officejet 8610 prints to dark

[rodneydlux]

We just got the HP Officejet 8610 all in one printer.  When you print photos it prints to dark.  I have tried different programs and they all print the same way.  I did all the calibrations.  It is not that it is to dark, it is like taking a photograph and laying a piece of stained glass over it that is tinted a light brownish red.  That is how the pictures look when I print them.  Could one or more of the cartridges be defective?

Thanks for any help you can give.

Rodney

[X-23]

Hello @rodneydlux,

Welcome to the HP Support Forums!

I would like to assist you today with resolving the dark printing quality issue you're experiencing when printing from your Mac OS X 10.6 computer to your HP Officejet Pro 8610 e-All-in-One Printer. Now I understand that you have tried printing from multiple programs, and calibrated the printer to no avail. At this point I'm going to have you run a test standalone print from your printer itself to verify if this is a setting issue on the computer or if this is a cartridge related hardware issue. Please follow the steps below.

Print a Print Quality Diagnostics Report:

1. Load plain white paper into the tray.

2. On the printer control panel, swipe the display to scroll to Setup, and then touch the Setup icon (). The Setup menu displays.

3. Swipe the display to scroll to Print Reports, and then touch Print Reports.

4. Touch Print Quality Report. The printer prints a test page.

If the report print perfectly: You are not experiencing a hardware or cartridge related issue. Rather, your issue lies with the computer. This may be a driver issue, setting issue, or it may even lie with the screen resolution of your Mac not portraying the colours properly when you look at them. Please do not proceed troubleshooting should the report print perfectly.

If the report prints colours too dark: Than you are experiencing a hardware issue with the printhead system or one or more of your ink cartridges. Please click here to resolve this issue. When the website opens I would like you to run through Solution five: Check the estimated ink levels, and then replace any depleted cartridges, Solution six: Print and evaluate a diagnostic page, and then troubleshoot defects: Steps three: Use an automated tool to align the printhead and Step four: Use an automated tool to calibrate the linefeed.

Please respond to this post with the print quality result with the Print Quality Diagnostics report. Should your issue persist, I would be happy to continue troubleshooting with you to resolve this issue. I look forward to hearing from you!

[rodneydlux]

I printed the Quality Diagnostics Report and cleaned the print head with all 3 levels.  Everything is fine except it is to dark.  Photos with people with white shirts and white walls ect. are to dark, they come out more tan color or off white.

The printer is brand new.

Rodney

[X-23]

Hello @rodneydlux,

Thanks for getting back to me regarding this print quality issue. I'm sorry to hear that since clenaing the printhead 3 times that everything is still printing too dark, even on the Print Quality Diagnostic Report.

At this point I do believe that you are either experiencing a programming issue on your printer or a printhead issue. The programming (Firmware) on your printer will tell the printer what to do and how to do it. If the programming isn't sending the correct information to the print system on your printer it may cause the dark printing issue. Also, there is the chance that you have a defective cartridge or printhead system. Because the dark print is affecting all colours for printing too dark than it is more likely that you have a defective printhead rather than 4 defective cartridges. The printhead is the mechanism that the cartridges fit into. It reads the cartridges and controls ink for going on the paper. Should the printhead be defective than print quality issues will arise.

At this point I'm going to have you run a Firmware Update for your printer to ensure that your product is using the latest programming version. Please click here for the latest Firmware.

When the website opens select the Download button at the top. Follow the onscreen steps to update the Firmware on your product. Once the Firmware Update has completed successfully please test colour printing again to verify if your dark printing issue is resolved.

Please let me know if the Firmware Update resolves your print quality issue. Best of luck! 🙂

[rodneydlux]

Well the Firmware update did not help any.  I used this computer to print on our other printer and the photo prints look great so I am thinking it is the printer.  Let me know what I should do now.

Thanks,

Rodney

[X-23]

Hey @rodneydlux,

Because the Firmware Update failed to resolve your print quality issue your product is experiencing 1 of 2 issues.

Issue 1: Programming Issue:

I am going to send you a Private Message with the instructions on how to perform a Semi-Full programming reset on your HP Officejet Pro 8610 e-All-in-One Printer. Because the Firmware Update failed to resolve the issue there is a chance that there is still a corruption within the 'brains' in your printer that is causing the dark printing. This is a hardware issue on your machine as this issue is occuring on the standalone Printer Status Reports that are printing. Please refer to your Private Messages and follow the reset steps provided.

Once the reset is complete, please post the result of the reset in this thread and not in the Private Message.

Issue 2: Printhead Failure:

The Printhead in this model of printer is the part that the cartridges fit into. The Printhead controls 'reading' the cartridges and putting ink on the paper. If the Printhead is defective the print system is defective. With this dark printing issue that you're experiencing, because the dark printing seems to be affecting all colours and shades it is more likely that the printhead is defective than all of your cartridges. If the printhead is defective than a printhead replacement may be needed.

Once the reset I am sending you in your Private Messages is complete please test printing a Print Quality Report again from the front panel of the printer to verify if the issue is resolved or if every colour is still printing too dark.

Please respond to this post with the result of the reset. Good luck! 🙂

[rodneydlux]

Well I did not reset and the results are the same, still to dark.

Rodney

[rodneydlux]

Do you need to send me a new printhead, is it something I can replace or do I have to send the printer back?

Rodney

[X-23]

Hey @rodneydlux,

The printhead is a replaceable part within your printer.

I would highly recommend contacting our Technical Support queue by phone to explore additional options.

HP Technical Support can be reached at: 800-474-6836.

If you live outside the US/Canada Region, please click the link below to get the support number for your region.

HP Worldwide Contact

The printhead is covered under the HP manufacturers warranty and HP extended warranty on this specific model. When you call Technical Support please let the agent know exactly what we went through for troubleshooting and the result of each step to avoid you for having to repeat these steps again.

It's been a pleasure working with you and I wish you luck going forward with this! 🙂