Workable Firmware/Driver Combination For z3200 with Qimage??

[William Chitham]

After a grim period of hardware issues I finally have a working z3200ps and Win 10 pc but I am struggling to find a driver which will work properly and play nice with Qimage. Most intractable problem has been getting the Gloss Enhancer to work at all. After much messing about I finally have it sort of working with the V4 driver but I don't like the driver interface, it only has "On/Off" for the GE , no econo mode, and it regularly gets in a mess when I use it with Qimage, reverting to a basic Windows interface. One weird thing is that whatever driver I try none of them can retrieve info from the printer so for instance the driver doesn't know what paper type or size is loaded; screen grab attached from the ps3 driver.

Current versions are: firmware: TR12-RB_16.0.0.1  V4 pcl3 Driver Version:61.2201.0.100 Qimage ultimate : up to date Windows 10 brand new install
Iif anyone has a z3200ps working happily with Qimage and Win10 I'd be much obliged if you would share driver and firmware versions.

Thanks, William.

[Ernst Dinkla]

William,

Edit, Sorry wrong question, I see you already use the PCL driver.

W10 machine. The firmware I use is TR12-RB_14.0.0.2  on an A version Z3200PS. The PCL driver is  61.121.326.41. Ethernet connection. Qimage Ultimate 2022-120. Always adjust printer setting in the driver itself by holding the Shift key + clicking on Driver Setup Properties in the QU Printers and Settings menu. QU' s interaction with HP drivers is flawed so this is the only reliable way.

I have not seen the issue you show in your screengrab.  Gloss Enhancer works in the two modes.

Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

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

[GST]

Never had much luck with any V4 driver, mostly communication issues with the printer.

My best version so far, even for Windows 11 is 61.194.11905.50

regards

[William Chitham]

Communication issues are the key I think. The drivers communicate well enough to get things printed, quality and colour seem fine but the printer doesn't seem to be communicating back to the driver so things like paper size and type aren't reported. This isn't a major problem but it means that I have to pay more attention to margins and page layout than I'm used to, however, the GE problem is a pain. I can turn it on or off in the V4 pcl driver but choice of whole page or econo has to be made on the printer front panel. Doesn't work at all on the ps3 driver, it can be selected in Print Quality Settings but the info button next to the drop down says it will only work if the GE upgrade kit is installed - maybe the printer isn't telling the driver that GE is available. As far as I know the z3200 was never available without GE but I suppose this driver wasn't created specifically for the Z3200.

APS no longer works either, it reports the printer as "off line" (and doesn't recognize the eye one dongle either) which may be caused by the same problem.

At the moment I have it working so I am reluctant to start messing with the firmware though I do have a recent copy of a TR12 firmware (TR12-RB_16_00_00-1_mvl40-x86-opt_B.exe so same as yours Ernst I think). Is it safe to backtrack? I might try some older drivers though. Screen grab attached shows the V4 PCL driver - new look, less functionality, yay.

Thanks for the help, William.

[John Nollendorfs]

William,
I dont use the RIP on my Z3200, but in the first photo properties box, look under "print quality" click on settings, and iyou should have all 3 modes available. At least on my set up they are.

[Ernst Dinkla]

A version firmware for A version printer. B version firmware for etc....

Ernst, op de lei getypt.

[William Chitham]

William,
I dont use the RIP on my Z3200, but in the first photo properties box, look under "print quality" click on settings, and iyou should have all 3 modes available. At least on my set up they are.

Yes indeed, my first photo shows the PS3 driver and all three modes are selectable but none of them actually trigger the GE.

William.

[William Chitham]

A version firmware for A version printer. B version firmware for etc....

Ernst, op de lei getypt.

Mine is a a Rev A and I believe the firmware I quoted is the correct version. The "opt_B" at the end of the filename appears to be just one of HP's little jokes. I just checked the filenames of the two currently available firmware downloads:

For Rev A: "TR12-RB_16_00_00-1_mvl40-x86-opt_B.exe"

For Rev B: "TR12-RB_16_00_01-1_mvl40-x86-opt_B.exe"*

 - both "opt_B" but one digit different in the filename.

William.

[Ernst Dinkla]

What you wrote is correct, a digit different but all have B near the end. The FW you installed is just one step more up to date than mine is. With HP software I learned never to change a winning team so this is what I will use to the
end of my Z3200.

Ernst, op de lei getypt.

[William Chitham]

Never had much luck with any V4 driver, mostly communication issues with the printer.

My best version so far, even for Windows 11 is 61.194.11905.50

regards

Ok, interesting. That is the PS3 driver I'm using as per my first screen grab. Is it working properly for you ie communicating properly with the printer to show paper info etc and GE working? Can you tell me what firmware version you are using?

Thanks, William.

[GST]

Latest firmware and all is working properly. Qimage manages my printer settings flawlessly.

cu