Cant Print on Photo Paper?!?!?!?!?

The fact that the print is wrong in different applications and reinstalling the latest XP drivers didn’t help, certainly points suspicion at the printer itself. I would contact HP again and move up the tech ladder until you can get some advice on getting the printer fixed.

Gary

You didn’t mention a single thing about your printer drivers. Yes, simply switching papers and it *working* indicates something afoot, but printer drivers control how the printer prints on different media. Typically, to print on glossy, luster or even matte papers normally requires a specific paper and color output option be setup within the printer’s drivers.

You also haven’t discussed color profiles and what profile you are working in versus what profiles HP has for you to print to in regards to your specific printer. Like me for example, I capture digital images in *roughly* Adobe RGB 1998 (Nikon ADobe 1998 from my D100 camera). And when I print, it (Photoshop) has to be told that that is the source profile (since I don’t change it) and the print output profile is selected from the profiles provided by my printer maker (Epson). Like last night, I told it to output it to the ‘Epson Premium Luster PK’ profile as I was printing on Epson’s Premium Luster Paper. All these paper profiles were installed along with my printer drivers and software during the original install.

I think all that goes out the window when using plain paper as the images are almost handled like standard clip-art, and will print *fine*. But throw fancy photo paper into the mix and you need to start telling the printer exactly what you are doing. Never trust a printer to pick the right paper or color settings.

What does your image appear like when you click on File->Print with Preview? You do preview before printing I assume. If they look fine in the print preview, then it is a color profile issue and/or a printer driver setup issue most likely. I can’t be so quick to blame the hardware if it will do a plain paper quick print ok.

wrote in message

I am a newbie when it comes to Photoshop, though I have been able to print

digital photos just fine in the past.

I am using an HP Deskjet 5650. Whenever I attempt to print anything on

photo paper, the image just falls apart. The best way to describe it, is viewing an original 32 bit picture with only 16 bits. Everything has become dithered. Not sure if thats te correct term. Another way to describe it would be, lets say I print a picture of my family. All our hair and my suit takes on a cell-shaded look.

If I select plain paper as my paper type, the image seems ok. Its only

when I select photo paper does this happen. The printer also has an automatic sensor to detect what type of paper Im using. If I allow this and feed it photo paper, the image falls apart. If I feed it standard white paper, the image again is fine.

I have just spent the last hour on the phone with an HP rep from India,

and he seems to think its Photoshop. It doesnt matter that I have told him, this happens on any software I use.

He still suggests that people here should me more knowledgable of my

situation. This has been driving me bonkers, as I cannot even print the necessary photo for my childs project.

Anyone that can provide help, it will be greatly appreciated. At this

point Im ready to throw the printer out the window.

Has something changed in my Windows XP that could cause this? I have

re-installed the printer many times, and both ways (USB and Parallel)

Thanks for any advise.

Johnny