Topic: Dark Photo prints

[Saddler]

Folks, I,ve just bought an Epson RX500 photoprinter, great results...but only on my girlfriends PC. I am using same paper, same SW app., same settings. but my photos come out way too dark. My laptop is a Toshiba satellite A-30, hers an earlier Toshiba laptop(without Hi-speed USB) both are Windows XP Home. All obvious settings look the same.

Any suggestions Please

[Sandra]

Have you got the same drivers installed on both laptops ?
Have you printed the same photo on both laptops with yours still  being darker ?

[Saddler]

Yes Sandra, same drivers and also same sample photos, sorry.

[Lona]

Are you using the same photo editing software?

I find some are better than others.

[Saddler]

Yes Lona, it's the one that came with the new printer in both cases, Adobe Photoprint Thanks.

[Sandra]

It sounds silly that it should work better on a lower spec USB than the higher one but thats looking like the only thing it could be  
Sounds like an email to Epson technical support would be the best bet  

[Saddler]

I've just sent an e-mail off to Epson !!! If it is USB speed is there a way to downgrade it without ripping my PC apart ??

Ta Sandra.

[Sandra]

I believe that USB 2 cables are somehow different to USB 1.1 as they charge more for them.
If that is the case then assuming its a standard USB A to B cable, an ordinary USB 1.1 would sort it.
I cant see it being that really though as you would expect the faster data transfer to be the better one  

[Saddler]

Sandra, I'm starting to think along different lines now, I wonder if there's a setting within the printing application thats causing it, will try printing from Paint Shop Pro or something next.

All the best

[Sandra]

Ok, good luck with it  

[TR]

Might be an SP2 problem  

I has this reply re my R200 way back:

Hi Terry, are you sitting comfortably, then etc...

This problem bugged me when I installed a new 300[basically same as 200] for my son on a new PC. This sent me round in circles over christmas and I was baffled. As Elements wasn't installed I used the XP provided wizard. We are lucky down here that an Epson service site is availble so I visited. The printer was OK. I have a 300 and a friend also has a 300 and both have performed superblywell. We tried the 3 printers on 4 different computers and the outcome was that all 3 printers printed dark when the wizard was used. This was puzzling as in its early days my printer worked beautifully through the wizard. What we also found was that if we printed through any other application eg Elements, photoshop 7 etc all printers delivered excellent prints, on any computer.

After the new year I phoned Epson UK. Super call centre, excellent help. They already knew of the problem, had spent hundreds of man hours trying to pinpoint the fault. There was not a thing they could do as it is a microsoft problem. Apparently when SP2 is installed it coflicts with MS's own print wizard !! Thus we get dark prints when we use the wizard with our 200/300's. I am also afflicted when I use my 600.

So. Epson are waiting for MS to come up with a patch which will automatically be downloaded as soon as available [ie if you are programmed for auto downloads]

Now you don't have to rush out and spend pounds on a 3rd party application. Epson suggested their own PhotoQuicker. I've tried it and it is more versatile than MS wizard. In fact for routine print jobs it's pretty good.....and its free. You will find it on your installation disc or if you did a full install you will find it in All Programs. Good Luck. Don

Terry

[Simon]

My cousin had exactly the same problem with an R200.  You may like to check out this thread for a solution.  

[Saddler]

Many Thanks Terry and Simon, This sounds like the root of the problem, especially as the 'good' PC does not have SP2 loaded, will use another printing app and try again.

Once again thanks to all.