Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

Mike's Software => Qimage Ultimate => Topic started by: William Chitham on April 29, 2022, 09:02:03 AM



Title: HPZ3200PS Sanity Check Please!
Post by: William Chitham on April 29, 2022, 09:02:03 AM
I am trying to claw my way back to normality after a series of hardware and software disasters. Hardware is fixed I think (rebuilt pc with fresh new install of Win10, HPZ3200PS with new cloned HDD) but software is still problematic. Since updating firmware and drivers (which predated the printer hdd failure) I have had niggly problems with the printer, to whit:

1. None of the drivers (V4 PCL3, PS, and GL) seem to have full communication with the printer so paper type and size isn't communicated - screen grab attached.
2. Gloss enhancer doesn't work at all with the PS driver and only on or off with the V4 driver - no Econo mode.
3. I'm currently printing a job on gloss stock so I need the GE so I'm stuck with the V4 driver but I loath the interface and it regularly goes wrong when accessed through QU and defaults to a skeleton windows interface so I have to reset printer settings to restore it.

So I am currently hobbling along with the following versions:
Firmware: TR12-RB_16.0.0.1
PS3 Driver: Version:61.194.11905.50 (Release date:Mar 27, 2020) - No GE with this one
V4 PCL3 Driver: Version:61.2201.0.100 (Release date:Apr 5, 2022) - GE only on or of as set through printer front panel ie no choice of full page or econo mode through driver

If anyone is successfully using the same basic set up as me - Win10, QU, Z3200Ps - I'd love to know because I'm starting to feel as though I'm flogging a dead horse.

Thanks, William.


Title: Re: HPZ3200PS Sanity Check Please!
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on June 15, 2022, 01:20:42 PM
William, I wonder whether this reply is still required.

I went through the HP driver + utilities downloads today for a Z3200PS A version and a Z3200 Photo B version, both 44". Further W10 and QU conditions like your setup.
Tried the PCL drivers, the new utility replacements and buried them deep in my archive as not suitable. HP too much listening in too on that software.

Loaded what is probably still a W8 level PCL driver for both printers + Print Utility 1.17.0.3    Deselected HP support and Alerts.  Back to old situation I had a week ago but with one printer more.
Most likely the PS driver of that period will act the same but I hardly use that one. Made my own default printer settings that are loaded when I Shift click the Printer Properties window of QU. I only change printer settings in the HP printer driver itself, never in QU.

What may cause trouble are spontaneous changes of the printer' s IP address but quite easily solved in my experience. W10 protection scheme running at the background I guess.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
March 2017 update, 750+ inkjet media white spectral plots



Title: Re: HPZ3200PS Sanity Check Please!
Post by: William Chitham on June 16, 2022, 10:52:36 AM
Thanks for the reply Ernst, I never did get to the bottom of it but I have got used to the workflow described and it is working well enough: PS3 driver for matt papers; V4 PCL3 for anything that requires GE. Fortunately the PS3 driver never triggers the GE and I very seldom want GE full coverage so I have not had to touch the GE setting on the printer control panel. Using PU 1.17.03 like you, that seems to work ok although I cross my fingers whenever I need to sync or manage presets as it went through a phase of not allowing that (option greyed out). I did convince myself that the communication problem is Windows 10 related - can't remember for sure but I think I discovered that everything worked properly via an old XP machine, including Advanced Profiling Solution.

Haven't the time or inclination to wrestle with the communication issue any more for now but I dare say it will come back to bite me sooner or later.

William.

PS: By the way, this issue is not peculiar to Qimage, I get the same problem if I try to print from PS, Illustrator or anything else.


Title: Re: HPZ3200PS Sanity Check Please!
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on June 17, 2022, 03:00:54 PM
Thanks for the reply Ernst, I never did get to the bottom of it but I have got used to the workflow described and it is working well enough: PS3 driver for matt papers; V4 PCL3 for anything that requires GE. Fortunately the PS3 driver never triggers the GE and I very seldom want GE full coverage so I have not had to touch the GE setting on the printer control panel. Using PU 1.17.03 like you, that seems to work ok although I cross my fingers whenever I need to sync or manage presets as it went through a phase of not allowing that (option greyed out). I did convince myself that the communication problem is Windows 10 related - can't remember for sure but I think I discovered that everything worked properly via an old XP machine, including Advanced Profiling Solution.

Haven't the time or inclination to wrestle with the communication issue any more for now but I dare say it will come back to bite me sooner or later.

William.

PS: By the way, this issue is not peculiar to Qimage, I get the same problem if I try to print from PS, Illustrator or anything else.

No problems with managing the media presets. Sync is also alright and I downloaded all the additional and custom media presets from the Z3200PS and transferred them to the Z3200 Photo printer. They landed all in the additional map but work. Slightly less saturation in the Z3200Photo output after media calibration there but quite identical. First check what could cause that as making a double set of profiles is a lot of work.