grainy photos with HP Deskjet 932 in Best mode

[Paul W.]

Can't add to the title except to say the color cartridge was brand new. 3rd party, I'll admit.

Thanks!

Paul

 

[PeterBJ]

You could do the "Tap 84 test" to print a grid pattern that shows if all nozzles are firing in the two cartridges. In my test the DJ930 had a new old stock type 78 and a remanufactured type 45 cartridge installed. Notice the perfect pattern for the tri-colour cartridge and the black cartridge pattern missing some nozzles. To get a better view of the yellow grid pattern a blue LED light and a magnifier is helpful.

I cannot test photo printing with my DJ930 as my photo paper is 280 and 300 gsm, which the DJ930 cannot handle even if I cleaned the rubber rollers with a special printer rubber roller cleaner.

But IIRC the DJ930 can produce acceptable photo prints on paper types it can handle. Older HP printers that use the type 17 and type 23 tri-colour cartridges with fewer nozzles produce more grainy photos IIRC.

 

[Paul W.]

@PeterBJ: Thank you... I ran the Tap 84 test and the results were pretty good, not perfect, but ok.

However, I don't know what IIRC means... can you fill me in?

Regards,

Paul

 

[PeterBJ]

I think the origin of the abbreviation is from text messaging. IIRC = If I Remember Correctly.

 

[Paul W.]

Ah.. of course.

<SPSF> <Sound of Palm Smiting Forehead>

But the question remains... because I'm using a 78 and a 45. Why the grainy look? Maybe because I"m using a 3rd party cartridge?

 

[PeterBJ]

Maybe the ink and the photo paper doesn't work well together? Could you upload a scan showing the problem. A crop of the photo is sufficient. Maybe another brand of photo paper will be better suited for your 78 cartridge?

 

[The Hat]

However, I don't know what IIRC means... can you fill me in?

<SPSF> <Sound of Palm Smiting Forehead>

I also benefit from the explanation, I am useless at any of these abbreviations, except FUBAR of course...

Easy known I don’t do much texting...

 

[PeterBJ]

I managed to get the DJ930 to print photos using the 300 gsm paper. It was a driver problem not a paper problem. I connected the printer to an XP computer and photo printing worked. The reason I thought the paper was too thick for the printer to handle was that it printed one inch of the image and then stopped. When plain paper was selected the printer behaved normally and Windows printer test page printed perfectly.

Here is a comparison of a test image printed on 4" x 6" paper of the Netbit brand that is popular in Europe. The left picture is printed using the DJ930 with OEM cartridges, and the right is printed using a Canon MP800 with cartridges refilled using Image Specialists ink:

The Canon printer has a higher resolution, but the HP isn't that bad. The HP print doesn't look grainy to me.

The brand of photo paper might be important. I have a package with a few sheets of Lexmark brand paper. This paper doesn't absorb the ink well, ink in dark areas looks like paint on top of the paper. Sadly my scanner cannot show this problem, but it makes me think that the grainy prints could be caused by the paper.

 

[The Hat]

The Canon printer has a higher resolution, but the HP isn't that bad. The HP print doesn't look grainy to me. The brand of photo paper might be important.

Try using a sheet of Canon photo paper and see if that makes any difference.
I bet it will..

 

[Paul W.]

@PeterBJ : Maybe the ink and the photo paper doesn't work well together? Could you upload a scan showing the problem. A crop of the photo is sufficient. Maybe another brand of photo paper will be better suited for your 78 cartridge?

Thanks for raising the ink/paper issue. I tried printing using some bright white presentation paper (by HP) and it was much better. Still a bit fuzzy, and some slight banding. And thanks for asking me to upload a scan, but I think I'll pass on that for now. I'm beginning to suspect my 78 cartridge. Although new, it's made by a third party cartridge I'm not real satisfied with.

Best regards,

Paul

PS: As for drivers... my 932 is now using the driver built-in with Windows 10. But I discovered I do have the original driver on a CD. I'll try that also.