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I have an Epson 640, which I really am unhappy with. It jams, slams into the sides, screeches.....and now only prints in black. I have clicked on properties....and made sure it is set on 'color'. I have changed the ink cartridges (which are very overpriced) and have tried setting all the necessary settings to assure color printing. (I have done test patterns that come out fine) I have sign designs that I need to print out to show customers.....and am trying to print from SignLab. It has always worked before, until today. Other than tossing it into the garbage....anyone have any ideas? I love my Canon scanner....and am thinking of getting a Canon printer. Thanks for your help! surf
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Sounds like the printer driver has been corrupted or your sign software is mad (very), if it prints the test page correctly than try a simple color graphic and text print from you windows accessory paint program. If they work fine, you have eliminated everything else and now your problem is in your sign software. If it continues to have problems, try removing the driver from the operating system, cold booting your computer and re-installing the printer driver. You can blame the earthquake; it makes all the critters freak out.
------------------ Ken Morse Jamn Graphics Santa Cruz, CA
Posts: 213 | From: Santa Cruz, CA. USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Does it print in color out of Corel or photoShop or any other program? If so....it's gotta be the settings in SignLab. Just a guess...Adrienne is right...new printers are cheap...now "disposable"
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
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Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
If its printing a test print without trouble then I would have thought it was something in Signlab. You'd know Signlab better than me but are there any tickboxes etc you may have missed or have you made any program changes that may have made them default back to settings other than the ones you normally use? Maybe try exporting the designs to Corel or another program if you have one and try printing from there? Good luck, David
------------------ D.A. & P.M. Fisher Signwriting Brisbane Australia da_pmf@yahoo.com
Posts: 1450 | From: Brisbane Queensland Australia | Registered: Nov 1998
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Most inkjets have a timing ribbon, a narrow mylar strip with little vertical lines on it, it runs the full length of the printer and may be above and behind the carriage rail. This must be cleaned occasionally (clean with alcohol) as well the rail the print head rides on should be cleaned (alcohol) and then lubricated with a single drop of fine oil which is wiped along the length if it.
If your printer prints a test page correctly then you may have a fault with the print driver, -delete the printer then reinstall it - or you may have a setting wrong in the program - I know in Corel there is a setting to print all colors as black. Try printing a jpg directly from windows explorer, if it works then the problem is with your print settings in Signlab.
Go shopping for the print cartridges, a little online research brought prices for my home inkjet from $55cdn to $19 for the same name brand cartridge.
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Have you tried to call Epson? Their Tech support and service is fabulous!
------------------ "When Love and Skill Work Together ... Expect a Masterpiece"
Janette Balogh Sign Studio in Sunny Florida jbalogh@earthlink.net Start packing and move in! It's just too easy to be a Resident! Location, Location, Location! It's all right here! [URLhttp://www.letterhead.com/supporters[/url}
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Cheryl...when you factor in the time you "have" spent and the time you "will" spend messing with your printer, it would make much more sense to go out and buy a Lexmark printer at Costco for under $100 including the cartridge. The printer is excellent and the drivers work perfectly. I've got several Lexmarks and will never again buy HP or Epson. However, if you're bound and determined to get your printer working there is one method you can try. Go to Start, Settings, Control panel and then System and removed your printer completely and then reboot your machine. When Windows boots back up it should see that you have new device and ask for the software to install it. That's when you put in your installation disks and with any luck...you'll be up and running. But, sometimes...this doesn't work and then you have to spend time troubleshooting the problem which could be anything from software to hardware including the cable and the printer itself. You just can't beat Lexmark printers...they are cheap, they print more than adequately for signshop use and most of all...the windows drivers are well written and work perfectly.
------------------ Louis A. Lazarus Milt's Sign Service, Inc. 20 So. Linden Ave. #5B 650-588-0490 fontking1a@aol.com
Posts: 560 | From: El Granada, CA | Registered: Apr 1999
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I have tried removing.....and reinstalling and restarting. I will try the cleaning with alcohol next. But I have a funny feeling that isn't going to work since the test patterns come out ok. Looks like I am heading to Costco for a Lexmark. Thanks everyone! Hey Cisco.....I will send you my ink cartridges I just bought....and paid too much for. :O(
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I didnt see this post till now, and I have tried almost everything that was said over on a chat channel to Cheryl, but I think she will get another printer, sometimes certain things are not worth the hassle. Hope the new one doesn't give you any problems. You should be ok.
------------------ FranCisco Vargas aka: Cisco aka:Traveling Millennium Sign Artist http://www.franciscovargas.com Fresno, CA 93703 559 252-0935
"to live life, is to love life, a sign of no life, is a sign of no love"...Cisco 12'98
Posts: 3576 | From: Fresno, Ca, the great USA | Registered: Dec 1998
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Probably fried yur printer with Odd's stuff !
I bought my Lexmark Z31 at Costco for 75 bucks and am happy with it. The cartriges for the epson were gonna cost me 20+ and this does a much better job.
------------------ Artworks Olympia WA
Posts: 797 | From: Olympia, WA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Why pay those outragous prices for ink jet printer cartiges??? Our oun Empy (Mayo Pardo) will refill them for you at a fraction of the price for new ones!!!
------------------ Si Allen #562 La Mirada, CA. USA (714) 521-4810 ICQ # 330407 "SignPainters do It with Longer Strokes!"
Brushasaurus on Chat
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Posts: 8831 | From: La Mirada, CA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Empy's site says he can only do black cartridges, did I read that right? Just this week I bought a refill kit and tried everything possible to get mine to work, to no avail. Now I will have to buy the manufacturer's cartridge and be out even more money. On printers that will not work or seem hopeless, don't ever discount the warm glow one feels grabbing that sucker and tossing it out the window (did that to my half-ass xerox).
------------------ Wright Signs Wyandotte, Michigan Since 1978 http://www.wrightsigns.bigstep.com
Posts: 2787 | From: Wyandotte, MI USA | Registered: Jan 1999
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Question: Is your image printing out complete in black, or is it the black part of the image that is printing only.
If the entire image is printing out in black....go into signlab. Select print - go to setup - go to colorwise - select "colorwise business colour" and unselect "grayscale"
If only the black part of the image is printing than you probably have a jam or clog in your printer. Go to your manual and check to see how to the clean the print heads. I would stay away from the alcohol...could only damage if not used properly. In your manual it should tell you how to clean the print heads just by pushing a few buttons.
If you decide to buy a new printer.....be prepared to keep spending money on ink. Last summer I leased to own a colour laser printer for 3 years. I was spending a fortune every month on Ink for my epson. I pay a little more month for the laser printer, but wow what a difference. 12,000 copies per cartridge and prints beautiful. I print my letterhad, labels and artwork on the printer. It looks much more professional and you don't have to worry about a little "wet" spot running all down your page! It cost a bit more a month....but worth it in the long run and in three years I own it! I should only have to replace the cartridges hopefully only 11/2 to 2 years...maybe even longer.
------------------ Brenda Beaupit Classic Graphics Kemptville, Ont CANADA
Posts: 346 | From: Stittsville, ON | Registered: Dec 1998
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Brenda .. no problem with cleaning printer components with alcohol. I used to make a living fixing printers and copiers, I was a xerox tech for 10 years. We used it to clean just about any component except rubber rollers and the platten glass.
Sorry if it sounded like I was critizing your suggestion. That's not went I ment. I just thought it could potentially be a problem if alcohol was used incorrectly. But, given by your experience I will trust your correct
------------------ Brenda Beaupit Classic Graphics Kemptville, Ont CANADA
Posts: 346 | From: Stittsville, ON | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
Hi again......well nothing worked. So I gave up. I don't have all those settings you listed Brenda. But I think you are on the right track for sure. When I go into signlab....my settings are automatic and custom. I have tried adjusting all the different colors....tried clicking on and off of black only....to no avail. I will do as Cisco said last night.....today I will set the printer up to my son's computer and see what happens. I am tired of trying to figure it out. So today I will go to Costco for a Lexmark. Thanks so much for your all your suggestions! It just really gets my stinger out of wack when something messes up, and isn't even that old. Oh well.... Carry on......pip pip.
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Cheryl.......Do NOT buy a Cannon. After two noisy, malfunctioning units in the trash we finally bought a Hewlett Packard and have smooth, flawless functioning.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana stmariegraphics@centurytel.net http://www.stmariegraphics.com 800 735-8026 We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
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