Large print to Epson 7600 fails at 48 inches

[John Spragens]

I tried straight-through printing with the latest test file, and the data stopped feeding at exactly the same point as when I spooled that same file.

I also just tried setting the photo up in a document in InDesign, Illustrator, QuarkXPress. When I tried printing from each of those apps, the app stopped responding and did not create a spool file at all. That seems quite strange.

I'm seeing the same thing now with Acrobat, trying to print a PDF saved from Photoshop.

[YrbkMgr]

Damn it! My post didn't post.

John. Since you have this hooked up to a 100Mbps ethernet, I'd be curious as to the set up: pc to printer? switch/hub? Try going directly to the printer or use a parallel cable (if that's possible). We sometimes run into a problem with the printer stopping (not the same printer) when we send large files across the network. If that's not possible or doesn't help, disable spooling.

Peace,
Tony

[YrbkMgr]

Well John, this is an odd bug. If you do a direct connection even via Ethernet, just for test purposes, it either eliminates it as a variable or confirms that this is the area requiring more investigation.

If the printer is in the other room, can any of the other networked PC's print to it without the problem?

[John Spragens]

Looks like ideas for at least three instructive experiments. At the rate of one per evening, that should keep me busy until the weekend. Will post results when I've run through the ideas.

[John Spragens]

Success ... on the second experiment.

I connected the printer via USB to the print server in the same room. Then I set it up as a shared printer on the print server. Sent the second of my test images to it, and the full image printed without complaint.

Too late to try the first of the problem images. Maybe tomorrow.

FWIW, the first experiment of the evening was printing over the network from a different computer. First time I tried that, I forgot a critical setting in the printer driver, so have to go back for another try in order to get meaningful results.

[YrbkMgr]

Outstanding John. I'll be reading with interest.

[John Spragens]

Well, a story that ends with a moral ... something about penny wise, etc.

I'd been using an older Ethernet adapter -- the one I'd originally bought for an Epson 3000. Worked OK, but only up to a point. And those large images were past the point.

Today I got the newer adpter that's intended for the 7600, and things are working with output files well beyond the size that had been a barrier with the old adapter.

Oh, and I think in response to someone's suggestion I had said there was no parallel port on the 7600. That's not true. It comes with both parallel and USB. And there's one open option slot where you can install either the Ethernet adapter I'm using or a FireWire adapter.

Thanks for all the suggestions. In the end, it was trying the direct USB connection that clued me to what was wrong.

[YrbkMgr]

Glad you got it sorted John.

[Henry Skinner]

Jerry Porrnelle in his old Byte column said "...it's usally the cable!"

[John Spragens]

Well, not this time. This time it was the gizmo at the far end of the cable.