Some shades of purple printing blue

[Emz452]

I have had this printer for maybe a couple of years now and it’s never been great at printing colours but I wasn’t too fussed as I didn’t buy it for photo printing or the like.

I have had a couple of issues with colours not printing well but it was never important enough to worry about.

However, recently I created a vector image with a purple(ish) background colour and when I tried to print, it is blue with not even a hint of purple. 

I have colour calibrated the monitor and printer, updated to the latest firmware, driver and software for the printer and tried printing the same file from both my PC and my phone with the same results. I have had four other people with different printers successfully print the same file.

I have photocopied a page with the correct colour using the same machine to ensure that the machine is capable of producing that shade of purple (which is did successfully).

The original was RGB, I converted to CMYK with no luck.

I also tried using an MS Word doc and created a square with a similar shade of purple and it still prints blue.

Any ideas? This is something I would like to sell and I cannot list and item for sale if I can’t print it and test it thoroughly beforehand.

[GaryL1]

Hey EMZ,

Are you using OEM toner?  I know the RGBs and CMYKs go nuts if you use generics.  One batch will be perfect, then next turns a McDonald's yellow arches into a Tropicana Orange. 

If OEM, are you seeing the off color uniform in all areas of the image?  Can you make something like a 1" box left to right, make it the color purple want, and see if the "off" color is uniform or varied?  Or even sector divided?  

I am thinking possible dirty ground or some interference in the ground contact or similar issue if you are using OEM.   Maybe on the charging (high side) power rail contacts.

Not too familiar with taking apart the M277, but comparing I am it to the machines I work on, just to get these ideas.

If you are using generics or reman toners, consider yourself really lucky (up until now) to get your colors out of it.

Let me know!  I'll be checking my email tomorrow AM

Gary

[Emz452]

Hi Gary,

Thanks for your reply and sorry about the delay, I thought I had signed up for email notifications but didn't get any!

I have only ever used original HP toners in this printer. I wouldn't risk generic as I've seen the results before at one workplace I was at!

Cheers,

Emily

[Emz452]

Also, I forgot to add that I haven't had any issues with streaking or gradient variations.

The colour prints perfectly, it's just not the right colour.

As the same machine has no problems producing the correct colour from a photocopy, I know it's capable.

Cheers,

Emily