Can't set up Xerox Phaser 3330 on Mac High Sierra

[Joe Arseneau]

No idea, I saw the pictures waiting to be approved and just did so, the post wasn't in the automatic SPAM filter.

I only see the images, which obviously I can't use to test, no idea if you had a pdf attached or linked because I don't find the post that got deleted.

Maybe send a pdf file or link to me via PM

[gitagr]

Umm.. I've just submitted a reply with examples and detailed information but it was deleted...?

[gitagr]

Oh and I tried your suggested Photoshop settings, the printer was loading for like 5 minutes and then just stopped and said "Ready to Print" - didn't print out the page and didn't give me any error messages.

[gitagr]

No, it's okay, I really appreciate your help. 

I need to figure this out as I have a feeling that even if I return the printer and purchase another one I might wind up with the same problem. 

Here are my printouts:

1. PDF printed on a different printer from a different mac = perfect

2. Printed on Xerox from my mac (all file formats & settings look identical) Even downloaded the latest Acrobat Reader in hopes that it might do some good - no luck. 

3. Printed on Xerox from Windows using Postscript Driver - slightly pixelated but nowhere near as bad as Mac one

Different PrinterMacWindows As you can see the Mac printout looks horrible - that is completely useless to me as it is. 

I have submitted thorugh web and results are the same, at this point I wouldn't even mind submitting jobs that way. 

I will try a few more things but I am almost out of things to try.. I am on a 50 page trial and page 30 and getting close to a dead end. :( 

If it's the mac then surely there would be something than can be done? But what? 

Thanks again for trying to help as I am drowning here!

[Joe Arseneau]

I'm trying my best not to blame the Mac here, I'd love to actually blame the driver or the printer, but since the Apple driver and Xerox driver both do it, then they can't be at fault.

It isn't the file, because it works from Windows. It isn't the printer for the exact same reason.

So if it isn't the driver or the file or the settings in the application, the only thing left is the Mac itself and possibly the network cables used to put the PC/Mac on the network (And lets be honest here, most likely they are wireless.

I guess to eliminate the Mac from the equation you could submit the job via PDF through CWIS (Web page in the printer). But it is a pain to work that way, and should not be necessary, but it will eliminate the Mac, the port it's using, the driver and the application from the output.

[gitagr]

Hi Joe, 

Thank you for your reply.

I am mentioning PCL6 because the printouts I get matches printouts of the same file printed from Windows using PCL6 driver on the same printer. Just connecting the dots. As you can tell I am no expert in this. 

I see so RIP realistically is not an option. 

I have tried the enhanced prints and all the settings I could possibly try. 

This is a mono printer but I will try use your suggested colour management settings however I doubt that it will make a difference as colour is not the problem, it's pixels. 

It doesn't print everything bad, the text is just perfect. Even large letters - very crisp quality, just the toner coverage isn't 100% but the quality is perfect. As long as it's a font not graphics....

Yeah it isn't just application outputs as I have tried different formats and different softwares and the results are identical. 

So at this point you are saying that the fault is in my mac? 

[Joe Arseneau]

I'm sure it can be fixed, but it is hard as an outsider to diagnose workflow issues.

And it has to be workflow, because:

1. It works for the other person using the same file to the same printer

2. It isn't the fault of the driver, you already tried the Xerox (PS only) and Apples driver (PS only)

I also have no idea why you are implying that PCL6 is the definition of bad quality, it is simply the language used to interpret the file, both have their uses, but in the case of quality, PS simply handles color and fonts better and in some cases helps get a crisper edge on text/fine lines. It certainly does not make things low resolution

A RIP is not an option, it would also cost 3 times the amount of this printer if it were an option.

What you are seeing is often due to how the application is set to handle prints (specific to each printer). But it isn't universal, and your case seems to be that way. But if color was terrible (Blue = purple,  red = magenta, shadows on images) but just from Acrobat, the answer would be File > Print > Advanced > Color Management > None, but you are stating every single thing printed from any application residing on your Mac is bad. So every application as well as when using a driver from 2 entirely different companies (Apple and Xerox)

And since it isn't the driver (2 companies), or apparently the applications, and isn't the file (Works from Windows) So I can't tell you to set the output to enhanced, or to make sure Draft mode isn't enabled

And I also can't tell you to just fix how Photoshop outputs because it is every application and file

So really, at this point, you need someone there to fix it, or at least to discover why your Mac is behaving so universally bad when the Windows PC handles it just fine from the same file and printer.

[gitagr]

I've read all the possible articles about it and tried all the suggestions but none of it has helped. The only thing I've come accross that I don't quite understand and have tried is someone mentioning that some printers have difficulties printing smooth lines and they can use an optional Postscript Level 3 RIP. 

Is that an option? 

I really don't know what to do. The only reason why I bought this printer was to print my line art and the quality is not acceptable at the moment, it's all pixelated and jagged lines from a high resolution 100% black file. 

Can that be fixed at all? 

[gitagr]

I have now tried printing with Generic Postscript Driver, with Xerox 3330 driver, printing from InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, pdf, tiff, ps & jpg, the results are identical to PCL6 prints, even the full black fill areas have dotted filling. 

When I tried printing an .eps file in Postscript3 and the printer just crashed, I rebooted it and then it printed out in PCL6 quality again, I'm assuming that's the default. 

Yet the same file prints perfectly on a different printer & in slightly better quality from a Windows driver so it is not the quality, resolution or anything in my file. It prints out text in flawless quality. Just not any kind of graphics. They are horrible. I am just trying to print out some line art with pure white background, no gradients, no nothing, just lines. 

The file is in high quality, the printer is capable, I've installed the latest driver so what am I missing? This is my 3rd night with this printer and I am getting really desperate as I don't want to return it, especially because I gathered all the information and spoke to the support before purchasing it. 

Does anyone have any suggestions? 

[gitagr]

Hi Joe, 

I have done that but it still prints in PCL6, all printouts are identical no matter what I do. Yet it prints almost ok on windows and tried the same file at work and it came out perfect. So it is a technical issue somewhere down the line, I just can't seem to fix it.