Canon i860 Printing/Print Head Question

[AMcLean]

I'm print text and images for an art project in the highest resolution,
that is, Photo PaperPro setting. Therefore text is printed as a
composite black (using the three colors). Last week it was fine,
a strong magnifying lens revealed almost perfect, clean black formation,
with just the odd colored dot barely visible at the edges of a letter of
text.

Today I noticed a reddish tinge around all the letters, and without a
magnifier, which made me suspicious. The magnifier revealed a lot of red
dots around the black letters. Text that was printed in fushia actually
had a double image, a somewhat fuzzy ghost print slightly offset from
the main one. Previously these same letters were "in focus" and sharp.

I tried a deep head clean, two in fact.
I tried a nozzle check and a print head alignment. They seemed to look
fine.

I also tried a manual clean of the print head in a shallow bowl of
mineral free water. And... a reinstall of the print driver.

To no avail, same black text with a red halo, so to speak. And double
imaged fushia letters.

Photos (on glossy paper) also looked washed out suddenly, as if they
were printed in standard resolution instead of max. They used to be
perfect - rich in color, brightness and contrast.

Do these symptoms sound to you print experts like the print head is
"going", or has it already "left". Printer is only about 4 months old.

A. McLean

 

[Al Rudderham]

Do these symptoms sound to you print experts like the print head is
"going", or has it already "left". Printer is only about 4 months old.

This sounds more like a paper or ink problem. Are you using diffent
paper, or a different brand of ink?

 

[Mickey]

I'm print text and images for an art project in the highest resolution,
that is, Photo PaperPro setting. Therefore text is printed as a
composite black (using the three colors). Last week it was fine,
a strong magnifying lens revealed almost perfect, clean black formation,
with just the odd colored dot barely visible at the edges of a letter of
text.

Today I noticed a reddish tinge around all the letters, and without a
magnifier, which made me suspicious. The magnifier revealed a lot of red
dots around the black letters. Text that was printed in fushia actually
had a double image, a somewhat fuzzy ghost print slightly offset from
the main one. Previously these same letters were "in focus" and sharp.

I tried a deep head clean, two in fact.
I tried a nozzle check and a print head alignment. They seemed to look
fine.

I also tried a manual clean of the print head in a shallow bowl of
mineral free water. And... a reinstall of the print driver.

To no avail, same black text with a red halo, so to speak. And double
imaged fushia letters.

Photos (on glossy paper) also looked washed out suddenly, as if they
were printed in standard resolution instead of max. They used to be
perfect - rich in color, brightness and contrast.

Do these symptoms sound to you print experts like the print head is
"going", or has it already "left". Printer is only about 4 months old.

A. McLean

No answers but do have a question or two. Using the paperpro setting,
why isn't the black being printed with the photo black cart instead of
composite CYM? Has there been any changes in brand of ink or paper
that would explain why the noted change?

Mickey

 

[AMcLean]

No answers but do have a question or two. Using the paperpro setting,
why isn't the black being printed with the photo black cart instead of
composite CYM? Has there been any changes in brand of ink or paper
that would explain why the noted change?

Mickey

It's been printing black text using composite CYM at the Photo PaperPro
setting since day one, as far as I know. I just checked some early work
and yes, black text is somewhat "brown" with tell-tale stray colored
dots indicating color was used. There was no sudden change of paper and
the problem exists with both Canon and generic inks. I just reprinted a
glossy photo I made a couple of months ago and it looks somewhat washed-
out and greenish compared to the lovely original back then. I've made
several driver re-installs. That has no effect at all. Problem occurs
with both Canon and generic inks. Nozzle checks appear normal though.
Very puzzling.

A. McLean

 

[AMcLean]

This sounds more like a paper or ink problem. Are you using diffent
paper, or a different brand of ink?

No, this is happening in the middle of a project using the same high
quality coated papers. It was printing fine when I started, a couple of
weeks ago. It does this with both Canon and generic inks.

A. McLean

 

[PC Medic]

It's been printing black text using composite CYM at the Photo PaperPro
setting since day one, as far as I know. I just checked some early work
and yes, black text is somewhat "brown" with tell-tale stray colored
dots indicating color was used. There was no sudden change of paper and
the problem exists with both Canon and generic inks. I just reprinted a
glossy photo I made a couple of months ago and it looks somewhat washed-
out and greenish compared to the lovely original back then. I've made
several driver re-installs. That has no effect at all. Problem occurs
with both Canon and generic inks. Nozzle checks appear normal though.
Very puzzling.

Any Media Type setting other than 'Plain Paper' will result in composite
black.
You say you have it on the Photo Paper Pro' setting, but what paper are you
actually using?
If not Canon paper, try setting Media Type to Plain Paper and see if this
does not help.

 

[PC Medic]

No, this is happening in the middle of a project using the same high
quality coated papers. It was printing fine when I started, a couple of
weeks ago. It does this with both Canon and generic inks.

A. McLean

You say "It does this with both Canon and generic inks", but what paper is
being used.
Also, what application are you printing from?

 

[Bill]

No, this is happening in the middle of a project using the same high
quality coated papers. It was printing fine when I started, a couple of
weeks ago. It does this with both Canon and generic inks.

Sounds like the printhead may be dying. How many sheets or photos have
you printed?

 

[AMcLean]

You say "It does this with both Canon and generic inks", but what
paper is being used.

The actual paper is Georgia-Pacific Photo Matte Ink Jet, coated both
sides, 38 lbs. Very nice stuff. They recommend the Premium setting,
but suggest some "experimentation with photo settings for richer colors
and better results". I have taken "Premium" to mean the printer's
highest possible setting, which in the case of the i860 would be the
Photo PaperPro setting. Selecting "matte" produces lower quality photo
images and no real difference with text. I need the highest possible
resolution for this booklet project.

Also, what application are you printing from?

I'm using Serif PagePlus. I get the same poor results when printing
through my word processor. Thing is, it was printing my work perfectly
last week with the same paper, ink and software. Recently, even photos
on glossy paper show severe banding lines, look greenish and washed out
where before they were perfect - even with Canon brand inks.

A. McLean

 

[AMcLean]

Sounds like the printhead may be dying. How many sheets or photos have
you printed?

Hard to say. I've only had it since July of this year. I can tell
you that I've printed about 150 photos (highest resolution), a few
hundred sheets of plain text, a few greeting cards, and 6 booklets
containing a total of about 200 (full size) pages printed at the very
highest resolution (Photo PaperPro). I noticed a change already by
booklet 3, so I don't consider this a particularly hard workout for a
good photo/text printer. It's only been used less than 4 months!


A. McLean

 

[Bill]

Hard to say. I've only had it since July of this year. I can tell
you that I've printed about 150 photos (highest resolution), a few
hundred sheets of plain text, a few greeting cards, and 6 booklets
containing a total of about 200 (full size) pages printed at the very
highest resolution (Photo PaperPro). I noticed a change already by
booklet 3, so I don't consider this a particularly hard workout for a
good photo/text printer. It's only been used less than 4 months!

I would have to say that's not enough to wear out the printhead, but
then again mine died with less than 5,000 sheets put through it.

It is possible the printhead is not being cleaned properly though, and
that is causing the poor quality. See the thread about "contamination"
for more info.

 

[AMcLean]

I would have to say that's not enough to wear out the printhead, but
then again mine died with less than 5,000 sheets put through it.

It is possible the printhead is not being cleaned properly though, and
that is causing the poor quality. See the thread about "contamination"
for more info.

Nozzle checks revealed normal printouts. That's the puzzling part. And I
haven't noticed any evidence of color contamination.

Either way, I was fed up, it also exhibited paper feed problems. I
called Canon and they're sending me a replacement, I'm guessing a
refurbished unit.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and ideas.

A. McLean

 

[AMcLean]

Nozzle checks revealed normal printouts. That's the puzzling part. And I
haven't noticed any evidence of color contamination.

Either way, I was fed up, it also exhibited paper feed problems. I
called Canon and they're sending me a replacement, I'm guessing a
refurbished unit.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and ideas.

A. McLean

In closing, Canon sent me a replacement unit, same model, no print head.

I put in the same old print head from my machine and everything was
fine with the replacement: no jams, no misfeeds, no red dots around
black text in CYM mode, very good glossy prints, etc.

Seems the problem was not print head related but feed/electronics
related. My computer also had big problems detecting a port for the
original i860. This replacement was detected right away with no
hesitation at all. Case closed. I'll still buy a Canon in the future
as there is no real alternative.

A. McLean