CP1215 colour alignment

[aviator]

I have this printer and gradually the colours are becoming more and more out of alignment vertically. Otherwise works just fine.

Any advice appreciated. 

[AlmostThere]

Calibrate the printer. Follow these steps to calibrate the product and align the CPR.

1. Open HP Toolbox

2. In the Toolbox window, click the product model name to expand the menu choices.

3. Click to expand the Device Settings menu.

4. Select Print Quality from the Device Settings menu, and then click Calibrate on the Print Quality panel.

5. Click OK when the Your request has been sent to the device message appears on the computer.

The calibration begins and lasts for approximately 2 to 3 minutes.

If the printout still not acceptable, repeat steps 1 through 5. You can recalibrate the printer as many as three times. If, after three calibration attempts, the printout is still the same, service the product.

Message Edited by AlmostThere on 08-06-2009 12:17 AM

[nalawayne]

Dear HP Friend:

On 9/22/2008 I purchased my first CP1215 Color printer and after printing 2400 color pages the magenta ink suddenly printed off-registration. I used the HP trouble shooting toolbox and cleaned and re-calibrated it over and over 10 times. Then thinking that I just happened to have an unusual problem and that there was nothing inherently wrong with the CP1215 printer I decided to purchase another CP1215.

On 10/9/2009 I purchased another CP1215 printer and after printing 4600 color pages the magenta ink suddenly printed off-registration. Again I used the HP trouble shooting toolbox and cleaned and re-calibrated it over and over 10 times. I then purchased a new magenta ink cartridge and I still have the same problem. None of the Device Settings have been changed particularly Cartridge out override.

Now it is January 11, 2011, what do you suggest that I do?

[MatthewT · Accepted solution]

Hi All,

First make sure you have the latest firmware for the printer. If you print a configuration page under Printer Information you will find the Firmware version or datecode (see the link below for printing the configuration page). The most current version is 20100201 (February 1, 2010). You can find the firmware here http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/softwareCategory?product=3422476&lc=en&cc=us&dlc=en&lang=en&cc=us...

If you have the most current version of firmware and you are still getting misalignment, also known as color plane registration,and cannot correct it with a calibration you may first need to perform an NVRAM initialization and then perform a calibration. It may take up to 3 calibrations to bring it back in alignment.

Here is a document that explains the steps for an NVRAM Initialization: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01530306&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&jumpid=reg_R1002_US...

Here is a document on how to print a configuration page and perform a calibration: http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c01530414&tmp_track_link=ot_recdoc/c01530306/en_...

I hope this helps.

[nalawayne]

MatthewT:

PROBLEM RESOLVED!!     Did exactly as you suggested and the alignment problem disappeared. 

The firmware version was up to date so all I had to do was the NVRAM initialization.

I am very grateful for your assistance and hope that your New Year will be as successful. 

[mcrice]

useful advice but it's not working for me

I have up-to-date firmware (thanks for the link)

I have initialised the NVRAM

I have recalibrated several times after that but still have mis-registraion: black is off by 1mm to the right and about 0.3mm up; blue is off as well

I'm using remanufactured cartridges

Any other ideas?

Michael

[MadMonty]

I had overall color registration (alignment) problems.  The NVRAM/Recal/Recal/Recal fixed most of it.  As for other causes, I came across http://printertechs.com/tech/print-defects/faultyreg.php that listed four other causes and solutions.  I pasted the table here in case the link doesn't work; you'll have to parse it to reconstruct the table though because it lost its formatting

Problem /Cause /Solution/ How common (1=most common) 

Faulty Registration Paper does not meet specifications. The surface of the paper may be too smooth for the Pickup and Feed Rollers to correctly feed paper into the printer Try a different paper lot 2

Faulty Registration Paper guide on the paper tray is incorrectly adjusted If the guide is pushing too tightly against the paper, it may be delayed in being pulled into the printer. If the guide is too loose, it may cause image skewing. Make sure that the paper guide is adjusted for the correct paper size and is locked into position 7

Faulty Registration Paper tray is overloaded. If the tray is overloaded, the Pickup Rollers may not pick correctly Reload proper amount of paper squarely in the tray. Review paper loading with the customer 5

Faulty Registration Worn Pickup or Registration Rollers. Paper is not being picked up consistently Inspect all paper path rollers, looking for wear, cracks, or glazing. Replace the worn rollers 9

[mcrice]

bought some brand-new cartridges from online retailer Megabuy here in Oz

competitive with local remanufacturer both in price + delivery/turnaround time

problem solved!

[ground]

The links are out of date. Can you provide working ones?

[ground]

The CP1215 is very sensitive to being moved. After moving the printer a few times, I've found that each time one or more of the cartridges has moved out of alignment. I've tried connecting it to a Windows computer and using the alignment routine and also the firmware update process without success.

As one of the other posters has mentioned, changing the cartridges works, You may not have to replace all of the cartridges however. Replacing one or two may work, Replacing all of them will almost certainly work.

I think the CP1215 identifies when a new cartridge is inserted (as opposed to simply removing and re-inserting the cartridge).

I don't know enough about the printer to speculate why HP only thinks it needs to realign the cartridge after it is replaced but not when it is reinserted. Nor do I know why the new cartridge realignment behaves differently from the Windows driver's realignment but my experience is that there is a difference.

Putting the old cartridges back in however brings back the problem. This suggests that the misalignment is in the cartridges themselves. I can't see anything different in them however.

Given the price of cartridges, I suggest that moving the CP1215 should be avoided. Perhaps removing the cartridges before transport will work but I'm not going to try it.