HP PageWide (377dw) Print Quality/Paper & Ink Settings Question

RYoder

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Hey guys. This is my first post on the site. It's great to be here.

As I try to become an expert with this printer of mine, I'm noticing that print quality, specifically color accuracy is poor depending on the stock I'm using.

While the 377dw is only rated to do cardstock up to 220gsm, I'm easily running 110lb 300gsm coverstock and auto duplexing. I'm trying to print some personal business cards with a black background and a mid-light gray box on the front.

One issue is that while the accuracy is okay (not quite perfect) on this thick matte stock, the colors seem a bit too washed out. This is to be investigated further as I'll be experimenting with Red River Polar Matte soon.

The next issue I'm confused about. When I print on glossy stock using this printer and the same business card file, the gray box is very very light, much lighter then on my screen. I'm not messing with the color profiles or anything, it's still sRGB.

I'm printing a full bleed 10 up file I designed in Publisher and exported to Acrobat using press quality settings. I'm a bit low on ink now from a lot of testing, but I'm wondering in the meantime if the paper setting matters in terms of print quality and not just platen gap.

I'd have to run another set of tests to check, but if I tell the printer the paper is cardstock (when it's just thick glossy stock) I might be getting this color inaccuracy. I know I did something right one time because I have one sheet that looks halfway decent.

But does choosing the correct paper type affect print quality like that? This printer has limited paper choice options in the properties/preferences, so I can't tell it thick AND glossy, just one or the other basically.

These printers do give you control of ink saturation, black ink spread, and dry time. I understand that saturation is good for glossy stock to make colors pop more, but what is the purpose of the black ink spread?

Has anyone here gotten a bit more knowledge over the last 4 years than I have about these machines? They seem really great I just want to get the result I'm expecting haha.

It's a tad late now, but I'll see about posting some pictures of my business card tests tomorrow if I can.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide me!
 

websnail

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FWIW the pagewide (and preceding Pro-X) printers are really limited in terms of what they'll do with higher quality printing... I tried some photo printing on glossy media amongst other things and it just wasn't laying down ink well enough to avoid patchy or variance in the output.

Sounds like you're a whole lot more experienced on this though and ultimately will find the solution yourself... I really haven't done nearly the depth of experimentation that you have so I'm certainly no help... Happy to try and recreate here with the 551dw or 477dw that we have here if that's of any help.
 

The Hat

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Try printing from Publisher and not Acrobat, that might make a difference...:hu
 

RYoder

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Hey guys. Sorry for the super late reply.
I've tried printing from Publisher, as well as directly off the USB drive via the PDF file.

I got samples from RRP and while the quality was superb on the papers, they would not feed without assistance and would smear inside the printer.

Bought some 11x17 photo paper on Amazon. Said "dye inks" on the box when I finally got the package. I try running it as photo papers/cardstock, and there are awful roller marks/roller smears across the page.

I'm wondering what the closest thing I can get to matte stock is for this printer. Do you guys know about different finishes and stuff? I was looking on thepapermillstore.com and saw things like smooth, ultra smooth, cockle, vellum, etc...all certified or supposed to work with inkjet.

What do you think the best paper finish would be that would be close to matte? Do you think there's a huge difference between "smooth" and "ultra smooth" in terms of how the ink would absorb/lay?
 

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