Print quality question -- Lexmark 7000/7200
Michael
tk...@tlc-systems.com (Tony Karp) wrote:
>
>Printer: Lexmark 7000/7200
>Cartidges: Standard color and black
>OS: Windows 95
>Paper: HP Premium Inkjet Paper (coated)
>Driver: Latest 7000/7200
>Document type setting: Natural color
>Paper type setting: Coated
>
>
>The problem is encountered when the print quality is set to High.
>
>When the print quality is set to Medium, I get a pretty good reproduction of
>what I see on the screen.
>
>When the quality is set to High, the print appears with colors less saturated,
>lower contrast, and a distinct red cast to the image. Even grayscale images
>have this cast.
>
>I've tried fiddling with all the settings and nothing seems to help. Lowering
>the Red slider gives a blue cast to white areas. Raising the other sliders
>doesn't help either.
>
>I've gone through several ink cartridges, as well as upgrading the printer
>drivers, but the problem remains.
>
>The fact that the Medium setting gives an accurate reproduction rules out
>things like incorrect settings on the monitor.
>
>From all of the above, it looks like a problem with the drivers, but perhaps
>not.
>
>Has anyone else seen this problem?
>
>Any suggestions for how to fix it?
>
>
>
>Tony Karp, TLC Systems Corp tk...@tlc-systems.com
> tk...@interport.net
>Visit our web sites:
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I do NOT own a Lexmark. I do have experience with Epson and HP color
drivers. You're problem is you are using a non lexmark paper with a
driver that has been designed for LEXMARK paper. You will have to
experiment on your own to determine which paper type in the driver
gives the best results printing on non LEXMARK paper. Paper designed
by the maker of the printer reacts with the inks of the printer. It
is NOT a GENERIC glossy setting.
As to your specific issue of magenta cast, it sounds as though the
driver is using MCY (magenta cyan yellow) to print the image on glossy
instead of MCYK(k=black). Their glossy paper only wants those three
colors, and to their eyes, will form a black nicely on their paper.
On other papers, these kind of driver setting often gives a Magenta
cast. I can produce it on my Epson using non epson papers.
The solution other than using Lexmark papers is to use a manual
setting (if possible by the driver) and experiment with different
papers. To cut down the loss of money, don't use 8.5x11 sheets.
Instead cut your 8.5x11 sheets to 3x5 or 4x6 (you get about 3 of these
per sheet) and print the same image over and over. When you get what
you like, write down the settings, (if the driver allows you to save
custom savings, obviously save it), and there you go. Yep, this is
hard and costly and time consuming....I don't know any other way
except to buy Lexmark only paper and use the default driver for the
various papers. This problem is true for EVERY printer, canon, HP,
Epson, and apparently Lexmark.
Mike
J. L. Stadelmann
Tony,
I think Mike is on the right track here. I have used my Lexmark 7000
to print even on recycled dot-matrix paper and haven't had a problem
in the hi-res modes.
.
I have never tried Epson, Lexmark, HP papers (because I'm too cheap).
But I did try Legacy Coated Ink Jet Paper (28#); it runs about 10
cents/sheet for a pack of 100 pages. If you follow Mike's good
suggestion, you may wish to check out this non-glossy but coated
paper which is both relatively inexpensive and which works well with
my Lexmark 7000 at 1200 dpi/Natural Color. Please note, that I got
excellent results using the original 7000 Driver but haven't tried
it with the new 7200 Driver I just downloaded. If you try this paper
and still have the same problem, just uninstall the 7200 Driver and
try the 7000 Driver. (In fact, it might be a good idea to try the old
driver before spending even more money on other coated papers).
If that fixes the problem, then I believe that a call to Lexmark
Support is in order - if you don't have the 800 Number, please E-Mail
me a request, and I'll get it to you.
Good luck, and please share your what you learn with the rest of us
good or bad.
-Jim Stadelmann
PS If you wish to respond by E-Mail, please remove the XXX from my
return address.
Tony Karp
Mike,
Thanks for this info.
Please read my message again.
The printer works fine on the medium quality setting, but not the high quality
setting.
I've tried a number of different papers -- plain, glossy and coated, and all
produced the same results.
Tinkering with every possible setting in the driver did not fix the problem.
Upgrading the latest software did not fix the problem.
In other words, I've already tried the things that you suggest.
I doubt that Lexmark would tell you that their printer will only produce
acceptable results with Lexmark paper.
I posted the message to see if someone who has this printer has experienced the
same problem and perhaps had a solution.
Thanks again for your help.
Michael
tk...@tlc-systems.com (Tony Karp) wrote:
>
>
>I've tried a number of different papers -- plain, glossy and coated, and all
>produced the same results.
>
>Tinkering with every possible setting in the driver did not fix the problem.
>
>Upgrading the latest software did not fix the problem.
>
>In other words, I've already tried the things that you suggest.
>
>I doubt that Lexmark would tell you that their printer will only produce
>acceptable results with Lexmark paper.
Oh yes they would. Espcially on the glossy settings. Neither Epson
nor HP make any other claim on the "high" settings. It is an industry
standard apparently to do this.
I did not get the impression from your post that you went to manual
settings but rather used automatic settings. There must be something
wrong with your procedure or the driver assuming you used a differnent
PAPER TYPE. You will get the same cast for the GLOSSY PAPER setting
on every paper that is not matched to the inks. The paper setting
controls the type of printing (whether its CYM or KCYM), the amount of
ink, and the proportions of those inks to produce a particular color.
If you can't change the color caste at all, then your driver does not
offer the ability despite having manual settings for glossy paper.
Tony Karp
Printer: Lexmark 7000/7200
Cartidges: Standard color and black
OS: Windows 95
Paper: HP Premium Inkjet Paper (coated)
Driver: Latest 7000/7200
Document type setting: Natural color
Paper type setting: Coated
The problem is encountered when the print quality is set to High.
When the print quality is set to Medium, I get a pretty good reproduction of
what I see on the screen.
When the quality is set to High, the print appears with colors less saturated,
lower contrast, and a distinct red cast to the image. Even grayscale images
have this cast.
I've tried fiddling with all the settings and nothing seems to help. Lowering
the Red slider gives a blue cast to white areas. Raising the other sliders
doesn't help either.
I've gone through several ink cartridges, as well as upgrading the printer
drivers, but the problem remains.
The fact that the Medium setting gives an accurate reproduction rules out
things like incorrect settings on the monitor.
From all of the above, it looks like a problem with the drivers, but perhaps
not.
Has anyone else seen this problem?
Any suggestions for how to fix it?
Tony Karp, TLC Systems Corp tk...@tlc-systems.com
RWhittyjr
I recently purchased a Lexmark 2050, If you read the warranty, you will see
that they may use USED parts in your printer. Please read warranty. I would
assume that you believed the product was new when you bought it?