Epson Stylus Pro 7900/9900 ® 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 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Options and Accessories. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Where To Get Help. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Macintosh System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
| Contents 2 Handling Paper and Other Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Selecting Media for Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 Available Epson Special Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Guidelines for Using Epson Media . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 Using Roll Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Roll Paper Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents | 7 Printing With Mac OS X 10.4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Choosing Page Setup Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Choosing Basic Print Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 Choosing Color Management Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 Choosing Paper Configuration Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Choosing Roll Paper Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
| Contents 5 Maintaining and Transporting the Printer . . . 151 Checking Printer Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151 Printing Status Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Viewing Status Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152 Checking Printer Status From the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153 Checking and Cleaning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Contents | 9 Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Printer Driver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Macintosh OS X 10.5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Macintosh OS X 10.4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 Windows. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 A Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 Environmental . . . . . . .
| Contents 10
Introduction This Printer Guide provides important information on setting up and using your printer, loading paper, using the Epson® printer drivers, and replacing 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: Check the Epson Pro Imaging website at www.proimaging.epson. com for accessories and options that are currently available.
Introduction | 13 Where To Get Help Tip: If you experience difficulty with the toll-free line or your Unit ID number, call (562) 276-1305. Epson provides technical support and information on the installation, configuration, and operation of professional printing products through the Epson Preferred Limited Warranty Plan. Dial (888) 377-6611, 6 AM to 6 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. Days and hours of support are subject to change without notice.
| Introduction Windows System Requirements To use your printer in either a stand-alone or peer-to-peer network environment, your system should meet these requirements: • IBM®-compatible PC with a Pentium® 4, 3 GHz or higher processor recommended • Microsoft® Windows® Vista®, Windows Vista x64, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, or Windows XP • At least 2GB of RAM (4GB or more recommended) • At least 32GB of free hard disk space for software and processing files • Quad-speed (4×) CD-ROM or DVD
Introduction | 15 Important Safety Instructions Before using your printer, read the following safety instructions to make sure you use the equipment safely and effectively. • The Epson Stylus Pro 7900 weighs about 186 lb (84.5 kg) and the Epson Stylus Pro 9900 weighs about 256 lb (116 kg) without the stand, paper basket, ink, or paper. Make sure you have four people lift the printer. (See page 25.) • When setting up the printer, make sure you have enough space around it.
| Introduction Caution: Always turn the printer off using the P Power button. When you press this button, POWER OFF appears on the LCD panel and the P Power light flashes. Do not unplug the printer or turn off the power to the printer until the panel shuts off and the P Power light stops flashing. This ensures that the print head is safely capped.
Introduction | 17 Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions Caution: Do not use too much force when you shake cartridges that have been previously installed. • Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children and do not drink the ink. • Store ink cartridges in a cool, dark place. • If ink gets on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water. • Shake ink cartridges before installing them for best results.
| Introduction Printer Parts These illustrations show the Epson Stylus Pro 9900, but the parts are the same for the Pro 7900 unless otherwise noted.
Introduction | 19 Control Panel Paper feed up button Paper light Ink light Black ink change button Paper release (ePlaten™) light and button Power light and button OK button Menu button Paper cut button Ink open button Pause/reset light and button LCD display Paper feed down button Left arrow or paper source button LCD Display Platen gap Roll paper margin Paper source Roll paper counter Maintenance tank status Ink cartridge status Auto Take-Up Reel Spectro Proofer 19 Paper number Black ink
| Introduction 20
Chapter 1: Setting Up the Printer This chapter includes the following information: • Unpacking and assembling the Pro 7900 and Pro 9900 • Connecting the power cord • Installing ink • Connecting to your computer and a network • Installing the printer software for Macintosh or Windows • Updating the printer firmware • Configuring the printer for a network Unpacking and Assembling the Printer WARNING: Four people are required to unpack and set up the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer For assembly, you need floor space of approximately: • 8 × 8 feet (2.4 × 2.4 m) for the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and stand • 13 × 13 feet (4 × 4 m) for the Epson Stylus Pro 9900 and stand Unpacking and Assembling the Stand 1. Lift the box up and away from the shipping pallet. Then remove the box containing the stand and paper basket. 2. Unpack the stand and make sure you have all these items.
Setting Up the Printer | 23 Note: Make sure you tighten all bolts before moving to the next section. 3. Insert the strut into the left side as shown. (The sides are labeled L and R.) 4. Fasten the strut with 3 bolts as shown. Use the hex wrench to tighten the bolts.
| Setting Up the Printer 5. Insert the strut into the right side and fasten it with 3 bolts as shown. 6. Lock the casters.
Setting Up the Printer | 25 Unpacking the Printer and Mounting It on the Stand 1. Make sure you have all the items shown below: 11 Ink cartridges Cable guides Printer Roll paper holders Documentation and software CD Note: Make sure you save the box and packaging in case you need to ship the printer. Power cord 2. Remove the cardboard panels and other packing materials from around the printer. 3. Have four people lift the printer. WARNING: Four or more people are required to lift the printer.
| Setting Up the Printer 4. Mount the printer on the stand as shown, aligning the pegs with the holes on the bottom of the printer. 5. Fasten the printer to the stand with the wing screws and washers.
Setting Up the Printer | 27 Attaching the Paper Basket (Epson Stylus Pro 7900) The paper basket is a cloth sheet that attaches to the printer stand and catches your prints as they come out. If you have the Epson Stylus Pro 9900, see page 34 for instructions on attaching the paper basket. 1. Make sure you have all the parts shown below: 2 Pins Cloth basket 2 Black plastic connectors 1 Square pole and 2 round poles Rod 2 Paper guides 2 Posts 2.
| Setting Up the Printer 3. Use the pins to fasten the posts in place. 4. Insert the round and square poles into the basket cloth as shown.
Setting Up the Printer | 29 5. Place the basket under the printer as shown. 6. Snap the center pole into the holders on each side of the stand.
| Setting Up the Printer 7. Insert the black plastic connectors into both ends of the square pole. 8. Fasten the black plastic connectors onto the posts on each side of the stand.
Setting Up the Printer | 31 9. Snap the back pole into the holders as shown. 10. Hook the loops around the pins on the back of the stand legs.
| Setting Up the Printer 11. Insert the rod into the fabric channel. 12. Insert the free ends of the rod into the holes in the sides of the stand.
Setting Up the Printer | 33 13. Loop the tabs over the ends of the rod as shown. 14. Attach the paper guides to the bottom of the printer as shown: Now go to “Completing Setup and Connecting the Power Cord” on page 42.
| Setting Up the Printer Attaching the Paper Basket (Epson Stylus Pro 9900) The paper basket is a cloth sheet that attaches to the printer stand and catches your prints as they come out. If you have the Epson Stylus Pro 7900, see page 27 for instructions on attaching the paper basket. 1. Make sure you have all the parts shown below. 2 Black plastic connectors Cloth basket 2 Plastic end pieces 4 Pins 3 Square poles 2 Round poles 5 Paper guides 4 Posts Rod 2.
Setting Up the Printer | 35 3. Use the pins to fasten the posts in place. 4. Attach the other two posts to the back of the stand.
| Setting Up the Printer 5. Use the pins to fasten the posts in place as shown. 6.
Setting Up the Printer | 37 7. Place the basket under the printer as shown. 8. Snap the center pole in the holder on each side of the stand.
| Setting Up the Printer 9. Insert the black plastic connectors into both ends of the square pole. 10. Fasten the black plastic connectors onto the posts on each side of the stand.
Setting Up the Printer | 39 11. Snap the back pole into the holders as shown. 12. Attach the end pieces to the poles at the back of the basket.
| Setting Up the Printer 13. Lift the back of the basket and attach the end pieces to the posts at the back of the stand. 14. Insert the rod into the fabric channel.
Setting Up the Printer | 41 15. Insert the free ends of the rod into the holes in the sides of the stand. 16. Loop the tabs over the rod as shown.
| Setting Up the Printer 17. Attach the paper guides to the bottom of the printer as shown: 18. Continue with the next section to complete the setup process and connect the power cord. Completing Setup and Connecting the Power Cord 1. Attach the manual holder to the left or right side of the stand. Store the Printer Guide in the holder. 2. 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 | 43 3. Remove any packing tape and plastic film. Check these areas: • the front cover • the ink compartment covers • the maintenance tank(s) 4. Open the roll paper cover and remove the tape and packing material.
| Setting Up the Printer 5. Open the front cover and remove the tape and packing material. Save the packing material in case you need to ship the printer. 6. Close the front cover. Note: The illustrations in the following sections show the Epson Stylus Pro 9900, but the instructions are the same for the Pro 7900. 7. Connect the power cord to the AC inlet on the back of the printer.
Setting Up the Printer | 45 8. Attach the cable guides to the left or right side of the printer back and route the power cord to the side of the printer as shown. Power cord on left side Power cord on right side 9. For the Pro 9900, attach the loops on the paper basket cords to the cable guides. Caution: 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. 10.
| Setting Up the Printer Installing Ink Use the ink cartridges that came with your printer for initial ink charging. During the initial installation process, it is normal for most of the ink in each cartridge to be used. The cartridges shipped with your printer are provided mainly to charge the ink system. Make sure you order a new set of cartridges as soon as possible. 1. Press the P Power button to turn on the printer.
Setting Up the Printer | 47 3. Remove the ink cartridges from their packages, then gently shake each cartridge for about 5 seconds. 4. Note the location of the slots corresponding to each cartridge. Left ink bay Right ink bay Slot no. Cartridge Slot no. Cartridge 1 Cyan (C) 7 Vivid Magenta (VM) 2 Orange (O) 8 Light Black (LK) 3 Yellow (Y) 9 Green (G) 4 Light Cyan (LC) 10 Light Light Black (LLK) 5 Matte Black (MK) 11 Vivid Light Magenta (VLM) 6 Photo Black (PK) 5.
| Setting Up the Printer Caution: Charging takes about 15 minutes. Never turn off the printer, remove the maintenance tank, or open the front cover or ink covers while the P Power light is flashing, or you may damage the printer. 6. After installing all 11 cartridges, close the ink covers. The printer begins charging the ink delivery system and the P Power light flashes. After ink charging is completed, you need to load paper before READY will appear on the display. See page 57 for instructions.
Setting Up the Printer | 49 2. Plug the interface cable into the appropriate port on the printer. USB connection Network connection 3. Plug the other end of the cable into the appropriate connector on your computer, or network switch or hub. Installing the Software for Macintosh Note: You can check for a newer version of your printer driver on the Epson support site at www.epson.com/support. Follow the steps below to install the software on a Macintosh. For Windows, see page 52. 1.
| Setting Up the Printer 4. Read the license agreement and click Agree. You see this screen: 5. Click your printer model. You see a screen like this: Note: If you see a message that the installer has detected an older version of EpsonNet Config on your system, you must uninstall the older version before you can install the new one. Open the Applications folder and drag the EpsonNet folder into the trash. Then reinstall your printer software. 6. Click the Install button. 7.
Setting Up the Printer | 51 8. When you see the prompt, remove the CD and click Restart. 9. After your Macintosh restarts, do one of the following: For Mac OS X 10.5, select Print & Fax from System Preferences. Click the + button, then select your printer and click Add: For Mac OS X 10.4, open the Printer Setup Utility. Click Add. You see your printer in the Printer Browser: Tip: If you want to rename the printer for easier identification, enter a new name for it in the Name field on this screen.
| Setting Up the Printer For network connection, click More Printers and select a connection, such as EPSON TCP/IP. Select your printer from the list and click Add. You see your printer in the Printer List. 10. Go to page 54 to update your printer firmware, if necessary. Installing the Software for Windows Follow these steps to install the software for Windows: 1. Make sure your printer is turned off. 2. Turn on your computer.
Setting Up the Printer | 53 5. Click your printer model. You see a screen like this: 6. Click the Install button. Note: With Windows XP, if you see a Found New Hardware Wizard screen, select No, not this time, click Next, and click Next again. 7. When you see a screen asking you to turn on the printer, press the printer’s PPower button. (Make sure the printer is connected; see page 48.) For network connection, click the Manual button, select the port you created for the printer, and click OK.
| Setting Up the Printer Updating Your Printer Firmware To keep your printer features and functionality up to date, you should check for a newer version of firmware on the Epson support site and update your printer, if necessary. Checking the Current Firmware Version Tip: For best results, use a USB connection when you update the firmware on your printer. 1. Press the r Menu button. 2. Press the d button until PRINTER STATUS is highlighted, then press Menu. 3.
Setting Up the Printer | 55 Note: After you install the software, you need to load paper and print a test image. If the print quality is satisfactory, your setup is done. If not, you may need to align the print head, as described on page 158. 6. When the update is complete, close the Firmware Updater window and Epson LFP Remote window. If you connected your printer to a network, follow the instructions in the next section to configure the printer for your network.
| Setting Up the Printer 56
Chapter 2: Handling Paper and Other Media The Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and Pro 9900 print on a variety of media, including roll paper and cut sheets in widths up to 24 inches (610 mm) for the Pro 7900 or 44 inches (1118 mm) for the Pro 9900. You can also use heavy stock, such as 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. If you use non-Epson paper or other media, you may need to adjust various settings and create special paper configurations. See page 83 for instructions. Available Epson Special Media One of the key elements for achieving professional quality prints is selecting paper that is specifically optimized for your printer.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 59 Using Roll Paper You can use roll paper with a 2- or 3-inch core and a width of up to 24 inches (61 cm) for the Pro 7900, or 44 inches (112 cm) for the Pro 9900. Manually switching rolls is a simple process. Roll Paper Guidelines When printing on roll paper, be sure to follow the media handling guidelines on page 58, as well as these special guidelines for roll paper: • When storing roll paper, keep it in its original packaging—including the bag, end caps, and box.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 5. Press to exit the menu. If your paper does not appear on the control panel, check the instructions included with the paper, or look on the Epson website (www.proimaging.epson.com). If you are using non-Epson paper, consult the manufacturer for the best setting. You may have to experiment with different settings to determine which one is best for the media you’re using.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 61 For this media Select this Paper Type setting Textured Fine Art Paper Textured Fine Art Velvet Fine Art Paper Velvet F.A. Watercolor Paper - Radiant White Watercolor Paper Premium Canvas Satin PremierArt Water Resistant Canvas Watercolor Paper Premium Canvas Matte Piezo Pro® Matte Canvas Watercolor Paper Canvas Canvas Others Enhanced Matte Posterboard Enhanced Mat. Board Somerset Velvet (sheet) Enhanced Mat.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Tip: You can use Maintenance mode to switch the units of measurement in the printer from meters to feet. See page 164 for instructions. 6. Press u to go back to REMAINING PPR SETUP. 7. Press d to select ROLL PAPER LENGTH. 8. Press r, then select the length of the roll paper loaded in the printer, from 15 to 300 ft (5 to 99.5 m), then press OK. 9. Press l, then press d to select ROLL LENGTH ALERT. 10.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 63 2. Push the lock lever down firmly, then move the roll paper holder to the left. 3. Place the roll on top of the printer.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 4. If necessary, adjust the roll media adapters to fit the core size of the roll paper. 2-inch core: 3-inch core: 5. Release the tension lever on both adapters.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 65 6. Push the adapters into the paper core at both ends of the roll. Then pull down the tension levers. 7. Move the roll paper to the right side until it touches the roll paper guide.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 8. Slide the roll paper holder to align the left adapter with the u on the holder. 9. Roll the paper slowly into position.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 67 10. Slide the roll paper holder to the right to secure it in the printer. Make sure both ends of the roll paper are secured in the adapters. 11. Pull up the lock lever to lock the paper in place. 12. If the light is not on, press the 67 button.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Loading the Paper for Printing 1. Insert the paper into the slot and pull it down. If the paper doesn’t come out, you may need to lower the suction by pressing the d Paper Feed button. Make sure you return the suction to normal after the paper is loaded.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 69 2. Close the roll paper cover. 3. Press the button. 4. Press the button to move the paper into printing position or wait for the paper to move into position automatically. 5. If you see a question on the display about paper settings, select Yes if the settings are correct, or select No, then change the settings. Note: Opening the front cover causes printing to stop. Do not open the front cover while printing is in progress, or your print quality might be affected. 6.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Note: The built-in cutter might not be able to cut some types of non-Epson media. Cutting Paper Manually with the Built-in Cutter When you’re not using the Auto Cut On setting, you can cut roll paper manually by pressing a button after your print job is finished. You can use the button to cut most types of paper. 1. Before you print, press the l Paper Source button until you see the roll (Auto Cut Off) icon on the LCD display. 2. Run your print job. 3.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 71 Removing Paper from the Printer 1. Open the roll paper cover. 2. Press the button to release the paper. • If automatic media tracking is on, the barcode and paper information is printed. • If you are not using the Auto Take-Up Reel, the paper is rewound automatically.
| Handling Paper and Other Media • If you are using the Auto Take-Up Reel, you need to rewind the paper manually. 3. Push down the lock lever firmly to release it. Then move the roll paper holder all the way to the left and remove it from the roll.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 73 4. Roll the paper forward so that it rests on top of the printer. 5. Pull up the tension levers, then remove the adapters from the paper roll. 6. Rewind the paper carefully and place it in its original package.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Using Cut Sheet Paper You can print on many types of cut sheet paper and other media. The printer accepts sheets in widths from letter size/A4 to 24 inches (61 cm) for the Pro 7900 or 44 inches (112 cm) for the Pro 9900. You can leave your roll paper in the printer when you print on cut sheets; make sure it is removed from the paper path and rolled up.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 75 3. Feed the sheet into the paper slot until it meets resistance. Make sure the right edge of the paper is straight and aligned with the vertical line on the roll paper cover. 4. Press d. The sheet feeds into printing position automatically. 5. If you see a question on the display about paper settings, select Yes if the settings are correct, or select No, then change the settings. 6. Press OK. 7. Print your page. After it is finished, the sheet stays in the printer. 8.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Loading Heavy Sheets Make sure you load paper in the portrait orientation (short edge first). The only exception is paper that is more than 19 mil (0.5 mm) thick and 28.6 inches (728 mm) long, which should be loaded in landscape orientation (Pro 9900 only). 1. Make sure the printer is turned on and the roll paper cover is closed. 2. Press the l Paper Source button until the LCD display.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 77 5. Press the button. 6. Press the button to move the paper into printing position or wait for the paper to move into position automatically. 7. If you see a question on the display about paper settings, select Yes if the settings are correct, or select No, then change the settings. 8. Press OK. 9. Print your page. After it is finished, the sheet stays in the printer. 10. To remove your print, press the d button while holding the sheet.
| Handling Paper and Other Media If you’ve selected a non-standard platen gap, the following symbols appear in the corner of the display to remind you of the narrow or wide setting: Widest Wider Wide Narrow When you switch media, don’t forget to change the setting back to STANDARD. If you’re printing on non-Epson media and not using the Epson driver, you may also need to create a paper configuration to optimize your results. See page 83 for more information.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 79 2. For the Pro 9900, raise the back of the basket all the way up. 3. Open the tabs at the front of the basket and tilt it down. Then raise the paper guides. 4. Raise the front of the basket so that the surface is taut. Then lower the paper guides so that your prints slide smoothly onto the cloth.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Note: To avoid paper feed errors, do not allow prints to stack up in the paper basket. Catching Printouts Under the Printer Follow these steps to catch printouts under the printer: 1. Raise the paper guides and tilt the front of the basket down. 2. Lower the paper guides, then raise the front of the basket all the way up. Fasten the front of the basket with the tabs.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 81 3. For the Pro 9900, adjust the basket based on your print size. Note: If printouts on matte paper have banding, pull the paper guides forward. • 23.4 × 33.1 inches (A1) or smaller • Larger than 23.4 × 33.
| Handling Paper and Other Media Storing the Paper Basket If you are not using the paper basket, you can fold it out of the way. 1. For the Pro 9900, raise the back of the basket. 2. Raise the paper guides, then adjust the tabs and raise the front of the basket. Lower the paper guides.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 83 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 media—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 8. Examine the printed pattern for the most evenly overlapping lines. Choose the number with the most even lines. In the example shown above, the lines under number 4 are the most even. After printing the pattern, THICKNESS NUMBER is highlighted. 9. Press u or d to select the number that you noted in step 8, then press OK. 10. Press l, then d to select any of the menu options shown below. Make adjustments as needed, and press OK to save each setting.
Handling Paper and Other Media | 85 Printing Your Paper Configurations You can print a list showing the settings for all your paper configurations. This makes it easy to select the configuration you want for a particular type of paper. 1. Press r Menu, then press d to highlight TEST PRINT. Press r again. 2. Press d to select CUSTOM PAPER, then press r. 3. Press OK to print your custom paper configurations.
| Handling Paper and Other Media 86
Chapter 3: Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Your Epson Stylus Pro 7900 or Pro 9900 comes with drivers and utilities that let you print and manage print jobs. For the best black and white photography output, the Epson driver offers an Advanced Black and White Photo mode. ICC profiles for ColorSync® are included, so you can use color management features in Adobe® Photoshop® or other applications, or in the driver itself.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Sizing Images for Borderless Printing on Roll Paper For true borderless printing on roll paper, you can select a Paper Size setting with an Auto Expand or Retain Size option, or create a custom paper size, as described on page 106. Your image may be clipped on the left and right edges, but you can minimize clipping by sizing your image according to the paper width and by adjusting the length by adding 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) to it.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 89 Printing With Mac OS X 10.5 If you’re using Mac OS X 10.5, follow the instructions below. If you’re using Mac OS X 10. 4, see page 106. Choosing Page Setup and Basic Print Options Note: Many application settings override the printer’s page setup options. Always verify settings to get the results you expect. You can choose from several options for printing on cut sheets or roll paper. You can also select the orientation of your image and the paper size.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Note: If you need more information about print options, click the ? button. Note: If you don’t see the Paper Size setting in the Print window, check for it in your application before printing. For example, you may be able to select it by opening the File menu and selecting Page Setup. 3. Choose your printer from the Printer menu. Select your printer 4. Click the Paper Size drop-down menu.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 91 Also be sure to select roll paper options, as described on page 98. Select the paper size, then choose the setting The following settings are available, depending on the size you choose: • The Sheet size setting prints on cut sheet paper with a bottom margin larger than the top and sides. • Sheet - Borderless (Auto Expand) prints on cut sheets and enlarges your image (up to 3%) to fit the width of the paper (without side borders).
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh • Roll Paper - Banner prints a series of continuous images without any margin space between them, but with normal side borders. • Roll Paper - Borderless Banner prints a series of continuous borderless images without space between them. 5. If you are printing on roll paper, choose Manage Custom Sizes from the Paper Size menu. (If you are printing on a cut sheet, skip to step 6.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 93 7. Select Printer Settings from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: Select Printer Settings 8. If you created a custom paper size for your roll paper, select the Auto Expand or Retain Size option in the Paper Size drop-down menu. See page 88 for details. 9. Select the Media Type that corresponds to the paper you are printing on. See the table on page 121 for more information. 10.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh • Black only if you’re printing line drawings or other non-photographic images. 11. Set the Color Mode option as follows: • Select (Off) No Color Adjustment to disable color management in the printer driver. Choose this mode when you use a color-managed ICC workflow in Photoshop or another software application. See your on-screen User’s Guide for instructions. • Select Use Generic RGB only for files that do not have color profiles.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 95 12. Choose one of the following Print Quality settings: Note: The Print Quality settings available depend on the Media Type you selected. Choose a lower print quality setting for faster printing or SuperPhoto - 2880 dpi for the best quality. • Draft - 180 dpi • Draft - 360 dpi • Fine - 720 dpi • Fine - 1440 dpi • SuperPhoto - 1440 dpi • SuperPhoto - 2880 dpi 13.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Choosing Color Management Options Follow these instructions to use color management in the printer driver. 1. Select Color Matching from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: 2. Select one of the following settings: • EPSON Color Controls to use a Color Mode (see page 94) that selects the main method of printing colors for photos and graphics. • ColorSync for mapping colors to your printer’s profile (for ColorSync-compatible applications only).
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 97 Choosing Advanced Media Control Options Follow these instructions if you are using non-Epson media and you need to fine-tune its performance. Note: You may need to change the Color Density setting if your custom color profile was created to optimize D-max and color gamut. 1. Select Advanced Media Control from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: 2. Select the correct settings to match your ICC profile.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh • Paper Thickness helps reduce vertical banding and creates a sharper image when printing on unusually thick or thin paper. • Paper Suction lets you decrease the paper suction level when printing on thinner papers (less than 12 lb), such as CAD drafting paper. • Platen Gap lets you fine-tune the setting for various paper thicknesses. • Roll Paper Back Tension lets you adjust the tension when printing on roll paper.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 99 2. Choose one of the following Auto Cut Settings: Normal cut • Normal Cut allows margin space at the top and bottom of each image. • Double Cut extends the space between the images and trims each print individually. This provides the cleanest edge for borderless printing. • Single Cut allows images to be printed end-to-end and saves paper.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Controlling Borderless Image Expansion To control the amount of expansion when printing using a Paper Size with the Auto Expand option, select Roll Paper Settings from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: Adjust the slider to increase or decrease the amount of expansion. The widths shown in the table on page 88 work with the Standard Expansion setting. • Use the Min setting to minimize the amount of image clipping.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 101 Choosing Advanced Black and White Photo Settings Note: If you are printing from Photoshop, make sure you do not use Photoshop’s color management settings when using Advanced Black and White Photo mode. There are no profiles associated with this screening and color management technology. Advanced Black and White Photo mode allows you to easily produce neutral and toned black-and-white prints using your Epson driver.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh 4. Uncheck High Speed for the best quality. 5. Click Advanced Color Settings. You see this screen: 6. Choose the settings that are best for your photo. • Color Toning allows you to add tone (hue) to your black and white output. The default is Neutral, which will provide you with a neutral tonal scale print. You can also choose other popular presets such as Cool, Warm, and Sepia. Note that the presets affect the target found in the tone color circle.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 103 • Contrast adjusts the difference between the light and dark areas of your image. • Shadow Tonality and Highlight Tonality allow you to control tonality only in the shadow or highlight areas of your image. • Max Optical Density adjusts the overall density or focus of the print. Create a soft focus print by setting the density lower. • Highlight Point Shift helps to reduce gloss differential by adding density to the highlights of your image.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh 2. After verifying that your settings are correct, select Save As from the Presets drop-down menu. Caution: Do not open and close the Presets menu without typing a name, or you will lose your settings. 3. Type a name for your custom preset and click OK. 4. When you’re ready to print, click the Print button. Whenever you want to print with your custom preset, select it from the Presets drop-down menu.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 105 Managing Print Jobs After you click Print, you can monitor the progress of your print job. Follow these steps: 1. Click the icon for your printer on the Dock. If necessary, double-click your printer (and print queue) name. You see a screen like this: Note: If it is no longer spooling in the computer, you can also cancel a print job by pressing the button on the printer, selecting JOB CANCEL, and pressing the OK button. 2.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Printing With Mac OS X 10.4 If you’re using Mac OS X 10.4, follow the instructions below. If you’re using Mac OS X 10. 5, see page 89. Choosing Page Setup Options Note: Many application settings override the printer’s page setup options. Always verify settings to get the results you expect. Page Setup options let you choose from several options for printing on cut sheets or roll paper. You can also select the orientation of your image and the paper size.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 107 3. Click the Paper Size drop-down menu. • If you’re printing on a cut sheet, choose the size of the paper you are using and one of the options listed below. Then continue with step 5. • If you’re using roll paper, Epson recommends that you create a custom paper size to make the best use of your paper. See step 4 for instructions. Also be sure to select roll paper options, as described on page 114.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh • Roll Paper - Borderless (Auto Expand) prints without borders on roll paper and enlarges your image (up to 3%) to fit the size of the paper. This selection is recommended for borderless printing with minimal clipping of your image. See page 88 for more information. • Roll Paper - Borderless (Retain Size) prints your image on roll paper at the size you specify in your application.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 109 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 additional settings for more control over your printer and color output. 1. Select Print in your application. You see the screen shown below: Select your printer 2. Choose your printer from the Printer menu.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh 3. Select Print Settings from the Copies & Pages drop-down menu. You see this screen: Note: In certain programs, you may need to select Advanced before you can select Print Settings. For more information about printer settings, click the ? button. 4. If you created a custom paper size for your roll paper, select the Auto Expand or Retain Size option in the Page Setup drop-down menu. See page 88 for details. 5.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 111 7. 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, set it according to the priorities of your print job. You can choose one of the mode settings shown at the left in the drop-down menu: Charts and Graphs intensifies colors and lightens the midtones and highlights of an image.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Continue with the instructions on page 112 to select color management settings. If you are using the color management settings in Photoshop or another application, it is very important to turn off color management in the printer driver. Choosing Color Management Options Follow these instructions to use color management in the printer driver. 1. Select Printer Color Management from the drop-down menu, then click Advanced Settings. You see this screen: 2.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 113 • ColorSync for mapping colors to your printer’s profile. In most cases, you will get better results by applying color management in your application, rather than in the printer driver. If you choose this setting, you can choose ColorSync from the drop-down menu and choose filters or other settings. • (Off) No Color Adjustment to disable color management in the printer driver.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh • Drying Time per Print Head Pass lets you print with non-Epson media and avoid smearing the ink. You can make the print head wait up to 5 seconds after each pass to allow ink to dry on the page. • Paper Feed Adjustment helps reduce banding. Choose a lower value if you see white lines on your prints, or a higher value if you see dark lines.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 115 • Normal Cut allows margin space at the top and bottom of each image. Normal cut • print individually. This provides the cleanest edge for borderless printing. • Double cut Double Cut extends the space between the images and trims each Single Cut allows images to be printed end-to-end and saves paper. With borderless printing, you may see a sliver of the previous or next image if you print multiple images in one print job.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Controlling Borderless Image Expansion To control the amount of expansion when printing using a Paper Size with the Auto Expand option, select Expansion from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: Adjust the slider to increase or decrease the amount of expansion. The widths shown in the table on page 88 work with the Standard Expansion setting. • Use the Min setting to minimize the amount of image clipping. You may see a white border around your image.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 117 1. Select Print Settings from the drop-down menu. 2. Choose the Media Type setting for the paper you have loaded in the printer. (See page 121 for instructions.) Note: If Advanced Black and White Photo is not available for your media type, you may need to change your black ink cartridge. See page 163 for more information. 3. Choose Advanced B&W Photo as the Color setting. 4. Uncheck High Speed for the best quality.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh 5. Select Printer Color Management from the drop-down menu. You see this screen: 6. Choose the settings that are best for your photo. • Color Toning allows you to add tone (hue) to your black and white output. The default is Neutral, which will provide you with a neutral tonal scale print. You can also choose other popular presets such as Cool, Warm, and Sepia. Note that the presets affect the target found in the tone color circle.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 119 • Max Optical Density adjusts the overall density or focus of the print. Create a soft focus print by setting the density lower. • Highlight Point Shift helps to reduce gloss differential by adding density to the highlights of your image. • The tone color circle adjusts the hue of your black and white print. Click on any portion of the color wheel or enter corresponding values to customize the tone (hue) added to your print.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh Managing Print Jobs After you click Print, you can monitor the progress of your print job. Follow these steps: 1. Click the icon for your printer on the Dock. If necessary, double-click your printer (and print queue) name. You see a screen like this: Note: If it is no longer spooling in the computer, you can also cancel a print job by pressing the Pause/reset button button on the printer, selecting JOB CANCEL, and pressing the OK button. 2.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh | 121 Selecting the Correct Media Type Setting The following table lists the settings designed to produce the best results on Epson media. If your paper is not listed, check the instructions included with the paper, or look on the Epson website www.proimaging.epson.com (U.S. sales), www.epson.ca (Canadian sales). If you are using non-Epson paper, consult the manufacturer for the best setting.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Macintosh For this media Select this Media Type setting* Textured Fine Art Paper Textured Fine Art Paper ® UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper Canvas Canvas Doubleweight Matte Paper Doubleweight Matte Paper Singleweight Matte Paper Singleweight Matte Paper Presentation Paper Matte Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Enhanced Matte Paper Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte Enhanced Matte Paper Somerset® Velvet (roll paper only) Plain paper
Chapter 4: Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Your Epson Stylus Pro 7900 or Pro 9900 comes with drivers and utilities that let you print and manage print jobs. For the best black and white photography output, the Epson printer driver offers Advanced Black and White Photo mode. ICC profiles are included, so you can use the color management features in Adobe Photoshop or other applications, or in the driver itself.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Sizing Images for Borderless Printing on Roll Paper For true borderless printing on roll paper, you can select either Auto Expand or Retain Size or create a custom paper size, as described on page 132. Your image may be clipped on the left and right edges, but you can minimize clipping by sizing your image according to the roll paper width and by adjusting the length by adding 0.1 inch (2.54 mm) to it.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 125 Choosing Basic Print Options The driver offers automatic settings that optimize print quality and speed when you’re using Epson media. You can also choose custom settings for more control over your printer and color management options. Follow these steps to make basic settings: 1. Start an application, open the file you want to print, and select Print in your application. You see the Print window. 2.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows 3. Select a Media Type setting that corresponds to the paper you are printing on. See the table on page 127 for more information. Note: If a color setting is grayed out, it is not supported for the selected Media Type. • If you are using a color-managed workflow, make sure you choose media type and resolution settings that match the ICC profile you are using.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 127 Use the Speed/Quality slider to set the desired quality level. Select from the following additional options and click OK: • High Speed for fast, bidirectional printing at lower quality. • Edge Smoothing to improve the quality of low-resolution images. • Finest Detail for sharper edges on vector-based data including text, graphics, and line art. (This setting does not affect photographs and is not recommended for large files.) 6.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows For this media Select this Media Type setting* Photo Paper Premium Luster Photo Paper (260) Premium Luster Photo Paper (260) Premium Glossy Photo Paper (250) Premium Glossy Photo Paper (250) Premium Semigloss Photo Paper (250) Premium Semigloss Photo Paper (250) Premium Semimatte Photo Paper (260) Premium Semimatte Photo Paper (260) Premium Glossy Photo Paper (170) Premium Glossy Photo Paper (170) Premium Semigloss Photo Paper (170) Premium Semiglo
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 129 For this media Select this Media Type setting* Matte Paper Doubleweight Matte Paper Doubleweight Matte Paper Singleweight Matte Paper Singleweight Matte Paper Presentation Paper Matte Presentation Paper Matte Enhanced Matte Paper Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte Enhanced Matte Paper Somerset Velvet (roll paper only) Plain Paper Plain paper Plain Paper Others Enhanced Adhesive Synthetic Paper Enhanced Adhesive Synthetic Paper Enhanced Matte P
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Tip: If you turn off color management, you can still control the ink density, as described on page 141. 3. Choose one of the following settings (if you select Color Controls, PhotoEnhance™, or ICM, click the Advanced button after you select the setting): • Off (No Color Adjustment) disables color management in the printer driver. Choose this mode when you use a color managed workflow in Photoshop or other software.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 131 • PhotoEnhance allows you to automatically correct images and choose from six Scene Correction settings. • ICM adjusts colors based on the printer’s ICC profile, using the Image Color Matching system. You can choose the input profile and other settings as shown below. In most cases, you will get better results by applying color management in your application, rather than in the printer driver. See your on-screen User’s Guide for instructions. 4.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Choosing Roll Paper Options Note: Many application settings override settings in the printer driver. Always verify settings to get the results you expect. Follow the steps in this section to print on roll paper and select settings for borderless printing and automatic cutting. (If you’re printing on cut sheets, see page 135). 1. On the Properties or Preferences window, make sure the Main tab is selected. 2.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 133 5. If you want to print without margins, click Borderless. If you’re not printing borderless images, go to step 7. Note that borderless printing takes longer than normal printing. See page 124 for more information about borderless printing on roll paper. 6. Click the Expansion button to select a borderless sizing option. Choose Auto Expand or Retain Size, then click OK. Auto Expand enlarges your image (up to 3%) to fit the size of the paper.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows 7. Click the Roll Paper Option button. You see this window: Normal cut 8. Choose one of the following Auto Cut settings: • Normal Cut allows margin space at the top and bottom of each image. • Double cut Double Cut extends the space between images and trims each print individually. This provides the cleanest edge for borderless printing. • Single Cut allows images to be printed end-to-end and saves paper.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 135 Choosing Cut Sheet Paper Options Follow the steps in this section to print on cut sheet paper and select settings for borderless printing, if desired. (If you’re printing on roll paper, see page 132.) 1. On the Properties or Preferences window, make sure the Main tab is selected. 2. For the Source setting, select Sheet. 3. For the Size setting, select the size of the sheet loaded in the printer.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows If the size of your paper is not listed, you can create a custom paper size. Select User Defined. You see this window: Type a name for your custom size, then enter the size in hundredths of an inch (or centimeters) and click Save. Then click OK. 4. If you want to center your image on the sheet, click Printable Area, then select Centered. 5. If you want to print to the edges of the page, click Borderless (not available for custom paper sizes).
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 137 Choosing Page Layout Options You can print a poster-size image, even if your application does not support poster printing. Follow these steps to reduce or enlarge your image: 1. On the Properties or Preferences window, click the Page Layout tab. You see this window: Note: Select Landscape when you want to rotate your image 90°. 2. Select the settings you want for Orientation and Copies. 3. Click Reduce/Enlarge if you want to have the driver resize your image.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows 5. Click Print Bckg Color if you want to print color on the background of the page. Click the Color Settings button to select the color you want. 6. Click Job Settings if you want to have the time, date, and other information about your print job printed at the top or bottom of the page. Click Details, select the settings you want to use, and click OK.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 139 You see this screen: 5. You can adjust the following advanced black and white photo settings: • Color Toning allows you to add tone (hue) to your black and white output. The default is Neutral, which will provide you with a neutral tonal scale print. You can also choose other popular presets such as Cool, Warm, and Sepia. Note that the presets will affect the target found in the tone color circle.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows • Highlight Point Shift helps to reduce gloss differential by adding density to the highlights of your image or the full page. • The tone color circle adjusts the hue of your black and white print. Click on any portion of the color wheel or enter corresponding values to customize the tone (hue) you want to add. The closer you select to the edge of the wheel, the more color you add. The preview image approximates the image tone based on your settings.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 141 Note: You may need to change the Color Density setting if your custom profile was created to optimize D-max and color gamut. 2. Select the correct settings to match your ICC profile. These settings override any paper configuration settings you may have made using the printer’s control panel. • Color Density lets you control the ink saturation level (for example, when you turn off color management in your printer software).
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows 4. On the Main tab, select any other necessary setting for your paper in the Media Settings box. (See page 125 through page 131 for details.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 143 5. Click the Custom Settings button. You see a window like this: 6. Verify that your settings are correct, type a name for the custom media type, and click Save. 7. After saving your settings, you can do the following: • To use the settings to print right away, select the name you gave them in the Media Type list. Select the rest of the necessary print settings and print.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Saving, Exporting, and Importing Custom Settings You can save groups of settings so you can reuse them for future print jobs with the same profile/printer/ink/media combination. You can also export them as a file that you can share with others, who can import them for printing. In addition, the printer driver includes pre-defined setting groups for various types of printing.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 145 4. After saving your settings, you can do the following: • To use the setting group to print right away, select the name you gave it in the Select Setting list, if necessary, and print. • To save the settings to a file that you can share, click the Save/Del button again, click the name of the setting group in the list, click Export, select a location, enter a file name, and click Save. Importing a Custom Settings Group 1.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Editing Printer Driver Settings 1. Click the Utility tab, then select Menu Arrangement. 2. Select the item you want to edit. You can do the following: • Drag and drop the items to rearrange them • Add or delete groups • Move unused items into the Not Display group 3. When you’re finished, click Save.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 147 Managing Print Jobs Your printer comes with two 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. Status Monitor 3, which appears on the taskbar when you print, lets you check the printer’s status and monitor print jobs. You can control how these programs work using the Speed and Progress and Monitoring Preferences utilities.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Optimizing Print Speed You can use the Speed and Progress utility to improve printing speed. 1. Click the Utility tab, then click the Speed and Progress button. You see this window: Note: If you want to disable display of the progress meter during printing, you can click the Show Progress Meter checkbox to deselect it. 2.
Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows | 149 • Coarse Rendering allows you to override the length or width limitations in applications (such as Photoshop) that restrict the number of pixels you can print. • Print as Bitmap allows large or complex vector graphics to print faster in Adobe Acrobat® or any other non-image based application. • Show Mouse Over Help lets you turn off the tool tips that appear when you move your cursor over the screen.
| Printing With Epson Drivers for Windows Setting Monitoring Preferences You can choose when and how you want to be notified of problems, whether you want a Status Monitor 3 icon to appear on your Windows taskbar, and whether you want to allow monitoring by other users who share the printer. 1. Click the Utility tab, then click the Monitoring Preferences button. You see this window: 2. Select the notification options you want to use if various printing events occur. 3.
Chapter 5: Maintaining and Transporting the Printer The Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and Pro 9900 require little maintenance to keep working at their best.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Printing Status Information The status check sheet shows some of the current default settings, the page count, and the status of the maintenance tank. 1. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer. Note: You can replace the ink cartridges, cutter blade, and maintenance tank yourself. Other printer parts need to be replaced by an authorized Epson service technician. 2. Press r Menu. 3. Press d to select TEST PRINT, then press r. 4.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 153 4. Press to exit the menu. For more information about the Printer Status menu, see your on-screen User’s Guide. Checking Printer Status From the Printer Driver Tip: On a Macintosh, you can also run maintenance utilities by clicking the Utility button in the print job window or the icon on the printer settings screen. If you added a shortcut icon for your printer to the Windows taskbar, you can right-click it and select any utility you want to run.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer The software checks the amount of ink in the printer and maintenance tank(s) and displays one of these windows: Checking and Cleaning the Print Head If your printed image shows a color shift or horizontal lines, you should check the print head to see if any nozzles are clogged or deflected. If necessary, you can run a cleaning cycle to clear the nozzles. You can also turn on Auto Nozzle Check from the printer’s control panel.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 155 • Windows XP: Click Start and select Control Panel. Double-click Printers and Faxes. Right-click your printer icon and select Printing Preferences. Click the Utility tab. You see a menu like the following: 3. Select the Nozzle Check icon and follow the instructions on the screen. 4. After the pattern is printed, use at least a 10× eye loupe to examine it. Caution: Don’t run a cleaning cycle while thick media is loaded in the printer.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Checking and Cleaning the Print Head Using the Control Panel You can print a nozzle check from the control panel and examine it to determine whether any nozzles are clogged or deflected. Then you can run a cleaning cycle if necessary. 1. Press r Menu. 2. Press d until TEST PRINT is selected, then press r. NOZZLE CHECK is selected. 3. Press r, then press OK to start printing the nozzle check pattern. 4.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 157 3. Select one of the following, then press OK: • ON: PERIODICALLY—The printer periodically checks its nozzles and runs a cleaning cycle if necessary (default). • ON: EVERY JOB—The printer automatically checks its nozzles and runs a cleaning cycle if necessary before each print job. This process uses a very small amount of ink (and no paper) and is recommended if you are running large print jobs unattended.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 4. Press d until MAINTENANCE is selected, then press r. 5. Press d until CLEANING is selected, then press r. 6. Select one of the following, then press r: • NORMAL CLEANING—Press OK to start the cleaning cycle. • CLEAN EACH COLOR—Press r, select the color pair you want to clean, then press OK to start the cleaning cycle. • POWER CLEANING—Press OK to start the cleaning cycle. 7.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 159 3. Press u or d until HEAD ALIGNMENT is selected, then press r. PAPER THICKNESS is selected. 4. Press r, then select the paper type loaded in the printer and press OK. 5. Press l three times, then press d to select ALIGNMENT. 6. Press r to select AUTO, then press r again. UNI-D (uni-directional) is highlighted. This is the type of alignment to start with. 7. Press r, then press OK to start the alignment process. Each head alignment takes about 7 minutes.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer When the red B Ink Check light is flashing and INK LOW appears on the LCD display, the indicated cartridge is almost expended. Make sure you have a replacement cartridge. When the light stays on and REPLACE INK CARTRIDGE is displayed, the cartridge is expended. You must replace the cartridge before you can continue printing. You can install any combination of 150, 350, and 700 ml cartridges.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 161 3. Open the ink cover all the way. 4. Then press in the cartridge you want to replace. The cartridge pops out. WARNING: Do not shake the expended cartridge, or ink may leak out. If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets in your eyes, flush them immediately with water. 5. Remove the expended ink cartridge from the printer.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 6. Make sure the replacement cartridge is the correct color and remove it from its package. Gently shake the cartridge for about 5 seconds 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 B Ink light remains on after installing the cartridge, it may not be inserted fully. Caution: Do not remove and re-insert cartridges more often than necessary.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 163 Switching Black Ink Mode You can switch the black ink from Photo Black to Matte Black or vice-versa by pressing the button on the control panel. • The Photo Black cartridge is ideal for printing photographic images on all media types. It is optimized for traditional photographic and ink jet-coated papers, such as Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster, Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss, Proofing Paper Commercial, and so on.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer Using Maintenance Mode Maintenance mode allows you to make special settings and perform maintenance procedures that may be needed occasionally. You can use maintenance mode to do the following: • Change the language or units of measurements used on the printer’s control panel menus. • Adjust the maximum value for roll paper tension. • Run a “super strong” cleaning cycle. • Return all of the printer’s control panel settings to their default values.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 165 • To run a super strong cleaning cycle, press d to highlight SS CLEANING, then press r to display EXECUTE. Press OK to start the cleaning cycle. • To return all control panel settings to their default values, press d to highlight DEFAULT PANEL, then press r to display EXECUTE. Press OK to restore the default settings. 4. To exit maintenance mode, turn off the printer by pressing the P Power button.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5. To remove the cutter cover, press in the tab and pull it down. 6. Loosen the screw using a cross-head screwdriver.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 167 WARNING: The blade is sharp. Be careful when removing it. 7. Carefully remove the cutter. 8. Dispose of the cutter in accordance with local regulations. Installing the New Cutter Remove the new blade from its package, then follow these steps to install it: 1. Insert the new cutter into the holder. Make sure the cutter pin goes into the hole.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 2. Tighten the screw using a cross-head screwdriver. Note: Reinstall the optional SpectroProofer if necessary, following the instructions that came with it. Then turn on the printer and press the OK button. 3. Align the cover, then press it in until it clicks into place. 4. Press OK to finish the replacement process. The cutter moves to home position. 5. Run the Cutter Adjustment from the Maintenance Menu on the control panel.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 169 Replacing the Maintenance Tank The maintenance tank stores ink that gets flushed from the system during the initial ink charge and manual and automatic print head cleaning. When the tank is almost full, the message MAINTENANCE TANK NEARLY FULL appears on the LCD display. When the tank is completely full, the printer stops working and MAINTENANCE TANK FULL appears on the LCD.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 3. Grasp the handle at the bottom of the tank (on the side of the printer) and gently pull out the maintenance tank. Then place it in the plastic bag included with the new tank. 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. 4. Insert the new tank.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 171 Cleaning the Printer To keep your printer working at its best, clean it if it becomes soiled. 1. If your prints are soiled by ink on the roller, load inexpensive roll paper and press d to feed the paper without printing on it. Press d several times until the paper is clean. 2. Turn off the printer and wait until all the lights are off. Then unplug the power cord and disconnect the printer from your system.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5. If your prints are soiled on the back, wipe the blue area carefully. 6. If powdery dust has accumulated, use a toothpick or similar tool to remove it. 7. Remove the paper basket. Then clean away any dust or dirt around the leg assembly using a soft brush.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 173 8. If the outer case is dirty, clean it with a soft, clean cloth dampened with mild detergent. Keep the ink cartridge compartments closed to prevent water from getting inside. 9. To wash the paper basket, remove the shafts, then machine wash with mild detergent and air dry. 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 175).
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 4. Open the front cover and reinstall the packing material that you removed from the print head during setup. Then close the cover. Tip: For more secure transportation, tape all doors and covers shut. 5. Before you remove the printer from the stand, make sure the casters are locked. 6. Remove the two wing nuts and lock washers securing the printer to the stand (underneath the printer). Keep them in a safe place.
Maintaining and Transporting the Printer | 175 WARNING: The printer is very heavy. Make sure you have four people lift it. 7. Lift the printer using the hand grips where provided. (See the stickers located near the rear hand grips for the correct holding position.) 8. Keep the printer level while moving it. See page 176 for information about setting up the printer after transporting it. To ship the printer a longer distance, you should repack it using the original box and packing materials.
| Maintaining and Transporting the Printer 5. Release the front casters. 6. Carefully roll the printer to its new location, then lock the casters. Setting Up the Printer After Transportation Setting up the printer after transporting it is almost identical to setting it up for the first time. 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.
Chapter 6: Solving Problems As you use your printer, you may occasionally experience a problem. You can diagnose the problem following the guidelines in this chapter or check the FAQs at www.proimaging.epson.com. Then try the most likely solutions until the problem is fixed.
| Solving Problems Checking Error Messages and Lights The control panel includes various lights and an LCD display to indicate the status of the printer: Paper feed up button Paper light Ink light Black ink change button Paper release (ePlaten) light and button Power light and button OK button Menu button Paper cut button Ink open button Pause/reset light and button LCD display Paper feed down button Left arrow or paper source button When your paper runs out, ink is low, or a problem occurs, a
Solving Problems | 179 Message Explanation Response CANNOT OPEN INK COVER Something is obstructing the indicated ink cover Remove the obstruction and press the button again. CLEANING ERROR Head cleaning did not clear the nozzles. Press to clear the error and run the head cleaning utility again. If cleaning doesn’t start, cancel printing from the computer. Then turn the printer off and back on again. CLEANING ERROR NOT ENOUGH INK OR SPACE IN MAINT TANK.
| Solving Problems Message Explanation Response INK CARTRIDGE ERROR Ink cartridge(s) may have a bad contact or condensation. Remove and reinstall the ink cartridge; if the error remains, replace the cartridge. See page 159. You tried to install an ink cartridge that cannot be used with this printer. If you are replacing ink cartridges, check the package and product code. Replace the ink cartridge with a genuine Epson ink cartridge. The ink cover or covers are open. Close the cover(s).
Solving Problems | 181 Message Explanation Response NOT ENOUGH EMPTY SPACE The maintenance tank is too full for head cleaning. Replace the maintenance tank; see page 169. Auto cleaning cannot be performed. Press the button to clear the error, then try cleaning again. If necessary, cancel cleaning from the computer, then restart the printer. Not enough ink or maintenance tank capacity for head cleaning. Select YES, then follow the instructions to replace the ink cartridge or maintenance tank.
| Solving Problems Message Explanation Response PAPER SETTING ERROR The paper source selected in the printer driver and the control panel do not match. Check the Paper Source settings and make sure the paper is loaded correctly. The loaded paper size does not match the size of the image. Make sure the paper size matches the size of the image. Paper is not loaded straight. Press the button and make sure the paper is loaded straight. You tried to print while an error condition was present.
Solving Problems | 183 If none of these suggestions help, try the solutions in the following table. Problem Solution Your print has horizontal banding. ◗ Check the ink indicators and light to see if you are low on ink. (If you replace ink cartridges with the printer turned off, the ink indicators will not be accurate.) Replace ink cartridges if necessary, as described on page 159. ◗ Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle. See page 154 for instructions. ◗ Turn off the High Speed setting.
| Solving Problems Problem Solution Your print is grainy, or has misregistration or ghosting. ◗ Check the ink indicators and light to see if you are low on ink. (If you replace ink cartridges with the printer turned off, the ink indicators will not be accurate.) Replace ink cartridges if necessary, as described on page 159. ◗ Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle. See page 154 for instructions. ◗ Align the print head, as described on page 158.
Solving Problems | 185 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 159. ◗ Make sure the Media Type setting in the printer software is correct. ◗ Run a nozzle check and cleaning cycle (see page 154). ◗ Check the ink indicators and light and replace ink cartridges if your ink supply is low, as described on page 159.
| Solving Problems 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. ◗ If you’re printing on non-Epson media, you may need to adjust the paper thickness setting or drying time. Use your printer software (page 97 or page 113 for Mac OS X or page 141 for Windows) to choose the correct setting.
Solving Problems | 187 Problem Solution Nothing prints. ◗ Turn off the printer and computer. Make sure the interface cable is securely plugged in. Then restart the printer and computer. ◗ Make sure the interface cable meets the requirements; see page 13 or 14. ◗ The printer port setting doesn’t match the printer connection port (Windows). Windows Vista: Click > Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Printers. Right-click the icon for your printer, then select Properties.
| Solving Problems Problem Solution Blank paper is printed. ◗ Make sure your software is installed correctly and the printer is selected. ◗ Make sure the Paper Size setting in your printer software is correct for the paper you’re using. ◗ Make sure the Paper Source setting in your printer software is correct. A ruled line on your print appears to shift. ◗ Align the print head as described on page 158. Color images print in black only.
Solving Problems | 189 Solving Paper Problems If paper feed or paper jam problems occur frequently, try one or more of the following solutions: • For roll paper, try adjusting the Paper Suction setting. See page 83 for more information. You can also adjust this setting through your printer driver. • For heavy or thick media, follow the instructions on page 76 to load the media correctly. • Make sure the paper is not folded, wrinkled, or damp.
| Solving Problems Fixing Paper Eject Problems If the paper is curled too tightly to eject properly, make sure the paper guides are attached to the printer. There are two paper guides for the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and five for the Pro 9900. Attach the guides to the bottom of the printer as shown: Epson Stylus Pro 7900 Epson Stylus Pro 9900 Do one of the following: Note: If banding appears on your print, leave the paper guides in the forward position.
Solving Problems | 191 Clearing Paper Jams When roll paper gets jammed in the printer, printing stops and you see a PAPER JAM message on the LCD display. Follow these steps to clear a paper jam: 1. Cut the paper at the paper insertion slot. 2. Press the button to release the paper. 3. Rewind the paper.
| Solving Problems 4. Open the front cover if necessary. 5. Carefully pull down the jammed paper. Caution: To avoid damaging the printer, do not touch the cables around the print head or the roller, ink absorption pad, or ink tubes. 6. Close the front cover, if necessary. Press the P Power button to turn the printer off and then back on.
Solving Problems | 193 Tip: Check the Epson Pro Imaging website at www.proimaging.epson. com for updated drivers and utilities that may become available. Uninstalling and Reinstalling the Printer Driver If you need to uninstall and then reinstall the printer driver software for any reason, follow the instructions in the appropriate section below. Macintosh OS X 10.5 1. Select System Preferences, then select Print & Fax. 2. Select your printer, then click the – button. 3.
| Solving Problems 194
Appendix A: Specifications Environmental Temperature Operation Storage 50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C) –4 to 156 °F (–20 to 60 °C) Print quality guarantee: 59 to 77 °F (15 to 25 °C) Humidity (without condensation) 20 to 80% RH Print quality guarantee: 40 to 60% 5 to 85% RH (stored in shipping container) Electrical Specification Description Input voltage range 90 V to 264 V Rated frequency range 50 to 60 Hz Input frequency range 49.5 to 60.5 Hz Rated current 1.0 A at 120 V 0.
| Specifications Dimensions and Weight Specification Epson Stylus Pro 7900 Epson Stylus Pro 9900 Height 48 inches (1218 mm) 48 inches (1218 mm) Width 53.4 inches (1356 mm) 73.4 inches (1864 mm) Depth 26.26 inches (667 mm) 26.26 inches (667 mm) Weight (without consumables) 222 lb (100.9 kg) printer, stand, and paper basket 298 lb (135.1 kg) printer, stand, and paper basket Printer Interfaces • USB (1.1 and 2.
Specifications | 197 Cut Sheets 17 lb (64 g/m2) bond up to posterboard Weight range Epson Cut Sheet Paper Sizes Size group Size name Measurements A Series A4 8.3 × 11.7 inches (210 × 297 mm) A3 11.7 × 16.5 inches (297 × 420 mm) Super A3/B 13 × 19 inches (329 × 483 mm) A2 16.5 × 23.4 inches (420 × 594 mm) A1 23.4 × 33.1 inches (594 × 841 mm) Super A1 24 × 36 inches (610 × 910 mm) A0* 33.1 × 44 inches (841 × 1189 mm) Super A0* 36 × 50.9 inches (914 × 1292 mm) Letter 8.
| Specifications Size group Size name Measurements US-ARCH ARCH A 9 × 12 inches (229 × 305 mm) ARCH B 12 × 18 inches (305 × 457 mm) ARCH C 18 × 24 inches (457 × 610 mm) ARCH D 24 × 36 inches (610 × 910 mm) ARCH E* 36 × 48 inches (910 × 1219 mm) B5 7.2 × 10.1 inches (182 × 257 mm) B4 10.1 × 14.2 inches (257 × 364 mm) B3 14.2 × 20.3 inches (364 × 515 mm) B2 20.3 × 28.7 inches (515 × 728 mm) B1* 28.7 × 40.5 inches (728 × 1030 mm) B1 Landscape* 40.5 × 28.
Specifications | 199 Size group Size name Measurements Others — 24 × 30 inches (610 × 762 mm) — 30 × 40 inches* (762 × 1016 mm) — 36 × 44 inches* (914 × 1118 mm) — 11.8 × 15.7 inches (30 × 40 cm) — 15.7 × 23.6 inches (40 × 60 cm) — 23.6 × 35.4 inches (60 × 90 cm) * Epson Stylus Pro 9900 only Note: We recommend that you use genuine Epson cartridges and do not refill them. The use of other products may affect your print quality and could result in printer damage.
| Specifications 200
Index | 201 Index A C Accessories, 12 Advanced Black and White Photo Mac OS X 10.4, 116 to 119 Mac OS X 10.5, 101 to 103 Windows, 138 to 140 Aligning print head, 158 to 159 Always spool RAW datatype setting, 148 Auto Cut setting Mac OS X 10.4, 114 Mac OS X 10.5, 99 Windows, 134 Auto Rotate setting, Windows, 134 Automatic media tracking, 61 to 62 Automatic Take-Up Reel, optional ordering, 12 Cable power, 45 printer, 13, 48 to 49 problems, 187 requirements, 13, 14 Canceling print jobs Mac OS X 10.
| Index Custom paper size Mac OS X 10.4, 106 to 108 Mac OS X 10.5, 89 to 92 Windows, 124, 132, 136 Custom Preset Mac OS X 10.4, 119 Mac OS X 10.5, 103 to 104 Windows, 144 to 145 Cut sheet paper loading, 74 to 75 supported sizes, 197 to 199 Cutter cutting paper manually, 70 ordering replacement, 12 replacing, 165 to 168 F Faint prints, 185 Firmware, updating, 54 to 55 Flip Horizontal setting Mac OS X 10.4, 111 Mac OS X 10.
Index | 203 J Jams, paper, 191 to 192 Job history, 152 L Language, control panel, 164 to 165 Layout Mac OS X 10.4 options, 106 to 108 Mac OS X 10.5 options, 89 to 92 Windows options, 137 to 138 LCD display icons, 19 LFP Remote Panel, 54 to 55 Lights, control panel, 19, 178 Loading cut sheet paper, 74 to 75 roll paper, 59 to 69 M Mac OS X checking printer status, 153 to 154 installing software, 49 to 52 system requirements, 13 uninstalling software, 193 Mac OS X 10.
| Index Mirror Image setting problems, 187 Windows, 137 Monitoring printer control panel, 178 to 182 Mac OS X 10.4, 120 Mac OS X 10.5, 105 Windows, 147 to 150 Moving printer, 173 to 176 MyEpsonPrinter.com, checking status, 152 N Network configuring software, 50, 55 connection, 48, 53 O Optional equipment, 12 P Page Line setting control panel, 70 Mac OS X 10.4, 115 Mac OS X 10.5, 99 Windows, 134 Page Rendering Mode setting, 148 Page setup options Mac OS X 10.4, 106 to 108 Mac OS X 10.
Index | 205 Pausing print jobs Mac OS X 10.4, 120 Mac OS X 10.5, 105 Windows, 147 PhotoEnhance, 131 Platen Gap setting control panel, 77 to 78 Mac OS X 10.4, 114 Mac OS X 10.5, 98 problems, 185 Windows, 141 Power cable, 42 Power cleaning cycle, 157 to 158 Power consumption, 195 Power light, 19, 178 Preset Mac OS X 10.4, 119 Mac OS X 10.
| Index Problems banding, 183 blank paper, 188 blurry prints, 185 cable, 187 color, 184, 188 diagnosing, 177 faint prints, 185 garbled characters, 187 ghosting, 184 graininess, 184 inverted image, 187 margin, 187 misalignment, 183 misregistration, 184 nothing prints, 187 operational, 186 to 187 paper, 189 to 192 print quality, 182 to 186 print speed, 148, 188 printing stops, 186 roll paper cannot be cut, 188 smeared prints, 185 Progress Meter, 147, 148 Q Quality Options, Windows, 126 to 127 R Registe
Index | 207 Stylus Pro 7900, paper basket, 27 to 33 Stylus Pro 9900, paper basket, 34 to 42 Suction, 84, 98, 114, 141 Super strong cleaning cycle, 165 Support, Epson, 13 System requirements, 13 to 14 T Take-Up Reel, Auto, see Automatic Take-Up Reel, optional Technical support, 13 Temperature requirements, 195 Test Print menu, 152 Time and date setting, 163 Total prints, checking, 152 Transporting printer, 173 to 176 Trim lines, printing control panel, 70 Mac OS X 10.4, 115 Mac OS X 10.
| Index 208
