EcoPRO FAQ Answers

1.1 How many lines per inch (LPI) can I print with EcoPRO? Or, stated another way, what is the maximum screen frequency I can print?

There is no magic number to answer this question, because it boils down to a trade-off between gray scale range--which translates to color range on the final screen-printed product--and spatial detail. In other words, with an imaging device at a given resolution, such as EcoPRO, two things happen when your screen frequency is increased:

	Spatial detail gets finer. The halftone dots that are made up of multiple EcoPRO device pixels are smaller. Because of this, the halftoning is less grainy, and edges of objects--especially curves and diagonals lines-are smoother.
	Gray scale range decreases. Because halftone dots get smaller as screen frequency (also called lines per inch or LPI) increases, they are made up of fewer device pixels. With fewer device pixels, there are fewer gray scale choices.

The formula for the number of gray shades obtainable on a single film separation is:

Number of gray shades = (dpi / lpi)² +1

dpi is the resolution of the imaging device in dots per inch. These dots are the fundamental pixels of the imaging device, used in patterns to build halftone dots. The base resolution of EcoPRO is 400 dpi. This is a function of the thermal imaging head. In other words, all pixels are 1/400th of an inch.

In the direction of film travel, EcoPRO can space the dots at three different intervals: 400, 800, and 1,600 dpi. The dot size doesn't change, just the spacing.

When using an asymmetrical resolution, such as 400 x 800 dpi, the number to use for dpi is the square root of the product of the resolutions of the two axes (film width and film travel).

For example, to determine the dpi for a 400 x 800 dpi image:

dpi = square root(400 * 800) = 565

lpi refers to the lines per inch, or screen frequency, of the halftone dots. This sets the interval for the halftone dots in a film separation.

Below is an example of a series of different percentage halftone dots, using an 8 x 8 halftone dot pattern. An EcoPRO Imager printing at 50 lpi and in 400 x 400 dpi resolution mode would use this pattern.

A dot percentage refers to the percentage that a halftone dot is filled with device pixels. When printing with EcoPRO, the above 8 x 8 halftone dot pattern is used when printing at 50 lpi and 400 x 400 dpi resolution. The 25% dot above shows 16 black pixels filled out of the 64 available.

The following table shows the number of gray shades per film separation obtainable by EcoPRO at various screen frequencies:

	Resolution of EcoPRO (DPI)
Screen Frequency (LPI)	400 x 400	400 x 800	400 x 1,600
15	712	1,423	2,845
25	257	513	1,025
35	132	262	523
45	80	159	317
55	54	107	213
65	39	77	152
85	23	45	90
100	17	33	65

As shown in the table, the number of gray shades is less than 100 at 85 lpi and above, even when printing at 400 x 1,600 dpi. In high quality color printing, 256 shades per separation is desired. In screen printing, good results are obtainable with fewer than 256 shades. However, when the number drops much below 100, color detail and smoothness of color blends start to diminish noticeably.

For this reason, we do not recommend going above 65 lpi if the design uses a significant amount of color shading: vignettes, detail in shadow and highlight areas, etc. If the design features fully saturated colors, where shading is non-existent or limited, then setting the screen frequency above 65 lpi may produce good results.

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1.2 For which screen printing applications is EcoPRO best suited?

At a base resolution of 400 dpi, EcoPRO achieves a quality level surprising to many who are accustomed to seeing higher resolution output. Some of the reasons for this are:

	EcoPRO pixels are consistent and well formed, the essential building block for consistent and uniform halftones
	The ability to address more dots on the film travel axis, using the 400 x 800 or 400x1,600 dpi resolution modes, produces smoother outlines and gray/color shade transitions (e.g. gradient fills).
	EcoPRO's tight registration produces clear outlines and consistent halftones.
	The wide exposure range of EcoFilm captures a wide range of gray scale, producing good color detail from highlights to shadows.

Even with this high level of quality, EcoPRO is not designed for every printing application. Many printing applications require higher resolution output devices. The best applications for EcoPRO are those using line screen frequencies of 65 lpi and below, and that place a higher priority on registration than on dimensional accuracy (see Question 4 in this section for more on registration and accuracy).

The screen printing product specialties that EcoPRO addresses best are shown below, along with the percentage of screen printers in the US that produce at least some of this specialty. The percentages were provided by the Screen printing and Graphical Imaging Association International (SGIA).

	Garments and Textile 58%
	Signs, POP displays 13%
	Decals and labels 13%

Textile garments are the most widely produced screen printing products, and are also the best fit for EcoPRO. The reason is that the soft, textured substrates used do not require resolution higher than EcoPRO's capabilities. High resolution devices are often overkill for this application because:

	Small dispersed dots will not hold on the press
	Screen meshes used are usually less than 400 threads per inch; therefore, high resolution dots on film will suffer more dot gain on the press. In other words, small dots will become larger during the final printing process.

A wide variety of signs, small banners, and POP displays can also be produced using EcoPRO. Some of these applications are accustomed to using higher resolution films, e.g. 1,000 dpi and higher. Some may actually require higher resolution, and the screen frequency they use is a good indicator: If it is significantly higher than 65 lpi, they may not be satisfied with EcoPRO films.

Beyond those that truly require higher resolution than EcoPRO can provide, there are others who are used to working with higher resolution, even if the application does not really need it. The best way to test this is to burn a screen using EcoFilm separations. This will often overcome skepticism; many have been pleasantly surprised with the output quality.

IMPORTANT: Comparing films is not sufficient. The important comparison is the quality of the final screen printed product, using the screens burned from the films.

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1.3 What types of color processes can use EcoPRO? Spot color? Process color?

First, what is the difference between process color and spot color?

Process color (CMYK) combines the primary colors--C stands for cyan, M for magenta, Y for yellow, and K for black--in combinations of halftone patterns to produce secondary colors. As shown above, cyan and yellow combine to produce green, magenta and yellow combine to produce red, and cyan, magenta and yellow all combine to produce black. In CMYK printing, there is an additional premixed black ink.

These 4 colors can be mixed in varying halftone percentages to produce millions of different color patterns. For example, use a higher percentage of yellow with magenta, and instead of red you get orange.

When printing CMYK process color, 4 separate films are used, one for each primary color. These films are commonly called film separations, or simply separations. Process color produces a wide range of colors in an efficient, cost effective manner

Spot color uses premixed inks for each printed color. One film separation is used for each color. Though simple print jobs may require only 1 or 2 spot colors, the use of 6-8 colors is common, and some jobs use more than 20 colors. There is a wide range of total colors available. For example, Pantone Corporation has defined and numbered over 1,000 spot colors.

The spot color process is less efficient than process color, but is more forgiving in the printing process. In process color, all of the color mixing is dependent on precise dot formation and alignment. Dot formation must be consistent, registration error must be minimized, screen angles for each film separation must be precise, etc. Using spot color, because each color is premixed, the process can be less precise and results will still be good.

EcoPRO, because of its precision and consistency, can print both process and spot color. With process color, it is particularly important to stay within the guideline of 65 lpi and below. Also, it is important to keep the thermal head and the rollers clean; this helps keep registration error at a minimum.

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1.4 What is the difference between accuracy and registration, and what are the accuracy and registration expectations of EcoPRO?

Accuracy refers to dimensions on a single page or film separation. Accuracy error is the difference between a specified dimension of an object in a design and the dimension of that same object when printed. For example, if you define a line to be 8 inches long and it prints out at 8.039 inches, the accuracy error is 0.039 inch.

Registration refers to how well design elements of two or more film separations align with one another. Registration error is the degree of misalignment. For example, if you align the top registration targets of two film separations, and the bottom targets are misaligned by 0.005 inch, the registration error would be 0.005 inch, or five thousandths.

What about the accuracy and registration of EcoPRO?

Accuracy error varies among individual EcoPRO units because of very slight differences in dimensions of certain parts. An example is the diameter of the grit drive roller, which transports the film across the thermal imaging head. Worst case accuracy error will be less than ± 0.100 for a 12x 18 inch image. This error will occur along the media travel axis, and will be very close to linear. In other words, the error over 9 inches of media travel will be approximately half of what it is over 18 inches.

There is no accuracy adjustment on EcoPRO. The good news is that the accuracy of a given EcoPRO Imager is highly repeatable. If that 8 inch line comes out to 8.039 inches when printed on a film separation, then it will be virtually identical on all separations.

One of EcoPRO's strengths is its registration. Because it is highly repeatable from separation to separation, registration for two or more 12 x 18 inch film separations is consistently less than 0.005 inch.

In most screen printing applications registration is more important than accuracy, because good alignment of separations produces sharp detail and consistent color rendering. Some label and decal applications place extra emphasis on accuracy; in these cases the user will want to characterize their unit and compensate accordingly.

One other note on EcoPRO accuracy: Dimensions along the media travel axis will be slightly longer for film than for paper. The reason is the grit drive roller penetrates paper more than film, effectively reducing the diameter of the roller. Also, film is a more stable media dimensionally than paper. For these reasons, film should be used when characterizing the accuracy of a unit; film also produces the best registration results.

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1.5 This film is more expensive than vellum. Why can't I just print with vellum?

There are many advantages of EcoFilm over vellum, including:

a. EcoFilm has an ultraviolet (UV) density range of 0.12 Dmin to 4.0 Dmax Dmin specifies the minimum density, or clarity, of the non-imaged portion of the film. Dmax specifies the highest UV density of fully saturated black portions of the film.

The UV density range of laser vellum is typically 0.4 Dmin to 1.8 Dmax

The UV density range of laser transparency--often called film, but lacking the exposure or quality characteristics of either traditional silver halide film or EcoFilm--is typically 0.2 Dmin to 1.8 Dmax.

Specifications may vary slightly from the above numbers, but EcoFilm will always have well over the twice the exposure range of vellum or laser film. What does this mean in terms of the final product? Screens are exposed with UV light, not visible light. A separation that looks good under visible light may be completely insufficient to get the same effect under UV light.

Because vellums and laser transparencies have a compressed Dmin-to-Dmax range, they make it difficult to get proper exposure when burning a screen. Because Dmax is low, it is easy to overexpose the screen, resulting in pinholes or burn-through. In other words, there will be voids in black or halftone areas, which will result in voids on the final print.

If exposure time is reduced to avoid these problems, a common result is that the emulsion for the entire screen remains too thin or soft. In this case it may be ruined in the washout process, or won't hold up on the press.

Vellum may work very well if the artwork involves only a few colors, or if the colors are all fully saturated. EcoPRO Imaging offers EcoVellum for the EcoPRO Imager to cover these types of jobs. However, when the artwork includes a wide range of halftones, EcoFilm is the only way to get consistent, high quality screens that produce the desired result on the final print.

b. Laser printers use toner, and the toner deposit on vellum or a laser transparency is not uniform. This can lead to pinholes on the screen--and print--even if the screen exposure is perfect.

c. Vellum is subject to shrinking and stretching, which produces inconsistent registration. This is a nuisance in spot color printing, and a disaster in process color printing. For EcoPRO, we recommend that EcoFilm be used for all process color print jobs.

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1.7 How long does film last?

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1.8 What is stochastic screening? Does EcoPRO support it?

Stochastic screening uses mathematical algorithms to randomly space pixels within an established framework. In other words, it is not completely random, but to the human eye does not have a discernible order. The result is variable spacing of dots, which differs from a conventional tint or halftone. Variable dot spacing is also referred to as frequency modulated, or FM, screening.

The examples below show the differences between stochastic and conventional rendering techniques.

	A flat tint uses fixed size dots with fixed spacing between the dots.
	A conventional halftone, by far the most widely used rendering technique in commercial printing, also has fixed spacing between dots, but varies the size of the halftone dots to produce halftone gray scale.
	1st order stochastic varies spacing between dots, but keeps dot size fixed.
	2nd order stochastic varies both dot spacing and size

EcoPRO supports first order stochastic screening in the raster mode of the windows 95 / 98 / NT 4.0 driver. However, stochastic screening is a promising but unproved rendering method for screen printing. Most screen printers have achieved better results so far using conventional halftone rendering.

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1.9 Does EcoPRO print gray scale?

Like most imaging devices used in commercial printing, EcoPRO prints different levels of gray by printing halftones. EcoPRO prints are made from two binary choices:

	Print a full black dot in a given space on the page
	Do not print anything in a given space on the page

Combinations of these black dots and unimaged space are grouped together in ordered patterns called halftone dots to produce shades of gray--and hence shades of color on the final print.

Devices that can print shades of gray at the fundamental pixel level are called continuous tone gray scale devices. Examples of this are dye sublimation printers and conventional cameras.

Refer to FAQ 1 in Pre-Sales Questions for more on the halftone gray scale capability of EcoPRO.

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1.10 I have been told there are 2 models of EcoPRO. What is the difference? What is included in the Network Upgrade Kit?

When EcoPRO was introduced, two models were available: the Standard model (53412EG) and the Network model (52412EG MX). Due to the overwhelming preference for the Network model, the Standard model was discontinued in April 1997. The network model has all of the features of the Standard model, plus the following:

	Internal PostScript capability; the PostScript code is in a flash module
	Network interface, supporting EtherTalk, TCP/IP, and Novell network protocols
	An extra 8 MB of RAM

The Network Upgrade Kit includes everything required to convert a Standard unit to a Network unit.

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1.11 What is the memory capacity of EcoPRO? Can I buy off-the-shelf memory? What are the memory specifications?

Refer to the table titled Maximum Page Length vs. Installed Memory in the Product section.

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1.12 How is EcoPRO serviced? What is the warranty? What is the price of a maintenance contract beyond the warranty period? Who do you call when you have problems?

The EcoPRO printer is serviced by the factory. During the Warranty period of 1 year, if the unit fails it will be replaced by EcoPRO Imaging. An annual service contract is available. With this contract if a unit fails it will be exchanged by EcoPRO. A replacement unit will be shipped to the customer, and arrangements made to return the failed unit.

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Installation and Setup

2.1 What cabling is needed to interface EcoPRO to a PC? A Mac?

Two types of connections can be made to the EcoPRO printer: Centronics and Ethernet. There are two connectors for Ethernet: RJ45 and AUI. RJ45 is the most common, but the AUI connector can be adapted to other Ethernet cable types, such as ThickNet (10Base 5) and ThinNet (10Base2).

For PC's in a stand-alone environment the common connection will be the Centronics connection. This connection uses a standard parallel printer cable that connects from the PC's LPT port to the printer Centronics connector.

For Macintosh computers the RJ45 connection (10BaseT cable) on the Ethernet card is most commonly used. The cable required is an RJ45 twisted pair Ethernet patch cable.

The included L-COM adapter (Part Number EC535D-10X) is used to convert a standard Ethernet cable to a cross-pinned Ethernet cable configuration. This device may be needed to connect the EcoPRO printer directly to a stand-alone computer.

To test if this adapter is needed, follow these steps:

1. Obtain an Ethernet patch cable of the desired length and connect from the computer Ethernet RJ45 connector to the printer RJ45 connector.

(The Macintosh Ethernet connector is identified as <^{. . .}>)

2. With the computer and printer power ON, check the LINK light on the back of EcoPRO printer (next to the RJ45 connector on the Ethernet adapter card)

3. If the LINK light is green, the device is connected and will show up on the network.

4. If the LINK light is yellow, install the L-COM adapter by connecting the Ethernet patch cable into the female end of the adapter and the male end of the adapter into the EcoPRO RJ45 connector.

5. Check that the LINK light turns green.

6. If the LINK light does not turn green with or without the L-COM adapter there may be a cable problem.

Most Macintosh Power PC computers have both the RJ45 and AAUI Ethernet ports. Early Macintosh Power PC's had only an AAUI Ethernet connector. If you have one of these, you will need to purchase a transceiver to convert from AAUI to 10baseT (RJ45)

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2.2 What are the current firmware and software versions

The current firmware versions for the EcoPRO are:

	Operating code Version 1.10P
	Boot code revision Version 1.01
	Diagnostic code Version 1.01

The Software drivers for PC/Windows computers are:

	Windows 3.1 Version 3.50
	Windows 95 Version 4.1 4.20
	Windows NT 4 Version 5.0 4.20
	DOS No support

The current versions of the PC/Windows software are available on the EcoPRO Imaging  web site, and ftp site. The web site address is: www.ecoproimaging.com

The current software for the Macintosh is:

Apple LaserWriter driver versions 8.3.4, 8.5.1 and 8.6.5 EcoPRO PPD, file version 2.0

The LaserWriter driver is provided by Apple along with the Macintosh operating system. Apple also has LaserWriter driver updates available on its web site.

http://www.apple.com

Select in order:

Tech Support On-line, Printers & Imaging, appropriate driver version.

EcoPRO works with LaserWriter 8.3.4, 8.5.1 and 8.6.5

IMPORTANT: Version 8.4.2 does NOT support custom page sizes. If you want to print custom page sizes, we recommend using 8.5.1 or newer.

If you have a LaserWriter driver and are not sure of the version, do the following:

	Go to the Apple menu, and select the Chooser
	Select the LaserWriter driver that you want to verify; then select EcoPRO or any other printer that is set up on your network.
	Close the Chooser
	Click on the desktop
	Go to the File menu, and select Print Desktop
	The version number is shown in the top right-hand corner of the Print dialogue box

EcoPRO Imaging ships the PPD (PostScript Printer Description) with each EcoPRO Imager. The PPD works in conjunction with the LaserWriter driver, and defines EcoPRO's unique characteristics, such as resolution, image size, and media types.

To verify the file version of your PPD:

	Highlight the PPD
	Perform a "Get info..."

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2.3 How do I upgrade my EcoPRO to the latest firmware?

Firmware 1.10p Upgrade Instructions

STATUS VERIFICATION

a. Power ON the printer.

b. After printer initialization, press the Scroll key until MORE OPTIONS is displayed.

c. Press the Select key.

d. Press the Scroll key until PRINTER CONFIG is displayed.

e. Press the Select key.

f. Press the Scroll key until BOOT REVISION is displayed

g. If the revision is 1.00, or 1.00p for PostScript units, then upgrade the firmware by following the upgrade instructions.

If the BOOT version is 1.01 or 1.01P, then skip steps A-C and G-I (setting BOOT protect jumper) of the upgrade instructions.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS

a. Remove the DRAM and FLASH SIMM modules. (See page 6-6 of the Operator's Manual.)

b. If the printed circuit board has "ECO PRINTER CONTROLLER" printed near DRAM SIMM socket, do the following:

Install the write enable jumper (right-most jumper pair of J8) located inboard of the SIMM sockets. See Figure 1.

        WPR jumper removed = Boot write protected (Default)
        WPR jumper installed = Boot write enabled

Figure 1

 

If printed circuit board has no title printed near DRAM SIMM socket, do the following:

Remove write protect jumper (right-most jumper pair of J8) located inboard of the SIMM sockets. See Figure 2.

        WPR jumper installed = Boot write protected (Default)
        WPR jumper removed = Boot write enabled

Figure 2

 

c. Reinstall the DRAM and FLASH SIMM modules.

d. Install the firmware following the IBM PC upgrade procedure step e, or Macintosh upgrade procedure step f.

e. IBM PC upgrade

i) Download the necessary file from the BBS, ftp or WEB site and expand it onto a floppy diskette or empty directory on the hard drive.

ii) Connect the EcoPRO printer to the PC's parallel port

iii) Power on the EcoPRO printer and wait for it to initialize.

iv) Run the UPGRADE.EXE program from the expanded files with the following modifiers:

v) UPGRADE or UPGRADE LPT1 to send the output to the LPT1 port

vi) UPGRADE LPT2 to send the output to the LPT2 port

vii) UPGRADE LPT3 to send the output to the LPT3 port

vii) Monitor the Printer control panel. Once the upgrade is complete the printer will re-initialize.

ix) Go to step G to reset the BOOT PROTECT jumped if needed.

NOTE: For printers networked and serviced by network queues, the firmware upgrade can be sent thought the existing queues. The redirection of an LPT port to the network queue must be done prior to running the upgrade file. This must be done by the system administrator.

f. Macintosh upgrade

i) Download the necessary file from the ftp or WEB site and expand it onto a floppy diskette or location on the hard drive.

ii) Quit all open applications on your Macintosh!!!

(This is important because upgrading the firmware by downloading with the LaserWriter Utility may hang your Macintosh, possibly resulting in unsaved data being lost.)

iii) Double-click on the "EcoPRO 1.10P Upgrade.sea" icon.

iv) Choose where you want to locate the extracted file (1.10P Update.dat) on your Macintosh and click "Save".

v) Power on the EcoPRO printer and wait for it to initialize.

vi) Run the chooser and select the LaserWriter driver and EcoPRO printer, then close the chooser.

vii). Run the LaserWriter utility.

viii) Select Utilities

ix) Select Download PostScript file.

x) Select the firmware file "1.10P Upgrade.dat" and select open.

xi) Select Save.

xii) Monitor the EcoPRO control panel while downloading, it will display "Remote Install" and other messages before finally displaying "on-line". At this point the upgrade is complete.

g. Remove the DRAM and FLASH SIMM's. See 6-13 of the Operators Manual.

h. Return the Write Protect Jumper on the J8 jumper block to the default configuration (see step b).

i. Reinstall the DRAM and FLASH SIMM's

CHECKOUT PROCEDURES

	Reset the printer by cycling power OFF/ON to assure the printer passes power-on initialization.
	Run the printer test print to verify operating software revision update and printer functionality.
	The printout should indicate the OS revision as 1.10p
	Boot code and Diag code as 1.01 or 1.01p
	Run a print to verify normal printer operation.

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2.4 How do I set up the EcoPRO on a network?

There are several network configurations on which the EcoPRO will work:

	EtherTalk: Macintosh Ethernet network protocol.
	Novell 2.x, 3.x and 4.x
	TCP/IP

The hardware connection to these networks supported by the EcoPRO Ethernet card can be 10baseT or AUI port.

When using the 10baseT (RJ45) connection, the LINK indicator on the Ethernet card will turn green when a good connection has been established.

EtherTalk

When connecting the EcoPRO to an existing EtherTalk network, plug a standard RJ45 10baseT cable from the network Hub to the EcoPRO RJ45 connector on the Ethernet card.

The Macintosh computers should have AppleTalk configured to work over Ethernet. For older Macintosh systems launch the Network control panel and then select EtherTalk. For newer Macintosh computers launch the AppleTalk control panel and then select Ethernet.

Open the chooser and select the LaserWriter driver. The EcoPRO should show in the printer window.

If the EcoPRO Imager has firmware version less than 1.03, the GX option on the printer control panel needs to be set to OFF. This option is found under MORE OPTIONS in the PRINTER CONFIG menu.

If this option is set to ON the printer will not broadcast itself as a LaserWriter device for Macintosh systems.

The following LaserWriter Driver problems have been identified.

If the LaserWriter Driver version prior to v8.3.4 is being used, you may have Network communication errors: A couple of pages are printed and errors occur.

If the LaserWriter Driver version 8.4.x is being used, custom paper size cannot be selected in the Page Setup dialog.

If either of the above problems are occurring, please install the LaserWriter Utility v8.3.4. This version is available only from Apple. Please contact them for the software or for further a assistance.

Their Web site address is: http://www.apple.com

Configuring a EcoPRO with the Ethernet card on Novell.

a. Verify the Novell server is running on 802.3 or Ethernet II frame type.

b. From the server console type config to check frame types

c. On the File server console from the : prompt enter

SET ALLOW UNENCRYPTED PASSWORDS=ON <Enter>.

(Novell 4.x only) SET BINDERY CONTEXT = O=(root context) <Enter>.

This should be added to the autoexec.ncf file. To edit the Autoexec.ncf file,

From the console type: load install From the install screen select edit autoexec.ncf.

d From the workstation login as supervisor or a user with supervisor rights, and run PCONSOLE.

e. (Novell 4.x only) Press the F4 key to activate bindery emulation.

f. From the Available Options select Change Current File Server.

g. Select the file server the EcoPRO will logon to and contain the print queue.

h. (Novell 3.x) Select Print Server Information.

i. (Novell 4.x) Select Print Servers. Bypass the message with the <Enter>.

j. Press <INSERT> and enter the print server name. FP(last six digits of the Ethernet address) <Enter>.

Example: For address 00C0E2000785, enter FP000785

NOTE: The Ethernet address can be read from the EcoPRO control panel by selecting MORE OPTIONS, PRINTER CONFIG, then scrolling to ETHERNET ADDR

k. Press <Esc>.

l. From the Available Options select Print Queue Information.

m. Press <INSERT> and enter a print queue name. Any name less than 15 characters.

n. Press <Enter> to view queue details.

o. (Novell 3.x) Select Queue Servers <Enter>.

p. (Novell 4.x) Select Print Servers <Enter>.

q. Press <INSERT>.

r. Select the FP(last six digits of the Ethernet address) print server.

s. Press <Esc> to exit PCONSOLE.

t. Reset the power of the EcoPRO printer

u. Verify the unit has logged onto the network by running PCONSOLE, Print Queue Information, Currently attached servers, and verify the Print Server FP (last six digits) is attached. Or from the DOS prompt type userlist and verify the EcoPRO has logged on, It will display as a user by the name fp(last six digits).

TCP/IP printing: EcoPRO Ethernet card supports LPR printing.

a. For LPR printing the EcoPRO must have an IP address assigned.

NOTE: The IP address can be read from the EcoPRO control panel by selecting MORE OPTIONS, PRINTER CONFIG, then scrolling to ETHERNET_IP

b. If the EcoPRO IP address has not been set it can be set by copying a file to the CENTRONICS port containing the following:

&&&&CALCOMP DEVICE CONTROL

ETHER_IP(100.100.100.100)

^^^^END OF FILE

The 100.100.100.100 is representing the address the EcoPRO will be set to in this example.

c. For Windows NT systems the printer can be set to use an LPR port. The TCP/IP services must be loaded for this option. When adding a printer in NT select the port as other, then select LPR port. Enter the following:

	Enter the IP address as the "Host name or IP address"
	Enter "raw" as the "name of printer or queue name" in lower case.

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2.5 I installed a 32 MB SIMM, but my Macintosh shows only 4 MB available

Go to the Chooser on the Apple menu, select the appropriate LaserWriter driver, and choose EcoPRO. Then select:

Setup Update Printer Information

This will cause the driver to go out and query the EcoPRO for the latest configuration. After this procedure, the correct amount of memory should appear.

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2.6 Can I connect EcoPRO to an EtherTalk network? A LocalTalk network?

The EcoPRO supports EtherTalk through its internal Ethernet interface, through either the RJ45 or the AUI connector.

The EcoPRO does not support communication over a LocalTalk network. The reason this was not provided is that Ethernet's maximum transmission rate is about 100 times faster than that of LocalTalk. Today's large, complex PostScript files take far too long to process over a LocalTalk network.

All PowerMacs come equipped with the Ethernet connections required to connect to an EcoPRO Imager. Older Macs may not have these connections. There are several third party Ethernet interfaces available for the older Macs. Ask your local Macintosh dealer.

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2.7 The network card is not communicating; or the Ethernet interface is hung; or the link light is remaining RED, not turning GREEN

The Ethernet card may need to be reset. Perform the following steps:

a. Turn the printer power off and remove the Ethernet card from the printer.

b. The Ethernet board contains a bank of eight jumper switches.

Install a jumper across SW7 on the Ethernet board.

Perform this step by removing the existing jumper from the single pin of SW7 (neutral position) and repositioning it across both pins of SW7.

c. Reinstall the Ethernet board into the printer.

d. Turn power on the printer and wait for the printer to complete initialization. The printer will display: ONLINE.

e. Turn the printer power off and remove the Ethernet board from the printer.

f. Remove the jumper from SW7 and reposition it in the neutral position.

g. Reinstall the Ethernet board into the printer.

h. Turn power on the printer and wait for the printer to complete initialization. The printer will display: ONLINE.

i. Resume normal printer operation.

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2.8 The unit won't initialize at all. The LED is blank.

The panel has these "BLANK" conditions:

a. The display shows blank with no back-light.

b. The display has solid black squares.

If the display has no output and no back-light the display may be faulty, The cable may be disconnected or  there maybe some other interruption of power to the display.

Check that other parts of the printer have power: The Ethernet card LED’s, fan. etc.

Also check that the cable to the control panel is not damaged or disconnected.

If the display has solid black squares, the boot code has been corrupted and requires a reload. This operation needs to be done by the factory or a qualified service technician.

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2.9 Get"Initializing 6" message, then the unit hangs

For units with a Ethernet board, it is possible that on power-up,

the EcoPRO printer will hang displaying the message:

INITIALIZING 6

If this should occur, then the Ethernet board needs to be reset.

Perform the following steps:

a. Turn the printer power off and remove the Ethernet board from the printer.

b. The Ethernet board contains a bank of eight jumper switches. Install a jumper across SW7 on the Ethernet board. Perform this step by removing the existing jumper from the single pin of SW7 (neutral position) and repositioning it across both pins of SW7.

c. Reinstall the Ethernet board into the printer.

d. Turn power on the printer and wait for the printer to complete initialization. The printer will display: ONLINE.

e. Turn the printer power off and remove the Ethernet board from the printer.

f. Remove the jumper from SW7 and reposition it in the neutral position.

g. Reinstall the Ethernet board into the printer.

h. Turn power on the printer and wait for the printer to complete initialization. The printer will display: ONLINE.

I. Resume normal printer operation.

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2.10 When I close the lid, the control panel still reads "Cover Open"

The cover switch is located on the left inside wall of the EcoPRO printer. It is activated by an actuator attached to the lid.

The switch can be tested by manually pressing the switch while monitoring the control panel display. The display should change back to ONLINE a few seconds after the switch is depressed.

If the switch is OK, then check that the actuator contacts the roller arm of the cover switch.

If the actuator is pressing on the roller arm of the switch but the display does not change, the switch may be out of adjustment. The switch is mounted on a mounting plate that has elongated holes to allow the switch to be adjusted. Loosen the mounting screws and position the switch so it activates when the cover is closed.

If activating the switch manually does not cause the display to change, the switch or the electronics on the motherboard may be faulty. Either case requires a part replacement by the factory or a qualified service technician.

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2.11 The unit seems connected properly, but is not receiving data

a. If you are using the LPT port from the PC to the Centronics connector of the printer, Check the cable to make sure it’s seated in the connectors at both ends.

b. Verify the cable length is less than 12 FT. Parallel cables cannot exceed 12 FT, including switch boxes unless they are double shielded. A double shielded cable cannot exceed 25 FT. in length

c. If the port has DONGLES, disk drives (Iomega, ZIP, etc.), tape backup drives, disconnect these devices and retry printing.

d. On the printer control panel the input port can be set to ETHERNET, CENTRONICS or AUTO. Make sure this setting is set to the port that the data is being sent to, or set to AUTO to allow the printer to auto select the port that is receiving data.

e. If the printer is connected to a Novell network, make sure the Ethernet card is logging into the server by using PCONSOLE. refer to "2.4 How do I set up the EcoPRO on a network".

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2.12 What driver do I need for Windows 3.1, 95 / 98, and NT 4.0 ?

The Windows 3.1 driver that ships with the EcoPRO unit is the most current version of the driver.

The Windows 95 / 98 driver has been upgraded. The latest version is on the WEB and FTP site. The file names are  ECOPRO42_1.EXE and EPRO42_2.EXE.

The Windows NT drivers are on the WEB and FTP site.

The filename for NT4.0 is NT40X86.EXE. version 5.0

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2.13 EcoPRO is not showing up in the Chooser on my Mac

If the EcoPRO is not showing up in the chooser one of the following problems may exist:

	Cable problem. For more information, refer to FAQ 1 under Installation and Setup: "2.1 What cabling is needed...?"
	A network set up problem. Refer to question 4 in this section--"2.4 How do I setup the EcoPRO on a network?"
	The Ethernet card may need to be reset. Refer to question 8 under Installation and Setup: "2.7 Network card not communicating".

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2.14 The driver didn't install. The printer is not responding.

If the driver was down-loaded from EcoPRO Imaging's web site electronic distribution, (WEB or FTP) the download may have been corrupted. Download and expand the files once again.

a. The Windows 3.1 installation uses a SETUP.EXE program. Do not use the Control panel. Printers, Add function to install the driver.

b. The Windows 95 driver shipped with the printer version 3.50 also used the SETUP.EXE program to install the driver. Installing the driver using the "Add printer wizard" will cause an "Error 255" when attempting to print.

c. The latest Windows 95 driver (rev 4.20) uses the "Add printer wizard" to install the driver.

d. The Windows NT4.0 driver uses the "Add printer wizard" to install the driver.

NT 4.0 System requirements:

- 486 or better

- 16 MB of memory or more

- 20 MB of free disk space, more for large raster plots.

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2.15 What file is needed to make EcoPRO talk to a network?

For the Macintosh only the LaserWriter driver is needed, for Novell network or TCP/IP network, no additional files are needed. See "How do I setup the EcoPRO on a network?"

For a Windows 95 network with no Novell or NT servers output can be sent using an application DigiLPR. This application is available from MILAN:

ftp://ftp.milan.com/pub/software/Windows95

File name: WIN95LPR.EXE

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2.16 Can't get Mac driver to install; or EcoPRO is not showing up in the Chooser.

For the Macintosh computers use the Macintosh LaserWriter driver.

The following LaserWriter Driver problems have been identified:

	If the LaserWriter Driver version prior to v8.3.4 is being used, you may have Network communication errors: A couple of pages are printed and errors occur.
	If the LaserWriter Driver version 8.4 is being used, custom paper size cannot be selected in the Page Setup dialog.
	If either of the above problems are occurring, please install the LaserWriter v 8.5.1 or 8.6.5 4. These version is available only from Apple. Please contact them for the software or for further a assistance. Apple's web site address is: www.apple.com

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Printing PostScript Files

3.1 The Cutter is turned OFF at the printer, but it is still cutting after every separation; or the Cutter is turned ON but no cutting is taking place.

Cutter commands in the Laserwriter Driver/EcoPRO PPD override control panel settings on EcoPRO. This is preferred because it allows the user to have maximum control from the host computer. Make sure the preferred setting is chosen. To do this:

	Select PRINT on the FILE menu
	Select OPTIONS. If you are using Laserwriter v8.4.2 or newer, the main PRINT dialogue box has a window for selecting general,application specific, or printer specific options. Select PRINTER SPECIFIC OPTIONS.
	Select your preferred choice from AUTO CUT.

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3.2 I am having trouble getting the proper print results. I am experiencing one of the following:

	Getting the wrong page, or the image clips on the page.
	The custom page size function doesn't work
	I want to print separations, but I am getting only composite prints
	Composite prints look great, but separations are not coming out right.
	My print resolution does not look right
	My registration marks don't fit.
	Do I have a choice of screen frequencies or angles?

This establishes the proper size, margins, and other options for the design, and should be properly established at the onset of the design process. Document Setup/Layout is controlled by the application (e.g. CorelDraw, Illustrator, etc.), but is closely related to Page Setup.

Some tips on choosing document layout size:

	Make sure the size you choose is compatible with the prints you eventually will want to make.
	If you are going to be printing film separations, allow some space--at least 0.5 inch extra for each margin, for registration marks and other separation data (e.g. separated color, screen frequency, screen angle).
	In some applications, for example Adobe Illustrator, there is a check box in Document Setup that reads USE PAGE SETUP. This is useful if you want to make sure the Page Setup and Document Setup always match.
	Some applications require that the printer's PPD be installed and selected. See the application's documentation for details.

b. Page Setup

Page Setup is used to set up the page for printing. It is controlled by the printer driver and the PPD specific to the output device, in this case, the EcoPRO PPD. It is usually best to match document size to page size in document setup. Some other tips:

	Mac users: Use LaserWriter driver v 8.5.1 or 8.6.5 if you want to print custom page sizes.
	If your document has already been established as either smaller or larger than the page size compatible with EcoPRO, you can use the scaling function in Page Setup to compensate. The scaling is represented by a percentage, similar scaling an image on a photocopier.

c. Separation Setup

Separation Setup is for the special settings that relate to film separations. It is application specific, but the functions are basically the same for each application. This area has tripped up many users who thought setting up the document and the page was enough. Some tips to avoid such problems:

	Make sure the proper PPD is selected in Separation Setup. Even though you may have chosen the proper PPD in the Chooser, there is a separate setting in Separation Setup in some applications.
	Set the page size to the same size selected for Document Setup and Page Setup. Keep in mind that if the document size setting in Document Setup is too large, nothing you do in Separation Setup will compensate. The only compensation available in most packages is the scaling function in Page Setup.
	If your separation page is smaller than your document/page setup size, your image will be clipped.
	This is the section to set screen frequency and angles. Although there are default settings, screen frequencies and angles can be set for each separated color. In most applications, click on each color and the selections will appear.
	Select CONVERT TO PROCESS if you want to use CMYK printing exclusively. This will use CMYK to approximate all of the spot colors in the job. If you want each spot color to have its own film separation--for more accurate spot color--do NOT check CONVERT TO PROCESS.

d. Print

This selection is where you execute the command to PRINT to EcoPRO. Before printing, check these areas:

One of the choices in this dialogue box is SEPARATE or COMPOSITE. Choose SEPARATE if printing film separations; check COMPOSITE if printing a non-separated check print. NOTE: You may get different results from your composite image size to your separations image size if the Separation Setup page size does not match the page sizes selected in Document Setup and Page Setup. The reason is Separation Setup applies only to separations, not to composite images.

Select PRINT OPTIONS to set printer resolution, media type, and cut option.

If you have followed the steps through Document Setup, Page Setup, Separation Setup, and Print, you will get consistent results every time. The look of each software application is unique, which can cause some initial confusion, but getting familiar with the basic functions discussed here will not take long, and will pay dividends.

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3.3 I get an "insufficient RAM error"; or I can't print as large a page as I want; or what is the page size capability?

An insufficient RAM error indicates that there is not enough random access memory (RAM) in the EcoPRO Imager to process the current job. Memory for an individual job are affected mainly by two variables: page size and the print resolution. If either of these is increased, more memory is required.

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3.4 The page orientation is wrong

Page orientation is set by selecting portrait or landscape from the application or driver. This selection will rotate the image within the defined paper size. This selection will not rotate the defined paper size.

If the paper size is defined as width 8.5" height 11" then the output will not fill across the 12" roll. It will use 8.5" of the roll media. Selecting landscape will only rotate the image within the same paper size so the output will still only fill 8.5" of the 12" roll.

To make the image use 11" of the 12" roll, select custom page size with the width 11" and the height 8.5". Some of the page sizes are defined as transverse; for example, letter size is defined as "letter" and "letter transverse". For sizes not defined, then use the custom size to define page sizes to optimize the width of the 12" imageable area.

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3.5 I am not getting the resolution I expected on my output; or what is the resolution capability?

The basic resolution of EcoPRO is 400 dots per inch (dpi). This resolution is enhanced by the capability of addressing more dpi in the direction of film travel. This does not reduce the size of the dot, which remains 1/400th of an inch. It simply increase the number of dots that can be printed on one axis (the dots print across the film at 400 per inch independent of resolution setting).

EcoPRO offers printing at 400 x 400 dpi, 400 x 800 dpi, and 400 x 1,600 dpi.

Why print more dots when dot size is not reduced? There are two main benefits:

	It produces smoother outlines of fonts and objects. This is most evident when the outlines are diagonal or curved.
	A greater number of dots means more gray scale choices. Refer to FAQ 1 in the Pre-Sales questions for more information.
	If the user is not getting expected resolution, there are two possible answers;
	The user expects higher resolution because of experience with higher resolution devices, such as high-end imagesetters.
	The resolution setting is not set to the desired level. Go into the PRINT dialogue box and select OPTIONS, then select PRINT MODE. The recommended choices for best quality output are 400 x 800 dpi and 400 x 1,600 dpi.

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3.6 The unit freezes/crashes after it prints

To isolate the cause of this condition try the following:

	Power cycle the printer and re-send the job to see if a software glitch caused the problem.
	Print from another application to see if the problem is with the application.
	Check the driver advanced postscript options to verify the a Control D is sent after each print job.
	Check the print job file size to see if it is larger than the available memory in the printer.
	If in a network environment, check to see if a print banner is sent prior to, or after the print job. This is a common problem with Novell networks and LPR printing.

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3.7 How do you get rid of a PostScript error? Once I get one, they continue to occur.

	Power cycle the printer and re-send the job to see if a software glitch caused the problem.
	The Ethernet card may have the firmware corrupted by the print job. Reset the card, see "Network card not communicating", FAQ 8 under Installation and Setup.
	Try sending a different print job from a different application.
	Try to re-boot the computer and re-send the print job.
	If the error is a memory error then try to print a smaller job, or add memory to the printer.

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3.8 Getting head over temp message. Cannot get output

a. If your printer has firmware operating system revision less than 1.04p then the printer can get into a head over temperature condition from which it will not recover. The printer should be upgraded to the latest revision (1.10p). See "List the current firmware and Software versions".

b. If the printer has revision 1.04 or greater and gets the head over temperature error, once the head temperature cools back to normal operating temperature the printer will resume printing. While in the cooling mode the control panel will display "COOLING DOWN Please wait".

c. With 1.04 or greater firmware the printer will check the print head temperature prior to starting the print job. If the temperature is in the normal range it will print. If the head temperature is still hot from the last job it will wait for the head to cool. The printer will verify the temperature is cool enough to print an 18" solid black print without causing an over temperature error. If the prints are longer than 18" then it is still possible to have the printer reach the over temperature condition. If dense prints greater than 18" are to be printed, the operator may need to allow additional cooling time between prints to prevent the over temperature condition.

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3.9 How long does it take to print a file?

The time to print a file is virtually impossible to determine. The size and complexity of the file, along with the number of fonts, both printer resident and downloadable soft fonts, the output page size, computer speed, output format (CCRF or PostScript), Foreground or background printing, and network traffic can all play a factor in the time for the printer to print.

If the printer is receiving Raster (CCRF) data, it will begin to print as soon as the data has filled the printer memory. In CCRF mode the memory is used to buffer the print job so the printer will not starve for data and have to stop and start during the print job. If the print job is larger than the available printer memory, the printer will print while continuing to receive data.

If the printer is receiving PostScript data it will have to receive the entire print job prior to starting to process the PostScript job. After the print job is received the printer processing time will depend on the print job size, fonts, output size and output mode.

Generally the larger the job, the more fonts used, the larger the output size and the higher the resolution, the longer the job will take to print.

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3.10 The unit is printing twice the length it should (or half the length)

The printer has print modes that input 400 x 400, 400 x 800 and 400 x 1600 DPI. If the driver is set to "use printer value" then the data may not match the setting of the printer.

For the Macintosh make sure to set and :SAVE" the print settings in PRINT MODE, found in the PRINT dialogue box under the FILE menu. While you are at it, set and save the other options as well (cut..etc.).

For Windows NT make sure the values are set as the default settings. This is done by highlighting the printer in the printers window and selecting file, document defaults, then setting the desired values.

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3.11 I have set up parameters for all my separations, but I am getting a composite print

Refer to FAQ 3.2 under Printing PostScript Files.

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3.12 How do you set screen angles? Screen frequency?

Refer to FAQ 3.2 under Printing PostScript Files.

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3.13 I can't get high resolution output from CorelDraw

If you are running CorelDraw in Windows 95 / 98, the first step is to make sure you are using the latest driver for Windows 95 / 98. CorelDraw saves the default settings on the default printer when it starts. Any changes made to the printer driver by using the "Printers window" will not change the settings for CorelDraw. To modify settings to the printer with CorelDraw, they must be done from Corel's print setup, or from the print function and selecting print options.

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3.14 All kinds of errors when printing out of CorelDraw

The majority of problems with CorelDraw were resolved with the new Windows 95 driver. See "List current Firmware and Software versions".

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3.15 I printed an 8 1/2 x 11" image in high res mode and got error message

Refer to the table Maximum Page Length vs. Installed Memory in the Product section.

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3.16 I get a communication error after printing the first separation

This problem may be a LaserWriter Driver problem when using Illustrator. Make sure you have LaserWriter 8.3.4 or newer. Intermittent communication problems can also be a result of faulty cabling, Ethernet hubs or a faulty Ethernet card in the printer.

Some large files with separations from illustrator have intermittent hangs. They can cause the Ethernet card to become corrupted. If this happens then reset the Ethernet card. See "2.7 The Network card is not communicating; is frozen; or the status light is red".

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3.17 Error printing over 18 inches

Refer to the table Maximum Page Length vs. Installed Memory in the Product section.

Also, Macintosh users must use LaserWriter v 8.5.1 or 8.6.5 and have the proper EcoPRO PPD loaded to make custom page sizes work properly. Refer to "2.2 List current firmware and software versions".

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3.18 I get blank space between separations

The printer will put a small blank area between pages. Normally 1/2 inch. If the area seems larger than this then verify the printer page size is the same size as the image, or application page size. One way to check the output page size is to include crop marks or registration marks. These are on the edge of the page. Also if the application has a print preview function, this will show how the image will fit on the selected page size and show the amount of blank area that will be printed.

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3.19 Scaling is off when using custom page sizes

Scaling is typically controlled by the application. Functions such as fit to page, maintain aspect ratio, page numbers and titles can modify the final output size. The printer has no scaling capability, this function is a setup of the driver or application.

Make sure the application settings are correct and that scaling settings in the driver (If available) are set as desired. Some applications will override scaling settings of the driver while others will allow the driver scale setting to be applied. Verify that scaling is done by either the driver or the application, but not both. The best method is to do the scaling in the application when it's available.

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Print Quality Issues

 

4.1 The registration error is excessive

If your registration is consistently above 0.005 inch over an 18 inch print, you should go through the following checklist to get back on track:

	Excessive registration can be caused by improper loading. The most common loading error is that the film is not centered, causing skew in the image. This will usually be corrected within several feet of film, but a separation can be wasted. Follow the Loading Media instructions in the EcoPRO Operator's Manual.
	Registration problems can also arise if the unit is not clean. The thermal imaging head and the rollers--especially the grit drive roller--must be clean for optimum registration. The Routing Maintenance section of the EcoPRO Operator's Manual has instructions for cleaning the grit roller and other interior surfaces as well as head cleaning instructions.
	An extra tip not found in the manual: Clean the bottom surface of each saddle that holds the media hubs. This will help retain proper back tension on the film, which helps minimize registration error.

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4.2 I cleaned my thermal head carefully, but I am still getting streaks, voids or other image artifacts on my film separations.

The Routine Maintenance section of the EcoPRO Operator's Manual has detailed cleaning instructions. Follow them carefully. Here are a few extra cleaning tips:

- To help concentrate on trouble areas, line up the problem image with the thermal head. Images emerge from EcoPRO printed side up. With film, especially if using mirror images, this can be confusing. It is helpful to notice that the printed, or coated, side of the film has a duller finish than the non-printed side

The top edge of the image emerges first, so line up the bottom (trailing) edge of the image with the thermal head. If in doubt, watch the image emerge just before cleaning the head.

Concentrate on the areas where the streaks or voids show on the film.

-The cleaning instructions in the manual call for a mixture of 50% isopropyl alcohol and 50% water. This works well, but a bottle of 70% isopropyl, which is commonly found in many stores, works just as well and avoids the mixing hassle.

- If small voids keep occurring, there is probably too much dust in the machine. Vacuuming and wiping down the whole imaging area with a lint-free cloth will usually solve this problem.

- A clean unit usually stays that way longest when the top cover is left closed. Open only when cleaning is really needed; this will keep the dust out.

- When using Head-Cleaning Tool, make sure to keep the head moist with alcohol. Since alcohol dries rapidly, the best way to do this is to move along the head with the alcohol swab and follow right behind with the Head-Cleaning Tool. This way, you are truly cleaning, not just polishing.

- Run your thumb along the image head when finished with the cleaning procedure. Feel for any non-smooth areas, and clean again in the area where any are found. Run along the head one final time with the thumb to remove any small debris. Natural oils from the thumb (assuming clean hands) actually have a positive cleaning effect. This may be counter-intuitive, but it works!

- If a thorough cleaning was necessary, the first imaged film after cleaning may still have some voids and streaks from dust that accumulated on the exposed surface. Fresh areas of film will not be contaminated with dust and should give clean output. It may take a short length of film to remove the last bit of debris off the image head. The test image resident in the printer can be used for this.

- EcoFilm is the cleanest of the EcoPRO media. Paper gives off the most debris and requires the most frequent cleaning. Vellum falls in the middle on the scale. Always look for dust or debris in the imaging head area, including all rollers, when switching from either paper or vellum to film.

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4.3 The thermal image head is defective

It is possible that the thermal head is defective. It could be scratched, or simply worn out from use over time. However, what appears to be a defective head is often just a dirty head. If a small amount of debris gets baked on to the head, the result is a streak or scratch that runs in the film travel direction.

Follow the thermal head cleaning instructions carefully, including the extra tips provided in FAQ 2 under Printing PostScript Files.

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4.4 There are lines down the image in the direction of film travel

Refer to the previous question and cleaning tips in FAQ 2 under Printing PostScript Files.

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4.5 Lines or stripes are showing up that run across the width of the film (in the direction of the thermal imaging head).

This may be caused by a dirty thermal imaging head. Debris baked on the head may cause film to stick to the head, causing an uneven film travel that can lead to lines/stripes across the width of the film. Follow the thermal head cleaning instructions carefully, including the extra tips provided in FAQ 2 under Printing PostScript Files.

Also, clean the media hub saddles with alcohol. Sticky saddles can make the media jump and chatter, which can cause lines/stripes. Also inspect the area of the hubs that rub on the saddles.

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4.6 Lines are appearing on the right side of scanned images.

This is caused by anomalies in earlier revisions of firmware and driver code. Be sure that the unit has the current firmware installed and that the most current drivers are being used. Please refer to FAQ 2.2 for version information.

4.7 The unit makes a cutting pass but does not cut film.

	Make sure that the media is loaded straight. If it is skewed badly, the cutter may not reach the edge of the media.
	Also make sure that the head assembly is locked down properly, with the green latches in a vertical position. This is covered in the Loading Media section of the EcoPRO Operator's Manual.
	If the cutting problems continue, call the EcoPRO Imaging for assistance.

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4.8 I see some jagged lines on fonts, diagonal lines, circles, etc.

	First of all, EcoPRO is fundamentally a 400 dpi device, although it can address up to 1,600 dpi along the film travel axis. Therefore, it will not achieve the degree of smoothness on fonts, diagonals and circles as a high-end imagesetter. These high-end devices are often well over 2,000 dpi.
	Jagged lines (aliasing) will be minimized by printing at 400 x 1,600 dpi, or at least at 400x800 dpi. Make sure you select one of these higher resolution modes in your print options. When you arrive at the setting that gives the best result, make sure to save the setting. There is a print options save choice in the EcoPRO print driver.

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4.9 The quality of fine lines is inconsistent; or, the image is either not printing or is printing too light on one side.

	Check to see if the media setting matches the type of media being used. For example, if EcoFilm is being imaged the media setting must be on EcoFilm, NOT on EcoBond or EcoVellum.
	Make sure the green latches that lock down the head assembly are locked down properly. The tabs will be vertical is properly locked. If they are not, push down firmly on the green handle until they lock into place.
	Make sure the media is loaded straight, to avoid losing information on one of the edges.

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