How do I find out why some paper is incompatible with my printer?

[mcglk]

I recently ran into an HP DesignJet 500 at a pawn shop, and now it's ensconced in my office, in need of a new belt (which I have, but haven't yet installed). I look forward to cranking out prints soon. But I've been looking over the available media, and I don't understand why some of it is approved for use with the 500, and others are not when they are apparently just fine for use with other inkjet printers. For example: the canvas materials (HP Artist Matte Canvas, HP Professional Matte Canvas, and HP Recycled Satin Canvas) are all unavailable when I filter for the 500, but HP Studio Canvas is listed in the User's Reference Guide, but is also apparently no longer available under that name.

So who can I ask why I can't use some of these with this printer? What will happen? Will any of it damage the printer? Is it ink incompatibility? Is it printhead incompatibility? Are there reasons, or just untested and unwarranteed combinations? Is there a canvas media I can actually use with this printer?

I know—so many questions in one post. Sorry about that. I just want to be able to get the most flexible use out of this that I can.

[Valsimot]

Designjet 500 is a printer for technical drawings ( thin lines, CAD drawings, schematics) on plain paper and similar media.

Printers that are designed for graphics and photos can use canvas material, they have more colours for better results. Printing on canvas on DJ500 will have poor print quality compared with the graphic intended printer.