Topic: The saga continues (Read 6262 times)

Charlesu · « **on:** May 07, 2007, 11:10:46 am »

I've spent 2 days trying to get this beast right and am getting nowhere.

I have now been on the phone with HP frontline support for 168 minutes uninstalling and reinstalling the software in various orders, etc. with no luck.

They are now making me do a printhead allignment (despite the fact that the first one was fine--somehow misallined heads could be causing the printer to fail on a calibration).

And doing some print quality checks from the control panel. Again, gee, this could be causing the calibration to fail badly. Hmmmmm.......

I asked for them to just move ahead with sending a technician on site and a bully of a supervisor got online and told me I had to keep spending more hours with frontline support doing things which didn't relate to my current problem before they would send someone onsite.

dgillilan · « **Reply #1 on:** May 07, 2007, 01:18:55 pm »

Charles,
This does not sound good, I am so sorry that HP is putting you through this. It sounds like they may not know for sure where the problem lies and I agree with you that I would not suspect some of those things that you listed, but I am no expert. I hope that you can bear through all this and either find the problem soon or obtain a replacement, I will hope so for you. Let us know...
Debra

Jae_Moon · « **Reply #2 on:** May 07, 2007, 01:36:56 pm »

I am very sorry to hear your problems with Z3100.

I write this just to let the people know that not all Z3100 buyers encounter the problems like you are having. I got mine, 24" version, delivered on April 16 and installed on Mac Pro with ethernet connection with a single problem. The installation detected a bad print head, red/mat black, and displayed the instruction to replace it. Obviously, I did not have the replacement printhead, and I called HP. They overnighted me one, and the installation was completed without a hitch. Tech support even call me the next day to see if I got the replacement print head delivered. The printer even came with ver 4.2.0.2, so I didn't have to do any upgrade.

Jae Moon

Charlesu · « **Reply #3 on:** May 07, 2007, 01:48:27 pm »

Thanks for the responses and encouragement. I've tapped into some friends who make a living resolving platforms performance and printing issues and gotten some more advice from them.

1) Disable legacy USB support in the BIOS.

2) Simplify the machine as much as possible, particularly with regard to USB.

I will act on this advice this evening including killing the Canon desktop printer I have on USB to see if I can get past this.

However, these guys said that based on my knowledge, background and troubleshooting, they are thinking I simply have bad hardware from HP.

Charlesu · « **Reply #4 on:** May 07, 2007, 05:41:29 pm »

The saga continues.

A friend suggested I try to calibrate from the printer front panel.

Failed.

Charlesu · « **Reply #5 on:** May 07, 2007, 06:30:37 pm »

I've now tried using an ethernet connection.

Won't print a decent result.

Won't calibrate.

I spoke with HP support this morning for 3 hours.

I called HP support again this evening and asked for escalation to Tier II. The tech put me on hold for 25 mins and then came back and said that there is NO Tier II for DesignJet support and that my only option was to continue troubleshooting with her. I then asked her about the calibration from the front panel and the message about scanner failure and she asked me if this printer has a scanner in it.

Turns out she has never seen the 3100 and has no idea what it does. She finally fessed up to this but said she would help me.

rdonson · « **Reply #6 on:** May 07, 2007, 07:36:28 pm »

Quote

Turns out she has never seen the 3100 and has no idea what it does. She finally fessed up to this but said she would help me.

[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116254\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Now that's world class support. Perhaps you might have better luck with the psychic network. The downside is that they're not a 1-800 number.

Charlesu · « **Reply #7 on:** May 07, 2007, 08:27:00 pm »

Quote

Now that's world class support. Perhaps you might have better luck with the psychic network. The downside is that they're not a 1-800 number.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116268\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

We finally got someone on the line who DOES know this printer. He and I covered and recovered the same ground. Finally, after 2 hours he said he would talk to the Tier II level folks (who didn't exist earlier) and then call me back tomorrow.

He had earlier surmised that this is a hardware failure and seemed to concede that when everything we did via ethernet failed as well.

I had requested this morning that we go ahead and schedule a tech to come out. They would not even hear of it.

Then the guy I spoke with tonight mentioned it but said he didn't have the authority to make that call and that even if he did, since it was now late in the day the soonest they can have someone here is Wednesday.

So......he is calling me back tomorrow after talking with their escalation staff to see what else they need me to try so that if and if/when a tech does come out, the tech might know what to try replacing on the printer.

He also said that if it doesn't come down to a specific part that the tech will have multiple parts with him.

dgillilan · « **Reply #8 on:** May 07, 2007, 09:06:07 pm »

Charles,
Well maybe you are getting somewhere finally, with HP support. It should not be that difficult with a $4000 printer(or whatever you paid). It does not speak well that one of the techs had never seen this printer. Gosh. I am disappointed in the HP support that you received thus far, with that expensive printer.
I hope that come Wednesday, the tech will come onsite and fix your item. This incident really may be isolated, but does not speak well for HP(I own several HP products, and am not knocking HP, but this incident is not good for future customers I don't think).
Let us know what happens, I hope they resolve the issue,
Debra

Charlesu · « **Reply #9 on:** May 08, 2007, 07:08:27 am »

Quote

Charles,
Well maybe you are getting somewhere finally, with HP support. It should not be that difficult with a $4000 printer(or whatever you paid). It does not speak well that one of the techs had never seen this printer. Gosh. I am disappointed in the HP support that you received thus far, with that expensive printer.
I hope that come Wednesday, the tech will come onsite and fix your item. This incident really may be isolated, but does not speak well for HP(I own several HP products, and am not knocking HP, but this incident is not good for future customers I don't think).
Let us know what happens, I hope they resolve the issue,
Debra
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116278\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Debra,
Thanks, I will keep everyone up to date.

Unfortunately, I think you have hit the nail on the head. HP is fairly new at high-end, large format PHOTO printers and they're unsure how to handle support. If I was a fortune 50 company and had a graphics dept I would probably have a service contract. But as small shops and individual photographers by these printers it's clear that HP has not thought out support very well.

I think HP is a good company and will eventually resolve my issue but they've a long way to go in taking tangible action and restoring my confidence in their service.

Charles

Charlesu · « **Reply #10 on:** May 08, 2007, 09:05:58 pm »

OK I was expecting a call or email from HP support today regarding the technician who is supposedly coming tomorrow. I have no idea of the time, so this could be pretty tricky.

Anyway, hoping for good things from the technician but I really think this was a "Monday" printer and has multiple issues.

marty m · « **Reply #11 on:** May 08, 2007, 10:55:09 pm »

Quote

I've spent 2 days trying to get this beast right and am getting nowhere.

I asked for them to just move ahead with sending a technician on site and a bully of a supervisor got online and told me I had to keep spending more hours with frontline support doing things which didn't relate to my current problem before they would send someone onsite.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116136\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Sounds like the experience that others have had with U.S. tech support. Specifically with incredibly rude, arrogant and unresponsive supervisors.

What country are you in?

Charlesu · « **Reply #12 on:** May 09, 2007, 07:48:12 am »

Quote

Sounds like the experience that others have had with U.S. tech support. Specifically with incredibly rude, arrogant and unresponsive supervisors.

What country are you in?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=116501\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm in the US. Yes, I would say the techs are fairly nice but the supervisor I spoke with was more of an enforcer than someone with customer focus, business acumen and the ability to remove logjams and move things forward.

I asked for them to move ahead and send a technician. She told me she could not authorize that so I asked to speak to someone who could. He came on the line with a confrontational and abrasive tone of voice. He (Andy) told me my only choice was to continue working with Ashley. I had hoped he would be helpful or at least listen to me, but he'd heard her side of the story and never asked me mine. (I have a background in print/printer troubleshooting in the Windows environment and pretty much knew then we were looking at a hardware issue).

HP needs to learn how to support this market segment or they're going to fail miserably. As many eyes as there are on this forum, I'd be very concerned if I was the head of their graphics division or even the product manager for the Z3100.

Someone has said they're watching the forums. They should act when they see a problem like this. Frankly, when a $4,100.00 printer is bad out of the box they should move quickly to replace the printer and then try to determine what went wrong in manufacturing. Instead, they force their customer to spend hours on the phone repeating the same troubleshooting steps over-and-over and then waiting days for a tech to come onsite.

The net result is that 5 days after setting up this printer I've wasted most of a roll of paper and about 25% of my ink doing these stupid tests over and over again.

jdyke · « **Reply #13 on:** May 09, 2007, 09:01:26 am »

Not sure what the law is in the US but under UK law you are entitled to a replacment or a refund. It sounds like a D.O.A to me. Have they sorted your problem yet?

JD

Charlesu · « **Reply #14 on:** May 11, 2007, 09:56:02 am »

So the tech came on Wednesday afternoon and spent about 3.5 hours working on the printer. He replaced a component that was basically motherboard and HD in one piece. Unfortunately, the printer didn't like the replacement parts at all and started spewing new error messages even with a firmware update.

He put the original HD and MB back into the printer and he kept working on it and at one point removed the print heads and gave each a sound shaking/whacking. It turns out that most of the error messages were tied to two of the print heads not working properly. Unfortunately, the printer will tell you when there are no print heads or when they are not seated properly but there is no coherent error message for when the heads simply are not working correctly.

He had done about all he could do at that point and left. I agreed to keep working with the printer as I was STILL not getting output to match my Epson 4000. Not even close. The next morning my dealer called and we talked. The printing was getting better but we both still had concerns about the printer overall.

At this point my dealer has decided to send me a new printer and to recall this one. They feel like it's still an unpredictable situation and my images are still not where they should be. I've seen output from a friend's printer and I know that they're capable of very fine output. So, I am very grateful of my vendor's support.

They have stood with me the whole time and been in touch with their marketing rep at HP who has also been very involved. It's been a lot of hours and frustration on my part but DTGWEB and HP are behind this printer and their customers.

Folks, if you are looking for a good vendor who stands behind their products, DTGWEB.com is a good place to go.

Charlesu · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2007, 03:15:08 pm »

I hope this is the last installment in this thread!

The new printer arrived Thursday and HP actually sent a tech out to swap out the old printer and set up the new one. We got it up and running and found that, no surprise here, it was MUCH MUCH better than the first one.

I calibrated the paper I was using at the time and noted that the target printed out was quite different for many of the colors.

The new printer has done several prints and things look MUCH better so far. I am continuing to test but believe that we're there.

Many thanks to the folks at DTGWEB for standing with me and for replacing the original printer. If you are thinking about a large format printer I highly recommend Gary, Scott and all the folks at DTGWEB.com.

dgillilan · « **Reply #16 on:** May 19, 2007, 03:52:18 pm »

Quote

I hope this is the last installment in this thread!

The new printer arrived Thursday and HP actually sent a tech out to swap out the old printer and set up the new one. We got it up and running and found that, no surprise here, it was MUCH MUCH better than the first one.

I calibrated the paper I was using at the time and noted that the target printed out was quite different for many of the colors.

The new printer has done several prints and things look MUCH better so far. I am continuing to test but believe that we're there.

Many thanks to the folks at DTGWEB for standing with me and for replacing the original printer. If you are thinking about a large format printer I highly recommend Gary, Scott and all the folks at DTGWEB.com.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=118580\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Charles,
Great news, I am so glad that you finally have a Z3100 that is functioning great and producing outstanding prints ! Kudos to your seller, too !
Thanks for the update of good news, Debra
(edited to correct his model number to 3100)

rdonson · « **Reply #17 on:** May 19, 2007, 05:12:24 pm »

Quote

I hope this is the last installment in this thread!

The new printer arrived Thursday and HP actually sent a tech out to swap out the old printer and set up the new one. We got it up and running and found that, no surprise here, it was MUCH MUCH better than the first one.

I calibrated the paper I was using at the time and noted that the target printed out was quite different for many of the colors.

The new printer has done several prints and things look MUCH better so far. I am continuing to test but believe that we're there.

Many thanks to the folks at DTGWEB for standing with me and for replacing the original printer. If you are thinking about a large format printer I highly recommend Gary, Scott and all the folks at DTGWEB.com.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=118580\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I'm glad that things have gone well with the new printer. I just love mine. Great prints and hassle free switching between papers - no ink cart swaps or wasted ink.

Now you can get serious about finding out what papers you want to print on.

Its reassuring to know that DTG made things good for you.

Author Topic: The saga continues (Read 6262 times)