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Author Topic: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?  (Read 6476 times)

Mark Lindquist

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Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« on: November 24, 2014, 01:51:11 pm »

For the life of me, I can not get a print to center on an 11 x 17 page with a new to me Z3200 24" printer.

Printing out of PS CC and have been driving myself crazy.  Prints keep coming out uncentered.

When I check "centered" they are off.  I'm using Tabloid (have tried all 3 selections, and it looks right in the preview.
I have loaded the sheet correctly, but to no avail.

How do you center your prints using Z series printers?

Mavericks, and running TR12-RB_10.0.0.2



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Mark Lindquist
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2014, 09:39:47 pm »

Really? 

No HP Z users with an answer to this problem?

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Geraldo Garcia

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2014, 10:05:56 pm »

Well Mark...

Never had that problem... But I print from windows, and the last time I printed from Photoshop was a few years ago on CS4, only Lightroom and Qimage since.
Tomorrow I will have a look when in the studio and check if the same problem happens.
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2014, 11:29:40 pm »

Thanks Geraldo -
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Mark Lindquist
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chamon

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2014, 04:08:57 am »

Hello Mark

When you load your sheet did you use the check skew or no check option on the menu ?

And the off center is it in the length or the width of the page ?

Charles
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2014, 08:00:23 am »

Hi Charles, welcome to the forum.
Yes, I always use skew check. 
The print is off, side to side, not length-wise.

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Geraldo Garcia

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2014, 09:09:23 am »

Mark,

Something worth checking:
PS always tries to center the image on the printable area, not on the sheet of paper. That would not matter when you print on roll media but would produce off-centered prints on cut sheets as the minimum bottom margin is way bigger than the top margin.
The best workaround on HP Z3xxx printer is to configure your printer's settings this way (my driver is not in English, so the translation may not be perfect):
1) Avoid auto-selected paper source, always select roll media or manual feed accordingly.
2) On "Margin/border Layout" select: "Print with margins/borders" and "Cut contents by margin" (This is different of borderless printing as it will report borderless to PS but will not actually print on the minimum border, if there is image over that area it will go blank).

That is usually enough to solve the margin problem, but you may also go ahead and size the whole page before printing. Set your image size as you want and grow white borders around it using "canvas size" to crate an exact replica of the sheet you will use and print with the "cut contents by margin" selected. Remember the unprintable area of 1,7mm on the trailing edge and 5mm on the rest.

I don't know if that is the source of your problems, but it surely was a headache to me when I first got this printer.
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2014, 10:14:11 am »

Thank you Geraldo, for looking at this and responding back.

I do use the configurations you discuss, and I sometimes Make the canvas size the size of the sheet.

I will carefully try your method and see if it works, however.  I always configure sheet or roll.

I'm wondering if it might not be a driver/firmware issue.  The driver I am using is the only thing HP offers for this printer (Z3200) and anything above requires "an agreement with HP " to download.

I haven't been able to get to a place where I can upgrade the firmware, so I'm stuck.

I'll try printing out of LR to see if there is any difference.

Additionally, I suppose I could measure how far off the print is from Left to right and put those dimensions in the print dialog.

Seems like a lot of fooling around to get it centered though....

Here is a screen grab of what I think you are telling me:

« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 10:34:44 am by Mark Lindquist »
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Justan

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2014, 04:30:29 pm »

Dunno if this will work for you but I had a similar problem getting alignment right when using roll media and printing with the postscript driver on the z3200. Spoke to HP support and they say that the PS driver produces a full bleed print only, and due to that it will not align properly. Whatever.

Their recommended solution was to use the PCL driver. I switched to that and it prints dramatically faster, produces identical results except that the output can be positioned on the page as specified.

Geraldo Garcia

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2014, 05:35:52 pm »

Additionally, I suppose I could measure how far off the print is from Left to right and put those dimensions in the print dialog.
Seems like a lot of fooling around to get it centered though....
Here is a screen grab of what I think you are telling me:

That is exactly what I meant, unfortunately looks like it is not the cause of your problems.
Never had any centering issues other than the margin related.
Sure, it may be possible to center manually as you described but, I agree, it is not ideal and involve some trial and error.

Just another thought: Some printers do detect the paper placement and adjust accordingly if you load it a bit more to the left or right of the correct place, but the Zs, despite their alignment detection, seems to ignore it. If you load the sheet a few millimeters to the left (or right) your margins will reflect that.
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2014, 08:16:11 pm »

I found an entire case with boxes of 8.5 x 11 gloss sheets from ages ago.  I am determined to figure this out.  Think I'll make an image that is a rectangle with diagonal lines and keep fooling with all the parameters until I figure it out.  I'll print from each end so that I can get at least two tries on a sheet, maybe more. 

Appreciate your continuing to think about this Geraldo.  I'll try loading the sheet in a different location, as well.
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2014, 08:27:12 pm »

Dunno if this will work for you but I had a similar problem getting alignment right when using roll media and printing with the postscript driver on the z3200. Spoke to HP support and they say that the PS driver produces a full bleed print only, and due to that it will not align properly. Whatever.

Their recommended solution was to use the PCL driver. I switched to that and it prints dramatically faster, produces identical results except that the output can be positioned on the page as specified.

Thanks Justin-
This not a PS version, so can't use the ps driver.  I believe I'm using the raster driver but will check on the one you refer to.  Since  I also have a Z3200ps 44" and Z3100 44"  I am concerned about too many downloads and conflicts that might arise.  Again, thanks for your input Justin - I'll check.
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Mark Lindquist
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2014, 09:07:19 pm »

I just found this on the HP Large Format Forum ( http://http://tinyurl.com/lxdgzv3 )
search  "images not centering"

Makes me feel better that it's not just me  ::)

Re: Designjet Z3200 printer not centering image properly
Post Options
‎12-11-2011 10:56 AM

"I have tried every possible combinations of setting.  In the end, if I tell the driver the size of the paper on which I am printing. the size of the print, and that it is centered, the driver knows everything it need to know to properly compute the margins.
 
I have had HP tech support tell me that because it prints properly using Acrobat it is obviously a Photoshop problem.  Somehow HP's competitor, Epson, has figured how to properly compute the correct margins every time.
 
I doubt that Photoshop says that if it's an HP driver I'll send the wrong setting but if it's an Epson drive I'll sent the correct setting.  Yes, I am frustrated!
 
HP's tech support has also told me that this only happens when the margins are greater than, or maybe was it less than, 2".
 
Give me a break!  This is a problem that has been going on with HP drivers for years and is so reported on their various blogs which they obviously pay no attention to.
 
The solution is probably a phone call to the group responsible for developing and maintaing the drivers to tell them of the issue.  The last refuge of the incompetent is to blame your problem on another vendor.  It the most widely-used imaging program in the world, Adobe Photoshop, has a problem printing with your driver correctly, pick up the phone and contact Adobe to work out the problem.  Do not expect your customer to do HP's job.
 
One hopes that this doesn't have to be sent to Meg Whitman to get a solution to the problem.
 
I'm tired of spending hours, literally, on the phone with HP's tech support who, in the end, are totally incapable of addressing this issue and seem unwilling to refer this to someone who can.  I have wasted enough ink and paper that HP ought to give me a set of ink for the Z3200.
 
the Z3200 is a fabulous printer but the driver is terrible and was obviously designed by people who never worked in the real world.  (Why do I need three version of each paper size when I am defining the margins?)
 
Thanks for letting me get this off my chest...."


(From a disgruntled Z3200 user on the HP forum)
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 10:01:55 pm by Mark Lindquist »
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deanwork

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #13 on: November 26, 2014, 05:11:25 pm »

Yea, I've been using this printer for 8 years and I never figured out the borders either.

Since I only use sheets to print tests it doesn't  bother me. But it is weird to say the least. My Canon and Epson machines are right on with even borders with rolls or sheets and of course they are much easier to feed.

john

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Ernst Dinkla

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #14 on: November 26, 2014, 05:48:05 pm »

Whether a box of sheets smaller than A4s is worth it I do not know but loading sheets is time consuming. That said with Qimage and the PCL3 driver I can use the new Fit to Paper feature in Qimage Ultimate load an A4 and it will cut the print margins off an A4 image (so make sure there is white there in the image) and the A4 image becomes an A4 print. The other way is to add extra printer margin in Qimage Ultimate in Preferences that they become symmetric (one button: Center on Physical Page) and use Fit to Page + Center placement.

Edit: changed instructions to the proper Qimage terms.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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« Last Edit: November 27, 2014, 04:55:24 am by Ernst Dinkla »
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #15 on: November 26, 2014, 09:03:01 pm »

Yea, I've been using this printer for 8 years and I never figured out the borders either.

Since I only use sheets to print tests it doesn't  bother me. But it is weird to say the least. My Canon and Epson machines are right on with even borders with rolls or sheets and of course they are much easier to feed.

john

Thank you John, for your response and for being honest!

I'll bet NOT ONE PERSON has figured this out, LOL.

I'm inclined to agree with the disgruntled Z3200 user's remarks above.  I really enjoyed:

"...The last refuge of the incompetent is to blame your problem on another vendor...."

Yikes - maybe the guy is right.

My Canon and my Epsons also get it right.  For such a fantastic printer series, HP drivers really suck.
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Mark Lindquist
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #16 on: November 26, 2014, 09:10:09 pm »

Whether a box of sheets smaller than A4s is worth it I do not know but loading sheets is time consuming. That said with Qimage and the PCL3 driver I can use the new fit to sheet feature in Qimage Ultimate load an A4 and it will cut the print margins off an A4 image (so make sure there is white there in the image) and the A4 image becomes an A4 print. The other way is to add extra printer margin in Qimage Ultimate in the options that they become symmetric (one button) and use fit to page + center placement.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
November 2014 update, 680+ inkjet media white spectral plots

Ernst, you're killing me man.  I've just upgraded the firmware using VMWare on my Mac and have been screwing with software, drivers, everything all night long.

Qimage does not support Mac, so if I want it to be right, I guess I'll have to buy it for the virtual PC on my Mac.  I absolutely hate kluges like this.  Maybe I'll have to go out and spring for a PC just so I can run Q-image and print with it....  I find it hard to believe you're not a Mac guy :-)

Doesn't seem right.

BTW - I do print on breathing Color 13 x 19 papers as well as LexJet - mostly Velvets, and it works well for me - I'm a pro at hand loading by now - no big deal.  But Ernst, very rarely, if ever, have I known you to be wrong....

-Thanks for weighing in -

-Mark
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Geraldo Garcia

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #17 on: November 26, 2014, 11:01:16 pm »

Qimage does not support Mac, so if I want it to be right, I guess I'll have to buy it for the virtual PC on my Mac.  I absolutely hate kluges like this.  Maybe I'll have to go out and spring for a PC just so I can run Q-image and print with it....  I find it hard to believe you're not a Mac guy :-)
Doesn't seem right.

Ha! Before you do that, a word of advice: Qimage is unbelievably competent for the price and can make your life really easy. But, at the same time, is quite frustrating and illogical from the Photoshop/Lightroom user's point of view. After you learn to use it properly and digest some weird interface choices, it is a joy.
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Mark Lindquist

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #18 on: November 26, 2014, 11:24:55 pm »

Say it isn't so Geraldo!  Weird interface choices?

Oh no, more steep learning curves with non-intuitive programs.....

Why couldn't HP just get this right?

I mean, really?

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Pete Berry

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Re: Z3200 Prints Not Centering-What am I doing wrong?
« Reply #19 on: November 27, 2014, 12:31:17 pm »

I've been through the border problem with several printers in the past - never w/ an HP, though - but the below workflow has always worked:

1) Forget setting a blank canvas size to paper size, as this throws you into the unprintable border problem, as canvas is considered printable area. Use "canvas" only for a specific reason such as a stroke around the image or colored margin.

2) Don't try to "set" borders manually - again you're in the minefield of the printer's unprintable margins - unless you want to set asymmetrical borders.

3) Establish your borders by simply sizing the image to give you the border widths you want - eg. 9x15" @ 300ppi - for 1" borders all round on 11x17" paper.

4) Check "center image" in the driver and print.

Pete

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