EPSON Stylus Pro 7600/9600 ® PRINTER GUIDE ®
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 these EPSON printers. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other printers.
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.
Contents | 5 Contents Introduction Options and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where To Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macintosh System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Windows System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ENERGY STAR Compliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Important Safety Instructions . . . . .
| Contents 2 Handling Paper and Other Media Selecting Media For Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing on EPSON Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guidelines for Using EPSON Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using Roll Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Guidelines for Using Roll Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents | 7 4 Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Choosing Basic Print Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Selecting the Correct Media Type Setting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing Paper and Layout Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Printing Without Borders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Choosing Advanced Print Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Color Management Settings . . . . . . . .
| Contents Draining the Ink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charging the Ink . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Updating the Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the Paper Cutter Blade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Replacing the Maintenance Tank . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning the Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Introduction This Printer Guide provides important information on setting up your printer, selecting paper, basic operation, and replacing parts such as ink cartridges. It also tells you how to maintain your printer to keep it working at its best, and provides troubleshooting tips in case you have a problem.
| Introduction TIP Options and Accessories Your EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and 9600 offer these optional upgrades and accessories: Check the EPSON Pro Graphics web site at http://prographics.epson. com for new accessories and options that may become available. Optional equipment and software Option Part number EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 Printer Stand C12C844061 EFI® Fiery® Spark Professional 2.
Introduction | 11 In addition, you can order these user-replaceable items: Consumables and user-replaceable parts Part Part number Replacement Ink Maintenance Tank* Stylus Pro 7600: Stylus Pro 9600: C120890071 C126890071 Replacement Printer Cutter Blade** C12C815241 Ink Cartridges See page 142 for a complete listing. Paper (roll and sheet) See page 64 for a complete listing. * See page 155 for details. ** Replaces the blade for the printer’s built-in cutter (see page 153).
| Introduction EPSON also provides technical assistance 24 hours a day through the World Wide Web. You can reach EPSON Support at http://support.epson.com. At this site, you can download drivers and other files, look at product documentation, access troubleshooting information, and receive technical advice through e-mail. You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, and accessories from EPSON at (800) 873-7766, or by visiting the EPSON Store at www.epsonstore.com (U.S. sales only).
Introduction | 13 Windows System Requirements To use your printer in either a standalone or peer-to-peer network environment, your system should include the requirements listed below: • IBM®-compatible PC with a Pentium® IV 1 GHz or higher processor recommended • For parallel connection: Windows® 95, 98, Me, NT® 4.
| Introduction ENERGY STAR Compliance As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has determined that this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy efficiency. The EPA ENERGY STAR Office Equipment program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and office equipment industry to promote the introduction of energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.
Introduction | 15 • Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plugs can be easily unplugged. Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise de contacte où la fiche peut être débranchée facilement. • Do not let the power cords become damaged or frayed. • If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere rating.
| Introduction • Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could result in damage to the print head. • Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its package. Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in reduced print quality. • Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge package. For best results, use cartridges within six months of installation.
Setting Up the Printer | 17 Chapter 1: Setting Up the Printer Follow the steps in this chapter to assemble the printer, install the software, and make any necessary adjustments. You should allow at least two hours for this process. This chapter covers the following information: Note When choosing a place for the printer, leave adequate room for easy access and ventilation. Avoid locations subject to direct sunlight, excessive heat, moisture, or dust.
| Setting Up the Printer Warning Unpacking and Assembling the Stylus Pro 7600 Follow these steps to assemble your printer. If you have a Stylus Pro 9600, see page 27 instead. Assembly requires two people. Unpacking and Assembling the Optional Stand If you have an optional stand for the Stylus Pro 7600, follow these steps to unpack and assemble it. Otherwise, skip ahead to “Unpacking the Printer” on page 21. 1. Unpack the stand and make sure you have all these items.
Setting Up the Printer | 19 Accessories: G H J K I L M G: Allen wrench (1) H: Bolts (4) for attaching legs to base I: Bolts (2) for attaching lower bar to legs J: Collars (2) for attaching lower bar to legs K: Phillips screws with washers (4) for attaching top support bar to legs L: Wing screws (2) for attaching printer to stand M: Washers (2) for attaching printer to stand 2. Insert one of the legs into the base as shown.
| Setting Up the Printer 3. Assemble the other leg and base in the same way. H 4. Attach the bottom support bar as shown. Fasten the bar with one collar (J) and one bolt (I) at each end. J K 5. Attach the top support bar as shown. Use a Phillips screwdriver to fasten the four small screws (K). K K 6. Make sure each part of the stand is tightened securely.
Setting Up the Printer | 21 Unpacking the Printer 1. Remove the roll paper, polystyrene foam, and cardboard cushions. 2. Remove the handles from the sides of the box as shown. 3. Lift the box up and away from the printer. Remove the ink cartridges and other accessories from the side as shown below. Remove ink cartridges and accessories B A 4. Remove the cardboard panels from around the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer 5. Take out the foam supports from under the printer. 6. Remove any packing tape. Check these areas: • the front cover • the ink compartment cover (in front on the left) • the maintenance tank (on the right side near the bottom) 7. Open the front cover. Then unscrew the bolt and remove the bracket securing the print head. Save the bolt and bracket in case you need to ship the printer. Warning Two or more people are required to lift the printer. 8.
Setting Up the Printer | 23 Mounting the Printer on the Optional Stand If you have an optional stand, follow these steps to mount the printer: 1. Lock the casters and lower the stabilizer knobs to keep the stand from rolling. Stabilizer knob Warning 2. Using two people, hold the printer at the indicated locations. Then set it on the stand as shown. Two or more people are required to lift the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer 3. Fasten the printer to the stand with wing screws (L) and washers (M). M L M L Attaching the Paper Basket 1. Attach the metal rods as shown. The free ends of the rods should point outward.
Setting Up the Printer | 25 2. Snap the basket’s plastic connectors onto the metal rods at the rear of the stand. (The rear connectors are labeled with an R.) 3. Rotate the front bar once as shown, so the fabric folds around the bar.
| Setting Up the Printer 4. Snap the connectors onto the front metal rods. 5. Check underneath the printer for packing tape. 6. Raise the stabilizer knobs and unlock the casters. Then move the printer to the place of use. (The casters are meant for moving the printer for only a short distance.) Lock the casters and extend the stabilizer knobs after moving. When done, skip ahead to “Connecting the Power Cord” on page 37.
Setting Up the Printer | 27 Warning Unpacking and Assembling the Stylus Pro 9600 Follow these steps to assemble your printer. If you have a Stylus Pro 7600, see page 18 instead. Two people are required to unpack the printer, and four are needed to set it on the stand. Unpacking the Stand 1. Open the box and remove the handles from the sides of the box. 2. Lift the box up and away from the printer, then set it aside. 3.
| Setting Up the Printer Accessories: G I H J G: Allen wrench H: Bolts (4) I: Wing nuts, spring washers, and plain washers (2) J: Paper supports (5) Assembling the Stand 1. Insert the support bar into one of the base sections as shown. Then attach it with two bolts (H) using the included Allen wrench. (Leave the bolts a little loose, so that you can adjust the position when you insert the bolts at the other end.) H 2. Attach the base section to the other end. 3.
Setting Up the Printer | 29 Unpacking the Printer 1. Remove the roll paper, polystyrene foam, and cardboard cushions. 2. Lift the box up and away from the printer. Remove the ink cartridges and other accessories from the side as shown below. Remove ink cartridges and accessories B A 3. Remove the cardboard panels from around the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer Make sure all these items are included: M O N P Q R M: Roll paper spindle N: Roll paper (EPSON Doubleweight Matte Paper) O: Ink cartridges P: Roll paper belt (for keeping roll paper wound up) Q: Power cord R: Printer 1-30
Setting Up the Printer | 31 Mounting the Printer on the Stand 1. Lock the two casters to keep the stand from rolling. Then extend the stabilizer knobs. Stabilizer knob (hidden) 2.
| Setting Up the Printer 3. Using four people, grasp the printer in the four locations as shown, and set the printer on the stand: Warning Do not attempt to lift the printer with fewer than four people. Top view 4. Fasten the printer to the stand with wing nuts, spring washers, and plain washers (I).
Setting Up the Printer | 33 5. Remove any packing tape from the printer. Be sure to check underneath and on the sides. 6. Open the front cover. Then unscrew the bolt and remove the bracket securing the print head, as shown above. Save these parts in case you need to ship the printer. 7. Close the front cover. 8. Raise the stabilizer knobs and unlock the casters. Then move the printer to the place of use. (The casters are meant for moving the printer for only a short distance.
| Setting Up the Printer Attaching the Basket 1. Attach the short basket hooks to the upper guides: 2. Attach the long basket hooks to the lower guides: 3. Turn the basket so its seams face downward, and spread it on the floor.
Setting Up the Printer | 35 4. Pass the basket’s rear bar to the back of the printer. Rotate the bar one revolution so that the fabric folds around the bar. Then insert the plastic pins into the stand as shown. 5. Slide out the upper basket hooks to their full length. 6. Hook the middle bar of the basket as shown.
| Setting Up the Printer 7. Hold the front bar and turn it one revolution. Then attach the lower basket hooks to the connectors. 8. Push the upper and lower basket hooks back in. 9. Hook the basket rings to take up the slack. 10. Hook the paper supports so they hang along the inside of the basket. Install them in the order indicated below.
Setting Up the Printer | 37 Connecting the Power Cord Caution 1. Connect the power cord to the AC inlet on the back of the printer. Do not use an outlet that is controlled by an automatic timer or wall switch. Otherwise, you may accidentally shut off the printer and cause damage. 2. Route the power cord through one of the hooks on the left or right side as shown. 3. Plug the power cord into a properly grounded electrical outlet.
| Setting Up the Printer Installing the Ink Cartridges Warning Make sure you’ve removed the shipping bracket before installing ink cartridges (see page 22 or page 33). Make sure the first ink cartridges you install are the correct type for your printer: EPSON UltraChrome™ ink or EPSON Photographic Dye™ ink. The chips on the cartridges are programmed to initialize the printer as the correct ink model. This determines the type of ink your printer will use for its entire lifetime.
Setting Up the Printer | 39 2. Open the ink compartment cover. 3. Raise the ink lever to the unlocked position. 4. Locate the ink cartridges that came with the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer Warning 5. Remove each cartridge from its packaging. If you’re using EPSON UltraChrome ink, gently shake each cartridge before installing it. If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water. Note If you can’t insert the cartridge smoothly, you may have the wrong cartridge. Note 6. Install the ink cartridges in the printer. Hold each cartridge with the arrow mark pointing toward the printer.
Setting Up the Printer | 41 Caution Never turn off the printer or change the position of the ink lever while the Pause light is flashing. The printer begins charging the ink delivery system and the Pause light flashes. This takes about 10 minutes. Do not turn off the printer or interrupt this process, or you’ll use more ink than necessary. When the Pause light stops flashing and Paper Out appears on the control panel, you’re ready to load the roll paper.
| Setting Up the Printer Loading Roll Paper Before you begin, locate the roll paper that came with your printer and remove it from its protective packaging. The paper may already be loaded on the spindle. (If it isn’t, see “Loading the Paper onto the Spindle” on page 70.) Follow these steps to place the paper in the printer: 1. Open the roll paper cover. 2. Place the roll paper in the printer as shown. (The white end of the spindle goes on the right.) Note 3.
Setting Up the Printer | 43 4. Move the paper lever back to the released position. 5. Feed the paper into the slot. 6. Pull the paper down so it extends all the way through the slot.
| Setting Up the Printer 7. Turn the roll back to remove any slack. Then align the bottom edge of the paper with the horizontal row of holes, as shown. (Do not extend the paper past the row of holes.) 8. Pull the paper lever forward to the locked position, then close the roll paper cover. 9. Press the Pause button (or wait for 5 seconds). The paper feeds into printing position automatically and READY appears on the control panel.
Setting Up the Printer | 45 Connecting the Printer to Your Computer TIP The optional FireWire card allows multiple printers to be daisy-chained to your system, and can keep them all running at the full speed of the print engine. EPSON’s optional Ethernet card keeps your printer running at full speed, limited only by the bandwidth of your network. To provide adequate bandwidth, you need a switched 100 Mbit hub on your network.
| Setting Up the Printer Connecting to the USB Port To connect the printer to a USB port, you need a standard shielded USB cable. Follow the steps below to connect the printer to your computer: 1. Make sure both the printer and your computer are turned off. 2. Connect the square end of the USB cable to the USB port on the back of your printer. Note If the printer doesn’t work when you attach it to a first tier USB hub port, connect it directly to the USB port on your computer. 3.
Setting Up the Printer | 47 Connecting to the Parallel Port (Windows Only) To use the printer’s built-in parallel interface, you need a shielded, bidirectional, parallel cable. Follow the steps below to connect the printer to your computer: 1. Make sure both the printer and your computer are turned off. 2. Plug the cable connector securely into the printer’s interface. Then squeeze the wire clips together until they lock into place on both sides. 3.
| Setting Up the Printer Installing and Connecting to an Optional Interface Card Caution To connect the printer to an optional FireWire or Ethernet card, you first need to install the card in your printer. You also need the appropriate cable. Follow the steps below. 1. Turn off your computer and your printer. You must unplug the printer from the power outlet, or you may damage the printer and the card. 2. IMPORTANT: Unplug the printer from its electrical outlet.
Setting Up the Printer | 49 6. Insert the interface card as shown, then secure it with the two screws. 7. Connect one end of the appropriate cable to the card. Then connect the other end to your computer’s FireWire port or Ethernet port or hub. 8. If you’re using FireWire, attach the ferrite core included with your printer to the cable as shown.
| Setting Up the Printer Installing the Printer Software Caution Turn off all virus protection programs before you install your printer software. Follow the steps below (for Macintosh) or on page 52 (for Windows) to install your printer software. Installing the Software for Macintosh OS 8.5 to 9.x After connecting the printer to your Macintosh, you need to install the printer driver and utilities included on your printer software CD-ROM. Follow these steps: 1. Turn on your Macintosh and your printer.
Setting Up the Printer | 51 The following dialog box appears: 7. Click the Install button, then click Continue on the next screen. 8. Follow the instructions to install your software and select a default paper size. When you see a message informing you that installation is complete, click Restart to restart your Macintosh. Note If you’re on an AppleTalk network and the AppleTalk setting in the Chooser is Active, you may see an alert message when you click the USB port icon.
| Setting Up the Printer Installing Software for Windows Note If you’ve installed a FireWire or Ethernet card, you may see additional screens as Windows installs the drivers for your card. After connecting the printer to your computer, you need to install the printer driver and utilities on your printer software CD-ROM. Follow these steps: 1. Make sure your printer is turned off. 2. Turn on your computer and start Windows. 3. Insert the printer software CD-ROM in your computer.
Setting Up the Printer | 53 Windows 95 or NT: Turn on your printer and go to step 7. Windows 98, Me, or 2000: When you see a window asking you to turn on your printer, press the P Power button. Then go to step 7. Windows XP: • When you see a window asking you to turn on your printer, press the P Power button. • If you see a message that your printer is not connected properly, ignore it (do not click Retry or Cancel). If necessary, drag the window to the side.
| Setting Up the Printer Running a Nozzle Check The nozzle check prints a pattern of dots that lets you see if any print head nozzles are clogged. Follow the steps below to print a nozzle check from your printer software (this also lets you verify that your printer is connected and working properly). TIP 1. Make sure the printer is turned on and the paper that came with your printer is loaded. 2. Do one of the following: Use the paper that came with your printer for printing the nozzle check.
Setting Up the Printer | 55 3. Click the Nozzle Check button and follow the instructions on the screen to print a nozzle check pattern. Note Use the eye loupe that came with the printer to examine the pattern. Even if all the dots printed, you may be able to see misaligned or “deflected” dots. Deflected dots, like missing ones, indicate that you should clean the print head. 4. Examine the nozzle check pattern. The pattern should be complete, with no missing dots or gaps in the pattern: 5.
| Setting Up the Printer Cleaning the Print Head from the Control Panel If you’re unable to clean the print head fully from the printer software, you can use the printer’s control panel to perform a power cleaning. You should not perform a power cleaning more often than necessary, since it consumes additional ink. 1. Press the SelecType button on the control panel. You see PRINTER SETUP. 2. Press u until you see MAINTENANCE, then press r. You see PWR CLEANING. 3.
Setting Up the Printer | 57 Aligning the Print Head Before using the printer, you should align the print head to ensure clean, accurate printouts. To do the alignment, you have to print a set of alignment patterns. Make sure you’ve run a nozzle check, as described on page 54, before you begin. If the print head nozzles are clogged, the patterns won’t print correctly and your print head alignment won’t be accurate. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on, then load roll paper that is at least 24 inches wide.
| Setting Up the Printer Examining the UNI-D ALL Alignment Pattern Follow these steps when the UNI-D ALL patterns finish printing: 1. Depending on the width of the paper loaded in the printer, more than one set of patterns may be printed. Locate the patterns in the middle of your printout. In the steps that follow, refer to those patterns to make your adjustments, instead of the ones printed toward the left or right. Refer to middle set of patterns when making adjustments 2.
Setting Up the Printer | 59 Note 3. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which line is the straightest. In this example, the middle line (numbered 5) is the best choice. Look for the straightest line You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern. Note If number 5 is the straightest line in each group, the print head is already properly aligned. Press Pause to exit the head alignment early. 4.
| Setting Up the Printer 2. Look at the display screen on the printer. Notice that it is prompting you to choose the best line in the group labeled K1 in row #1. Row #1 Note Look at this group 3. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which line is the straightest. In this example, the middle line (numbered 5) is the best choice. Look for the straightest line You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern.
Setting Up the Printer | 61 Note Examining the BI-D ALL Alignment Pattern Follow the steps below when the BI-D ALL patterns finish printing. Be sure to perform the BI-D BLACK alignment before running this one. IMPORTANT: Do not enter an adjustment value for K1 when prompted, or your color alignments won’t be accurate. 1. Depending on the width of the paper loaded in the printer, more than one set of patterns may be printed. Locate the patterns in the middle of your printout.
| Setting Up the Printer 3. The printer is now prompting you to choose the best block in the group labeled K2 in row #1. Row #1 Look at this group Note You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern. Note If number 5 is the best block in each group, the print head is already properly aligned. Press Pause to exit the head alignment early. 4. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which block has the least visible vertical line.
Chapter 2: Handling Paper and Other Media The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and 9600 print on a variety of media, including roll paper and cut sheets up to 44 inches wide (for the Stylus Pro 9600) or 24 inches wide (for the Stylus Pro 7600). You can also use heavy stock, including posterboard up to 59 mil (1.5 mm) thick.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Always test samples of paper stock in the printer before purchasing large quantities or printing large jobs. When you use non-EPSON paper or other media, you may need to “profile” their thickness and adjust various settings. See page 85 for instructions. Printing on EPSON Media Note Check the EPSON Pro Graphics web site (http://prographics.epson. com) or your authorized EPSON dealer for other media that may be available.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 65 Stylus Pro 7600/9600 Photographic Dye ink model (continued) Paper type Roll sizes Sheet sizes Photo Semigloss Paper 24-inch roll: SP91022 36-inch roll: SP91003 44-inch roll: SP91004 — Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper — 11" × 17": S041070 13" × 19": S041069 16.5" × 23.4": S041079 17" × 22": S041171 16.5" × 49.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Stylus Pro 7600/9600 Photographic Dye ink model (continued) Paper type Roll sizes Sheet sizes Semigloss Paper Heavyweight 24-inch roll: S041292 36-inch roll: S041229 44-inch roll: S041228 — Posterboard Semigloss — 20.25" × 28.7": S041237 28.7" × 40.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 67 Note Check the EPSON Pro Graphics web site (http://prographics.epson. com) or your authorized EPSON dealer for other media that may be available. Stylus Pro 7600/9600 UltraChrome ink model Paper type Roll sizes Sheet sizes Premium Glossy Photo Paper (250) 8.3-inch roll: S041376 13-inch roll: S041378 24-inch roll: S041638 36-inch roll: S041639 44-inch roll: S041640 11" × 17": S041290 11.7" × 16.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Stylus Pro 7600/9600 UltraChrome ink model (continued) Paper type Roll sizes Sheet sizes EPSON Velvet Fine Art Paper — 8.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 69 Guidelines for Using EPSON Papers Follow these guidelines, as well as those included in your paper package, when printing on EPSON paper and other media: • Avoid touching the printable surface with your bare hands. Fingerprints may affect print quality. Handle media by the edges or use cotton gloves. • Always choose the correct Media Type setting in your printer software before you send your job. See page 96 (Macintosh) or page 112 (Windows) for instructions.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Guidelines for Using Roll Paper When printing on roll paper, be sure to follow the media handling guidelines on page 69, as well as these special guidelines for roll paper: • To keep the paper from unrolling when you’re not using it, wrap one of the roll paper belts around the paper (see page 74). • When storing roll paper, keep it in its original packaging—including the bag, end caps, and box.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 71 Note Avoid touching the printable surface of the paper as much as possible. Oils from your skin can affect print quality. 2. Position the roll so the paper unwinds as shown, then slide it onto the spindle: 3. Slide the movable paper stop back onto the spindle and insert it into the end of the roll. Make sure it is firmly fixed into the left end of the paper roll. Placing the Paper in the Printer Follow these steps to place the paper in the printer: 1.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 4. Move the paper lever to the released position. 5. Feed the paper into the slot. 6. Pull the paper down so it extends all the way through the slot.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 73 7. Turn the roll back to remove any slack. Then align the bottom edge of the paper with horizontal the row of holes, as shown. Do not extend the paper past the row of holes. 8. Return the paper lever to the locked position, then close the roll paper cover. 9. Press the Pause button (or wait for 5 seconds). The paper feeds into the printing position automatically and READY appears on the control panel.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Using the Roll Paper Belt To keep the paper wound when you’re not printing, use the roll paper belt included with your printer. Removing Paper from the Spindle If you need to remove the paper roll from the spindle, follow these steps: 1. Open the roll paper cover. 2. If the roll paper is loaded for printing, push the paper lever back to the released position, then roll up the paper before removing it.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 75 Switching Between 2-Inch and 3-Inch Roll Paper You can convert the spindle to accept roll paper with either a 2-inch or 3-inch core. When the gray adapters are attached at each end, you can use 3-inch rolls. Follow these steps to remove the gray adapters for using 2-inch roll paper: 1. Remove the black paper stop from the end of the spindle. Note 2. Press toward the center on the four tabs shown below to release the gray adapter from the paper stop.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Cutting Paper Manually with the Built-in Cutter Note An optional media cutter is available for cutting thick media. See page 10 for details on ordering it. When you’re not using the Auto Cut setting, you need to cut the paper manually after your print job is finished. If you’re printing on canvas, vinyl, or other heavy media, you should use scissors or the optional media cutter rather than the built-in cutter. Heavy media can damage the built-in cutter.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 77 5. Press the d button until ON appears. 6. Press the Enter button to save this as the new setting. (An asterisk appears next to *ON.) 7. Press the Pause button to exit the menu. Using Cut Sheet Paper Note The maximum length of roll paper you can print on is not limited by the printer, but may be limited by your application software or operating system. You can print on many types of cut sheet paper and other media.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 4. Feed the sheet into the paper slot. Make sure the right edge of the paper is straight and aligned with the scale on the roll paper cover. Note For heavy paper, you may need to increase the suction strength by pressing the u button. This helps hold the paper in place during loading and printing. For a larger sheet of paper, feed it so that it comes out below. Then align the edges of the sheet with the rows of holes as shown.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 79 Printing on Posterboard You can print on heavy stock up to 30 × 40 inches, such as EPSON Enhanced Matte Posterboard. Follow these instructions when you print on posterboard or other media more than 19 mil (0.5 mm) thick. 1. Set the paper basket to catch your printouts in front of the printer. See page 82 for instructions. 2. Make sure no other paper is loaded for printing.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Note 6. Feed the posterboard into the paper slot until it meets resistance. 7. Align the board with the scale on the roll paper cover. If you’re using stock more than 39 inches long, load it long-edge first (in landscape orientation). 8. Pull the paper lever forward, to the secured position. Then close the front cover. 9. Press the Pause button (or wait for 5 seconds). The board feeds into printing position automatically and READY appears on the control panel.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 81 Caution 10. Print your page. After it is finished, the posterboard stays in the printer. 11. To remove the print, hold it while pushing the paper lever back to the released position. To avoid damaging the printer, never move the paper lever while the Operate or Pause light is flashing. Adjusting the Platen Gap for Thick or Thin Paper When you print on unusually thick or thin paper, you may need to adjust the platen gap setting.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Using the Paper Basket Note When you print on posterboard, set the basket to catch printouts in front of the printer. The paper basket attaches to your Stylus Pro 9600 and catches your printouts as they come out. (If you’ve bought the optional stand for the Stylus Pro 7600, it has a basket too.) The basket keeps your printouts from getting dirty or scratched. You can set it up either to catch the paper under the printer or in front of the printer.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 83 2. Slide the upper metal rods all the way in. Then fully extend the lower rods, so that they rest on the floor. 3. Make sure the surface of the basket is taut. If there is any slack, the paper may not slide properly to the floor. Catching Printouts Under the Printer To catch printouts under the printer, extend the upper metal rods all the way out. Then push the lower rods all the way in.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Optimizing the Settings for Your Paper When you choose a media type in your EPSON printer software, the driver automatically determines the best settings for your paper. However, you may want to fine-tune how the printer handles various papers—especially if you use non-EPSON paper or a paper not supported by the driver. Use the paper configuration settings described below.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 85 Menu option Function DRYING TIME Use when printing with non-EPSON media. You can make the print head wait up to 5 seconds after each pass to allow ink to dry on the page. SUCTION Lets you decrease the paper suction level when printing on thinner papers (less than 12 lb), such as CAD drafting paper or backlight film. PRINT ADJ Adjusts the intensity of the MicroWeave® pattern. Improves print quality but lowers printing speed. 4.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 6. Examine the printed pattern for the most evenly overlapping lines. In the example shown above, the lines under number 4 are the most even. 7. Use the u and d buttons to display the selected line number, then press Enter to save your new setting. 8. The menu options shown below appear in sequence. Make any adjustments, as needed, and press Enter to save each setting.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 87 4. Use the u and d buttons to select the paper profile you want to use (1 to 10). Or, if you want to return to using standard EPSON paper, select STD. 5. Press Enter. 6. Press the Pause button to exit the menu. When you’re done printing with a custom profile, be sure to change the setting back to STD.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 2-88
Chapter 3: Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh Your EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 or 9600 comes with drivers and utilities that let you print and manage print jobs in non-PostScript® mode without a RIP. ICC profiles for ColorSync® 3.x are included, so you can use advanced color management features from your applications or the driver itself. The driver CD-ROM also includes an electronic Reference Guide to your printer and EPSON printer software.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh Note Many application settings override the printer’s page setup options. Always verify settings to get the results you expect. Choosing Page Setup Options Many of the page setup options correspond to paper handling features that you can also set through the control panel. Software options give you additional settings and override control panel settings. Follow these steps to choose page setup options: 1.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 91 Note The Macintosh operating system limits the custom page length to 90.6 inches. 3. Select the Paper Size you want, based on the size of your image. If your size is not listed, click Customize. Then enter the size in inches or centimeters. If you’re printing your image with borders, make your custom page size slightly larger than the image size; if you’re printing without borders, it should be slightly smaller (about 1/4 inch all around). 4.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh To print without borders on one of the listed paper sizes, follow these steps: Note The No Margins setting is not available for some paper sizes. 1. Make sure your image size is at least 1/4 inch larger all around than the size of paper you’re printing on. If your application has margin settings, be sure they’re turned off. 2. Select No Margins in your printer software: Select No Margins 3.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 93 Choosing Basic Print Options Once you have selected your page setup options, you need to select printing options. The EPSON driver offers automatic settings that optimize print quality and speed when you’re using EPSON media. You can also choose advanced settings for more control over your printer and color management options, as described on page 98. Follow these steps to make basic settings: 1. Choose Print from the File menu of your application.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh 5. Set the Mode option as follows: • Click Automatic to have the printer driver analyze the contents of your image or file and make the appropriate printing adjustments. If a Quality/Speed slider appears in the Mode box, set it according to the quality required for your print job. (Depending on the Media Type setting, this slider may not appear.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 95 7. Choose from the following buttons to access additional features: • Click to access the printer monitoring and maintenance utilities. See page 106 for more information about the Status Monitor utility. To use the nozzle check and print head cleaning utilities, see page 132; to align the print head, see page 135. • Click if you want to reduce your image to fit on the page, or for other layout options. • Click to turn on background printing.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh Selecting the Correct Media Type Setting The tables below list the settings designed to produce the best results on EPSON media when printing with either Photographic Dye ink or UltraChrome ink. If your EPSON paper is not listed, check the instructions included with the paper, or look on the EPSON web site (http://prographics.epson.com). If you are using non-EPSON paper, choose the closest setting.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 97 This table lists the settings to use when printing with UltraChrome ink. Note Check the EPSON web site (http://prographics. epson.com) or your authorized EPSON dealer for other media that may be available.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh Choosing Advanced Print Options The advanced print options give you complete control over your printing environment. Use these settings to experiment or to fine-tune a range of options to meet your individual needs. Follow these steps to print with advanced settings: 1. Follow steps 1 through 4 on page 93. 2. Click Custom and then click Advanced.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 99 The available print quality settings are limited by the Media Type setting. Choose lower print quality for faster printing, or SuperPhoto 2880dpi for best quality. 5. Choose any of the following: • MicroWeave and Super MicroWeave Eliminate unwanted banding effects. These settings are automatically selected for most media types. If you notice banding with the standard MicroWeave setting, select Super MicroWeave.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh 6. Choose one of the following Color Management settings: • Color Controls Lets you specify individual values for adjusting brightness, contrast, saturation, and CMY inks, or choose from the three Color Adjustment modes. You can also choose from three Gamma settings, which control image contrast by modifying the midtones and midlevel grays. For descriptions of the available settings, see the table on page 101.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 101 Color Management Settings Notice: Output Viewing Conditions Due to the nature of all pigment inks, lighting conditions can affect the appearance of printer output. For example, a print viewed under daylight may appear to have a slightly different color balance when viewed under tungsten lighting. Care should be taken that the prints are produced for the lighting conditions in which they will be displayed.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh ColorSync Rendering Intent settings Note Perceptual For photographic images. Maintains the relationship between colors as it scales them to fit within your printer’s color gamut. Saturation For charts and business graphics. Maintains the relative saturation of colors from one gamut to another. Colorimetric For projects with known colors, such as labels and packaging. Maintains colors that fall within the gamut of both your monitor and printer.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 103 Managing Print Jobs Your printer comes with several utilities that let you check on your print jobs and schedule, cancel, pause, or restart them. First you need to set up background printing, so you can continue to work on your Macintosh while a file is being printed. Note that background printing is slower and may also slow down your system.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh 5. Click OK to save your settings and return to the printer settings dialog box. 6. Click Print to print your document. If you selected Print at: or Hold, your document is spooled, but held in the print queue until the print time specified or until released using Monitor3, as described in the following section. Using Monitor3 The Monitor3 utility lets you prioritize and control your print jobs as well as monitor their progress.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 105 You can also do the following: • Double-click a file in the list to preview it • Double-click Copies to change the number of copies to be printed • Click • Click to start the print head cleaning utility. See page 132 for more information about the cleaning utility. to check your ink levels If you want to view details of a print job, click the job, then click the Show details arrow. The Priority list becomes active.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh Cancelling Printing If you need to cancel a print job, follow these steps: 1. Press the Pause button on the printer’s control panel to stop printing. 2. Do one of the following, depending on whether you’re using background printing: • If background printing is turned off, hold down the J key on your keyboard and press the (.) period key to cancel the print job.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh | 107 2. Click the EPSON StatusMonitor icon. The software checks the amount of ink remaining in the printer and displays the Status Monitor window: Click to recheck ink levels 3. To recheck the ink level, click the Update button. To close the Status Monitor, click OK.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Macintosh You see the Configuration Settings dialog box: Select how you want to be notified of errors and warnings Select where you want print job files stored Click here to check for errors and/or the ink level before printing Click here to return to the default settings 3. Select from the following configuration options: • Note Warning messages allow printing to continue. Error messages are more serious and cause printing to stop.
Chapter 4: Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Your Stylus Pro 7600 or 9600 comes with drivers and utilities that let you print and manage print jobs without a RIP. The driver CD-ROM also includes an electronic Reference Guide, which includes more detailed information about the printer and printer software. You can read the guide using a web browser, such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer, versions 3.0 or later.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows A dialog box like the following appears: Note If you need more information about print options, you can click the Help button on any dialog box. This box shows you the current settings, but you can’t change them from here. TIP For professional black-and-white photography, use the Color/B&W Photo setting (don’t select Black). 3.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 111 6. Depending on your print mode (Automatic or Custom), you can select one of the following options from the pull-down menu: Automatic print mode Note You can also create your own settings and add them to this list. See page 119 for more information. Setting Usage Photo-realistic For printing photographic images. Produces sharper images and automatically corrects underor over-exposure of the original image. Vivid For printing non-photographic images.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Selecting the Correct Media Type Setting The tables below list the settings designed to produce the best results on EPSON media when printing with either Photographic Dye ink or UltraChrome ink. If your EPSON paper is not listed, check the instructions included with the paper, or look on the EPSON web site (http://prographics.epson.com). If you are using non-EPSON paper, choose the closest setting.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 113 This table lists the settings to use when printing with UltraChrome ink. Note Check the EPSON web site (http://prographics. epson.com) or your authorized EPSON dealer for other media that may be available.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Choosing Paper and Layout Options Note Many application settings override settings in the printer driver. Always verify settings to get the results you expect. TIP Creating a user-defined paper size generally lets you make the best use of your roll paper. Many paper options correspond to paper handling features that you can also set through the control panel. Software options give you additional settings and override control panel settings.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 115 4. When you’re using roll paper, set the following options: • Auto Rotate Saves paper if your document length is shorter than the printable width of the roll. The document is automatically rotated 90 degrees and printed crosswise. Be sure to click Roll Width and select the width of your roll paper. • Auto Cut Choose this option if you want the paper to be cut automatically after each page is printed (not available for thicker media types).
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows To print without borders on one of the listed paper sizes, follow these steps: Note Not all paper sizes are available when No Margins is turned on. 1. Make sure your image size is at least 1/4 inch larger all around than the size of paper you’re printing on. If your application has margin settings, be sure they’re turned off. 2. Select No Margins in your printer software: Select No Margins 3.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 117 Choosing Advanced Print Options For complete control over your printed results, use these Advanced settings to experiment or to fine-tune a range of options to meet your needs: 1. Follow steps 1 through 4 beginning on page 109. 2. Click Custom and then click Advanced. You see a dialog box like the following: When you choose PhotoEnhance4, you see a different set of options on the lower part of the screen 3.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows 5. Choose any of the following: • Super MicroWeave or MicroWeave Eliminate unwanted banding effects. These settings are automatically selected for most media types. If you notice banding with the standard MicroWeave setting, select Super MicroWeave. • High Speed For fast, bidirectional printing at lower quality. If vertical lines in your printout are misaligned when you use the High Speed setting, you may need to turn it off or align the print head.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 119 7. Click Save Settings if you want to have your advanced settings available for reuse. Then type a name for the group of settings and click Save. The name is added to your list of custom settings. 8. When you’re finished setting advanced printer options, click OK. Notice: Output Viewing Conditions Due to the nature of all pigment inks, lighting conditions can affect the appearance of printer output.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows PhotoEnhance4 settings Tone Lets you choose from Normal for standard tone correction, Hard for high contrast, Vivid for more intense colors (as defined above), Sepia, Monochrome, and None (no tone adjustment). Effect Lets you choose from four special effects (and set the intensity using the Low/High slider): Sharpness, Soft Focus, Canvas, and Parchment. Digital Camera Correction Corrects noise and other flaws common to digital camera images.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 121 Managing Print Jobs Your printer comes with several utilities that let you check on your print jobs, and cancel, pause, or restart them. The Progress Meter opens each time you send a print job. The Spool Manager (not available with Windows NT) appears on the taskbar when you print. Status Monitor 3, which also appears on the taskbar, also lets you check the printer’s status and monitor print jobs. See page 122 for more information about Status Monitor 3.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Using the Spool Manager The Spool Manager (not available with Windows NT) displays the status of your print job files and lets you control them. To open the Spool Manager while you’re printing, click the EPSON Stylus Pro 7600/9600 icon that appears on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 123 1. To open Status Monitor 3 from an application, access the Properties dialog box, as described on page 109. Otherwise, do the following: • Windows XP: Click Start and select Control Panel. Double-click Printers and Other Hardware, then double-click Printers and Faxes. Right-click your printer icon and select Printing Preferences. • All other versions of Windows: Click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows Note 3. Click the EPSON Status Monitor 3 button. The following window appears. (It also opens automatically when an error occurs.) Printer status messages appear here If there’s a printing problem, such as low ink or jammed paper, Status Monitor 3 displays a How To button that you can click for instructions on solving the problem.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 125 Note If you want, you can click the Show Progress Meter checkbox to deselect it and disable display of the progress meter during printing. 2. Click the Utility tab, then click the Speed & Progress button. You see the Speed & Progress dialog box. (See page 126 for more information about using the Speed & Progress utility.) Appears only if you are connected to a parallel port Not available with Windows NT Appears only if you have more than one hard drive 3.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows 5. If you want to have the Status Monitor 3 icon appear in your Windows taskbar, click the Shortcut Icon checkbox. Then select the icon you want to use. After you enable the shortcut, you can simply double-click the icon to open the Status Monitor 3 window (shown on page 124) or right-click it, then select Monitoring Preferences in the pop-up menu. 6.
Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows | 127 You see a dialog box similar to the following: If you have more than one hard disk drive, you can select a folder for storing multiple copy print jobs here. 3. Select from the following options: • High Speed Copies speeds up printing of multiple copies of the same document using hard disk space as a cache. If you have multiple hard drives, you can select a high speed copy folder for storing copies.
| Printing with EPSON Drivers for Windows • Always spool RAW datatype (Windows 2000, XP, and NT only) lets you spool documents using the RAW format instead of the EMF (metafile) format. Because the RAW format requires fewer resources, printing is faster and you can avoid certain problems, such as insufficient memory or disk space. 4. Click OK to close the Speed & Progress dialog box and return to the Utility menu. Then click OK again to exit the Printers utility.
Chapter 5: Maintaining and Transporting the Printer The EPSON Stylus Pro 7600 and 9600 require very little maintenance to keep working at their best.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Note You can also check the remaining ink on the control panel display (see page 141). To test the print quality, see page 132 for instructions on printing a nozzle check. Checking Printer Status and Part Life Using the control panel, you can check the total number of prints, the amount of ink left, or the status of your cutter blade, maintenance tank, and other printer parts.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 131 Viewing Status Information To view printer status information instead of printing it, follow these steps: 1. Press the SelecType button on the control panel. You see PRINTER SETUP. Note 2. Press d until you see PRINTER STATUS, then press r. You see VERSION. 3. Do one of the following: You can replace the ink cartridges, cutter blade, and maintenance tank yourself. Other printer parts need to replaced by an authorized EPSON service technician.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Running a Cleaning Cycle If your printed image is unexpectedly light or has banding (faint light or dark horizontal lines), you may need to run a cleaning cycle. This unclogs the print head nozzles so they can deliver ink properly. The cleaning cycle uses ink, so you should run it only if print quality declines. To determine whether a cleaning cycle is necessary, print a nozzle check first.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 133 Note Use the eye loupe that came with the printer to examine the pattern. Even if all the dots printed, you may be able to see misaligned or “deflected” dots. Deflected dots, like missing ones, indicate that you should clean the print head. 5. Examine the nozzle check pattern.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Performing a Power Cleaning If you’re unable to clean the print head fully as described above, you can perform a power cleaning. You should not perform a power cleaning more often than necessary, since it consumes additional ink. 1. Press the SelecType button on the control panel. You see PRINTER SETUP. 2. Press u until you see MAINTENANCE, then press r. You see PWR CLEANING. 3. Press r until EXEC appears on the display, then press Enter.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 135 Aligning the Print Head If banding appears on your prints, or vertical lines are not straight, you need to align the print head. Although you can align the print head using the printer software, it’s best to do this from the control panel. This aligns the print head for all modes and resolutions. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you’ve run a nozzle check, as described on page 132, before you begin.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Examining the UNI-D ALL Alignment Pattern Follow these steps when the UNI-D ALL patterns finish printing: 1. Depending on the width of the paper loaded in the printer, more than one set of patterns may be printed. Locate the patterns in the middle of your printout. In the steps that follow, refer to those patterns to make your adjustments, instead of the ones printed toward the left or right. Refer to middle set of patterns when making adjustments 2.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 137 Note 3. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which line is the straightest. In this example, the middle line (numbered 5) is the best choice. Look for the straightest line You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern. 4. Use the u or d button to select the number of the straightest line. Note that 5 is always the default selection.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 2. Look at the display screen on the printer. Notice that it is prompting you to choose the best line in the group labeled K1 in row #1. Row #1 Note Look at this group 3. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which line is the straightest. In this example, the middle line (numbered 5) is the best choice. Look for the straightest line You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 139 Note Examining the BI-D ALL Alignment Pattern Follow the steps below when the BI-D ALL patterns finish printing. Be sure to perform the BI-D BLACK adjustment before running this one. IMPORTANT: Do not enter an adjustment value for K1 when prompted, or your color adjustments won’t be accurate. 1. Depending on the width of the paper loaded in the printer, more than one set of patterns may be printed. Locate the patterns in the middle of your printout.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 3. The printer is now prompting you to choose the best block in the group labeled K2 in row #1. Row #1 Look at this group Note You must use at least a 10× eye loupe to check the pattern. Note 4. Use your own eye loupe or the one that came with the printer to determine which block has the least visible vertical line. In this example, the middle block (numbered 5) is the best choice. Look for the block with the smallest gap 5.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 141 Replacing Ink Cartridges TIP You can store partially used ink cartridges for up to 6 months. Before you begin a large print job, you should check your ink levels. If one of your cartridges is low, you can replace it before you start. Or you can wait until the ink runs out, replace the cartridge, and then continue the job without any loss of print quality.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Purchasing Ink Cartridges Caution You must use the EPSON ink cartridges designed for your printer. Other ink cartridges will not work and may cause damage not covered by your warranty. When you install the printer’s first ink cartridges, the printer is initialized as either a Photographic Dye ink model or UltraChrome ink model. If you don’t use the correct replacement cartridges for your model, you will see an error message.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 143 Installing an Ink Cartridge Caution Before you start, make sure the printer is on. Then follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge: Leave the empty cartridge in the printer until you are ready to replace it. 1. Note the color of the cartridge whose Ink Out light is on or flashing. This is the cartridge you need to replace. 2. Open the ink compartment cover. 3. Raise the ink lever to the unlocked position.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5. Make sure the replacement cartridge is the correct color, and remove it from its package. If you’re using UltraChrome Ink, gently shake the cartridge before installing it. Note If you can’t insert the cartridge smoothly, you may have the wrong cartridge. Check the package and product code. If the Ink Out light remains on after installing the cartridge, it may not be inserted fully. 6. Hold the cartridge with the arrow pointing toward the printer.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 145 7. Lower the ink lever to its locked position. Note If you notice banding or other printing problems after replacing a cartridge, air may have entered the ink delivery system. Remove the cartridge then reinstall it to make sure it’s seated properly. Then run several print head cleaning cycles (see page 132), followed by a nozzle check to verify the results. 8. If you’re using 110 ml cartridges, close the ink compartment cover.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Switching Between Black Ink Modes If your printer uses EPSON UltraChrome ink, you can switch between black ink modes to optimize your black ink density for certain paper types (see the next page for the required cartridges): Mode Image and paper type Photo Black Mode For printing photographic images on all media types.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 147 To switch black ink modes, you need the draining cartridge that came with your printer. This is an empty ink cartridge that looks similar to a regular 110 ml cartridge. After deciding on the black ink mode you want to switch to, make sure you have the black ink cartridge(s) you’ll be installing. In some cases, you’ll be replacing only one of the cartridges.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer If the printer’s maintenance tank is almost used up, you’ll need to replace it as well. The printer tells you during the process if it needs to be replaced, but you may wish to check it in advance; that way, you can make sure you have one available, in case it’s needed.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 149 5. Press Enter. You see SELECT INK SET. Note 6. Press u or d to select the correct option for the ink mode you want to switch to: The display indicates which cartridges will be installed in the first and second ink slots (Matte Black, Light Black, or Photo Black). You may not need to replace both cartridges, depending on the mode you want to switch to.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Caution Be careful not to spill ink from the maintenance tank when removing it. Hold it upright at all times and dispose of it carefully. Checking the Maintenance Tank Once you have removed all the ink cartridges, you may see a message telling you to replace the maintenance tank. If so, pull out the tank from the side of the printer and replace it with a new one. If you don’t see this message, continue on to the next section.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 151 Charging the Ink TIP Make sure you have the correct black ink cartridges available for the black ink mode you’re switching to. Then follow these steps: 1. Insert all the ink cartridges into the printer. Be sure to install the correct black ink cartridges for the black ink mode you’re switching to. If you change your mind about switching black ink modes, you can reinstall the original ink cartridges in the printer at this time. 2. Lower the ink lever.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Windows Users 1. Click the Main tab in your printer software and make sure the correct ink cartridge information is displayed, as shown below. Check black ink cartridge information here 2. If not, set the information manually. Click the Utility tab, then the Printer and Option Information button. Select one of the ink cartridge options shown below. 3. Click OK to exit the printer software. This completes the black ink replacement.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 153 Replacing the Paper Cutter Blade Note You can purchase replacement items for your printer from EPSON at (800) 873-7766, or by visiting the EPSON Store at www.epsonstore.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 463-7766 for dealer referral. If you notice that your paper isn’t cut cleanly, the cutter blade may need to be replaced.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 7. Push down on the side pin, then turn the latch to the right. Warning The blade is sharp. Be careful when removing it. 8. Carefully remove the cutter blade. Be careful not to lose the spring. 9. Insert the new cutter as shown.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 155 10. Push down on the side pin while turning the latch to the left. Caution Do not try to slide the carriage by hand, or you may damage the printer. 11. Close the front cover. The carriage returns to the home position and the printer returns to normal operation.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Follow these steps to replace the tank: 1. Make sure the printer is not printing or performing any other operations (READY or PAPER OUT should appear on the control panel). Caution 2. Pull out the maintenance tank from the side of the printer. Be careful not to spill ink from the maintenance tank when removing it. Hold it upright at all times and dispose of it carefully. 3. Insert the new tank.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 157 Caution Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year. Be careful not to touch the gears inside the printer. To avoid damaging the components as well as the case, never use alcohol or thinners to clean the printer. Be careful not to get water on the printer mechanism or electronic components. 1. Make sure the printer is turned off and all the lights on the control panel are off.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Transporting or Storing the Printer If you are moving the printer a short distance (for example, in the same building), you can roll it on its stand (see page 161). To ship the printer a longer distance, you should repack it using the original box and packing materials. Follow the instructions below to prepare the printer for shipment.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 159 4. Reinstall the carriage locking bracket and screw that was removed during setup. (See page 22 for the Stylus Pro 7600 or page 33 for the Stylus Pro 9600.) 5. Remove the following parts: Note It’s a good idea to store partially used cartridges in separate, resealable plastic bags.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Warning 9. Lift the printer using the hand grips where provided. (See the stickers located near the rear hand grips for the correct holding position.) The Stylus Pro 7600 weighs about 100 lb (50 kg) and should be lifted by two people. The Stylus Pro 9600 weighs almost 200 lb (100 kg) and should be lifted by four people. Stylus Pro 7600 10. Keep the printer level while moving it.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 161 Setting Up the Printer After Transportation Setting up the printer after transporting it is almost identical to setting it up for the first time (see “Setting Up the Printer” on page 17). Keep in mind that the first time you start printing after moving the printer, the print head nozzles may be clogged—especially if the printer hasn’t been turned on for a long time.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5. Release the front casters and retract the stabilizer knobs. 6. Carefully roll the printer to its new location. Relock the casters and extend the stabilizer knobs after moving. Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Printer Software If you need to uninstall and then reinstall the printer software for any reason, follow the instructions in the appropriate section below. Macintosh 1. Insert your printer software CD-ROM.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 163 Windows 1. Double-click My Computer, then double-click the Control Panel icon. (On Windows XP, click Start > Control Panel.) 2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs. Click EPSON Printer Software in the program list, then select your printer icon. 3. Click the Add/Remove button (Change/Remove button in Windows XP or 2000) and follow the on-screen instructions. 4.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5-164
Chapter 6: Solving Problems As you use your printer, you may occasionally experience a problem. The first thing you should do is diagnose the problem following the guidelines in this chapter. Then try the most likely solutions until the problem is fixed.
| Solving Problems Using the Control Panel to Check the Printer The control panel includes various lights and a display to indicate the status of the printer: Display When your ink or paper runs out or a problem occurs, a message appears on the display, and the lights on the control panel come on or flash. The following table lists the messages alphabetically and includes an explanation and instructions for correcting the problem.
Solving Problems | 167 Error messages (continued) Message Light Explanation Response LOAD PAPER Paper Out light on Paper lever is in the released position (all the way back) while loading paper. After you finish loading paper, pull the paper lever all the way forward, to the secured position. LOAD ROLL PAPER Paper Out light on Paper source setting in printer software is different from control panel.
| Solving Problems Error messages (continued) Message Light Explanation Response SET INK LEVER — The ink lever was left in the unlocked position. Pull the lever down to lock the ink cartridges. FRONT COVER OPEN Pause light on Front cover is open. Close the front cover. TURN PRINTER PWR OFF AND ON — This message appears after you clear a paper jam. Press the Power button to turn the printer off and back on again.
Solving Problems | 169 Improving Print Quality You can often improve print quality by doing the following: • Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle. See page 132 for instructions. • Align the print head. See page 135 for instructions. • When you send a print job, make sure your print options are set correctly. For more information, see page 93 (Macintosh) or page 109 (Windows). If none of these suggestions help, try the solutions below.
| Solving Problems Print quality problems (continued) Problem Solution Your print has vertical banding. • Check the Ink Out lights to see if you are low on ink. Replace ink cartridges if necessary, as described on page 141. • Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle. See page 132 for instructions. • Make sure the Media Type setting in the printer software is correct for the media you’re printing on. • If you’re using cut sheet media, make sure the printable side is face up.
Solving Problems | 171 Print quality problems (continued) Problem Solution Your print has gaps or appears faint. • Check the expiration date printed on each of the ink cartridges. If the cartridge is too old, replace it as described on page 141. • Make sure the Media Type setting in the printer software is correct for the media you’re printing on. • Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle (see page 132).
| Solving Problems Print quality problems (continued) Problem Solution The bottom edge of your print is smeared. • The paper is curled toward the printable side. Flatten the paper or curl it toward the other side. • Make sure the Media Type setting in your printer software is correct for the media you’re printing on. • If you’re printing on non-EPSON media, you may need to adjust the paper thickness setting or drying time.
Solving Problems | 173 Solving Operational Problems If you can’t turn the printer on, if it stops printing unexpectedly, or if nothing prints, check the following: Operational problems Problem Solution The printer doesn’t operate at all. • Make sure the printer is turned on and the Operate light is on. • Make sure the printer is plugged securely into a working electrical outlet that’s not controlled by a switch or timer.
| Solving Problems Operational problems (continued) Problem Solution Nothing prints (cont.) • The printer port setting doesn’t match the printer connection port (Windows). Windows Me, 98, or 95: Click Start, point to Settings and select Printers. Right-click the icon for your printer, then select Properties. Click the Details tab. Make sure your printer driver is selected in the Print using the following driver list.
Solving Problems | 175 Miscellaneous printing problems (continued) Problem Solution Your print has incorrect margins. • Check the page size or paper size settings in your application. Make sure they are within the printer’s printable area. • Make sure the Paper Size setting in your printer software is correct for the paper you’re using. • Paper is loaded incorrectly. Follow the instructions on page 69 (for roll paper) or page 77 (for sheets) to reload the paper.
| Solving Problems Miscellaneous printing problems (continued) Problem Solution Printing is too slow. • Make sure High Speed is turned on in the Advanced dialog box of your printer software. • Choose a lower resolution in your printer software for faster printing. • Clear space on your hard drive or run a defragmentation utility. • Don’t run too many applications at the same time. • Turn off virtual memory. • Add RAM to your system. • If you have a Macintosh, turn off background printing.
Solving Problems | 177 If paper feed or paper jam problems occur frequently, try one or more of the following solutions: • When you’re loading roll paper, make sure you line up the edge with the vertical row of holes at the printer’s paper exit. Always turn the roll back to remove the slack. See page 42 for more information. • For cut sheet paper, let the printer automatically load your paper so that it feeds correctly. Follow the instructions on page 77.
| Solving Problems • If you have the paper basket set up in front of the printer, adjust the paper guides out so they rest on the front of the basket. • If you have the paper basket set up below the printer, adjust the paper guides so that they rest behind the basket. If your paper is not curled and feeds properly without the guides, it’s a good idea to remove them (squeeze them inward to detach them). This prevents your printouts from getting accidentally marred.
Solving Problems | 179 Clearing Paper Jams When paper gets jammed in the printer, printing stops and you see a PAPER JAM message on the control panel display. Follow these steps to clear a paper jam: 1. If roll paper is jammed, open the roll paper cover and cut it by hand slightly above the paper insertion slot. Cut paper across here Caution 2. Push back the paper lever to release the jammed paper. 3. Open the front cover if necessary.
| Solving Problems 4. Carefully pull down the jammed paper. Be careful not to damage the print head, in case the carriage has stopped over the paper. Once the paper is removed, you see the message TURN PRINTER PWR OFF AND ON on the control panel. 5. Close the front cover, if necessary, then press the Power button to turn the printer off. Wait a few seconds, then press it again to turn the printer back on. 6. Make sure the Paper Out light is on and LOAD PAPER is displayed on the control panel.
Appendix A: Specifications Printing Printing method 7 color EPSON UltraChrome ink or 6 color EPSON Photographic Dye ink UltraChrome ink model switchable between three black ink modes: • Photo Black Mode • Matte Black Mode Note • Dual Matte Black Mode Additional specifications are provided in the Reference Guide included on the CD-ROM that came with your printer.
| Specifications Environmental Operation Storage Transit (stored in shipping container) Temperature 50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C) –4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C) (1 month at 104 °F) –4 to 140 °F (–20 to 60 °C) (120 hours at 140 °F) Humidity (without condensation) 20 to 80% RH 20 to 85% RH 5 to 85% RH Dimensions and Weight Stylus Pro 7600 Stylus Pro 9600 Height 22.0 inches (560 mm) 46.5 inches (1181 mm) Width 43.3 inches (1100 mm) 63.9 inches (1624 mm) Depth 22.5 inches (572 mm) 28.
Specifications | 183 Printer Interfaces • USB (1.1 and 2.0 compatible) • Parallel (IEEE-1284 ECP Mode) In addition, a Type-B expansion slot is available for installing one of these options: • Ethernet network card (10/100 Base T) • IEEE 1394 (FireWire) card Safety Approvals Safety standards UL 1950, CSA 22.2 No. 950 FDA EMC FCC part 15 subpart B, class B, CSA C108.8 class B Paper Maximum printable width 24.16 inches (Stylus Pro 7600) or 44.
| Specifications Printable Area Note Minimum margins for roll paper and cut sheets: 0" roll paper 0.12" (3 mm) cut sheets For more information on printing without borders, visit www.epson.com. Under Drivers & Support, select Manuals & Documents. Select your printer, then select Product Support Bulletin. 0" 0" 0" roll paper 0.55" (14 mm) cut sheets Default roll paper margins are 0.55 inches (14 mm) top and bottom, and 0.12 inches (3 mm) right and left.
Specifications | 185 Ink Cartridges Lightfastness* Photographic Dye Color: up to 26 years (using EPSON ColorLife paper) Black and white: Not rated UltraChrome Color: up to 100 years Black and white: over 100 years Cartridge life Photographic Dye 2 years from production date UltraChrome 2 years from production date if unopened; within 6 months after opening package, at 77 °F (25 °C) Temperature Storage (uninstalled) –22 to 104 °F (–30 to 40 °C); 1 month at 104 °F Storage (installed) –4 to 104 °F (–
| Specifications A-186
Index A Accessories, 10 to 11 Advanced Photo setting, 94, 111 Aligning print head, 57 to 62, 135 to 140 AppleTalk setting, 51 Auto Cut setting, 91, 115 Auto Rotate setting, 91, 115 Automatic Take-Up Reel, ordering, 10 B Background printing, Macintosh, 103 to 104 Banding, 169, 170 Basic printing Macintosh, 90 to 97 Windows, 109 to 113 Basket, paper cleaning, 157 in front of printer, 82 to 83 under printer, 83 Belt, roll paper, 74 BI-D adjustment, see Aligning print head Black ink modes, switching, 146 to 1
| Index D G Data transfer, optimizing, 126 to 128 Deleting print jobs Macintosh, 104, 106 Windows, 122 Diagnosing problems, 165 Digital camera correction, 101, 120 Dimensions of printer, 182 DMA transfers, 127 Documentation, how to use, 9 Gamma setting, 101, 119 Graph setting, 94, 111 Guides, paper, 177 to 178 E EFI RIP software, ordering, 10 Electrical specifications, 182 Energy consumption, 182 ENERGY STAR, 14 Engine reliability, 181 Environmental specifications, 182 EPSON accessories, 10 to 11 h
Index | 189 J Jams, paper, 179 to 180 L Layout Macintosh options, 90 to 91 Windows options, 114 to 115 Lightfastness, 185 Lights, control panel, 166 to 168 Loading cut sheet paper, 77 to 78 posterboard, 79 to 81 roll paper, 42 to 44 M Macintosh advanced print options, 98 to 102 background printing, 103 to 104 basic print options, 93 to 97 color management, 100 to 101 ColorSync settings, 100 to 101 configuration options, 107 to 108 drivers, 89 to 102 layout options, 90 to 91 managing print jobs, 103 to 10
| Index Paper (continued) handling, 63 to 87 heavy stock, 79 to 81 jams, 179 to 180 loading sheets, 77 to 78 non-EPSON, 84 to 87 options, Macintosh, 90 to 91 options, Windows, 114 to 115 ordering, 64 to 67 printable area, 184 problems, 176 to 180 removing from spindle, 74 roll, 69 to 77 specifications, 183 suction, 102, 120 trim lines, 76 to 77, 91, 115 Paper Config.
Index | 191 Problems banding, 169, 170 blank paper, 175 blurry prints, 171 cable, 173, 174 color, 169, 170, 175 diagnosing, 165 faint prints, 171 garbled characters, 174 inverted image, 175 margin, 175 memory, 174 misalignment, 169, 170 nothing prints, 173 to 174 operational, 173 to 174 paper, 176 to 180 paper feeding, 175, 177 to 178 paper jams, 179 to 180 print quality, 169 to 171 printer driver, 173 to 175 printing stops, 173 roll paper cannot be cut, 175 slow printing, 176 smeared prints, 175 Progress
| Index Stand, optional printer, 10 Status Monitor Macintosh, 106 to 107 Windows, 122 to 124 Storing printer, 158 to 160 Suction, 102, 120 Support, EPSON, 11 to 12 System requirements, 12 to 13 T Technical support, 11 to 12 Temperature requirements, 182 Test Print menu, 130 Text/Graph setting, 94, 111 Transporting printer, 158 to 162 Trim lines, printing control panel, 76 to 77 Macintosh, 91 Windows, 115 Troubleshooting, 165 to 180 U UltraChrome ink cartridges, 142 UNI-D adjustment, see Aligning prin
