................................................. D-1

Troubleshooting ............................................................................................ E-1

Troubleshooting quick list ............................................................................................... E-1

Isolating problems .......................................................................................................... E-1

Printer Health ................................................................................................................. E-2

Data Transfer ................................................................................................................ E-12

Application Software ..................................................................................................... E-14

Calling for Help ............................................................................................................. E-15

Customer Technical Support ......................................................................................... E-15

vii

Introduction 1

Y

This Reference Guide describes the KODAK PROFESSIONAL Large Format 4800
Series Printer inkjet printer.

These printers give you professional-quality output with all the brilliance and gloss of liquid
ink. For signmakers, service bureaus, photographic services, creative and business
professionals, our printers let you experience the value of exceptional graphics quality.
These printers cut hours of production time, while giving you the dramatic impact of high
fidelity images. These printers are being used for many types of printing needs:

• Posters • Banners • Exhibits

• Signs • Packaging prototypes • POP Displays

• Imposition proofing • Point of purchase • Fine art

Printing with 4800 Series printers

This printer is an 8-head inkjet printer. You can print with the left four cartridges, the right
four cartridges or all eight cartridges. Facing the printer, the left four cartridges are
designated as 1 x 4 Left cartridge set, the right four cartridges are designated as 1 x 4
Right cartridge set and when using all cartridges they are designated as 2 x 4 cartridge
set. The following illustration will help you identify each one of the stalls or slots on the
carriage where the cartridges are installed.

1 X 4 Left 1 X 4 Right

4321

MCK

2 x 4

Featuring a continuous-feeding ink system which uses 500ml reservoirs for each color,
you never have to worry about running out of ink halfway through a big print job. Before
starting a print job, just look at the transparent plastic reservoirs to check the ink supply.
When the ink supply is low, just open the cap and refill. In addition, the printer features
dual ink lines on the 1 x 4 Left cartridge set, which makes fast work of switching from
one type of ink to another.

These printers accept raster-oriented data in the form of HP RTL format. In this mode,
printing begins immediately after the first complete line of HP RTL data is received.
Depending on the software used, millions of colors are possible, yielding superb results for
continuous-tone images or 3D renderings.

If your applications do not support HP RTL, there are several software utilities available
to convert various raster file formats (TIFF, GIF, BMP, etc.) into HP RTL. There are also
more than 50 Raster Image Processors (RIPs) which convert Postscript or CGM to HP
RTL. When choosing a RIP or a file format converter for output to the printer, make sure
it has the features you need. (Contact your reseller for an up-to-date listing.)

Obtaining quality results

You have probably seen a demonstration of your printer's capabilities or sample output. If
so, you are aware of the superb color graphics which can be obtained, and the variety of
papers and films you can use. Note, however, that to obtain high-quality results, you must
consider several factors. Follow the simple guidelines in the sections that follow to obtain
excellent results.

Reference Guide

Use the Correct Inks and Media

KODAK has inks and media for your job regardless of what output you want to print
with your large format 4800 printers. KODAK’s image scientists, color scientists, ink
formulators, and media formulators work together to produce a line of supplies that are
scientifically matched with this printer. Refer to KODAK’s Ink and Media Data Sheets
for details on KODAK’s line of inks and media that are compatible with these printers.

Caring for Media

Storage

Store inkjet media in the original box at 65 to 75° F (18 to 24° C) at 45 to 55% relative
humidity. Extreme temperatures and variations in humidity could adversely affect
product performance.

Introduction 1-2

Operating Environment

These media work best in an environment ranging from 68 to 82° F (20 to 28° C) at 30 to
70% relative humidity. Image drying time depends on the humidity, temperature, and
amount of ink coverage. Inks dry more slowly when relative humidity is high. When
relative humidity is too low, inks may not spread enough to obscure scan lines resulting in
banding which is usually first observed in areas of solid colors.

Handling

KODAK PROFESSIONAL inkjet media are wound ink-receiving side out The ink­receiving side has a slightly rougher surface compared to the surface on the back side.
Avoid getting fingerprints on the image area of the ink-receiving side. Wear clean cotton
or latex gloves, and handle rolls only by the edges. Also, keep the material free from
moisture at all times.

Caring for your ink and cartridges

! Handle cartridges only on the plastic areas. Touching the copper electrical interconnect

or the inkjets can damage the cartridge.

• Be sure the ink in the cartridges matches the ink in the reservoirs.

Reference Guide

• Do not mix inks.

• Do not shake ink refill containers.

• Store ink and cartridges in the same environment as the printer whenever possible.

• Removing cartridges may result in loss of negative pressure and cause the cartridge to
leak through the jet plate. If you remove a cartridge from the printer, leave the tube
needle attached to the cartridge. This will help maintain negative pressure within the
cartridge. Do not leave cartridges exposed to the air for an extended periods because
the jets may clog. Replace the original tape on the jet plate. Place the cartridge in a
cartridge garage or sealed plastic bag and store it in a closed area at room temperature.
Keep it out of direct sunlight.

• Open new cartridges only when you are ready to install them.

• Use only KODAK PROFESSIONAL-brand ink refills and cartridges.

• Be sure to connect cartridges to reservoirs which contain the same color and type of ink
originally in the cartridge.

• Drawings containing both black and color elements require alignment of the cartridges
to each other. See the Quick Start Guide for details.

Introduction 1-3

Choose the right media

You can rely on KODAK PROFESSIONAL media for rich, vivid images across the
entire color spectrum. They are specially formulated to demanding specifications, strict
performance criteria, and uncompromising quality controls. This assures superb interaction
with KODAK PROFESSIONAL Ink and flawless performance with the printer.

KODAK offers a wide range of sheet and roll media and is always adding new products.
Check with your authorized KODAK PROFESSIONAL supplies dealer for the latest
offerings.

Caring for your media

Store media in its original packaging in a cool, dry area until you are ready to use it. The
environment should be stable; i.e., no extremes of heat and cold, and non-condensing
humidity. If conditions are outside the operating ranges recommended for the printer, allow
the media to acclimate in the operating environment for at least 48 hours before using it.

If you remove a roll of media from the printer, be sure to store it in a manner which keeps
it clean and dust-free. Ideally, you should return it to its original packaging for storage.

Print on the correct side! Roll media is wound with the coated side out.

Reference Guide

Handle with care! Handle your media carefully to avoid creases, scrapes, and tears.
Avoid crushing or damaging roll media edges.

Wear cotton gloves! Film-based and photographic paper-based media are susceptible to
absorbing skin oils. Fingerprints on the media prior to printing may result in visible
fingerprints after ink is applied.

Choose the correct printing mode

There are four printing modes, giving you freedom to trade off drawing output quality and
speed. When printing heavier renderings, maps or art graphics, choose one of the en­hanced printing modes (Photo or Enhanced).

Use the right software

The quality of the software driver or the RIP (Raster Image Processor) can be very
important, especially when printing continuous tone images or 3D renderings. Error
diffusion or stochastic screening algorithms can yield photo-like images, even when these
images are scaled to full size. Software without advanced imaging features may produce
images which are grainy when enlarged.

Introduction 1-4

Nine Factors that Affect Print Quality

Understanding all the factors that contribute to print quality is the only way to ensure
perfect printing each and every time. This section details nine important factors; by
controlling them, you can achieve the very best print quality possible.

1. Use the highest quality type of image possible.

2. Check to make sure the image is in focus and exposed properly.

3. Scan it with the best scanner possible.

4. Scan it at the proper resolution.

5. Color correct and sharpen the image with software.

6. Ensure your color profile accurately reflects the exact ink and media you are using.

7. Use the best diffusion pattern available in your RIP.

8. Use only the best possible ink and media combinations.

9. Make sure your cartridges are aligned and firing properly.

1. Original Image Type

The type of original image will determine the quality of your final inkjet print. The best
image type is an original transparency (not a duplicate). They are extremely crisp with
superb edge definition. Print film photos are not as good as they are already one genera­tion removed from the original film. Also, because of the emulsion process of photo
prints, edge definitions tend to be lost. Color prints can be used, but they have to be of
very good quality to produce acceptable scaled prints. Digital photo files are the newest
image type. Many are unacceptable for large-format printing as they contain only a
small fraction of the information contained in a film transparency.

Reference Guide

For example, many digital cameras can only create a 1 MB file. This is not enough
information for large inkjet prints. A file must be at least 10 - 12 MB for a fair print and
30 - 50 MB for a good E-size print (see scanning section). Only the best commercial
digital cameras can achieve these files sizes. Digital files from other sources such as
CD stock photography are usually created from scanned transparencies, so they may be
suitable for inkjet printing. Check with the manufacturer to ensure that the images are at
least 10 - 12 MB and were created from high-quality drum-scanned transparencies.

The better CDs have images of 28MB or more stored in a TIFF format. These are
preferable for great quality prints. If you use a file stored in PhotoCD format, make sure
you use the highest resolution available. Images stored in compressed files such as
JPEG, LZW, GIF, etc. can lose valuable data during the compression process. Avoid
images stored this way if possible. If you have to use a compression file format for
whatever reason, use JPEG. It is closer to a “lossless” compression.

Introduction 1-5

2. Original Image Clarity and Color

The quality of the original photograph, transparency, or digital file plays a key role in final
print quality as this is where the clarity and color of the image is created. If the original
photographer took a picture that was not in focus, or was fuzzy for any reason, sharpening
or after-effects cannot correct it and a poor inkjet print will result. Differences in film,
speed, grain, or developing process can also affect quality of prints. If the image was too
dark or too light, color correction cannot correct it and a poor inkjet print will result. The
axiom of “garbage in, garbage out” applies to all printing, including inkjet printing. Compa­nies that utilize a lot of photography for large-format inkjet printing should check for focus
by using a loupe. If you have a good, in-focus original, you can maintain the image quality
throughout the entire process.

3. Scanner Type

How you get the original image into the computer is important to the overall printing
process as scanner quality varies greatly. Using a scanner that meets the requirement of
the overall print quality is essential to have enough color fidelity and edge clarity. An
image scanned with a low end scanner will lose detail, clarity, and color. It is important
that you understand what type of image quality is required for your print and use the right
scanner to achieve it.

Reference Guide

Traditionally, drum scanners are ideal for retaining the best edge definition and color
depth. If the original image is poor, an expensive drum scan may be a waste of money.
Almost all service bureaus use drum scanners.

Flatbed scanners require an optional transparency adapter to scan transparencies.

4. Scan Resolution

Scanning the original at low resolution will degrade the large-format inkjet print quality.
Scanning at a resolution which is too high slows down the RIP and adds no quality to the
image. Consequently, choosing the right resolution for the output print size (and thus, the
amount of scaling needed after scanning) will determine what the optimum resolution
should be for each image.

The quality of the image you would like to produce is determined by the final output size
and the file size. For example, if you want output a 36" x 36" image, the file size will be
approximately 24MB for a fair-to-good quality image (75dpi), 43MB for a good-very
good quality (100 dpi) and 97MB for an excellent quality (150 dpi) print.

Your service bureau can help you determine the optimum resolution to scan your image
based on the size and quality of the image you would like to print.

Introduction 1-6

DO NOT USE INTERPOLATED RESOLUTION OF YOUR SCANNER TO COM­PUTE IMAGE SIZE

Most 300 dpi scanners can interpolate or “imitate” 600 dpi scanning. This is really not
really scanning at 600 dpi and will degrade the image quality. When scanning, ensure that
you are using the scanner's true optical resolution, not its interpolated resolution. Scan­ning at the highest optical resolution (300 dpi) is better than scanning at the scanner's
highest interpolated resolution (600 dpi).

5. Post Scanning Color Correction and Sharpening

All scanned images, even those scanned on expensive drum scanners, must be color
corrected and sharpened before using them for a large-format inkjet print. If you are
using a service bureau for scanning images, their scanner operator will usually do this as
part of the scanning fee. However, you should always check the image before using it.
Although the process of color correction and sharpening is more detailed than can be
explained within this document, the following outline will give you a good grasp of what
is required:

Color Correction - all scanners give the image a slight color cast during the scanning
process. This happens because all light sensing devices have a slight bias. The easiest
way to correct most of this color cast is to use a function such as Auto Levels in
PhotoShop. This function finds the whitest pixel and the darkest pixel in an image and
distributes all colors in-between. This works well on 75% of all images that are properly
exposed. In very dark night scenes or in very white snow background scenes, Auto
Levels does not work properly and the correction must be made manually using histo­gram adjustments.

Reference Guide

Sharpening using UnSharp Mask - all scanned images, even images scanned on the
most expensive drum scanners, need to be sharpened. The best digital tool to do this with
is a function called an unsharp mask (available in programs such as PhotoShop). An
unsharp mask basically redefines the edges of images by adding a mask. Most unsharp
mask tools allow you to set the pixel width of the mask and the amount of sharpening. A
good start is to use a pixel width of 3 - 5, with an amount of 75%. Too much unsharp
mask will give the whole image a hard, pixelated look. A little more unsharp mask can be
used with inkjet images as they are somewhat diffused in the printing process, hiding any
small amounts of oversharpening.

Introduction 1-7

6. RIP Color Profile

The engine that converts your image into a series of C, M, Y, K dots is called the Raster
Image Processor or RIP. Before it can actually create these dot patterns, it must first
adjust for the colors of the inks, color of the media, dot volume of the cartridges on a
particular machine, and the humidity/temperature of the environment on the day of
printing (as this affects how far the ink will spread or dot gain). Most RIPs include what
is commonly referred to as a color profile or color link. Usually, this profile is automati­cally used when you choose the media and ink within the software. However, color
profiles are created in the factory with new cartridges in a clean and average environ­ment. If you have older cartridges, media that was stored in sunlight for 6 months, and the
humidity is 88%, the standard color profile may not give the best result. In this case, a
new color profile may need to be created. Most professional RIPs today have this as an
optional process. If your RIP cannot make a change, you can use an image editing
program such as PhotoShop and re-RIP the image. Make sure your color profile delivers
the colors and quality you need.

7. RIP Diffusion/Dither Patterns

Images that are going to be printed on an inkjet printer are eventually divided into C, M, Y,
K and rasterized into dots using patterns that cause the eye to see a continuous tone
image. These patterns are called many things, such as frequency modulated screening,
diffusion patterns, dither patterns, screen patterns, etc. There are various types of screen­ing that are better for photographic images. Stochastic screening was developed specifi­cally for the CMYK process to avoid the problem of visually perceptible banding that
occurs with other pattern types. It does this by pseudo-random placement of dots. Varia­tions of the stochastic strategy have evolved into even better patterns. Each RIP manufac­turer uses different names to describe its particular variation on the stochastic theme. To
get the best print quality, make sure you are using the best possible diffusion pattern
available from the RIP software you are using. Also remember that a different diffusion
pattern should be used for spot color objects (such as filled vector objects). If you are
printing an image that contains both photographs and spot color objects, use the diffusion
pattern designed for photos.

Reference Guide

Introduction 1-8

8. Ink and Media

Using the right ink and media is a much bigger factor in print quality than most inkjet users
realize. Then and only then can they fully appreciate what quality materials and inks can
do. Inks must be developed specifically for a particular head, otherwise, cartridge reliabil­ity will be severely reduced. KODAK inks are specifically developed for KODAK
cartridges, printers, and media. These inks create the perfect ink drop shape, trajectory,
and landing shape when used with KODAK cartridges. The media controls the color, dot
gain, and durability of the final print. As the ink must chemically interact with the media,
only media developed specifically for a particular ink can achieve the perfect dot shape
that leads to improved image quality. Additionally, the chemical bond created through co­developed inks and media is much better than independently developed inks and media.
Although many people will not be able to visually perceive differences in quality inks and
media initially (poor inks and media show more pronounced visual defects), a less-than­optimal image quality, image color, or image durability will likely develop over time.
Chemical compatibility between inks (made for a specific head technology) and media is a
key, and often overlooked ingredient to print quality.

9. Cartridge Preparation and Alignment

The single most overlooked factor in image color accuracy and quality is cartridge align­ment. Even if you carefully control factors 1 though 8, a printer with poor cartridge
alignment or unmaintained heads can severely deteriorate image quality. Cartridge
maintenance and alignment are key to producing images that exhibit the best of what a
printer is capable of. Printer wiping stations must be kept clean so that heads stay clean.
Cartridges need to be aligned and checked to be sure that all nozzles are working prop­erly. Use a loupe to evaluate the registration of test patterns to achieve the best possible
accuracy. Whenever you adjust, move, or replace a cartridge, take the time to realign the
cartridges. Alignment errors of a single pixel (or single digit in the alignment process)
affect perceived color and image quality.

Reference Guide

Introduction 1-9

Printer options 2

You can define printer options through your application software or by choosing settings
from the printer's control panel. The following printer options are described in this
chapter:

• Cartridge set

• Print mode

• Paper Options

• User Setup

• Initialize (return to printer default settings)

Cartridge set

Your printer is an eight-head inkjet printer. The eight cartridges are grouped into two sets
of four cartridges. You can print with the left set of cartridges (1x4 Left), the right set of
cartridges (1x4 Right) or all eight cartridges (2x4). You should be familiar with the four
cartridge designations of YMCK. To identify the other four cartridges, we have added

4321. Facing the front of the printer, the cartridge sets and cartridges are identified in the

following illustration.

ê

1x4 Left 1x4 Right

YMCK4321

2x4

Note: You must always determine the cartridge set prior to setting the other Print Mode
options, even when selecting one of the pre-defined quality modes.

To choose the cartridge set

1 Press Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Cartridge Set.
2 Choose 1x4 Right, 1x4 Left or 2x4.
3 Press OK.

Choosing print mode options

Your printer offers four quality modes, three of them pre-defined, which let you make
tradeoffs between speed and quality.

The quality mode you use depends on various factors, such as your software applica­tion, whether you’re printing in color or monochrome, and the type of media you’re
using. Each quality mode directly affects the printing speed and quality of the image
you print, so you should understand the differences.

Each of the quality modes attempts to strike a balance between speed and quality.
The default quality mode, Photo, provides quality images at a reasonable printing
speed for most users. Whenever you choose a print mode other than Photo, you will
choose to emphasize either speed or quality.

The quality modes include the following print mode options:

• Color mode

• DPI

• Print passes

• Carriage speed

• Print direction
Selecting the User quality mode will allow you to set each of the print mode options
individually. Quality modes are summarized in the table which follows. It is not
necessary to set all the parameters, unless you want to create a user-defined print
mode. Note: Make sure you choose the cartridge set before selecting a

quality mode.

Quality Modes for 1x4 Right and 1x4 Left Cartridge Sets

Quality

Mode

Production Color 600 2 10 Bi
Photo Color 600 4 10 Bi
Enhanced Color 600 6 10 Bi
User User Defined

Color
Mode

per Inch

Dots

Print

Passes

Carriage

Speed

Reference Guide

Print

Direction

Quality Modes for 2x4 Cartridge Set

Quality

Mode

Production Color 600 2 10 Bi
Photo Color 600 3 10 Bi
Enhanced Color 600 4 10 Bi
User User Defined

Color
Mode

Dots

per Inch

Print

Passes

Carriage

Speed

Print

Direction

Printer Options 2-2

Color mode

Color mode refers to whether you are printing in color or monochrome.

Reference Guide

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Quality modes

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To choose the color mode

1 Press Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Color Mode.
2 Choose Color, Mono or Gray.
3 Press OK.

There are four print quality modes:
Production - This setting is useful for fast, better than average quality printing on paper

media.
Photo - For high quality continuous tone images where quality is more important than

printing speed. (Default)

Enhanced - This is our best pre-defined quality mode.
User defined - Allows you to set each one of the print mode options individually to meet

your unique requirements.

To choose print quality

1 Press Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Quality Mode.
2 Choose the desired quality.
3 Press OK.

Printer Options 2-3

Dots per inch

For best results, be sure the printer dpi setting matches the image resolution in the file you
are printing.

The printer always prints at 600 dpi, even when the dpi setting in the Print Mode menu is
set to 300 dpi. The dpi setting refers to the resolution at which your image is created, not
the resolution at which it is printed.

The resolution at which you save your image file affects the size of the printed image as
shown in the following table:

Reference Guide

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Image (file)

resolution

300 dpi 300 dpi 1 input pixel prints as 4

300 dpi 600 dpi 1 input pixel prints as 1

600 dpi 300 dpi 1 input pixel prints as 4

600 dpi 600 dpi 1 input pixel prints as 1

Printer dpi

setting

Affect on printed output

output pixels.

output pixel.

output pixel.

output pixel.

The printed image is the
same size as the
original.

The printed image is 1/2
the length and width of
the original.

The printed image is
twice the width and
length of the original.

The printed image is the
same size as the
original.

To choose dpi

1 Press Setup menu/Print mode menu/Dots per inch.
2 Choose 300 or 600 as the resolution.

3 Press OK.

Printer Options 2-4

Print passes

The number of passes indicates how many times the cartridges must fire to lay down the
ink for a complete scan line. You may select multiple passes, so that on a single pass, the
jets fire only a fraction of the dots. If you're printing an image with heavy fill or shading,
setting the print mode to an option that lays down less ink can help prevent running and
bleeding. Note: When using the 2 x 4 cartridge set, a single pass fires ink from two
cartridges for each color.

Reference Guide

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Carriage speed

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To change the number of passes

1 Choose Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Print Passes.
2 Choose Single, Two, Three, Four, Six, Eight or Ten for 1x4 cartridge sets

3 Press OK.

Carriage speed lets you determine the number of dots per second that are laid down as
the carriage moves over the media.

To set the carriage speed

1 Press Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Carriage Speed.
2 Choose 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10. (10 is the fastest.)
3 Press OK.

Single pass is not recommended for graphic arts printing.

or Single, Two, Three, Four or Five for 2x4 cartridge set.

Printer Options 2-5

Print direction

Print direction specifies whether the inkjets fire on both passes of the carriage over the
print area (bidirectional), or just on the return pass (unidirectional). If you’re printing an
image with heavy fill or shading, unidirectional can reduce running and ink bleeding. If
you’re more concerned with printer speed, bidirectional firing can decrease your printing
time.

Reference Guide

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To change the print direction

1 Press Setup Menu/Print Mode Menu/Print Direction.
2 Choose Unidirectional or Bidirectional.
3 Press OK.

Choosing feed media options

Feed media options allow you to:

• define End of Media

• display/enter Media Counter values

Note: Media feeding and loading are described in the Quick Start Guide.

End of media

There are circumstances where the media does not fully detach from the feeder roll or
the media gets stuck and does not fully advance through the printer. In either case, the
carriage board sensor detects the presence of media and the printer continues to print.
This creates a mess as the printer continues to lay down ink on the same portion of
media.

If the End of Media feature is set to FEEDER STOP, the printer will look for an abnor­mally long absence of the loop of media that occurs between the feeder roll and the
platen. After 20 seconds, the printer enters pause mode just as if you had pressed
PAUSE from the main menu. The printer will remain in pause mode until you press
PAUSE (which toggles to the resume state) or you press RESET. Pressing PAUSE
allows you to continue the current print at your discretion.

Printer Options 2-6

Reference Guide

A few rules regarding the End of Media feature:

• will not work with Cut Sheet selected as supply type.

• setting is remembered across power cycles.

• setting is not stored as a user parameter.

• setting cannot be changed once a plot begins to print.

• if you press PAUSE to resume the print, detection is disabled for the remainder of
the print.

• if enabled, detection is reinstated at the beginning of each print.

• when the printer is in pause mode due to End of Media, the printer will beep 3
times every 20 seconds until the PAUSE or RESET buttons are pressed.

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To set end of media

1 Press Feed Media Menu/End of Media.
2 Choose Feeder Stop or Normal.
3 Press OK.

Media counter

Media Counter gives you a means of estimating the amount of media left on a roll.
When a new roll of media, or a used roll where the remaining length is known, is installed
on the printer, you can enter the length of the roll into the printer's front panel display. As
the printer prints, this amount is decremented. You can view the estimated amount of
media remaining on the printer's front panel display. When you are ready to remove the
roll, you can print the estimated amount of media remaining on the roll. When you reload
this media, you can use this figure to enter into the printer's front panel display. The
media counter can be reset to 0 to avoid confusion if the media counter is not being used.
The media counter will not decrement below 0. The current value of the media counter
is maintained across power cycles. The current value is not stored as a user parameter.

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To enter a media length value

1 Press Feed Media Menu/Media Counter.
2 Set the media length.

3 Press OK.

Printer Options 2-7