Archive for February, 2011

Since they lack an LCD screen for relaying information, the HP Deskjet 6100 series printers use a series of lights on the control panel instead. This article will provide a breakdown of the status or error messages conveyed by the lights.

On the front panel, these units have three lights and four buttons. The status of the printer can actually be determined by what the lights are doing. The top button is the “Cancel” button, the second is a printer cartridge status light. The third one down is the “Resume” button and light, and fourth is the power button and power light. Continue reading “HP Deskjet 6100 Blinking Lights” »

When shopping for a multifunction printer or using the one you already have, you may find a reference to OCR technology or software. OCR stands for Optical Character Recognition, but what is it? And why do you want it?

An OCR-optimized font for easier recognition.

Optical Character Recognition takes the images from a scanner or other input source and identifies the text. It then attempts to “recognize” the characters and convert them into editable text files. The result is like the difference between a picture of a printed document and the actual word processor file itself. You can’t copy or edit the text from the picture, only view it. Here are a few of the major benefits of using OCR software to convert paper documents into editable, digital documents. Continue reading “Understanding OCR” »

One of the most common and troublesome errors you may encounter with your HP printer is the error 50.4, which affects laser printers specifically. The error indicates that you have a fuser issue, but the confusing part of this error is that there could be three different causes of your fuser working improperly, and it may not be an actual failure of the fuser itself. Here are the three most likely causes of the 50.4 error, and some troubleshooting steps to help you resolve them. Continue reading “HP 50.4 Error” »

Most users know that there may be updates to the software on their computer from time to time. One thing that often gets overlooked, however, is the need to upgrade a printer’s firmware.

What is Firmware?

Firmware is the internal software of a printer that helps it carry out its functions. For example, this software controls what is displayed on the printer’s control panel, and responds to button presses from the user. Though most people tend to mix drivers and firmware up, these are actually quite different. The driver acts as the translator between a computer and the printer, but the firmware tells the printer how to handle this information once it is sent. Continue reading “Printer Firmware Updates” »

Xerox has been a powerhouse in the printing industry for many years.  It was among the innovative corporations who have advanced printing technology to what it is today.  Unlike other major players, such as HP and Canon, Xerox has kept its focus primarily on office printers.  Many workgroups across the world benefit from the efficiency and consistency of Xerox printers, but one of the ways that the company continues to innovate is their variety of specialty paper types.

Of course, standard paper types like glossy or matte paper can be purchased off-brand and serve the same purpose.  But specialty media from Xerox is designed specifically for certain consumers and there are few options on the market that are even comparable.  These are four of the most interesting types of specialty Xerox paper: Continue reading “Xerox Specialty Paper” »

A common problem that users of Dell inkjet printers experience is having the “Low Ink” warning pop up when in fact the ink is not low at all. Though this can happen with any printer, it seems to be more common in Dell printers.  It is an annoying flaw, but is generally an easy fix.

Here are a few quick steps to hide this false error through the Dell software on your PC:

1. Click the Start menu.
2. Open the Control Panel.
3. Select Printer and Faxes or Devices and Printers.
4. Right click the icon for your printer and choose Printing Preferences.
5. Go to the Advanced Settings tab.
6. Click More Options. Continue reading “Dell False Low Ink Message” »