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HP 5550dtn HP Color LaserJet 5550 series - User Guide - Page 142

Matching colors, PANTONE®* color matching, Sample book color matching

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Matching colors The process of matching printer output color to your computer screen is quite complex because printers and computer monitors use different methods of producing color. Monitors display colors by light pixels using an RGB (red, green, blue) color process, but printers print colors using a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) process. Several factors can influence your ability to match printed colors to those on your monitor. These factors include: ● print media ● printer colorants (inks or toners for example) ● printing process (inkjet, press, or laser technology for example) ● overhead lighting ● personal differences in perception of color ● software applications ● printer drivers ● computer operating system ● monitors ● video cards and drivers ● operating environment (humidity for example) Keep the above factors in mind when colors on your screen do not perfectly match your printed colors. For most users, the best method for matching colors on your screen to your printer is to print sRGB colors. PANTONE®* color matching PANTONE®* has multiple color matching systems. PANTONE®* Matching System is very popular and uses solid inks to generate a wide range of color hues and tints. See http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550_software for details on how to use PANTONE®* Matching System with this printer. Sample book color matching The process for matching printer output to preprinted sample books and standard color references is complex. In general, you can obtain a reasonably good match to a sample book if the inks used to create the sample book are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. These are usually referred to as process color sample books. Some sample books are created from spot colors. Spot colors are specially created colorants. Many of these spot colors are outside of the gamut of the printer. Most spot color sample books have companion process sample books that provide CMYK approximations to the spot color. Most process sample books will have a note on what process standards were used to print the sample book. In most cases they will be SWOP, EURO, or DIC. To get optimal color matching to the process sample book, select the corresponding ink emulation from the printer menu. If you cannot identify the process standard, use SWOP ink emulation. 128 Chapter 6 Color ENWW

Section	Page
Printer basics	15
Quick access to printer information	16
World Wide Web links	16
User guide links	16
Where to look for more information	16
Printer configurations	19
HP Color LaserJet 5550	19
HP Color LaserJet 5550n	19
HP Color LaserJet 5550dn	20
HP Color LaserJet 5550dtn	21
HP Color LaserJet 5550hdn	22
Printer features	24
Walk around	26
Printer software	27
Software features	27
Printer drivers	28
Software for Macintosh computers	31
Installing the printing system software	32
Uninstalling the software	37
Software for networks	37
Utilities	38
Print media specifications	41
Supported paper weights and sizes	41
Control panel	45
Control panel overview	46
Display	46
Accessing the control panel from a computer	47
Control panel buttons	48
Interpreting control panel indicator lights	49
Control panel menus	50
Getting started basics	50
Menu hierarchy	51
To access the menus	51
Retrieve job menu (for printers with a hard drive)	51
Information menu	51
Paper handling menu	52
Configure device menu	52
Diagnostics menu	53
Retrieve job menu (for printers with a hard drive)	55
Information menu	56
Paper handling menu	57
Configure device menu	58
Printing menu	58
Print quality menu	59
System setup menu	60
I/O menu	62
Resets menu	63
Diagnostics menu	64
Changing printer control panel configuration settings	66
Job storage limit	66
Job held timeout	66
Show address	67
Color/black mix	67
Tray behavior options: Use Requested Tray and manually feed	68
PowerSave Time	69
Personality	70
Clearable warnings	71
Auto continue	71
Supplies low	72
Color supply out	72
Jam recovery	73
Language	73
Using the printer control panel in shared environments	74
I/O Configuration	75
Network configuration	76
Configuring Novell NetWare frame type parameters	76
Configuring TCP/IP parameters	77
Parallel configuration	83
USB configuration	84
Jetlink connection configuration	85
Enhanced I/O (EIO) configuration	86
HP Jetdirect print servers	86
Available enhanced I/O interfaces	86
NetWare networks	86
Windows and Windows NT networks	87
AppleTalk networks	87
UNIX/Linux networks	87
Wireless printing	88
IEEE 802.11b standard	88
Bluetooth	88
Printing tasks	89
Controlling print jobs	90
Source	90
Type and Size	90
Print setting priorities	90
Selecting print media	92
Media to avoid	92
Media that may damage the printer	92
Configuring input trays	94
Configuring trays when the printer gives a prompt	94
Loading Tray 1 for one-time use	94
Loading Tray 1 when the same paper is used for multiple print jobs	96
Printing envelopes from Tray 1	98
Loading detectable media into Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5	99
Loading undetectable/standard size media into Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5	102
Loading custom media into Trays 2, 3, 4, and 5	104
Configuring trays using the Paper Handling menu	107
Printing on special media	109
Transparencies	109
Glossy paper	109
Colored paper	110
Printing images	110
Envelopes	110
Labels	111
Heavy paper	111
HP LaserJet Tough paper	112
Preprinted forms and letterhead	112
Recycled paper	112
Two-sided (duplex) printing	113
Control panel settings for automatic two-sided printing	114
Duplexing blank pages	115
Options for binding two-sided printing jobs	115
Manual two-sided (duplex) printing	115
Printing booklets	116
Adjusting the registration	116
Special printing situations	118
Printing a different first page	118
Printing a blank back cover	118
Printing on custom-size media	118
Stopping a print request	119
Job storage features	119
Storing a print job	120
Quick copying a job	120
Proofing and holding a job	121
Private jobs	122
Mopier mode	123
Managing memory	124
Managing the printer	125
Printer information pages	126
Menu map	126
Configuration page	126
Supplies status page	127
Usage page	127
Demo	128
Print CMYK samples	128
Print RGB samples	128
File directory	128
PCL or PS font list	129
Event log	129
Using the embedded Web server	130
To access the embedded Web server using a network connection	130
Information tab	131
Settings tab	131
Networking tab	132
Other links	132
Using the HP Toolbox	133
Supported operating systems	133
Supported browsers	133
To view HP Toolbox	133
HP Toolbox sections	134
Other links	134
Status tab	134
Troubleshooting tab	134
Alerts tab	135
Documentation tab	135
Device Settings button	135
HP Toolbox links	135
Color	137
Using color	138
Paper selection	138
HP ImageREt 3600	138
Best image printing	138
Color options	138
sRGB	139
Printing in four-colors (CMYK)	139
Managing printer color options	140
Print in Grayscale	140
Automatic or manual color adjustment	140
Matching colors	142
PANTONE®* color matching	142
Sample book color matching	142
Printing color samples	143
Color emulation of the HP Color LaserJet 4550	143
Maintenance	145
Managing the print cartridge	146
HP print cartridges	146
Non-HP print cartridges	146
Print cartridge authentication	146
HP fraud hotline	146
Print cartridge storage	147
Print cartridge life expectancy	147
Approximate replacement intervals for supplies	147
Checking the print cartridge life	148
Changing print cartridges	149
To change the print cartridge	149
Replacing supplies	153
Locating supplies	153
Supply replacement guidelines	153
Making room around the printer for replacing supplies	154
Configuring e-mail alerts for supplies status	155
Periodic cleaning	156
When to clean the OHT sensor	156
To clean the OHT sensor	156
When to clean the static discharge comb	159
To clean the static discharge comb	160
Problemsolving	163
Basic troubleshooting checklist	165
Factors affecting printer performance	165
Troubleshooting information pages	166
Paper path test page	166
Registration page	166
Event log	167
Control panel message types	168
Status messages	168
Warning messages	168
Error messages	168
Critical error messages	168
Control panel messages	169
Paper jams	195
Paper jam recovery	195
Common causes of paper jams	197
Clearing paper jams	199
Jam in Tray 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5	199
Jam in Tray 3, 4, or 5	203
Jams in the top cover	209
Jam in paper input path or paper path	214
Multiple jams in paper path	216
Jam in duplex path	221
Multiple jams in duplex path	223
Media-handling problems	229
Printer response problems	235
Printer control panel problems	238
Color printing problems	239
Incorrect printer output	241
Guidelines for printing with different fonts	242
Software application problems	243
Print quality troubleshooting	244
Print quality problems associated with paper	244
Overhead transparency defects	244
Print quality problems associated with the environment	245
Print quality problems associated with jams	245
Print quality problems associated with maintenance	245
Print quality troubleshooting pages	245
Calibrating the printer	246
Print quality defect chart	246
Working with memory and print server cards	253
Printer memory and fonts	253
Printing a configuration page	253
Installing memory and fonts	255
To install DDR memory DIMMs	255
To install a flash memory card	258
Enabling memory	261
Installing an HP Jetdirect print server card	262
To install an HP Jetdirect print server card	262
Supplies and accessories	265
Spare parts and supplies availability	265
Ordering directly through the embedded Web server (for printers with network connections)	265
Ordering directly through the printer software (for printers directly connected to a computer)	266
To order printing supplies directly through the computer software	266
Service and Support	269
Hewlett-Packard limited warranty statement	269
Limited warranty for print cartridges and image drums	271
HP’s Premium Protection Warranty. Color LaserJet Image Fuser Kit and Image Transfer Kit Limited Warr ...	272
HP maintenance agreements	273
On-site service agreements	273
Printer specifications	275
Electrical specifications	276
Acoustic emissions	277
Environmental specifications	278
Regulatory information	279
FCC regulations	279
Environmental product stewardship program	280
Protecting the environment	280
Ozone production	280
Energy consumption	280
Paper use	280
Plastics	280
HP LaserJet Printing Supplies	280
HP Printing Supplies Returns and Recycling Program Information	281
Recycled paper	281
Material restrictions	281
Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)	281
For more information	281
Declaration of Conformity	282
Safety statements	283
Laser safety	283
Canadian DOC regulations	283
EMI statement (Korea)	283
VCCI statement (Japan)	283
Laser Statement for Finland	284
Glossary	285

Match case Limit results 1 per page

Matching colors

The process of matching printer output color to your computer screen is quite complex

because printers and computer monitors use different methods of producing color. Monitors

display

colors by light pixels using an RGB (red, green, blue) color process, but printers

colors using a CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black) process.

Several factors can influence your ability to match printed colors to those on your monitor.

These factors include:

●

print media

●

printer colorants (inks or toners for example)

●

printing process (inkjet, press, or laser technology for example)

●

overhead lighting

●

personal differences in perception of color

●

software applications

●

printer drivers

●

computer operating system

●

monitors

●

video cards and drivers

●

operating environment (humidity for example)

Keep the above factors in mind when colors on your screen do not perfectly match your

printed colors.

For most users, the best method for matching colors on your screen to your printer is to print

sRGB colors.

PANTONE®* color matching

PANTONE®* has multiple color matching systems. PANTONE®* Matching System is very

popular and uses solid inks to generate a wide range of color hues and tints. See

http://www.hp.com/support/clj5550_software

for details on how to use PANTONE®*

Matching System with this printer.

Sample book color matching

The process for matching printer output to preprinted sample books and standard color

references is complex. In general, you can obtain a reasonably good match to a sample

book if the inks used to create the sample book are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. These

are usually referred to as process color sample books.

Some sample books are created from spot colors. Spot colors are specially created

colorants. Many of these spot colors are outside of the gamut of the printer. Most spot color

sample books have companion process sample books that provide CMYK approximations to

the spot color.

Most process sample books will have a note on what process standards were used to print

the sample book. In most cases they will be SWOP, EURO, or DIC. To get optimal color

matching to the process sample book, select the corresponding ink emulation from the

printer menu. If you cannot identify the process standard, use SWOP ink emulation.

128

Chapter 6

Color

ENWW