Plotter Rant

January 5th, 2006 · 25 Comments · GIS

I hate our plotter. Its only about 3 years old, but I have so much trouble plotting rasters to it. Basically the only work around is to export to 100dpi jpg and print from Photoshop. We’ve had HP out to see if it is the plotter, but they can’t figure what the problem is other than to say it isn’t with the hardware. I can’t argue with them as I could be our software, but if Acrobat, ArcMap and other similar programs have problems printing large rasters I can only think it is the plotter. We’ve tried every trick I’ve ever known (with ESRI and HP help) and the only way to get it to work is a low res JPG. Oh I would love to be able to just send a E size plot directly from ArcMap with a nice huge aerial in the background and just have it plot. When I first started in GIS many years ago, my job title was plotter operator (basically it was the title of the lowest paying job so paying them to babysit the old plotter wasn’t too expensive) and I feel like I’ve come full circle.

At least CAD drawings fly off of the thing.

Tags: Hardware

25 responses so far ↓

1 Brian Flood // Jan 5, 2006 at 10:18 am

we have that exact plotter and I don’t think anyone has had any problems with it. Large raster datasets come out just fine, any issues usually occur on the client machine spooling the data to the server directly from ArcMap (but even this is the exception to the norm).

What is the error? Is it on the plotter or on the client machine? Does this happen on all the desktops in the office or just some? As you stated, is all software effected, AutoCAD included?
2 Marc Pfister // Jan 5, 2006 at 10:52 am

We also have the same plotter, though in the 24″ version, and it we love it. Every other printer or plotter we’ve owned has disappointed us in some way. Our HP is almost perfect.

One thing we discovered - in the drivers there’s a setting that’s something to the effect of “Fast Printer Spooling”. Turning on the setting actually made it print much slower.
3 James Fee // Jan 5, 2006 at 1:04 pm

HP had me turn off Fast Printer Spooling and that has been done, but the error I get every time on the plotter LCD is:

System Error 61:05 Processing Job

Brian, vector graphics don’t seem to be an issue so AutoCAD isn’t a problem unless you put an aerial in the back. We’ve updated all the firmware, printer drivers, etc and any computer I try and print from, the issue happens.

We all have Windows XP Pro and the server is running Windows Server 2003.
4 Mike // Jan 5, 2006 at 1:54 pm

Looks like an HP 800ps, we have the same one in 815mfp form (includes wide format scanner and touch screen computer to run them).

Definitely the highest maintenance HP system I have ever used. We have had constant headaches with all parts of the system.

We have structured our workflow so that we never print from ArcMap. Since the 8.0 days we have exported 300dpi pdf files and printed from Acrobat. Much more reliable, despite the occasional font issue. The plotter is much more reliable with .pdf files than any other format, but forget about queuing and nesting.
5 James Fee // Jan 5, 2006 at 1:57 pm

We have the same problem from Acrobat. I too prefer to print from Acrobat, but I can’t even get that to work. The only way I can get most rasters to print is by exporting to 100 dpi jpg and printing from Photoshop.
6 Frank // Jan 5, 2006 at 2:32 pm

I have had varying degrees of success with HP plotters and ESRI products. Currently I have a 2800CP; it came with an external RIP that caused headaches from day one (RMA’d the thing twice). I now use it with a DJ2000CP driver, connected directly to the parallel port. Works fine.

To your problem, have you tried printing to file (i.e. eps) and using a dos command to send it to the plotter? That’s gotten me out of a number of jams with large rasters.
7 Marc Pfister // Jan 5, 2006 at 2:37 pm

Is the plotter a postscript model? How are you connecting to the printer? Does it have the internal harddrive?

It’s too bad it’s not working for you - as I mentioned above I just adore mine.
8 James Fee // Jan 5, 2006 at 2:41 pm

Frank - I’ve tried copying directly using command line and the same problem occurs. I’ve tried printing via USB and that causes the same problem. HP says it is my documents, but I’ve gotten them to print on other HP plotters (specifically the 5500) and I’ve printed them to this one before also.

Marc - We have an 800PS so we do have the PS model. We’ve tried using USB and JetDirect. It does have the internal drive, but we’ve been told by HP that only the HPGL2 driver uses it so we’ve been focusing on that driver, rather than the PS (though we do get the same errors with either driver).
9 Marc Pfister // Jan 5, 2006 at 2:55 pm

We have the standard 800 (no postscript) with the harddrive. We’re using the 6.11 HP drivers and connecting via ethernet using a standard TCP/IP port in Windows XP. In the past we have used JetDirect ports but the standard windows port works just fine. All the other driver settings are box stock. ESRI print settings are totally standard too.

We print high res aerials on it all day long. It’s been such a painless plotter to own that I would guess either there’s something wrong with your hardware or your connection.
10 Frank // Jan 5, 2006 at 3:04 pm

Hmmm… using HPGL2 driver, if you printed to file (ensure ‘process in computer’ option is checked in your print preferences), and this still results in output errors, you very likely have a hardware problem. Two main culprits would be your RAM or firmware. Does the 800ps have a separate PS RAM module like the 700 series used to? As you are getting good results with vector files, and occasional success with raster, my money would be on the RAM. During vector print jobs, not much gets used compared to raster & vector output combined. Pushes the memory to its tolerance, even if you have the maximum amount installed.

Also, I find it odd that HP suggested the hard drive is used only with HPGL2. Hard drives were incorporated with printers and plotters to (among other things) accomodate the larger data streams from PS2 and PS3 files .
11 James Fee // Jan 5, 2006 at 3:28 pm

Frank - I’m leaning to RAM as you said, but I’ve got a couple things I’m checking on first that Brian Flood suggested.

I too was surprised about the hard drive only being used with HPGL2, but what do I know. The tech seemed pretty bright, but then again he wasn’t a member of the “Geek Squad”, though I do think he did drive a New Beatle.
12 Mike // Jan 5, 2006 at 4:03 pm

I checked the HP support site for error 61 and there was a suggestion:

http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/Document.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&objectID=bpp03320

Here they recommend cleaning the print heads if the error persists.
13 James Fee // Jan 5, 2006 at 4:45 pm

I tried that Mike, but its still not working as it should. I’m ordering new printheads as they are probably due to be replaced anyway. Brian Flood suggested printing directly to the IP rather than using our server and that has the best results so far, but there is one plot that I have that I know I printed before that just won’t work.

I’m going to also replace the RAM and see if that helps.
14 Andrew Theken // Jan 5, 2006 at 8:35 pm

We have a “newer” 42-inch plotter. The thing works, but it’s incredibly slow at spooling, we’ve never figured out how to get plots to spool very quickly, seems like the ship them with lower specs than they should have. On a side note, I just got off an hour conversation with an older friend of mine who has some sort of HP driver issue (standard XP drivers don’t seem to work with the printer). He’s on dial-up and the only driver available for download from HP is 166MB (HP, if you’re listening, this is totally absurd). When he eventually acquires this driver, it will undoubtedly have a bunch of extra “bloatware.”

Verdict: HP drivers suck.

Sorry for the rant, I’m done now…
15 Tom Savage // Jan 5, 2006 at 11:15 pm

I can sympathize with your problem James, as I have suffered through many trials and tribulations with my HP 800. I have to say that ArcGIS has not given me many problems. Printing to raster from some software does bring up some problems; CorelDraw, MapInfo, Acrobat….
Recently I ran into a major problem where I had to remove the whole controller card(contains hard drive) in order to get plotting again. After removing this card, the plotter became an HP 500 and it worked ok. Before I decided to buy a replacement for the card(megabucks), I decided to clean the contacts and reseat the card. Well all is well now. It work normal now.
One of my clients has a 500 and the only way to get it to plot large rasters is to go into the HP printer properties under the advanced TAB and set it to “Print directly to the printer” (ie turn off spooling altogether).

You can try turning of spooling or try pulling the card out and let it run as a 500. Let us know how things turn out.

ttyl
16 Kim // Mar 28, 2006 at 10:50 am

hp 800 plotter, cannot find answer to error code 61.06, but guessing at memory
17 gurmeet // Jun 22, 2006 at 3:15 am

I am using hpdeskjet800 and taking out a plot of a raster image in a big cartridge.
The problem i am facing is that the raster image in the plot is not coming with the correct details and some details are missing too.
18 Underdog // Feb 9, 2007 at 10:22 am

If it helps anyone …

We too have the DesignJet 500 and we’re getting the dreaded 61:05 error printing from Adobe Illustrator.

I finally found a fix. I’m using the PCL drivers for the plotter instead of the GL/2 drivers. It may not be an option for you, but it worked great for me.

Driver download: http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareIndex.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodNameId=20987&prodTypeId=18972&prodSeriesId=25301&swLang=8&taskId=135&swEnvOID=228
19 Ron Lee // Jun 7, 2007 at 4:23 am

Did you ever get the 500 to print the way you wanted?

I had to back level the driver to the one that came with the printer. In this case, the latest driver was the problem.
20 Mizie // May 8, 2008 at 6:21 pm

if anybody can help me?

if anybody know where i can download hp designjet 2800cp driver……pls
21 Terry // Jun 17, 2008 at 1:18 pm

I have a problem when spooling with adobe and Autocad 2008. really slow to print only on this PC which runs Windows 2000 all XP PC’s are fine. Our plotter is an OCE but it’s the same with any printer/plotter.
22 Heather // Jun 19, 2008 at 8:04 am

I scene from office space (the movie) comes to mind here.
23 RAF // Jun 19, 2008 at 1:31 pm

James,

I’ve had a 800ps for about 6 years, still works quite well. I’ve had bad luck doing large printouts with vectors on rasters using the Post Script driver. I almost always use the HPGL drivers, and select the process in computer option (see below). This will rasterize the entire plot befor it goes to the printer. There are 2 different drivers, you need to make sure you have the HPGL driver installed.

With the newer (1yr old) HPGL dirver, under the Sevices tab, select “Trouble Shoot Software Problems”, then check “Send job as a bitmap (Process in Computer)”, and your good to go.

With the older drivers, you select the “Advanced” tab, and click the “Avoid out of memory” radio button.

Good luck!
24 James Fee // Jun 19, 2008 at 2:06 pm

I’ve been lucky enough to move on to newer plotters since this post, but your suggestions for the 800ps are right on and was how we resolved the printing errors.
25 Don Caron // Jul 9, 2008 at 3:20 pm

I have had a fully loaded HP DJ500 for 3yrs and have served it most of the above mentioned projects w/o problems…