HP Laserjet 1600- color quality problem?

I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.

I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
improve the quality of the photo printing?

My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.

I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for general
purpose business use- with some colored text and small color images- but it
would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the rare time I'll
need that.

Joe

Joe wrote:
> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
> installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
> printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
> realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
> decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
> the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.
>
> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
> improve the quality of the photo printing?
>
> My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
> decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.
>
> I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for general
> purpose business use- with some colored text and small color images- but it
> would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the rare time I'll
> need that.
>
> Joe
>
>

As it's a laser, not an inkjet (toner is fused on top of the paper, not
soaked into it), the paper shouldn't be changing the color of the
output. Unless the paper itself is some weird non-white color.

M.H. wrote:
> Joe wrote:
>> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
>> installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
>> printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
>> realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
>> decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
>> the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.
>>
>> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
>> improve the quality of the photo printing?
>>
>> My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
>> decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.
>>
>> I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for general
>> purpose business use- with some colored text and small color images- but it
>> would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the rare time I'll
>> need that.
>>
>> Joe
>>
>>
>
> As it's a laser, not an inkjet (toner is fused on top of the paper, not
> soaked into it), the paper shouldn't be changing the color of the
> output. Unless the paper itself is some weird non-white color.

Interesting.

Matching print colors is a black art (sic!). No idea, but would expect
the printer to have some color correction in it somewhere that can be
tweaked..or the printer driver. I know that what I see on my screen
bears little resemblance to the color that comes out of my inkjet.

M.H. wrote:
> Joe wrote:
>> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
>> installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
>> printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
>> realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
>> decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
>> the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.
>>
>> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
>> improve the quality of the photo printing?
>>
>> My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
>> decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.
>>
>> I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for general
>> purpose business use- with some colored text and small color images- but it
>> would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the rare time I'll
>> need that.
>>
>> Joe
>>
>>
>
> As it's a laser, not an inkjet (toner is fused on top of the paper, not
> soaked into it), the paper shouldn't be changing the color of the
> output. Unless the paper itself is some weird non-white color.

Should clarify, the color of the toner won't change, only the perception
of it, if you start changing the paper colors. Although I wouldn't
think enough to tell.

Joe <abc@xyz.com> wrote:
> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
> installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
> printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
> realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
> decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
> the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.

That would be a mistake. Inkjet paper can ruin laser printers.

Besides that, the paper should not make a huge difference in color
balance. Saturation maybe, but not balance.

> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that
> will improve the quality of the photo printing?

Normally there are color correction adjustments available from the
printer menus.

The LaserJet 1600 is a "host-based" printer (aka Winprinter, aka
"prepare to be frustrated printer"), so color correction may only be
available in the driver settings.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

Warren Block wrote:
> Joe <abc@xyz.com> wrote:
> The LaserJet 1600 is a "host-based" printer (aka Winprinter, aka
> "prepare to be frustrated printer"), so color correction may only be
> available in the driver settings.

If it's host-based, why does it have a 264MHz CPU and 16MB of RAM?

M.H. <REMOVEmstTHIScrowTO5429SEND@earthlink.net> wrote:
> Warren Block wrote:
>> Joe <abc@xyz.com> wrote:
>> The LaserJet 1600 is a "host-based" printer (aka Winprinter, aka
>> "prepare to be frustrated printer"), so color correction may only be
>> available in the driver settings.
>
> If it's host-based, why does it have a 264MHz CPU and 16MB of RAM?

Makes you wonder, doesn't it? I'd say that it needed that much RAM to
buffer input; once the paper starts moving, you have to supply four
600x600 DPI bitmaps as they're needed. But here it says there's also 2M
(!) of firmware in a ROM. Sounds like the firmware is copied from ROM
into RAM; it's not explained further.

(very long line, watch out for wraps):

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...eriesId=1140734

As far as the processor goes, something's gotta move all those bits
around.

--
Warren Block * Rapid City, South Dakota * USA

Warren Block wrote:
> http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...eriesId=1140734
>
> As far as the processor goes, something's gotta move all those bits
> around.

Interesting laser printers are using DDR now. I'd think they wouldn't
need the speed, but perhaps it's cheaper. My laser uses FPM, and the
CPU is just a 66MHz SPARC.

Laserjet printers work very differently from Inkjet printers. Laserjet
use dry plastic based toners which are melted onto the paper sheet, just
like a black and white laser printer.

The paper type is much less critical to the color output compared to
inkjet printers.

Whatever you do you DO NOT want to use any type of coated inkjet printer
paper in a laser printer. A regular bond inkjet paper is safe, but any
coated inkjet paper can potentially melt on the fuser and ruin the laser
printer.

For a color laser printer, for glossy prints, you must buy paper
designed for the laser printer you own. Some glossy laser paper can
melt at higher fuser temperatures, and each laser printer uses different
temperatures.

There are special bond papers sold specifically for color laser
printers. They usually have high opacity paper with a smooth surface so
the toner sticks well.

Again, do not use any type of coated inkjet paper in a color laser
printer, and be careful with laser glossy paper, making sure it is
compatible with your printer.

Art

Joe wrote:

> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet. As I
> installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for the B&W
> printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue. Yes, I
> realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to get a
> decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I suspect it's
> the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo paper.
>
> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
> improve the quality of the photo printing?
>
> My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
> decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.
>
> I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for general
> purpose business use- with some colored text and small color images- but it
> would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the rare time I'll
> need that.
>
> Joe
>
>

Previously I mistakenly said I'd go out and buy some high quality inkjet
paper- I didn't mean that, I meant good paper meant for a color laser
printer. I didn't buy HP paper as it's usually too expensive, but I did buy
some Staples "color laser & copier paper- white- heavyweight". It's
brightness is 97 and it's 32 lb.

Photos look terrible. I've been trying different adjustments in the print
driver but so far no luck. By default, it was printing RGB- but I saw that
there is an option for photo- that looks somewhat better, but no acceptable.

For one thing, HP in its print drivers doesn't make it easy to pick from the
list of papers. The driver indicates grammage for some papers, not weight.
sheesh.... Doesn't HP understand we Americans are too stupid to use the
metric system? <G>

Something else- the HP Toolbox icon on my desktop fails to locate and load
the Guide- I've created a shortcut to load it from the desktop and I can
find in Start/HP..... But this seems lame to me.

I can see that printing pages which are mostly text with some small logos
and other non photo colored items will probably be just fine- and I don't
expect this printer to print lab quality photos, but what I'm seeing so far
are washed out or with one color too dominate.

I shouldn't have to struggle so hard to get a printer to do what I want,
should I? I didn't have any trouble with my ancient HP 970Cse inkjet
printing decent photos- much better than this laserjet. A friend has a cheap
Epson inkjet that produces near lab quality photos (I'm sure a pro
photographer wouldn't agree, but for the casual user- that Epson is pretty
good).

It would be nice if some HP guys were here. I suppose I'll now have to call
HP or see if they have their own discussion forums on their web site. I have
better things to do- maybe I'll just bring it back.

Joe


"Arthur Entlich" <e-printerhelp@mvps.org> wrote in message
news:OyKmh.556226$R63.210589@pd7urf1no...
> Laserjet printers work very differently from Inkjet printers. Laserjet
> use dry plastic based toners which are melted onto the paper sheet, just
> like a black and white laser printer.
>
> The paper type is much less critical to the color output compared to
> inkjet printers.
>
> Whatever you do you DO NOT want to use any type of coated inkjet printer
> paper in a laser printer. A regular bond inkjet paper is safe, but any
> coated inkjet paper can potentially melt on the fuser and ruin the laser
> printer.
>
> For a color laser printer, for glossy prints, you must buy paper designed
> for the laser printer you own. Some glossy laser paper can melt at higher
> fuser temperatures, and each laser printer uses different temperatures.
>
> There are special bond papers sold specifically for color laser printers.
> They usually have high opacity paper with a smooth surface so the toner
> sticks well.
>
> Again, do not use any type of coated inkjet paper in a color laser
> printer, and be careful with laser glossy paper, making sure it is
> compatible with your printer.
>
> Art
>
> Joe wrote:
>
>> I've owed several HP B&W laserjets but this is my first color laserjet.
>> As I installed it I only have plain copy paper, which was always fine for
>> the B&W printers but on the LJ1600, the color looks terrible- too blue.
>> Yes, I realize I can probably keep modifying the colors in the image to
>> get a decent final print- but obviously something isn't right here- I
>> suspect it's the cheap paper- so today I'll buy some good inject photo
>> paper.
>>
>> I bet the paper is the main issue- but is there something else that will
>> improve the quality of the photo printing?
>>
>> My previous color printer was a HP Inkjet 970Cse- which printed fairly
>> decent photos, but took forever to print a full page of color.
>>
>> I didn't buy this LJ1600 for high quality photo printing- mostly for
>> general purpose business use- with some colored text and small color
>> images- but it would be nice to get at least a fair quality photo for the
>> rare time I'll need that.
>>
>> Joe