Big Headache with my Z3200

[aaronchan]

Currently I'm trying to print a file, 1.4GB at the right size @300dpi in 16bits RGB channel.
When the print is coming out from the printer, i has no problem in around the first 1/3 of it.
After one third of whole entire print, it started to have banding in some area.

At the beginning I thought it was some print head problem and cleaned it like 4-5 times
But after that, it still appear.

Also, it doesn't appear at the beginning, just after 1/3 of the print.

Do you guys think it is a problem from the driver?
I have had this kind of problem on my Z6100 before as well.
At the end, I used a RIP to solve this problem.
But using a RIP on a 8 channel printer is very hard to get the right calibration.

Anyone could help me?

Thanks
Aaron

[deanwork]

And why are you sending the file as 16 bit to the Z3200 when 16 bit is not supported in the driver? I would resize it to 8 bit, but that is kind of obvious and would have been the first thing I tried? It could be the hard drive on the Z can't handle a file that big. With a rip it isn't sending all the data over there at once.

j

[artobest]

Have you calibrated the paper advance for that paper? That can fix some banding issues.

[aaronchan]

Today I've just changed the print head, 2 ink cartridges and converted my image to 8 bit, but the banding still happening about the last 1/3 of my print.
I've just did the paper advanced calibration but thinking should I keep printing on it or use some other cheap paper to run more tests.
because I'm currently printing on 44" Ilford Gold paper which I had already wasted a whole entire roll

[deanwork]

Did you do the head alignment procedure?

[Thelo]

it started to have banding in some area.

Is the banding from edge to edge? And how about the ink coverage, is it an image with lot of color/ink?

[artobest]

Have a close look at the first third of your print - the acceptable part - under a loupe. You may see some almost imperceptible banding in there, too. If you do, my guess is it was the paper advance calibration, and now you've done that, the problem should be fixed.

Hopefully.

[Geoff Wittig]

When I was printing with a Z3100, I found that big panoramics consistently had banding unless I used the very highest print quality settings in the driver. This slowed printing to a crawl, but at least it didn't waste a huge piece of paper. I would also not infrequently get prints with subtle banding that only involved the gloss optimizer; they would look okay straight on, but with any glancing light you would see bands of differing reflectivity, presumably due to uneven placement of the gloss optimizer. A head cleaning cycle would usually fix it.

Good Luck! There's nothing more frustrating than expending more than $25 in ink and paper, only to find it's a throw-away due to banding.

[aaronchan]

Now I clean all of the printhead in between every single print and it comes out all right now. Seems like the printheads are not as stable as epson which I used to use. ( I used to have banding on epson as well, but not under a huge amount of prints or on any big prints after my head cleaning.)

Also I've put a table which is level to the paper exit where the paper will laid on the table nicely. I've called HP and they said it might the one of the axis in the print is getting lose so the paper will dropped under certain weight. I'm crossing my finger right now since I'm still in my printing process.

Wish me luck!

Thanks
Aaron

[aaronchan]

Seems like my Z3200 is a lemon!
Now the banding/micro-banding has gone and printed 5 imgaes smoothly
But then it stopped in the middle of my 6th print.
which I've wasted almost like 4.5 foot of my ilford gold fiber paper!!!

So after my 6th print, I have to start to do my sheet paper printing.
After 2 prints, the printer just FROZE again
then restart start by turning it off from the back.
after 2 prints later, again, froze.

it happened before, but this is the first time after my last service from HP
which the Harddrive burned out and they replaced a new one for me.

Hopefully HP will replace this machine for me since I'm really really not happy about what I'm working with right now plus the last 9 months.

[deanwork]

This sounds like a problem with the logic board. The good thing is you can pop it out and put another one in with two hand screws without taking any cover off the printer. Often if you are in warranty they can send you one in the mail. It doesn't sound mechanical, it sounds like the board to me.

[aaronchan]

I've already swapped the logic board once already which is around 2 months ago.
That's the reason why I said my Z3200 smells like a lemon because I know a few people who are using it and feels very good about it.

Thanks
Aaron