[Solved] HP Z3200 + Lightroom >150cm = :'-(

[Johannes Leber]

Hi folks,

trying to do my biggest print yet, i'm kind of running into a wall. Anytime i try to print longer than 149cm out of Lightroom, the print skips a considerable part of the image before starting to print on the paper. Except for a veeeeery thin line, no ink on the paper. Tired of wasting good paper, i've turned on the preview... which shows exactly the same pattern, leaving the first part just blank.
Tried it with the last CC-Version before Classic and now with Classic, two driver versions (latest and the one before that), two versions of the HP Utility (1.6 from the driver CD and 1.17). Maybe someone of you has an idea i have not had.

Current configuration:

• Z3200A, 24"
• Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit (10.0.15063)
• Z3200 PCL Driver 61.173.21104.400
• HP Utility 1.17.0.3
• Lightroom Classic CC 7.0
• Image: 13017x4045px, target size: 190x60cm
• Communication via Wifi Bridge - not too easy to pull a LAN wire into my basement, but it worked so far... and the Preview shows the exact flaw, so this should be out of the game

Tried:

• several custom paper sizes from 160x60 to 200x60 - no success
• printing with and without borders - no success
• printing from photoshop - colors were slightly different from the "spot on" lightroom print output in smaller sizes (Test prints 61x20cm), didn't like the PS Output at all - i think it's the color workspace, but it would have been a workaround anyway

Any ideas? Never read about a size limit of Lightroom or the Z3200, or at least nowhere near 150cm...

[Ernst Dinkla]

Your conditions differ from mine in too many ways, connection, Windows version, application to print from, printer width so ...... a lump of salt is needed. You might try to install the PS3 driver as well for the Z3200A and if possible the HPLG 2 driver. That could change the print length limits for all drivers, odd as it may look it was a remedy for similar issues I had but there the limitation was on more than 2 meters. It is however strange that it skips the first part in your case. Do you use a turned placing of the image on the print page? The default is head first in the driver. If there is space at the sides of the image in print, widen the image canvas and put some heavy colors at the sides that can be cut off. It is more to see whether that particular image has issues. Image totally flat?

The Photoshop solution would have made the length or am I wrong on that? Color differences between the two with the same Tiff + assigned color space loaded should not happen if the CM settings are the same.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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

[kevk]

I've seen this on my Z3100 and the only thing that made it print the whole image was to reduce the quality setting in the print dialog from "best" to "normal" so it was doing 300ppi rather than 600ppi.

Seemed that some part of the print system could not handle the extra load of big print+best res and it manifests as skipping the first few inches of print.

Kevin

[deanwork]

You can reduce the file size by also setting the print resolution to 240 ppi , 180 ppi, or even 150 ppi to send to the printer if you are not already doing that.

Why don't you use Q-Image?

Isn't that the best solution for Z printers and long prints?

Your conditions differ from mine in too many ways, connection, Windows version, application to print from, printer width so ...... a lump of salt is needed. You might try to install the PS3 driver as well for the Z3200A and if possible the HPLG 2 driver. That could change the print length limits for all drivers, odd as it may look it was a remedy for similar issues I had but there the limitation was on more than 2 meters. It is however strange that it skips the first part in your case. Do you use a turned placing of the image on the print page? The default is head first in the driver. If there is space at the sides of the image in print, widen the image canvas and put some heavy colors at the sides that can be cut off. It is more to see whether that particular image has issues. Image totally flat?

The Photoshop solution would have made the length or am I wrong on that? Color differences between the two with the same Tiff + assigned color space loaded should not happen if the CM settings are the same.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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

[Ernst Dinkla]

You can reduce the file size by also setting the print resolution to 240 ppi , 180 ppi, or even 150 ppi to send to the printer if you are not already doing that.

Why don't you use Q-Image?

Isn't that the best solution for Z printers and long prints?

The fact that in the OP's case the first part of the print is corrupted is unusual. WiFi wouldn't be my choice of a secure connection either. That the preview shows the same problem is no guarantee that the fault happens before the printer is activated, I think printer and system communicate more than what is shown.

Sure Qimage Ultimate chops the printing data in smaller parts so no memory somewhere goes belly up. In itself Qimage can make the data quite big due to its print sharpening etc. But printing beyond 160cm should not be a problem, with other applications too. With my older Z3100 I had issues when going above 225 cm length if I recall it correctly. 5 meters and more is possible on the Z3200-PS.

8 years old advice from Mike so it may be even easier today:
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/articles/february-2006-wide-load-tips-for-printing-large/

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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

[Johannes Leber]

Sorry, it took me a while to thank you all for your input. Pulling a LAN-Cable through an apartment building into the basement can be somewhat challenging ;-)
Thank you so much!

Turned out, it was two separate problems, meeting at the right time in the right place.

• Length in LR: it WAS that f*** WiFi after all. Now that the Z3200 is properly wired, it takes larger sizes... 2 metres, 3 metres? Bring them!
• Colors off via Photoshop: well, this one's totally on me... LG channel clogged between two prints - the one out of LR and the one out of PS. Blamed PS for it - sorry PS ;-)

Qimage worked just fine, even with the WiFi on, but i've grown quite fond of the LR print module.

thank you Kevin and Dean,
dank je wel Ernst!