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Author Topic: Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP  (Read 2975 times)

Edhopkins

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« on: December 02, 2007, 03:21:25 pm »

I am bringing my z3100ps GP (44") up to date under Mac OS 10.4.11.  (I am not moving to OS 10.5 because the APS (advanced profiling solution) does not run under Leopard.)

I want to update my raster (PCL3) driver and my PS (postscript) driver

Checking the HP pages today I found:

PS:
latest driver is 4.1.1
latest firmware is 6.0.0.7

PCL3:
latest driver is 5.1
latest firmware is 6.0.0.8

I can't load both sets of firmware.

Has anyone been down this path and have some guidance?  I will HP tomorrow and would not be surprised to hear them say that the firmware with the different versions are the same firmware; they just CALL it something different to confuse their users.

I am currently at:

Firmware 6.0.0.6
PCL3 driver 5.1
PS driver 3.3 (3.3.1)

As far as I can tell from this forum I should only expect minor problems not disasters from doing these upgrades.

thanks for what ever help you can give

ed hopkins, Baltimore
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Colorwave

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2007, 12:03:40 pm »

I really have no idea about which firmware to use if you have both drivers.  This is the bleeding edge, as far as I'm aware.  If I were to venture a guess to try by trial and error, I'd go for the PS firmware, but it is only a guess.
Good luck,
Ron H.
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-Ron H.
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macdaddyv

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2007, 02:02:19 pm »

Quote
I am bringing my z3100ps GP (44") up to date under Mac OS 10.4.11.  (I am not moving to OS 10.5 because the APS (advanced profiling solution) does not run under Leopard.)

I want to update my raster (PCL3) driver and my PS (postscript) driver

Checking the HP pages today I found:

PS:
latest driver is 4.1.1
latest firmware is 6.0.0.7

PCL3:
latest driver is 5.1
latest firmware is 6.0.0.8

I can't load both sets of firmware.

Has anyone been down this path and have some guidance?  I will HP tomorrow and would not be surprised to hear them say that the firmware with the different versions are the same firmware; they just CALL it something different to confuse their users.

I am currently at:

Firmware 6.0.0.6
PCL3 driver 5.1
PS driver 3.3 (3.3.1)

As far as I can tell from this forum I should only expect minor problems not disasters from doing these upgrades.

thanks for what ever help you can give

ed hopkins, Baltimore
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=157702\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
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macdaddyv

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #3 on: December 03, 2007, 02:15:10 pm »

I have been down this path and it is ugly. I have tried to upgrade my firmware since I bought my printer last June. I always get the message resource not available after a very long URl is listed.
I called tech support b/c my printer keeps telling me to upgrade the firmware 6.0.0.8, and driver 5.1 for my MAC PRO. I spent well over 2 1/2 hours on the phone (hold, menu problems, transfers to other people). My tech support person who was very nice couldn't think of anything else to try (and we tried a lot) finally told me to "reboot" the printer to factory defaults and then we could try a firmware upgrade. What he didn't know is that requires the startup print-heads that ship from the factory in new printers. Those get disposed of after the first boot-up (June 07 for me). The printer will not go past that step. I was told a technician would come out the next day with print-heads and also perform my firmware upgrade (via new mother board if necessary). The technician called and said they don't have the part, don't know when they will get the part and he was going out of town for vacation. So now I have a printer with ink in the lines and it is shut down. It can't perform its usual maintenance b/c it is stuck in boot-up. I have missed a print deadline for a competition, and had to cancel print-jobs I was going to get paid for. HP response is well we can't help you b/c we don't know if we can find the part today, tomorrow, next week.
I am outraged and don't have a next step. Customer service suporvisor said I'll get an estimate, expedite your case and call you back. No call. This started last Wednesday.

Macdaddy
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Edhopkins

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #4 on: December 06, 2007, 02:34:37 pm »

I spent some time with HP tech support and got the answers I needed. I have updated the Wiki I am keeping for running the z3100ps GP on the mac:

http://z3100users.wikispaces.com/Z3100ps+GP++MAC+OS

The main things I found out were:

The firmware for the z3100ps and the z3100 is not the same number. (There have identical release notes, however)

The PCL3 raster driver that I want to install with on my PS printer is in the package with the rest of the software for my printer. I just have to do a custom install and plop it in.

In short I can get all the appropriate software and the firmware in the updates for my ps z3100. I should never be looking under the updates for the non-ps printer. (I had thought I had to go there to get the new raster driver.)

I found HP Tech support great in working through this.
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dandeliondigital

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2007, 09:16:38 pm »

Quote
I am bringing my z3100ps GP (44") up to date under Mac OS 10.4.11.  (I am not moving to OS 10.5 because the APS (advanced profiling solution) does not run under Leopard.)

I want to update my raster (PCL3) driver and my PS (postscript) driver
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=157702\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Ed,
As a veteran with the wounds to prove it, all I can tell you is that...

It can be done. Hooray!

Don't be too confused by the very confusing HP stew of zed this and that.

Just be sure that you are on the HP Z3100ps GP "page" vrs everything else to do with the Zed printers.

Compared to last August, HP is making great strides to keep things better organized on their web site and driver downloads pages, and have actually managed to separate out the ps printer from the rest, just be sure _you_ keep  it straight. Do not assume that Z3100 = Z3100ps whatever you do! They are not and the PS is special.

I have both the newest Z3100ps firmware v6.0.0.7 installed and both thelatest PS and PCL3 drivers that mate with it and it works in my Mac environment X.4.11. (Except that the newest firmware managed to break my workflow which relied on using the X-rite Pulse to make some profiles. Both X-Rite and HP are aware of the situation and HP is working on the solution. Fingers crossed).

Be methodical and you will get there.

So long for now, TOM
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Edhopkins

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2007, 05:50:39 am »

Quote
Hi Ed,
As a veteran with the wounds to prove it, all I can tell you is that...

It can be done. Hooray!

Don't be too confused by the very confusing HP stew of zed this and that.

Just be sure that you are on the HP Z3100ps GP "page" vrs everything else to do with the Zed printers.

...

(Except that the newest firmware managed to break my workflow which relied on using the X-rite Pulse to make some profiles. Both X-Rite and HP are aware of the situation and HP is working on the solution. Fingers crossed).

Be methodical and you will get there.

So long for now, TOM
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=159166\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Tom

I think our posts must have "crossed in the mail"  I found out pretty much what you did after much blood and tears: stay on the page for the Z3100ps GP.  I am trying to use a page in the Wiki on the Z3100 to keep all of this up to date for the Z3100ps GP running on the mac.  There are a bunch of us who have this configuration.  (The next big step forward here will when all of the HP software--including APS--runs under Leopard.)

Question:  What are you talking about when you say you cannot now use "the X-rite Pulse" to make some profiles?

Thanks for the encouragement! This is all a new world to me.

ed
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dandeliondigital

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #7 on: December 09, 2007, 11:10:04 am »

Quote
Question:  What are you talking about when you say you cannot now use "the X-rite Pulse" to make some profiles?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=159416\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Ed,
I had a workflow in which I didn't use APS to make my profile for a media that could not be profiled by the onboard spectro because it was too shiny. I originally made a work around that was fine. I printed my target on the Z3100ps, and then measured it with the X-rite Pulse, and then used the X-rite Pulse created profile in the Z using the "Install Profile" feature of the HP Disk Utility Software. I was also using  the Pulse to make compare and contrast profiles as a test, but I never got far enough to ever make a comparison because...

When I installed the newest firmware and software, this approach no longer worked. I contacted HP who said contact X-rite. X-rite had me try both RGB & CMYK profiles, but none would work. RGB profiles refuse to load with an error, and CMYK profiles appear grayed out, and therefore cannot even be selected. X-rite tried on their own Zed printer and "Houston-we have a problem!" They urged me to contact HP which I did and I talked to a support person who is working on it since right after I called which is counting in the many weeks of waiting.

I am wondering if anyone else is using the "Install Profile" feature of the HP Disk Utility Software with non-APS made profiles?  Is anyone else having the same trouble? There doesn't seem to be anyone but me who is in this boat. I'd love to know if it works on the non-ps Zed printers or not.

It's been one thing after another, and I must say you have to be pumped.

Thanks for asking, and so long for now, TOM
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Edhopkins

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #8 on: December 10, 2007, 05:11:55 am »

Quote
Hi Ed,
I had a workflow in which I didn't use APS to make my profile for a media that could not be profiled by the onboard spectro because it was too shiny.

Tom

The things you say as asides are fascinating.  I did not know of any media that could not be profiled by the HP onboard spectro. (which says something about how much I know!)  What are you trying to print on that is too shiny?  And are the limitations of the HP on board spectro spelled out somewhere?  (My wife has the interest in alternate media: she would print on sheets of polished metal if she could.)

thanks for all the info

ed
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rdonson

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #9 on: December 10, 2007, 08:15:13 am »

Quote
Tom

The things you say as asides are fascinating.  I did not know of any media that could not be profiled by the HP onboard spectro. (which says something about how much I know!)  What are you trying to print on that is too shiny?  And are the limitations of the HP on board spectro spelled out somewhere?  (My wife has the interest in alternate media: she would print on sheets of polished metal if she could.)

thanks for all the info

ed
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The onboard spectro is an X-rite i1.  The limitations should be well known.  I've experienced the same thing when trying to profile a fabric that had a shiny backing.  Enough light was obviously being reflected by the backing to drive the spectro nuts.

For info on printing on metal you might want to check out [a href=\"http://www.booksmartstudio.com/]BooksmartStudio[/url].
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Regards,
Ron

dandeliondigital

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Which firm ware for the z3100ps GP
« Reply #10 on: December 10, 2007, 10:25:56 am »

Quote
What are you trying to print on that is too shiny?  And are the limitations of the HP on board spectro spelled out somewhere?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=159642\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi Ed,
In my experience, I had 2 rolls of HP Studio Canvas (both shiny, slightly different, one was newer). Yes, HP does mention this in the printed literature.

I just hope "INSTALL PROFILE" gets fixed or Pulse get's fixed. Surely others must be using other spechtros also? I am amazed that this is a problem.

Ron answered the technicals well.

So long for now, TOM
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