User manual HP DESKJET 840C

User's Guide Table of Contents Navigating the User's Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 Beyond the Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Printing Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 Printing Banners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43 Printing Photographs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 Printing Labels. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 Printing Envelopes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47 Printing Transparencies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 Printing Iron-On Transfers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Setting Up Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Connecting your printer with a parallel printer cable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Setting up your printer with a USB Cable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 More information about your printer software . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Printing Basics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 How to choose paper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 Finding the HP print settings box. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 How to print on standard paper sizes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 How to print on different paper sizes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 How to print on both sides of the paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 How to create a mirror image of your document . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 About color. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .38 About pictures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 HP Customer Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .52 Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58 The HP DeskJet Toolbox. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .58 Print cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Maintaining your printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .67 Increasing printer performance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Minimum printing margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Supplies and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Ordering Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Language Codes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Environmental Attributes of the DeskJet Printer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .74 1 Navigating the User's Guide Use the navigation controls at the bottom of each page to move through the guide: Go to the Table of Contents Acrobat® Reader provides a number of ways to page through a document. You may use the navigation buttons in the toolbar. Previous Page First Page Next Page Last Page Goes to previous view Goes to next view Go to previous page Go to next page Print this page You may also press the arrow keys or choose an action from the View menu. Refer to the Acrobat Reader Online Guide for more information. 2 Setting Up Your Printer Your HP DeskJet printer is designed for connection to your computer using either of the following cables: Parallel printer cable ­ You can use this method when your computer is running either Windows 3.1x, 95, 98, or NT 4.0. See "Connecting your printer with a parallel printer cable" on page 3 for instructions. Universal Serial Bus (USB) cable ­ This method is only supported if you are running Windows 98 on your computer. See "Setting up your printer with a USB Cable" on page 14 for instructions. The printer cable is not supplied with the printer. You must purchase the printer cable separately. See page 70 for ordering information. Connecting your printer with a parallel printer cable Note: If you are using a USB cable for communications between your printer and your computer, see page 14. 3 Step 1: Unpack your printer 1 Remove the packing material and the packing tape from the outside of the printer. 2 Open the top cover. Remove both pieces of plastic packing material from the inside of the printer. 3 Close the top cover. 4 Step 2: Connect parallel cable You'll need to buy a printer cable that supports bi-directional communication (IEEE 1284-compliant), such as HP part number C2950A. 1 Make sure both the printer and the computer are turned off. 2 Lift the cable access door on the back of the printer. 3 Plug the end of the cable that does not have screws attached into the printer. Snap both clips into the notches. 4 Plug the other end into the computer, and tighten the screws. Cable access door 5 Step 3: Plug in the power 1 Leave the computer and the printer turned off. 2 Lift the cable access door on the back of the printer. 3 Plug the power adapter cord firmly into the connector on the back of the printer. 4 Plug the appropriate end of the power cord into the power adapter. 5 Plug the other end of the power cord into an electrical outlet. 3 5 4 Note:Always use the Power button on the front of the printer to turn the printer on and off. Using a power strip, surge protector or a wall outlet switch to turn the printer on and off may cause premature failure. 6 Step 4: Insert print cartridges 1 Press the Power button to turn on the printer. light The Power light comes on and the Print Cartridge blinks. 2 Open the top cover. The cartridge cradle moves to the center of the printer. 4 Carefully remove the protective vinyl tape from the tri-color and black print cartridges. Note:Be sure not to touch the ink nozzles or the copper electrical contacts. Also, do NOT remove the copper strip; these are electrical contacts required for proper operation of the print cartridges. Black Print Cartridge Vinyl Tape Tri-color Print Cartridge Vinyl Tape Ink Nozzles Ink Nozzles 3 Remove the print cartridges from their individual packages. 5 For each print cartridge, lift the cradle latch inside the printer. With the copper electrical contacts toward the rear of the printer and the print cartridge held vertically, push the print cartridge firmly down into the appropriate cradle. 7 Insert the black print cartridge in the right cradle, and insert the tri-color print cartridge in the left cradle. You must insert both print cartridges for the printer to operate. Note:If the Print Cartridge light continues to blink or if the cradle doesn't move to the right side of the printer, take out both cartridges and reinsert them. When a print cartridge starts to run out of ink, replace it. If you do not have a replacement, leave the empty print cartridge in the cradle of the printer. The printer will not print with only one print cartridge installed. We recommend you keep spare print cartridges on hand. When buying print cartridges, check the part numbers referenced below carefully to make sure you are buying the right print cartridges for your printer. These print cartridges have been specifically designed to work with your printer to produce results that are always clear, always sharp. 6 Close the latch. You will hear a click and feel resistance when the latch is pushed down. 7 Close the top cover. The Print Cartridge light continues to blink for awhile and then goes off. (You'll hear the cartridge cradle return to its home position on the right side of the printer.) 840C, 842C, and 843C require: Black HP No. [15] (equivalent to C6615 Series) Tri-Color HP No. [17] (equivalent to C6625 Series) 8 Step 5: Load paper in your printer 1 Pull out the IN tray and slide the paper-width and paperlength adjusters out as far as possible to make room for the paper. Flip up the OUT tray for a better view of the IN tray. 2 Remove a stack of paper from its packaging. (Make sure all the paper in the stack is the same size and type.) Tap the stack on a flat surface to even it up. OUT Tray IN Tray 3 Load the paper into the IN tray, printable side down. The IN tray holds up to 10 mm or 3/8 inch at a time. 4 Push the paper toward the back of the paper tray until it stops. Paper-length adjuster Paper-width adjuster 9 5 Slide both paper adjusters to fit snugly against the paper's edges. Make sure the paper lies flat in the tray and that the paper fits under the tab of the paper-length adjuster. Step 6: Install the printer software Before you can use your new HP DeskJet printer, you must install the printer software on the computer from which you will print. Your printer software is located on the CD included with your printer. From time to time, Hewlett-Packard provides updated printer software. Go to "Printer Software" on page 54 for information on obtaining updated printer software. Before You Begin 1 Make sure the computer is fully set up and operational. 2 Make sure that the printer is properly set up and ready to print using the instructions provided earlier. 3 Make sure that the printer is connected to the computer with a parallel printer cable and that no peripheral devices (such as scanners, backup units, and switch boxes) are installed between the printer and the computer. 4 Make sure both the printer and the computer are turned on. 6 Slide the IN tray all the way back in. Flip the OUT tray back down if it's up. 10 5 Close any software programs that are open and running on the computer, except the HP DeskJet installer, Windows Explorer, or Program Manager. See page 26 for instructions on how to close software programs. 6 Follow the installation instructions for your computer's operating system. Installing the printer software from the CD Note:If the New Hardware Found box appears during the installation procedure, click the "X" in the upper-right corner of the box, or click Cancel. 1 Insert the HP printer software CD into your CD-ROM drive. For Windows 95, 98, and NT 4.0, do the following: a. From the taskbar, select Start ¥ Run. b. Type the identifier of your computer's CD-ROM drive, then type setup.exe. For example, D:\setup.exe. c. Click OK. For Windows 3.1x, do the following: a. In the Program Manger, select File ¥ Run. b. Type the identifier of your computer's CD-ROM drive, then type setup.exe. For example, D:\setup.exe. c. Click OK. Note: If you don't know which drive letter is for your CD-ROM player, open Windows Explorer or File Manager and look for the letter next to the CD-ROM icon. 11 2 When the opening screen appears, click Install HP DeskJet 840C Series Printer Software. (Your printer model number will be on the install button.) 3 When the HP License Agreement box appears, read the agreement and click Accept. 4 Do one of the following: · If the printer is turned on and is connected to the computer with the parallel printer cable, the setup program automatically detects the printer and the port to which it is connected. Then, proceed to step 5. OR · If the printer is turned off or if the connection to the computer has not yet been made with the parallel printer cable, the setup program asks you to specify which port to use for the printer. Select an LPT-type port; the default setting of LPT1 is appropriate for most computers. Click Next and proceed to step 5. 5 Follow the instructions on the screen. If something goes wrong, go to "If you have problems installing" on page 13. Note:The HP DeskJet 840C Series printer is automatically set as the default Windows printer. If you find that it is not the default Windows printer, go to "Setting the HP DeskJet Printer as the Default" on page 26. Note:If you need the printer software on floppy disks: · Contact your local HP Customer Care Center, listed on page 55. OR · If you have access to a computer with a CD-ROM drive, insert the printer software CD in this computer's CD-ROM drive and begin the software installation. When the opening screen appears, select Make diskettes of your printer software. 12 If you have problems installing · Make sure your printer is on and all connections are firm. · Exit your software programs. Then turn off the computer and the printer. Turn on the printer, then turn on the computer. · Close any virus protection programs that are running on your computer. Either right-click the virus protection program's icon on the taskbar and select Disable, or click the "x" in the upper-right corner of the virus protection program's open window. · Uninstall the printer software using the instructions on page 27 then repeat the installation procedure. · If you're still having problems with the installation, call an authorized HP dealer or HP Customer Care representative. For the phone number of the support center nearest you, see HP Customer Care by Phone on page 55. 13 Setting up your printer with a USB Cable Note: The USB cable set up requires Windows 98. If you are using a parallel cable for communications between your printer and your computer, see page 3. USB Step 1: Unpack your printer 1 Remove the packing material and the packing tape from the outside of the printer. What is USB? Universal Serial Bus (USB) makes it easy to connect devices to your computer without having to open your PC. USB uses a standard port and plug combination for connecting devices like printers, modems, scanners, and digital cameras. It also offers the benefit of being able to easily add, remove, and move devices. USB is an option to customers who want to print from Windows 98 across the USB cable. If your computer's USB port is enabled and properly set up, you can connect your HP DeskJet printer to it or to a chain of USB devices via a USB cable. 14 2 Open the top cover. Remove both pieces of plastic packing material from the inside of the printer. USB Step 2: Plug in the power Note: Do NOT connect your USB cable between the printer and the computer. Make sure that the USB cable is NOT plugged into the computer at this point in the setup. 1 Leave the computer and the printer turned off. 2 Lift the cable access door on the back of the printer. 3 Plug the power adapter cord firmly into the connector on the back of the printer. 4 Plug the appropriate end of the power cord into the power adapter. 3 Close the top cover. 15 5 Plug the other end of the power cord into an electrical outlet. USB Step 3: Insert print cartridges 1 Press the Power button to turn on the printer. light The Power light comes on and the Print Cartridge blinks. 2 Open the top cover. The cartridge cradle moves to the center of the printer. 3 5 4 Note:Use only the Power button on the front of the printer to turn the printer on and off. Using a power strip, surge protector or a call outlet switch to turn the printer on and off may cause premature failure. 16 3 Remove the print cartridges from their individual packages. 4 Carefully remove the protective vinyl tape from the tri-color and black print cartridges. 5 For each print cartridge, lift the cradle latch inside the printer. With the copper electrical contacts toward the rear of the printer and the print cartridge held vertically, push the print cartridge firmly down into the cradle. Insert the black print cartridge in the right cradle, and insert the tri-color print cartridge in the left cradle. You must insert both print cartridges for the printer to operate. Note:Be sure not to touch the ink nozzles or the copper electrical contacts. Also, do NOT remove the copper strip; these are electrical contacts required for proper operation of the print cartridges. Black Print Cartridge Vinyl Tape Tri-color Print Cartridge Vinyl Tape Ink Nozzles Ink Nozzles 17 6 Close the latch. You will hear a click and feel resistance when the latch is pushed down. 7 Close the top cover. The Print Cartridge light continues to blink for awhile and then goes off. (You'll hear the cartridge cradle return to its home position on the right side of the printer.) Note:If the Print Cartridge light continues to blink or if the cradle doesn't move to the right side of the printer, take out both cartridges and reinsert them. When a print cartridge starts to run out of ink, replace it. If you do not have a replacement, leave the empty print cartridge in the cradle of the printer. The printer will not print with only one print cartridge installed. We recommend you keep spare print cartridges on hand. When buying print cartridges, check the part numbers referenced below carefully to make sure you are buying the right print cartridges for your printer. These print cartridges have been specifically designed to work with your printer to produce results that are always clear, always sharp. 840C, 842C, and 843C require: Black HP No. [15] (equivalent to C6615 Series) Tri-Color HP No. [17] (equivalent to C6625 Series) 18 USB Step 4: Load paper in your printer 1 Pull out the IN tray and slide the paper-width and paper-length adjusters out as far as possible to make room for the paper. Flip up the OUT tray for a better view of the IN tray. 2 Remove a stack of paper from its packaging. (Make sure all the paper in the stack is the same size and type.) Tap the stack on a flat surface to even it up. OUT Tray IN Tray 3 Load the paper into the IN tray, printable side down. The IN tray holds up to 10 mm or 3/8 inch at a time. 4 Push the paper toward the back of the paper tray until it stops. Paper-length adjuster Paper-width adjuster 19 5 Slide both paper adjusters to fit snugly against the paper's edges. Make sure the paper lies flat in the tray and that the paper fits under the tab of the paper-length adjuster. USB Step 5: Insert printer software CD in the computer Note:Make sure the computer is operational, meets the minimum system requirements and that its USB port is enabled and properly configured. See "Problems with your USB installation?" on page 24 for more information. 1 Turn on the computer and wait for Windows 98 to start. 2 Insert the HP printer software CD into your CD-ROM drive. 6 Slide the IN tray all the way back in. Flip the OUT tray back down if it's up. 20 USB Step 6: Connect USB cable 1 Lift the cable access door on the back of the printer. 2 Plug one end of the USB cable into the USB port on the printer. USB Step 7: Install USB and printer software Note:You can also refer to steps 8a through 8h on the USB Cable Setup Quick Start Poster 1 After a few seconds, the Add New Hardware Wizard screen appears. Note:If the Add New Hardware Wizard screen does not appear, your computer may not be USB-enabled. You can still enjoy the full capabilities of your HP DeskJet 840C Series printer by connecting the printer to the computer with a parallel cable. Go to "Connecting your printer with a parallel printer cable" on page 3 for setup instructions. 2 Click Next. 3 Plug the other end into any USB port on the computer. 21 3 Click Next in this screen, too. 5 Double-click the CD or disk drive icon, which ever is appropriate for the type of media you are installing from. Click on the win98usb folder then click OK to close the Browse screen and return to the Wizard. 4 Select Specify a location and then click the Browse button. Do NOT click Next. 6 Click Next. The Add New Hardware Wizard searches for the win98usb driver. If Windows is unable to find a driver, click Back to return to Step 4. 22 7 When the driver file is located, click Next. 9 Soon the opening screen for installing the HP DeskJet printer software appears. Click Next. The driver file is installed on your computer. 8 When you are notified that installation of the USB software is completed, click Finish. 10 When the HP License Agreement box appears, read the agreement, then click Accept. If something goes wrong with the USB software installation, go to "Problems with your USB installation?" on page 24. 23 11 If you are notified that the HP DeskJet printer port could not be located, select the USB port. Then click Next. 12 Follow the on-screen instructions. If something goes wrong with the printer software installation, go to "If you have problems installing" on page 13. Problems with your USB installation? How can I determine if my computer's USB port is enabled? First, follow the installation instructions beginning on page 14. If you don't see the Add New Hardware Wizard screen after connecting your printer to your computer, perform these steps: 1 In Windows 98, select Start ¥ Settings ¥ Control Panel. 2 Double-click the System icon. 3 Click the Device Manager tab. 4 Click the plus (+) icon before the Universal Serial Bus Controller item. If you see a USB host controller and a USB root hub listed, USB is probably enabled. If your printer is connected through another USB device or hub, connect your printer directly to the USB port on the computer. Also, make sure the cable connections are firm. (USB hubs are hardware devices into which you can plug multiple USB cables.) If you do not see these devices listed, refer to your computer's documentation or contact the manufacturer for more information on enabling and setting up USB. Remember, you can always use a parallel cable to connect your printer's parallel port to your computer. Note: The HP DeskJet 840C Series printer is automatically set as the default Windows printer. If you find that it is not the default Windows printer, go to "Setting the HP DeskJet Printer as the Default" on page 26. 24 I accidentally cancelled the USB installation the first time I connected my HP DeskJet printer to my computer. How do I get it to appear again? To redisplay the USB installation screens: 1 Disconnect the USB cable from your printer. 2 Insert the printer software CD (or Disk 1 if you have diskettes) into your computer. 3 Click Start ¥ Run. 4 Browse to your disk drive and select Setup, then click Open. 5 The setup.exe file will appear in the dialog box. Click OK. 6 Select the Remove HP DeskJet 840C Series Software option. 7 Connect the USB cable to your printer again. The USB installation screen should appear again. 8 Continue with the first step of "USB Step 7: Install USB and printer software" on page 21. When I install the USB software, I get an "Unknown device is found" message. Disconnect the USB cable, remove the printer software, and turn off the computer and printer. Unplug the electrical power to the printer, then reconnect your printer and restart the USB software installation. After I installed my printer, why isn't my HP DeskJet printer assigned to an LPT printer port in the Print dialog box of my software application? USB uses a different naming convention for USB devices. After the printer has been installed, you see USB/DeskJet 840C/ (serial number of your printer). How can I increase printing speed? When operated on a USB chain, your printer may become slower if other USB devices or software applications are being used while you're printing. For optimal print performance, avoid using other devices in the USB chain while printing. 25 More information about your printer software Closing Software Programs Before installing the printer software on a computer, close any virus protection programs or other software programs that are open and running on the computer, except the HP DeskJet installer, Windows Explorer, or Program Manager. Setting the HP DeskJet Printer as the Default For Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0: 1 From the taskbar select Start ¥ Settings ¥ Printers. 2 Right-click the HP DeskJet 840C Series Printer icon and choose Set As Default. For Windows 3.1x: 1 In the Program Manager, open the Main program group. 2 Double-click Control Panel to open it, then double-click Printers. 3 Select the HP DeskJet 840C Series Printer from the Installed Printers list, and then click Set As Default Printer. 4 Click Close and exit the Control Panel. For Windows 95, 98 or NT 4.0: · Right-click on the software program's name or icon on the taskbar. Select Close. Repeat these steps for each open software program except Windows Explorer. For Windows 3.1x: 1 While holding down the Alt key, press the Tab key to locate an open software program. 2 When you locate an open software program, release both keys. 3 Select File ¥ Exit. 4 Repeat these steps for each open software program, except Program Manager. 26 Uninstalling the printer software If you need to uninstall the printer driver for your HP DeskJet printer for any reason, perform one of the steps listed below for your operating system. If something unexpected happened during installation, the safest method is to run the uninstall utility directly from the CD or disks, rather than from the uninstall program that was placed on your hard drive. For Windows 3.1x: Perform one of the following: · Insert the printer software disk (either Disk 1 or your CD) into your computer and run Setup.exe. Select the option to Remove HP DeskJet 840C Series Software. OR · In the Program Manager, locate your HP DeskJet Series group. Double-click the Uninstall icon to uninstall your printer software. For Windows 95, 98 and NT 4.0: Perform one of the following: · Insert the printer software disk (either Disk 1 or your CD) into your computer and run Setup.exe. Select the option to Remove HP DeskJet 840C Series Software. OR · From the taskbar, select Start ¥ Programs ¥ HP DeskJet 840C Series ¥ HP DeskJet 840C Series Uninstall. OR · From the taskbar, select Start ¥ Settings ¥ Control Panel. Then click Add/Remove Programs and select HP DeskJet 840C Series (Remove only). Printing from DOS If you are using DOS, information can be found in a text document (dosread.txt). This document is on the printer software CD in the \\djcp\ directory. For example, "enu" is the language code for English, so dosread.txt is located in the \enu\djcp directory. For a list of language codes, see page 73. If you have diskettes, the file is located on the HP DeskJet Control Panel for DOS Diskette. 27 Printing Basics How to choose paper Most plain photocopy paper, postcards, index cards, transparencies, envelopes and labels work fine in your printer, particularly paper that is marked for use in inkjet printers. To get the best results, use one of the Hewlett-Packard papers, which were developed especially for HP inks and your printer. What to consider: · Size. You can use any size paper that fits easily within the paper adjusters of the printer. width = 3 to 8.5 inches (77 to 216 mm) length = 5 to 14 inches (127 to 356 mm) · Weight. You can choose from a wide range of paper weights. Use 20-24 lb or 75-90 g/m2 plain paper for multipurpose, everyday use. · Brightness. Some papers are whiter than others and produce sharper, more vibrant colors. Use HP Premium Photo Paper, Glossy or HP Premium Plus Photo Paper, Glossy or Matte for printing documents with photographs. Use HP Bright White Inkjet Paper or HP Premium Inkjet Paper for documents with any other pictures. · Surface smoothness. The smoothness of the paper affects how crisp the printing looks on the paper. Glossy, coated paper works well for pictures and charts (where you want crisp lines with intense, high-quality colors). · Opacity. Opacity refers to the degree to which printing on one side of the paper shows through to the other side. Use paper high in opacity (or thicker paper) for two-sided printing. HP Premium Brochure and Flyer Paper is ideal for two-sided projects. 28 Get the Right Paper Your HP DeskJet printer is designed to work well on most common office paper types and with quality 25% cotton bond paper. Because your printer uses ink to produce an image, paper that accepts ink well produces the best results. Be sure to test a variety of paper types before buying large quantities. HP papers are available at most computer supply stores. See "Supplies and accessories" on page 70 for paper ordering information. · Paper in poor condition--with tears, dust, wrinkles, curled or bent edges, or paper that doesn't lie flat--could jam the printer. · Envelopes with thick or crooked edges; envelopes that are damaged, curled, wrinkled, or irregularly shaped; envelopes that are shiny or embossed; or envelopes with clasps or windows. Paper that Might Not Work · Highly textured stock, such as linen, might not print evenly; the ink could bleed into these papers. · Extremely smooth, shiny, or coated papers not specifically designed for inkjet printers could jam the printer and might actually repel ink. · Multi-part forms (such as duplicate or triplicate forms) could wrinkle in the printer or get stuck; the ink is also more likely to smear. In addition, only the top page is printed. 29 Finding the HP print settings box After you lay out the page and choose the text, pictures, fonts, and colors from your software program, you need to select settings such as paper type, paper size, orientation, and print quality in the HP print settings box. Where is it? The way you get there varies depending on the software program and the operating system you're using. Try these strategies from the File menu of your document, and you're sure to get there. 3 If you still don't see the box, click Setup, Options, or Properties. ...Or Try This 1 If Print isn't there, click Printer Setup or Print Setup. Try This... 1 Click File and then click Print. 2 Then click whichever button you see--Setup or Options. 2 Then click whichever button you see--Properties, Setup, or Printer. 30 ...then click a tab, and then click a setting. Show your finished work at its best. Click Best print quality. Best is recommended for photographs printed on photo paper. Save money and trees. Print on both sides of the paper. Save time and ink. Click Draft mode. Draft is recommended for printing test pages and proofing drafts. Flip the image. Click Mirror Image. This is great for iron-on transfers. Select the appropriate settings. Choose the correct paper size and type for the job. Save time and color ink. Click here to print drafts of color documents in shades of gray Note:Features and wording on the HP print settings box tabs may differ from that shown here depending on your printer model. Manage your ink and drying time. Use sliders to adjust the amount of ink on the page, and to allow for extra drying time. 31 How to print on standard paper sizes 1 Check your print settings. Choose your print settings in the HP print settings box. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) Choose print quality, paper size, and paper type on the Setup tab. Click the Setup tab. Choose orientation, two-sided printing, multiple page printing, mirror image, and poster printing options on the Features tab. Click the Features tab. First click the down arrow, and then click your selection. Choose color options on the Advanced tab. Click the Advanced tab. Click OK to save. 32 2 Click OK in the Print box of your software program to save your settings and start printing. The next time you want to print this document, you can use the Print button at the top of the screen in your software program -- simply click it to print one copy using the same print settings. That's all there is to it. The printer prints one page at a time until it finishes, delivering each printed page neatly into the printer's OUT tray. While you're printing It takes a few moments for the printing to start, because the printer is receiving information from the computer. During printing, the printer might pause occasionally to receive more information. (Don't worry, it's normal.) If you run out of paper before you're finished The printer prompts you to add more paper. Load the paper in the IN tray and press Resume . If something goes wrong Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, something goes wrong during printing. Maybe a sheet of paper jams in the printer or nothing happens at all. See "Solving Common Problems" in your Reference Manual. 33 How to print on different paper sizes Most of the time, when you print on plain paper, cards, labels, and envelopes, you select one of the standard sizes in the Paper Size box on the Setup tab of the HP print settings box. However, you're not limited to the sizes listed. Just make sure that the size of the paper falls within the following dimensions (so both of the printer rollers can pick up the paper): Width: 3 to 8.5 inches (77 to 215 mm) Length:5 to 14 inches (127 to 356 mm) Then follow these steps: 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab, and then select User Defined Paper Size in the Paper Size list. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Type the dimensions of the paper in the User Defined Paper Size dialog box, and click OK. 3 Load the paper in the printer, and print as you would for normal paper sizes. 4 For small paper sizes, be sure to push the small slider snugly against the paper as described in "Printing Cards" on page 42. Remember to reset the software for the paper in the IN tray after printing completes. Click User Defined Paper Size. 34 How to print on both sides of the paper The easiest way to save paper is to print on both sides. Just put the paper through the printer twice: the first time through it prints the odd-numbered pages and the second time through it prints the even. 1 Load the paper in the IN tray. Make sure that there's no paper in the OUT tray. 2 In the HP print settings box, click the Features tab. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 3 Then click Book or Tablet. Use Tablet when the sheets of your document will be bound at the top edge. Use Book when the sheets of your document will be bound on the left. 4 Print your document. The printer automatically prints only the odd-numbered pages. The printer then displays a message on your computer screen, telling you how to reload the paper. 5 Load the printed pages back in the IN tray of the printer. The following illustrations show how to Load the paper back in the printer for the Book option and the Tablet option. Book option Odd-numbered pages print first. Reload to print the evennumbered pages. Tablet option Odd-numbered pages print first. Reload to print the evennumbered pages. 35 6 When the paper is properly loaded into the IN tray, flip the OUT tray down and click Continue. The printer prints the even-numbered pages on the reverse side of the odd-numbered pages. After printing, remember to uncheck the Two-Sided Printing option on the Features tab. How to create a mirror image of your document When you print a mirror image, the text and pictures are reversed (mirrored), from what you see on your computer screen. Print a mirror image when you use an iron-on transfer. The image you print on the transfer paper is flipped back to its original orientation when you iron it onto the cloth. This is especially important if your transfer contains text. You might want to flip a document before printing it on a transparency: then you can make notes on the back of the transparency and easily wipe them off without scratching the transparency. The original The flipped document 36 1 Load the paper in the IN tray, printable side down. If you're printing transparencies, go to "Printing Transparencies" on page 49. If you're printing iron-on transfers, go to "Printing Iron-On Transfers" on page 51. 2 In the HP print settings box, click the Features tab, and then click Mirror Image. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 3 Print your document. The text and pictures are reversed. Hold the printout up to a mirror to see how the final product will look. After printing, remember to: · Click the Mirror Image box again to clear it. · If you used transparencies or iron-on transfer paper, replace it with whatever type of paper you'll be using next. 37 About color Your HP DeskJet printer prints in color when a color-capable software program is used with the printing software. Believe it or not, your color printer prints with only four colors--cyan, magenta, yellow, and black. By printing overlapping dots of different intensity and color, it creates practically any color you can imagine. How to turn off color The color text and pictures that you create in your documents automatically print in color. You can print drafts of your documents in grayscale if you're going to photocopy them in black and white, or if you want to save time and ink. · In the HP print settings box, click the Advanced tab, and then click Print in Grayscale. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) A "" means that color is turned off. Cyan Magenta Yellow Black Now your color documents print in shades of gray until you clear this setting. Your printer is especially smart about printing color. It uses HP's exclusive technology called PhotoREtTM! When you print a document in color, the printer marks each element in your document--text, full-color photographs, and graphics (such as pie charts with solid blocks of color)--and renders each at its vivid best. (If you use the photo cartridge when you print color photographs, you'll get photo-quality images!) Not only is the color quality high, for whatever you're printing, but it's also less expensive than making color copies at a copy shop. 38 About pictures Pictures (also called graphics) include photographs, illustrations, charts, and decorative elements. Photographs Charts and Graphs 100,000 80,000 60,000 Decorative elements Illustrations · Use ready-made clip art. You can purchase libraries of clip art from a variety of sources or browse the Internet for what's available there. Look through computer magazines for the names of companies that sell clip art. They'll be happy to send you full-color pictures of their extensive offerings. Or browse in the art sections of bookstores for books of copyright-free pictures. 40,000 20,000 0 1992 1994 1996 2000 How to get a picture on your computer To put a picture in a computer document, you first need to convert it into an electronic form (a computer file). Then it's simple to copy it into a document--the guide for the application you're using tells you how. Here are some possibilities for getting your pictures into an electronic form: · Draw the pictures, using the drawing tools in a software application. Remember that it is against the law to copy any photograph unless you have been given specific permission to do so by the person or company who owns the original. · Scan the pictures yourself. Use your own scanner and its instructions. Save the files onto a hard disk, floppy disk or CD. Open your software program and follow its instructions to import the file into your document. 39 · Get your photos scanned at your local camera shop. For a small fee, you can have an entire roll of photos put on a CD or floppy disk. Be sure to ask your camera shop to also put a CD-viewing program on the CD with your photos. Open your software program and follow its instructions to import the file from floppy disk or CD into your document. · Take a digital photo. A digital camera bypasses film entirely and turns the photo into a computer file. 40 Beyond the Basics With the printing basics down, you're ready for some results. Here are some ideas for printing on different paper types. Greeting cards, business cards, recipe cards, or invitations to opening night. Banners--welcome back the home team, or announce a new addition to the family. Photographs--make personalized buttons, name tags, or photographic calendars. Labels--scan your logo in full color, and add it to your company address to print distinctive labels for packages and manila envelopes. Envelopes--either one at a time or as a stack. Transparencies for that important overhead presentation. Iron-on transfers on t-shirts printed with your company logo. 41 Printing Cards Use your printer to print on index cards, recipe cards, greeting cards, business cards, or postcards--or any card size included in the Paper Size list on the Setup tab. You can print on other sized cards, too. If the dimensions of your card aren't the same as those shown in the Paper Size list, see "How to print on different paper sizes" on page 34. 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab, and then select a card in the Paper Size drop-down box. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Slide out the IN tray, slide out the paper adjusters, and flip up the OUT tray. 3 Load a stack of up to 30 cards ( 6 mm or 1/4 inch) in the IN tray. Make sure the orientation of the cards matches the orientation you've selected in your software program. 4 Slide the paper-width adjuster to the right until it fits snugly against the cards. If the cards are too small to be held securely by the paper-length adjuster, push the small slider until it fits snugly against the edge of the stack. Small slider 5 Push in the IN tray and flip down the OUT tray. 6 Print the cards. After printing, remember to: · Change the Paper Type and Paper Size in the HP print settings box to match whatever you'll be printing on next. · Remove any cards from the IN tray and replace them with whatever paper you'll be printing on next. 42 Printing Banners We encourage you to use HP Banner Paper for the very best results. When you use HP Banner Paper, your banners print with brighter color and denser blacks than if you use other banner paper. It's easy to use, too--you don't have to tear off those pesky perforated strips! Look for it at a large office supply store. However, if you use computer or z-fold paper for your banners, we recommend that you use 20-pound or 75-g/m2 paper. Always fan the paper to fluff it before loading it. 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab and then click Banner Printing. 2 Make sure that HP Banner Paper is selected as the Paper Type. When you click Banner Printing, HP Banner Paper is automatically selected. 3 Select Banner [(Letter (8.5 x 11 in.)] or Banner [(A4 (210 x 297 mm)] as the Paper Size. (Go to "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 4 Flip the banner switch up. The OUT tray lifts slightly, enabling the printer to pick up the banner paper. Note:You must select the Banner setting on the Setup tab of the HP print settings box, and flip the banner switch to the up position, when printing an banner paper. Follow your software instructions: The software program you're using might require special settings before it prints banners correctly on your printer. Check the HP DeskJet 840C Series Printer Release Notes (which were installed on your computer with the printer software) for information regarding your specific software program. Flip the banner switch up 5 Remove all paper from the IN tray. 43 6 Get the banner paper ready for the printer: a. From the stack of banner paper, tear off the number of sheets you need to print the banner. (You must have at least five sheets in the stack.) b. Tear off and discard the perforated strips, if there are any. c. Fan the stack so that the pages don't stick together in the printer. 8 Slide the paper adjusters so that they fit snugly against the edges of the paper stack. 9 Push the IN tray back in. 10 Print the banner. You'll notice that the printer goes through some start-up movements before it starts printing. Also, banner printing takes a while; it might be several minutes before you see the results. 11 After your banner is printed, if the Resume light is blinking, press the Resume button as many times as needed until all the banner paper is out of the printer. After printing, remember to: · Click Banner Printing in the HP print settings box to clear it. · Change the Paper Type to match whatever you will be printing on next. · Flip the banner switch down. · Put paper into the IN tray. 7 Put the paper into the lower IN tray so that the unattached edge is at the top of the stack. Insert the stack's top edge first into the IN tray until it stops. Unattached edge 44 Printing Photographs Printing photographs is similar to printing any other color image. The main differences are paper and print quality selections. For best results when printing photographs, use one of HP's photo papers. For a list of available photo paper products and ordering information, see page 71. 1 In the Setup tab of the HP print settings box, select a photo paper for the Paper Type. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Make sure Best print quality is selected. When you select an HP photo paper, this option is automatically selected. PhotoREt also becomes available. This feature can only be disabled (unchecked) when an HP photo paper is selected. 3 Load the paper as you would for normal printing. Make sure you insert the paper printable side down. Printable side down 4 Print the document. For the best results, remove each sheet promptly after printing, and allow it to dry printable side up. (The drying time will vary depending on the humidity.) After printing, remember to: · Remove any special paper you've used from the IN tray and replace it with whatever you'll be printing on next. · Reset the Paper Size and Paper Type on the Setup tab of the HP print settings box to whatever you'll be printing on next. Note:PhotoREt automatically sets the best print speed and quality for your image. If this feature is disabled (unchecked), the image is printed at the highest available resolution compatible with your settings (up to 600 x 1200 dpi); however, the image will print significantly slower and will temporarily require a large amount of hard disk space. 45 Printing Labels You can use your HP DeskJet printer to print sheets of labels. Use only A4 or U.S. letter-sized sheets of labels. It's particularly important to pick labels that are made especially for inkjet printers. Sheets of labels that are folded, curled, wrinkled, or partially used can get stuck in the printer. 1 Click the Setup tab in the HP print settings box. Select Plain Paper as the Paper Type. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Then select Normal as the Print Quality. 3 Remove all paper from the IN tray and insert up to 20 label sheets. Flip up the OUT tray for a better view of the IN tray. 4 Slide the paper adjusters to fit snugly against the stack. 5 Push the IN tray back in and flip the OUT tray down. Make sure the sheets do not bend in the IN tray. 6 Print the labels. After printing: · You can leave the settings as they are if you're going to be printing on plain paper. · Remove the label sheets from the IN tray and replace them with whatever paper you'll be printing on next. Label sheets; label side down 46 Printing Envelopes Your printer provides two methods for printing envelopes: · If you're printing a single envelope, you can use the singleenvelope slot and leave your paper in the IN tray. This allows you to print the envelope and then a letter. · If you're printing a stack of envelopes, use the IN tray. Avoid shiny or embossed envelopes, or those that have clasps or windows. (Use transparent labels instead for these sorts of envelopes.) Also, envelopes with thick, irregular, or curled edges or with areas that are wrinkled, torn, or otherwise damaged could get stuck in the printer. Many programs include a feature for printing envelopes. In that case, follow the program's instructions for setup and for placing the envelopes in the printer. How to print a single envelope 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab, and then select an envelope size in the Paper Size box. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Slide the envelope into the single-envelope slot, as shown here, until it stops. Make sure there's paper in the IN tray. Make sure the edge of the envelope aligns with the right side of the single envelope slot. Flap side up and flap to the left 3 Print the envelope. After printing, remember to: · Reset the Paper Size and Paper Type on the Setup tab of the HP print settings box to whatever you'll be printing on next. 47 How to print a stack of envelopes 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab, and then select the envelope you're printing on as the Paper Size. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Slide both paper adjusters out. Make sure the IN tray is empty. Flip up the OUT tray for a better view of the IN tray. OUT tray 3 Load a stack of up to 15 envelopes in the printer, as shown on this page. (If you're using thick envelopes, you might need to reduce the quantity.) Flap side up and flap to the left. 4 Slide the paper adjusters so that they fit snugly against the edges of the envelopes. IN tray Make sure the edges of the envelopes align with the right side of the IN tray. 48 5 Push the IN tray back in and flip the OUT tray down. 6 Print the envelopes. Printing Transparencies For best results, use HP Premium Inkjet Rapid-Dry Transparencies. The film coating on HP Premium Inkjet RapidDry Transparencies has been especially developed to work with HP inks, giving you crisp images and text, and the fastest drying times. They won't jam your printer, either. 1 In the HP print settings box, click the Setup tab, then select HP Premium Inkjet Transparency Film, HP Premium Inkjet Rapid-Dry Transparency, or Other Transparency Films as the Paper Type. (See "Finding the HP print settings box" on page 30.) 2 Make sure Best is selected as the Print Quality. It isn't absolutely necessary to use the Best Print Quality, but it'll give you the best results. If you're in a hurry, use Normal Print Quality. 3 If you plan to make notes on your transparencies during your presentation, click the Features tab, then select Mirror Image. 4 Flip up the OUT tray for a better view of the IN tray. About small envelopes If you're printing on small envelopes such as Invitation A2 or C6, you'll need to push the small slider in until it fits snugly against the short edge of the envelopes. Make sure the envelopes do not bend in the IN tray. Small slider After printing, remember to: · Reset the Paper Size and Paper Type on the Setup tab of the HP print settings box to whatever you'll be printing on next. · Remove any remaining envelopes from the IN tray and replace them with whatever paper you'll be printing on next. 49 5 Put the transparencies in your printer with the rough side down and the adhesive strip forward. (You can peel off the adhesive strip after printing.) After printing, remember to: · Change the Paper Type in the HP print settings box to match whatever you'll be printing on next. · Change the Print Quality to match whatever is appropriate for what you'll be printing next. Adhesive strip forward; tape side up · In the Features tab, click Mirror Image to clear it. · Remove any remaining transparencies from the IN tray and replace them with whatever paper you'll be printing on next. 6 Slide in the paper adjusters, just as you would for plain paper. Push the IN tray back in and flip the OUT tray down. 7 Print the transparency. 8 Be patient. Because the printer uses more ink, lays the colors down more slowly, and allows for a longer drying time between sheets, transparencies take awhile to print. The printer dries them automatically before it releases them. Press the Resume button to continue printing. 50