User’s Guide
Copyright Notice All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Seiko Epson Corporation. The information contained herein is designed only for use with this Epson printer. Epson is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.
Contents Welcome! 7 Exif Print About Your Software About Your Documentation 8 8 9 Viewing the On-screen Reference Guide 10 Loading Paper 11 Loading Paper in the Sheet Feeder Loading Special Paper in the Sheet Feeder Loading Multiple Sheets of Matte Paper Loading Special Paper in the Single Sheet Guide Loading Roll Paper or Canvas 12 14 15 16 20 Printing From Start to Finish 25 Basic Printing in Windows Selecting the Settings You Use Most Often Customizing Your Windows Print Settings Basic Printi
Printing Borderless Cut Sheets Windows Mac OS X Managing Color With Profiles Printing With a Color Profile Solving Color Management Problems Printing a Custom Profile Test Target Creating a Custom Profile Easy Printing With Photoshop Elements 3.
Solving Problems 85 Printer Parts Printer Buttons 86 87 Printer Lights Diagnosing Printer Problems Running a Printer Check Problems and Solutions Setup and Software Installation Problems Printer Problems Quality Problems Paper Problems CD/DVD Problems Miscellaneous Problems Uninstalling and Reinstalling Printer Software Where To Get Help Epson Technical Support Technical Support for Other Photo Software 87 88 90 90 90 91 93 95 98 98 100 101 101 102 Requirements and Notices 103 Windows System Require
Contents
Welcome! Your Epson Stylus® Photo R1800 gives you beautiful archival prints on a wide variety of glossy and matte papers in many sizes. Your outstanding printouts result from these advanced features: ■ Eight individually replaceable Epson® ink cartridges let you print at up to 5760 × 1440 dpi (dots per inch). ■ Large gamut, pigment-based, Epson UltraChrome Hi-Gloss® inks and compatible papers deliver brilliant, long-lasting, water-resistant prints.
Exif Print Your Epson Stylus Photo R1800 printer supports Exif (Exchangeable Image File) Print format to give you the best photo prints possible. This digital image format includes information about your digital camera settings in JPEG/TIFF files so your printer and application can use them to create accurate print settings. Most digital cameras store Exif Print information such as shutter speed, metering, flash, and exposure settings, resolution, and lens use in the JPEG/TIFF image file.
About Your Documentation To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here sheet. This book contains instructions on: ■ Loading all types of paper ■ Printing with Windows® or Mac OS® X ■ Printing on ink jet printable CDs and DVDs ■ Maintaining the printer ■ Solving basic problems At the end of the book, you’ll also find the system requirements, important safety information, and the product’s warranty.
Viewing the On-screen Reference Guide Follow the instructions on the Start Here sheet to install the on-screen Reference Guide, if you haven’t already. Note: You need a browser—such as Microsoft® Internet Explorer 4.0 or later, Safari™ 1.0 or later, Mozilla® Firefox® 1.0 or later, or Netscape® Navigator® 3.0 or later—to view the manual. If you are using a different browser, the pages may not display correctly. 1. Double-click the SPR1800 Reference Guide icon on your desktop. 2.
Loading Paper You can load a variety of paper types in your printer, as described in these sections: Paper/Media Where to load See page Plain paper Sheet feeder 12, 16 Single sheet guide 16 Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy Epson Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss Epson Premium Semigloss Photo Paper Epson Ultra Premium Prese
Roll paper, including PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas and Piezo Pro® Matte Canvas Roll paper holder 20 Ink jet printable CDs and DVDs CD/DVD tray 66 * This matte paper requires the matte sheet support when loading multiple sheets larger than letter-size; smaller paper can be loaded without it. See page 14. Loading Paper in the Sheet Feeder 1. Open the paper support and pull up the support extensions. 2. Push in the bottom of the output tray. The tray opens and moves up.
3. Pull out the output tray extension and insert your paper against the right side of the sheet feeder. Letter-size media Output tray Output tray extension 4 x 6”media Check the following as you load paper: ■ Always load the short edge first, even for printing landscape-oriented documents. ■ Load the printable side face-up. It’s usually whiter or brighter than the other side. (Epson paper packages open with the printable side face-up.
Loading Special Paper in the Sheet Feeder You can load these Epson ink jet papers in the sheet feeder as follows: Paper type Loading capacity Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy Epson Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper 20 sheets (10 sheets for A3 or Super B sizes) Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss Epson Premium Semigloss Photo Paper Epson Ultra Premium Presentatio
Loading Multiple Sheets of Matte Paper If you are loading multiple sheets of the following papers in sizes larger than letter (8.5 × 11 inches), attach the matte sheet support to the top of the sheet feeder to help separate the sheets of paper: ■ Epson Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte ■ Epson Enhanced Matte Paper ■ Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte ■ Epson Matte Paper Heavyweight Follow these steps to load multiple large sheets of matte paper: 1.
2. Place the hooks on the back of the matte sheet support over the paper support extension, then slide it all the way down. Matte sheet support Note: Remove the matte sheet support when you load other types of paper. Loading Special Paper in the Single Sheet Guide Load these types of paper in the single sheet guide: ■ Epson Velvet Fine Art Paper ■ Epson Watercolor Paper - Radiant White ■ Epson UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper ■ PremierArt Matte Scrapbook Photo Paper for Epson 1.
2. Slide the roll paper edge guide all the way to the right. 3. Line up the notches on the single sheet guide with the slots on the back of the printer and insert them as shown. Then insert the tabs on the top of the guide into the slot beneath the printer cover. 4. Turn on the printer (the printer must be on to load paper in the single sheet guide correctly).
5. Insert one sheet of paper against the right edge, then slide the edge guide against the sheet. 6. Guide the paper into the slot and feed it into the printer until the paper meets resistance.
7. Maintain a constant pressure against the paper until the printer pulls the paper in slightly. Continue to apply light pressure until the paper begins feeding, then let go to allow the printer to adjust the paper position. 8. Open the cover and look down into the printer to make sure the paper is straight and has fed all the way. If the paper hasn’t fed completely and the edge is visible, press the z roll paper button for 3 seconds to back the paper out.
Loading Roll Paper or Canvas You can load 4-inch, 8.3-inch, or 13-inch wide roll paper (or 13-inch wide canvas) for printing large images, multiple photos, or panoramic images, with or without borders. The loading instructions apply to both paper and canvas, unless otherwise noted. Tip: It’s a good idea to check your ink levels before loading and printing on roll paper. (See page 77.
4. Place the roll paper or canvas on the holders as shown, then remove the tape and protective paper from the end of the roll. 90° 5. Make sure the end of the paper is cut straight across, with 90° corners. If the end is cut diagonally, uneven or frayed, you may have problems feeding the paper. If you are loading canvas, it is a good idea to cut the edge just before loading so that it is straight and even. 6.
7. Insert the left roll paper holder (marked with an orange triangle) into the far left slot (also marked with an orange triangle). Then insert the other holder into the corresponding slot on the right. 8. While holding the paper or canvas, feed it part of the way into the roll paper feeder (under the white rollers), then slide the right roll paper edge guide to fit lightly against the paper.
Note: You may need to reload canvas or thicker roll media to ensure accurate paper registration. When loading canvas, leave ample slack between the roll and the printer to ensure smooth paper feeding. Be sure to maintain slack while printing. If not, your prints may show distortion of shapes, fuzzy text, or banding. When cutting canvas or other roll media, it is important to have a straight edge. An uneven or frayed edge may result in misfeeds, misregistration, or reduced print quality. 10.
Loading Paper
Printing From Start to Finish Follow the steps in these sections to print using your printer’s basic features: ■ “Basic Printing in Windows” on page 26 ■ “Customizing Your Windows Print Settings” on page 29 ■ “Basic Printing With Mac OS X” on page 31 ■ “Customizing Your Macintosh Print Settings” on page 36 ■ “Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 38 To print on roll paper or borderless cut sheets, or to print P.I.M. or color-managed photos, see “Printing Special Photos” beginning on page 39.
Basic Printing in Windows Follow these steps to print a document or image using the basic printer settings: 1. From the File menu, click Print. You see a Print window like this one: Check for your printer name here Click here to open your printer software 2. Make sure EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 is selected. 3. Click the Properties or Preferences button. (If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it first.) 4. Click the Main tab in the printer settings window to see your basic settings.
5. Select one of these document types as the Quality Option setting: ■ Draft: For rough drafts with reduced print quality ■ Text: For text-only documents (like letters) with good print quality ■ Text & Image: For documents with text and images with higher print quality ■ Photo: For photos and graphics with good print quality and speed ■ Best Photo: For photos or graphics with high print quality 6.
Note: For more information about printer settings, click the ? or Help button. For additional print settings, click the Advanced button at the bottom of the screen and see page 29 for details. 11. Click OK. You return to the Print window. 12. Click OK or Print to start printing. During printing, this window appears. Use it to cancel, pause, or resume printing and see an estimate of how much ink you have left.
Customizing Your Windows Print Settings Follow these steps to print a document or image using advanced printer settings in Windows: 1. On the Main tab, click the Advanced button in the bottom right corner. 2. Click Continue. The Basic settings change to the Advanced settings: Print quality Note: If you want to use the Advanced screen each time you access your printer settings, select the Show this screen first checkbox. 3.
■ Color Controls: Lets you adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow color levels in your printout. ■ ICM: Uses standard color profiles for your printer to match colors in your image (in ICM-enabled applications). If you’re using custom or Epson Premium ICC profiles in a program such as Photoshop, select ICM then check the Off (No Color Adjustment) box.
Basic Printing With Mac OS X Follow the steps below to print a document or image on a Macintosh® using the basic printer settings. For roll paper printing, see page 39. For borderless printing, see page 45. For CD/DVD printing, see page 65. Note: Make sure you added your printer in the Printer Setup Utility or Print Center, as described on the Start Here sheet. 1. From the File menu, select Page Setup. 2. Open the Format for menu and select your printer.
3. Choose the paper size for the paper you loaded, then select the source setting from the submenu for that size. Choose the paper size Choose a source setting ■ For prints on paper loaded in the sheet feeder with borders around the image, select just a paper size in the menu and submenu. ■ For borderless prints on paper loaded in the sheet feeder, select a size with Sheet Feeder - Borderless as the source.
4. Select the direction you want your image or document to print as the Orientation setting. Select for vertical orientation, for horizontal facing right, or for horizontal facing left. 5. Click OK. 6. Select Print from the File menu. You see a screen like this: Select Stylus Photo R1800 Click here and select Print Settings 7. Open the Printer menu and select Stylus Photo R1800. 8. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. You see your basic print settings.
9. Select the type of paper you loaded as the Media Type setting. See page 38. Note: If you can’t choose your paper type, check your Page Setup settings to make sure you selected the correct paper size and source. (See page 32.) 10. For the ink setting, select Color (for color documents and black and white photographs) or Black (for black text documents). 11. Select Automatic as the Mode setting for the best results printing basic documents or images. (For instructions on using Advanced mode, see page 36.
Caution: Don’t pause printing or respond to ink messages when your printer is printing. This may cause your printer to pause and leave an uneven surface on your printout. If ink is low, wait until printing finishes before checking ink levels or replacing a cartridge. If you replace an ink cartridge in the middle of a print job, the quality of your printout may decline. For best results, check ink levels and replace cartridges, if necessary, before printing large or high-resolution print jobs. 15.
Customizing Your Macintosh Print Settings Follow these steps to print using advanced printer settings on a Macintosh: 1. From the File menu, select Print. 2. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 3. To access advanced settings, click Advanced. 4.
Note: For more information on advanced settings, or instructions on saving them as a group so you can reuse them later, click ? 5. To select Color Management options, select Color Management from the pop-up menu. Select Color Management options as follows: ■ Color Controls: Let you adjust the Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, Gamma, and cyan, magenta, and yellow levels in your printout.
Selecting the Correct Media Type Select the correct Type or Media Type setting to ensure the best ink coverage.
Printing Special Photos When you need to print photos using the special Stylus Photo R1800 printing features, follow the instructions in these sections: ■ “Printing on Roll Paper or Canvas” below ■ “Printing Borderless Cut Sheets” on page 45 ■ “Managing Color With Profiles” on page 49 ■ “Easy Printing With Photoshop Elements 3.0” on page 63 Printing on Roll Paper or Canvas Before you print on roll paper or canvas, load it as described on page 20.
Selecting Roll Paper Print Settings Follow the steps in one of these sections to select your roll paper print settings: ■ “Windows” below ■ “Mac OS X” on page 41 Windows 1. Start your print application, open your photo file, and resize it as necessary. 2. Open the File menu, click Print, then click Properties or Preferences. 3.
6. Choose Roll as the Source setting. The Roll Paper Options box pops up: 7. Select the roll paper settings based on the type of printing you’re doing, then click OK: Type of printing Roll Paper Options Borderless photos Cut Sheet Mode Banner Mode (if your photo is over 27 inches long) Photos with borders or panoramics Cut Sheet Mode 8. Click OK. 9. Click OK or Print. Follow the steps on page 44 to remove your printed photos. Mac OS X 1.
4. Select the Roll Paper or Roll Paper - Borderless setting for your photo size as the Paper Size setting. To print without a border between photos, choose the Roll Paper - Borderless Banner setting for your photo size. Make sure the width of your photo is 4, 8.3, or 13 inches maximum, depending on the width of the roll paper you loaded. Also set the margins to 0 in your printing software. 5. Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog box. 6. Click File > Print to open the printer settings dialog box. 7.
Note: For PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas, choose Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster. For Piezo Pro Matte Canvas, choose Premium Presentation Paper Matte. Choose Best Photo or Photo RPM and uncheck High Speed when printing on canvas. For the best color prints on either Epson canvas medium, make sure you use the Premium ICC profile. 10. Select Advanced Mode, then choose a Print Quality setting. 11. Choose Roll Paper Option from the pop-up menu. 12.
Removing Your Printed Photos Follow these steps to remove your printed photos: 1. Press the z roll paper button once to feed the paper forward. 2. Cut the paper or canvas on the printed cutting line. Be sure to cut straight. 3. If you want to print another job on roll paper, press the z roll paper button once again; the paper returns to the correct print position. Removing and Storing Roll Paper or Canvas When you’re finished printing on roll paper or canvas, remove and store it as follows: 1.
Printing Borderless Cut Sheets You can print your photos with no margins, extending the image all the way to the edges of the page.
Caution: Don’t open Epson Status Monitor, pause printing, or respond to any ink messages when your printer is printing. This may cause the printer to pause and leave an uneven surface on your printout. If your ink is running low, wait until printing finishes before checking ink levels or attempting to replace a cartridge. If you must replace an ink cartridge in the middle of a print job, the quality of your printout may decline.
Mac OS X 1. Start your printing application and open your photo file. 2. Click File > Page Setup. 3. Select Stylus Photo R1800 as the Format for setting. Select Stylus Photo R1800 as the Format for setting Select the size of the paper you loaded here 4. Select the size of the paper you loaded with a Sheet Feeder - Borderless source as the Paper Size setting. 5. Select one of the portrait or landscape orientation icons as the Orientation setting. 6. Click OK.
7. Click File > Print. 8. For the Printer setting, select Stylus Photo R1800. 9. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 10. Select the type of paper you loaded as the Media Type setting. See page 38. Note: If you can’t choose your paper type, check your Page Setup settings to make sure you selected the correct paper size and source. (See page 32.) 11. Move the slider to the Quality setting. 12. Choose Expansion from the pop-up menu, then adjust the Expansion setting.
Managing Color With Profiles Follow the steps in this section to use color profiles for printing with Adobe Photoshop (the instructions cover Photoshop 7, CS, CS2, and CS3).
4. Open the photo you want to print. 5. If you see the message shown below, select Use the embedded profile (instead of the working space) option and click OK. It is generally best to use the embedded profile. 6. If you see the message shown below, select Assign working RGB: Adobe RGB (1998) and click OK. 7. When your image appears, evaluate the color balance and contrast as displayed on your monitor.
Note: Assigning a profile to the image doesn’t alter the image data, only the interpretation of the data by your software and how it appears on your monitor and in a printout. This is the best way to improve the color balance and contrast in your image. Selecting Your Print Settings 1. Select File > Print or Print with Preview. 2. If you see the window on the right, click More Options or Show More Options. Then select Color Management from the pop-up menu. Photoshop CS and 7 Photoshop CS3 3.
6. As the Print Space: Intent setting, select Relative Colorimetric. Note: If your image contains very saturated colors, select Perceptual. This reduces the color saturation so that the colors fit within the printer’s color gamut. 7. Select the Black Point Compensation checkbox. Printing Your Color-Managed Photo 1. Click the Print button. 2. Select Stylus Photo R1800 from the Printer menu. 3. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 4.
7. If you are printing on any of the following glossy media, make sure Gloss Optimizer is set to On: ■ Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy or Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper ■ Premium Photo Paper Glossy or Premium Glossy Photo Paper ■ Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss or Premium Semigloss Photo Paper ■ Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster or Premium Luster Photo Paper ■ PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas 8. Turn off the High Speed option. 9. Select Color Management from the pop-up menu.
Windows Opening Your Image 1. Open Adobe Photoshop. 2. Select Edit > Color Settings. 3. Select U.S. Prepress Defaults or North American Prepress 2 from the Settings pull-down menu. This sets Adobe RGB (1998) as the RGB working space and activates warning messages for profile mismatches and missing profiles. Then click OK. 4. Open the photo you want to print. 5. If you see a message like the one below, select Use the embedded profile (instead of the working space) option and click OK.
7. When your image appears, evaluate the color balance and contrast as displayed on your monitor. If they need improvement, select Image > Mode > Assign Profile (for Photoshop CS and 7) or Edit > Assign Profile (for Photoshop CS2 and CS3). Select one of the following as the Profile setting: ■ A different RGB working space (or Profile), such as ColorMatch RGB or sRGB IEC61966-2.
4. Select File > Print or Print with Preview. 5. If necessary, click More Options or Show More Options. If you see Output, select Color Management from the pull-down menu. Additional options appear: Photoshop CS and 7 Photoshop CS3 6. Under Color Handling in Photoshop CS2, select Let Photoshop Determine Colors. In CS3, select Photoshop Manages Colors. 7. Under Profile or Printer Profile, select a profile for your printer and the paper you’ll use for the print.
Printing Your Color-Managed Photo 1. Click the Print button. 2. Make sure your printer is selected, and click the Properties or Preferences button. 3. If you are using an Epson Premium ICC profile, set the Quality Option setting to match your profile. 4. Select the Type setting for the paper you’ll use for the print. 5. Click the Advanced button and click Continue. 6. Turn off the High Speed and Edge Smoothing options, if they are available. 7.
8. If you are printing on any of the following glossy media, make sure the Gloss checkbox is selected: ■ Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy or Ultra Premium Glossy Photo Paper ■ Premium Photo Paper Glossy or Premium Glossy Photo Paper ■ Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss or Premium Semigloss Photo Paper ■ Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster or Premium Luster Photo Paper ■ PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas 9. Click OK. 10. Click OK or Print to print.
Printing a Custom Profile Test Target Follow the steps in this section to create and print individual custom profile test targets for each paper type you plan to print on. When you’re ready to print the test target, follow the steps for your operating system below. Mac OS X 1. Open Adobe Photoshop and open the profile target file provided by your profile-building software manufacturer. 2. If you see a missing profile screen, select Leave as is (don’t color manage). 3. Select File > Print with Preview. 4.
6. Click the Page Setup button. 7. Select Stylus Photo R1800 from the Format for menu. 8. Select the appropriate Paper Size and Orientation settings, then click OK. 9. Click the Print button. 10. Select your printer from the Printer menu, then select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 11. Select the Media Type setting for the profile you’re printing. 12. Click the Advanced button. 13. Select your desired level as the Print Quality setting. 14. Turn off the High Speed option.
15. Select Color Management from the pop-up menu. 16. Click Off (No Color Adjustment). IMPORTANT! Select Off (No Color Adjustment) 17. Click Print to print your test target. 18. Repeat these steps to print a test target for each paper type and Print Quality setting you plan to print with. Windows 1. Open Adobe Photoshop and open the profile target file. 2. If you see a missing profile screen, select Leave as is (don’t color manage). 3. Select File > Print or Print with Preview. 4.
8. Click the Advanced button and click Continue. 9. Select the media type setting for the paper you’ll use for the print. 10. Select the print quality desired: Photo (1440 × 720 dpi), Best Photo (1440 × 1440 dpi), or PhotoRPM (5760 × 1440 dpi). 11. Turn off the High Speed and Edge Smoothing options, if they are available. 12. Click the ICM button under Color Management and select Off (No Color Adjustment). IMPORTANT! Select ICM, then select Off (No Color Adjustment) 13. Click OK. 14.
Easy Printing With Photoshop Elements 3.0 If you are using Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 with Windows, you can take advantage of the Epson EasyPrint interface when you’re ready to print. It lets you select your basic settings directly from the Print window, so you don’t need to open the Properties or Preferences window to access the printer driver. This one-stop printing feature also prevents conflicts between software and driver settings by making them both match.
5. Select Print from the File menu. You see the Epson EasyPrint interface: Select EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 Select your paper type Choose your paper size and orientation Click here for borderless printing Select other print settings Click here for more print options 6. Change your print settings, as necessary. 7. Click Print to start printing.
Printing on CDs and DVDs Your printer includes a special tray that lets you print customized text, graphics, and photos directly on any ink jet printable CD or DVD. The Epson Print CD software makes it easy to import your own photos, add text, and modify your designs with a variety of special effects. You can print on both regular 12-cm discs and 8-cm mini CDs. Caution: Use only ink jet-printable CDs or DVDs for printing. Do not use thermal-printable or regular CDs or DVDs.
Cleaning the Roller Before you print on CDs or DVDs, you may need to clean the roller inside the printer. You can do this by feeding and ejecting several sheets of plain paper. 1. Open the output tray and extension. 2. Open the paper support and pull up the support extensions. 3. Turn on the printer and load several sheets of letter-size paper. 4. Press the ) paper button to feed the paper. 5. Press the ) paper button again to eject the paper. 6.
4. Lift up the printer cover and press in the top of the CD/DVD tray guide as shown. 5. Lower the CD/DVD tray guide.
6. Place the CD or DVD on the CD tray with the white or printable side face-up. To print on a small CD (8 cm), place the small CD ring on the tray first, then place the CD inside the ring. Caution: Make sure you always use the small CD ring when printing 8-cm CDs and that the CD and ring lay flat on the tray; otherwise the printer may be damaged. Always use this piece with 8-cm CDs 7. Slide the tray into the CD/DVD tray guide.
Printing Your Design After you have created your design and loaded a CD or DVD, you’re ready to print. Note: If you’re using a hub-printable CD or DVD, you may want to adjust the print area. Measure the printable area of your CD or DVD, then open the File menu, select Inner/Outer Diameter Settings, and adjust the measurements. For information on designing CDs and DVDs, see the Epson Print CD on-screen Help. 1. Start Epson Print CD, if necessary, and open your design file. 2.
Adjusting the Print Position If your printed images and text are not positioned the way you want, you may need to adjust the printing position. Use the blank cardboard position check disk included with your printer or an extra CD. You can also use these steps to check the position before you print on a CD or DVD. 1. Place the position check disk (or an extra ink jet printable CD) on the CD tray and insert it into the printer, as described on page 66. 2. Start Epson Print CD. 3.
6. Remove the position check disk or CD and measure the distance from the edge of the hole to the small cross marks (distances labeled A and B as shown). You’ll need a metric ruler with millimeters for these measurements. 7. Open the File menu and select Adjust Print Position. You see a screen like this: Windows Enter measurements here Macintosh Enter measurements here 8. Make sure Enter Values (Windows) or Value Entry (Macintosh) is checked. Input the A distance in the Height (Top) or Top Space box.
4. Make sure EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 is selected, then click Print Density Confirmation Pattern (Windows) or Print Density Check Pattern (Macintosh). Macintosh Windows 5. Click Print. The printer prints the pattern and ejects the tray. 6. After the pattern is printed, examine the print and make the Print Color Correction (Windows) or Color Correction (Macintosh) setting lighter or darker as necessary. You can print three density patterns on one disc. Each pattern is printed in a different location. 7.
Maintaining Your Printer Follow the instructions in this chapter to keep your printer working at its best and to prepare it for moving, if necessary: ■ “Cleaning the Print Head” below ■ “Replacing an Ink Cartridge” on page 76 ■ “Aligning the Print Head” on page 80 ■ “Cleaning the Printer” on page 82 ■ “Transporting the Printer” on page 83 Cleaning the Print Head If your printouts are unexpectedly light, or dots or lines are missing, you may need to clean the print head.
Automatically Checking and Cleaning the Print Head The Auto Nozzle Check and Cleaning utility prints a nozzle check pattern that the printer then reads to see if you have any clogged nozzles. If cleaning is needed, the printer automatically cleans the print head. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red H ink light is off. (If the H ink light is flashing or on, you need to replace a cartridge; see page 76.) 2.
Running the Head Cleaning Utility 1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and the red H ink light is off. (If the H ink light is flashing or on, you need to replace a cartridge; see page 76.) 2. Do one of the following: Windows: Right-click the icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select Head Cleaning. Note: If the icon does not appear, click Start > Printer (and Faxes), right-click on EPSON Stylus Photo R1800, and select Printing Preferences.
If the pattern has white lines or gaps (as shown below), click Clean to clean the print head again. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head three or four times, check the solutions beginning on page 93. You can also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—and then clean the print head again. Replacing an Ink Cartridge When the red H ink light flashes, an ink cartridge is low on ink.
Checking the Ink Levels To see an estimate of your ink levels, do one of the following: ■ Windows: Double-click the icon on the Windows taskbar. You see a window like this: ■ Mac OS X: Choose Applications > EPSON Printer Utility > SP R1800 > EPSON StatusMonitor. You see a window like this: Click a cartridge image to display information about the cartridge.
Ink Cartridge Precautions Warning: Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children; don’t drink the ink. If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them thoroughly with water. Caution: To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by hand. You cannot print if an ink cartridge is expended. Leave the expended cartridge installed in the printer until you have obtained a replacement.
5. Shake the new cartridge four or five times before opening its package. (Don’t shake it after it’s unpacked.) 6. Remove the new cartridge from its package. Caution: Don’t touch the green circuit board on the front of the cartridge; you may inhibit normal operation and printing. 7. Slide the new cartridge into its slot. The side with the green circuit board goes in the front of the slot. 8. Press the cartridge down until it clicks into place. 9.
Aligning the Print Head If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, or you see light or dark horizontal banding, you may need to align the print head. You can have the printer automatically check and align the print head or you can check and adjust the alignment yourself. Automatically Aligning the Print Head 1. Turn on the printer. 2. Load letter-size Epson Presentation Paper Matte. 3.
Manually Aligning the Print Head 1. Turn on the printer. 2. Load letter-size Epson Presentation Paper Matte. 3. Do one of the following: Windows: Right-click the icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). Select Print Head Alignment. Note: If the icon does not appear, click Start > Printer (and Faxes), right-click on EPSON Stylus Photo R1800, and select Printing Preferences. Select the Maintenance tab and click Print Head Alignment.
Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year. 1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and disconnect the interface cable. 2. Remove all the paper, then use a soft brush to clean the paper feeders. 3. Clean the exterior of the printer with a soft, damp cloth. Keep the paper support and printer cover closed as you clean the printer. 4.
Transporting the Printer If you move your printer some distance, you need to prepare it for transportation in its original box or a similar one. Follow these steps: 1. Turn on the printer. 2. Turn off the printer and unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the printer cable from the printer. 3. Open the printer cover and tape the ink cartridge holder to the printer case using packing tape. Then close the printer cover.
Maintaining Your Printer
Solving Problems See “Diagnosing Printer Problems” on page 88 to help determine what the cause of your printer problem may be.
Printer Parts Paper support and extensions Sheet feeder Printer cover Left edge guide Output tray Output tray extension Roll paper guides Ink cartridge holder (in home position) Paper support closed CD/DVD tray guide Roll paper edge guide USB port Roll paper holder 86 Solving Problems IEEE 1394 (FireWire) port Buttons and lights (control panel)
Printer Buttons The table below summarizes the functions of the printer buttons. Button Uses ) paper Loads or ejects paper. Resumes printing after a paper-out or multiple-sheet-feed error. Cancels a print job while printing. H ink Moves the print head to the ink cartridge replacement position and returns it to its home position. Cleans the print head. Hold down the button for 3 seconds when the red H ink light is off.
Diagnosing Printer Problems First, check the printer’s lights (see below) or run a printer check (see page 90). Lights Explanation Green P power light flashes The printer is receiving a print job, printing, replacing an ink cartridge, charging ink, or cleaning the print head. Red H ink light flashes An ink cartridge is low on ink. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge, then follow the steps on page 78 to install it.
Lights Explanation Red ) paper light flashes Jammed paper or the CD/DVD tray is blocking print head movement, or you’re trying to print on paper or a CD/DVD with the wrong media loaded. If you suspect a paper jam, turn off the printer and pull out the jammed paper. Open the cover and remove any jammed or torn paper. Then do one of the following: Sheet Feeder or Single Sheet Guide: Turn on the printer, reload paper, and press the ) paper button.
Running a Printer Check You can run a printer check to determine whether a problem comes from the printer or some other source. 1. Turn off your printer and computer, then disconnect the printer’s interface cable. 2. Load letter-size paper in the sheet feeder. 3. Hold down the ) paper button, then press and release the P power button. Continue to hold down the ) paper button until the P power light flashes. 4. A test page prints the printer’s ROM version number and a nozzle check pattern.
You’re having problems installing or using the printer software. ■ Make sure your printer is turned on and its cable is securely connected at both ends. Follow the installation steps on the Start Here sheet, and make sure your system meets the requirements on page 103. ■ Close other programs, including screen savers and virus protectors, and install again. ■ If you see an error message with Windows 2000, you may not have software installation privileges. Contact your System Administrator.
Your printer makes noise when you turn it on or after it has been sitting for awhile. Your printer is performing routine maintenance. Printing is too slow. Make sure your system meets the recommended requirements listed on page 103. You may also need to: ■ Clear space on your hard drive or run a defragmentation utility. ■ Close open programs that you’re not using. ■ Increase your system’s memory (RAM).
Quality Problems You see banding (light lines). ■ Clean the print head; see page 73 for instructions. ■ Select a higher print quality and turn off High Speed mode; see page 29 (Windows) or page 36 (Macintosh). ■ Select the correct Type or Media Type setting for your paper; see page 38. ■ Make sure the printable side of the paper is face-up; it’s usually whiter or shinier. ■ The ink cartridges may need replacing; see page 76. ■ Align the print head as described on page 80.
Your printout is faint or has gaps. ■ Clean the print head; see page 73 for instructions. ■ The ink cartridges may be old or low on ink; see page 76. ■ Select the correct Type (Windows) or Media Type (Macintosh) in the printer driver; see page 38. ■ Make sure your paper isn’t damaged, old, dirty, or loaded face-down. For best results, use genuine Epson paper. Caution: Don’t open Epson Status Monitor, pause printing, or respond to any ink messages when your printer is printing.
■ Change the Gamma setting (Macintosh). See page 36. ■ Your printed colors can never exactly match your on-screen colors. However, you can use a color management system to get as close as possible. See the Photoshop color management instructions on page 49. If your photos have a dark, underexposed and/or yellow-brown cast or a light, overexposed and or light-blue cast after using color management, see the solutions on page 58. Paper Problems Paper doesn’t eject fully or is wrinkled.
3. Position the cleaning sheet in the printer’s sheet feeder as shown below. Make sure the sticky side of the cleaning sheet is face-up. 4. Press the ) paper button to feed the sheet through the printer. 5. When the sheet ejects, repeat steps 3 and 4 to feed the sheet through two more times. Then discard the cleaning sheet. Paper sheets jam in the printer. Press the ) paper button to eject the jammed paper. If that doesn’t work, try the following: 1. Turn off the printer. 2.
3. Remove any jammed paper from the sheet feeder or open the printer cover and remove any paper jammed inside. Roll paper doesn’t feed correctly or jams in the printer. ■ Cut the end of the paper straight across. If the edge is uneven or frayed, the paper won’t feed smoothly. ■ If the roll paper end is curled, place the end inside a folded sheet of paper and roll it backwards against the curl. ■ Make sure the paper is loaded in the roll paper feeder, not the sheet feeder; see page 20.
CD/DVD Problems You can’t insert the CD/DVD tray easily. Don’t force the CD/DVD tray into the printer. Turn on your printer and follow all the steps beginning on page 66. The CD/DVD tray ejects when you start a CD/DVD print job. Follow the steps on page 66 to reinsert the CD/DVD tray. Make sure you press the ) paper button to load the tray before sending your print job again. The CD/DVD tray doesn’t eject after printing. Gently pull out the tray and press the ) paper button to turn off the ) paper light.
You see incorrect characters. ■ Make sure the interface cable is securely connected at both ends and meets the system requirements on page 103. ■ Make sure your printer is selected in the Print window, or in the Macintosh Printer Setup Utility or Print Center. ■ If you’re using a switch box or USB hub with your printer, connect the printer directly to your computer instead. The margins are incorrect. ■ Make sure the paper settings are correct for your paper size.
Uninstalling and Reinstalling Printer Software You may need to uninstall and then reinstall your printer driver and utilities if, for example, you upgrade your Windows operating system. You don’t need to uninstall your other photo software or the Epson Reference Guide. Windows 1. Click Start, and select Programs or All Programs. 2. Point to Epson or EPSON Printers, then select EPSON Printer Software Uninstall.1 3. In the next window, select EPSON Stylus Photo R1800 and click OK.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the software. Note: If the name of your printer remains in the Print Center or Printer Setup Utility, select it from Printer List and click Delete. 8. When you see the Installer window again, click Quit. 9. Restart your Macintosh, then see the Start Here sheet to reinstall your software. Where To Get Help If you need help with your printer, Epson Print CD, or the P.I.M. II Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop, see the information below.
Then call: ■ U.S.: (562) 276-7296, 6 AM to 8 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday and 7 AM to 4 PM, Saturday. ■ Canada: (905) 709-2567, 6 AM to 6 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Toll or long distance charges may apply. Purchase Supplies and Accessories You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper from an authorized Epson reseller. To find the nearest reseller, please call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766). Or you can purchase online at www.epsonstore.com (U.S. sales) or www.epson.
Requirements and Notices Windows System Requirements To use your printer and its software, we recommend that your system has: ■ Microsoft Windows compatible PC with a Pentium® III-class 800 MHz or higher processor (Pentium 4-class, 2 GHz or higher recommended) ■ Windows 2000, XP, XP Professional x64 Edition, or Windows Vista ■ 512MB RAM (2GB recommended) ■ 300MB hard disk space (1GB recommended) ■ 4x or faster CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive for installing the printer software ■ USB connection: a Window
Important Safety Instructions Before using your printer, read these safety instructions to make sure you use it safely and effectively: ■ Be sure to follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer. ■ Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label. ■ Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off.
Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions ■ Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children. ■ Be careful when you handle used ink cartridges; there may be ink remaining around the ink supply port. If ink gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water. ■ Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch a cartridge during printing. ■ Do not move the print head by hand. You may damage the printer.
FCC Compliance Statement For United States Users This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television reception.
Declaration of Conformity According to 47CFR, Part 2 and 15 for Class B Personal Computers and Peripherals; and/or CPU Boards and Power Supplies used with Class B Personal Computers: We: Epson America, Inc. Located at: MS: 3-13 3840 Kilroy Airport Way Long Beach, CA 90806 Telephone: (562) 290-5254 Declare under sole responsibility that the product identified herein, complies with 47CFR Part 2 and 15 of the FCC rules as a Class B digital device.
Epson America, Inc. Limited Warranty What Is Covered: Epson America, Inc. (“Epson”) warrants to the original retail purchaser that the Epson printer covered by this limited warranty statement, if purchased new and used in the United States or Canada, conforms to the manufacturer’s specifications and will be free from defects in workmanship and materials for a period of one (1) year from the date of original purchase.
SPECIAL NOTE TO COMMERCIAL USERS This Epson product is offered as a high quality consumer use product. With proper use and care, the product will provide you with quality performance well beyond the one year warranty period. However, if you use this product for continuous production or similar high duty purposes, none of the needed repairs, maintenance or service from such use will be covered by your Epson Limited Warranty.
Requirements and Notices
Index A Adobe Photoshop, managing color with, 49 to 62 Advanced settings Macintosh, 36 to 37 Windows, 29 to 30 Aligning print head, 80 to 81 Automatic print head aligning, 80 print head cleaning, 74 Automatic mode, Macintosh, 34 B Background printing, 35 Banding, 93 Basic printing Macintosh, 31 to 35 Windows, 26 to 28 Best Photo setting, 27, 46 Blank pages, 98 Blurry images, 93 Borderless setting, 27, 45 to 48 Bright White Paper, 14, 38 Browser, 10 Buttons, 87, 88 to 89 C Cable, printer, 103 Cancelling pr
E I Edge Smoothing setting color management, 53, 57, 60, 62 Windows, 29 Electronic manual, 9 to 10 Enhanced Matte Paper, 14, 38 Epson help, 101 to 102 papers, 14, 38, 45 PhotoCenter, 8 Print CD, 69 to 72 warranty, 108 to 109 Exif Print, description, 8 Expansion setting, 46, 48 Extension setting, 34, 93 ICM (Image Color Matching) setting, 30, 57, 62 Incorrect characters, 99 colors, 58, 94 margins, 99 Ink cartridge level of ink in, 77 ordering, 77 problems, solving, 88, 90 replacing, 76 to 79 safety instru
Matte Black ink cartridge, 7, 77 Matte paper, 14, 38, 45 Matte sheet support, 15 to 16 Media Type setting, Macintosh, 34, 38, 42 Mirror images, 98 Monitoring ink level Macintosh, 77 Windows, 77 Moving printer, 83 N Network printing, 91 Noise, printer, 92 Nozzle Check, 74 to 76 O Orientation setting, 27, 32 P Page Setup, Macintosh, 33 Paper Epson, 14, 38, 45 feeding problems, 95 to 97 jams, 89, 95 to 97 loading in sheet feeder, 12 to 13 loading special, 14 one only in single sheet guide, 16 to 19 roll, se
Q T Quality Option setting, 27, 46, 57 Quality/Speed setting, 33, 43, 48, 92 Technical support, 101 to 102 Testing printer, 90 Text & Image setting, 27 Text setting, 27 Thick paper setting, 34, 93 Transporting printer, 83 Troubleshooting, 85 to 102 Type setting, Windows, 27, 38, 40 R Reference Guide, 9 to 10 Reinstalling software, 101 Roll paper button, 23, 44 controlling printing, 44 holder, 21 to 23, 44 loading, 20 to 23, 39 options, 41, 43 printing on, 39 to 44 problems, solving, 88, 97 removing, 44
