5200 Pagewide XL driver issues.

[sturner72771]

We have recently received this disappointment of a plotter. Aside from the hardware issues I need a fix for the software. This plotter is networked and shared on a Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 2012 R2 servers using the latest HP HPGL2 driver (61.2201.0.150) and the latest firmware (TYPH_12_24_41.1). We have two of these plotters in different offices locations. Majority of our plotting is from AutoCAD 2024 or Bluebeam Review 21. Workstations are running Windows 11.

Problem one, is random scaling or stretching of plots. This includes autorotation failing, it can happen at the beginning or in the middle of a run. This is typically seen when sending multi-page PDF's but will happen with DWG's. No scaling is applied and autorotation is enabled in the print driver and the plotter.

Problem two, is plots stuck in the print queue, either on the users computer or having to remove the print job from the server. Rebooting the users computers can clean out their queue. This seems to be from larger print jobs, but that is not a given.

Problem three, is when creating custom PC3's for AutoCAD the option to choose a page size will be disabled in the AutoCAD plot dialog. I have found a fix where you click the set defaults button on the PC3 editor. That will 'fix' whatever is happening and reduces the file size down by 2kb. I have tried all of the HPGL2 drivers with the same results. Even a few from the 5000 series with no luck.

Searching the internet gives very few results, I find that odd.

[D Hook]

Is the printer still under warranty?

[sturner72771]

It is and we are working with our reseller.

The following images are to show how a 30x42 PDF is sent to the plotter. The plotter changes the size to 30x40 as you can see in the picture of the plotter screen. The final image shows the printed output, stretched and cut off. Riddle me that.

Print dialogHP screenoutput

[sturner72771]

We have given up on the HPGL/2 drivers as they are junk. The PCL3 driver appears to be managing sheet size and scaling correctly. At least with the testing in Windows.