HP Photosmart B8550 User Manual

							
Insert a memory card or storage device
The HP Photosmart supports  memory cards and storage devices as described below.  Each type of memory card
can only be inserted in the appropriate slot for that card, and only one card or storage device may be inserted at a
time.
CAUTION: Do not insert more than  one memory card at a time. If more  than one memory card is inserted,
unrecoverable data  loss might occur.
1Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, Memory Stick Select, Me mory Stick Magic Gate, Memory Stick Duo or Duo Pro (adapter
optional), Memory Stick Micro (adapter required), or MS-HG
2xD-Picture Card, xD- Picture Card type M, xD-Picture Card  type H, Secure Digital (SD), Secure Digital Mini (adapter
required), SD micro (or Transflash), Secure Digital High Capac ity (SDHC), MultiMediaCard (MMC), MultiMedia High-Density
(MMC-HD), MMC Plus, or MMC Mobile (RS-MMC; adapter required)
3CompactFlash (CF) types I and II
NOTE: IBM Microdrive is not supported.
4Photo light
5Front USB port (for storage devices)
To insert a memory card or connect a photo storage device
1.Make sure the product is on.
2. Insert the memory card or connect the photo storage device to the front USB port.
The memory card area has a Photo light that flashes when the product is reading the memory card or storage
device. When the light becomes solid, you can view your photos.
CAUTION: Do not pull out the memory card while the Photo light is flashing. Doing so may damage the
memory card or the product.
NOTE: The product only recognizes the JPG and TIF file formats on your memory card or storage device.
View and select photos
You can view and select photos on your memory card or storage device before or while printing them.
To view and select photos
1.Load up to 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 inch) photo paper in the photo tray or full-size photo paper in the main input tray.
2. Insert a memory card into the appropriate slot or connect a photo storage device to the front USB port.
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The Photosmart Express  menu appears, with the most recent photo shown on the display and  View
highlighted.
View
PrintCreateSave
3. Press  OK to select  View.
The  View Photos  screen appears.
4. Press 
 or  to scroll through the thum bnails of your photos.
5. When the thumbnail of the photo you want to view is highlighted, press  OK.
6. When the photo appears by itself on the display, press  OK again.
The  Photo Options  screen appears.
7. With  Print Preview  highlighted, press  OK.
The  Print Preview  screen appears, show ing how your photo will look when printed.
8. If you want to select additional photos to view and print, press 
 to highlight  Add More, press OK, and repeat
steps 4-6.
Or, once youre in the  Add Photos screen, the quickest way to  select multiple photos (if you dont need the
option to edit them) is to press 
 to select a photo , and then press  or  to scroll through more photos to
select.
TIP: A checkmark appears to indicate each photo that is selected. You can change the number of copies
by pressing 
 or . The total number of photos that will print appears at the top of the display.
9. (Optional) If you want to check and/or modify any of your print settings, press  to highlight  Settings and press
OK .
10. To print the photo(s), use 
 or  to highlight  Print Now (or press the  Print Photos button on the control panel).
A print status screen displays the number of pages to print and the estimated time to complete.
TIP: During printing, press  OK to add more photos to the print queue.
Print your photos
You can print the photos on your memory card or photo storag e device in a variety of sizes, from 8 x 13 cm (3 x 5
inch) up to the size of 33  x 48.3 cm (13 x 19 inch) pape r, including multiple small-size photos on a single page.
To print your photos
TIP: To print a single borderless  10 x 15 cm (4 x 6 inch) photo on 10 x  15 cm (4 x 6 inch) paper, simply press
the  Print Photos  button on the control panel twice.
1.Load the paper.
• Load up to 13 x 18 cm (5 x 7 inch) photo paper in the photo tray.
• Load full-size photo paper in the main input tray.
2. Insert the memory card or connect the photo storage device.
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3.Make sure  View is highlighted, and then press  OK.
4. Use the arrow buttons to select a photo, and then press  OK.
5. Press  Print Photos  on the control panel.
6. Follow the instructio ns on the printer display to modify the print settings:
• Select  Print Now to print the photo immediately.
• Select  Add More to change the number of copies.
• Select  Settings to change the layout.
7. Press  OK to print the photo.
Print photos from a PictBridge  camera or other PictBridge device
This section describes the procedure for printing from a PictBridge digi tal camera. The procedure for printing from
other PictBridge devices—such as camera phones and ot her image capture devices—is very similar. Review the
documentation that came with your PictBridge device for specific information.
When you print from a digital camera, the printer uses the settings that you selected on the camera. For more
information, see the documentation that came with the camera.
PictBridge camera being connected to camera port
To print using a PictBr idge-certified camera
1. Load photo paper in the printer.
2. Turn on the PictBridge-certified digital camera.
3. Make sure the USB configurat ion setting of the camera is set to Digital Camera, and then connect the camera
to the camera port of the printer using the USB cable th at came with the PictBridge-certified camera. The Photo
light flashes green while the camera establishes a connection to the printer, and then turns solid green.
See the camera documentation for more information about the USB configuration setting. The name of the
setting and its options may differ on non-HP digital cameras.
4. If you already selected photos for printing on the camera, the  Print DPOF Photos? dialog box is displayed on
the camera. DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) lets the user mark photos on a digital camera for printing and
include other image information, such as number of copies to be printed. Select  Yes to print the pre-selected
photos, or select  No to bypass printing pre-selected photos.
5. Use the options and controls on your camera to print your photos. See the camera documentation for more
information. The PictBridge light flashes while the photos are printing.
Print from your computer
The HP Photosmart can be used with any software application  that allows printing. You can print a range of projects,
such as borderless images, newsletters, gr eeting cards, iron-on transfers, and posters.
Printing from a computer gives you more options for printing your images. Before printing from your computer, you
must install the HP Photosmart software and connect a USB cable from the printer (using the USB port on the back)
to your computer.
Print from a software application
To print from a software application (Windows)
1. Make sure you have paper loaded in the input tray.
2. On the  File menu in your softwa re application, click Print.
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3.Select the HP Photosmart as the printer.
If you set the HP Photosmart as the default printer, you can skip this step. The HP Photosmart will already be
selected.
4. If you need to change settings, click the button that opens the  Properties dialog box.
Depending on your software application, this button might be called  Properties, Options , Printer Setup ,
Printer , or Preferences .
NOTE:When printing a photo, you must select options for the specific photo paper and photo enhancement.
5.Select the appropriate options for your print  job by using the features available in the Printing Shortcuts,
Features , Color , and Advanced  tabs.
TIP:You can easily select the appropriate options for your print job by choosing one of the predefined print
tasks on the  Printing Shortcuts  tab. Click a type of print task in the  Printing Shortcuts list. The default
settings for that type of print task are set and summarized on the  Printing Shortcuts tab. If necessary, you
can adjust the settings here and save your custom sett ings as a new printing shortcut. To save a custom
printing shortcut, select the shortcut and click  Save As. To delete a shortcut, select the shortcut and click
Delete .
6.Click  OK to close the  Properties dialog box.
7. Click  Print or OK  to begin printing.
To print from a software application (Mac OS X v10.4)
1. From the  File menu in your software  application, choose Page Setup.
The  Page Setup  dialog box appears, allowing you to specify the paper size, orientation, and scaling.
2. Make sure the HP Photosmart  is the selected printer.
3. Specify the page attributes:
• Choose the paper size.
• Select the orientation.
• Enter the scaling percentage.
4. Click  OK.
5. From the  File menu in your software  application, choose Print.
The  Print  dialog appears with the  Copies & Pages pane open.
6. Change the print settings for each option in th e pop-up menu, as appropriate for your project.
NOTE:When printing a photo, you must select options for the correct paper type and photo enhancement.
7.Click  Print to begin printing.
To print from a software application (Mac OS X v10.5)
1. From the  File menu in your software  application, choose Print.
The  Print  dialog appears.
2. Make sure the HP Photosmart  is the selected printer.
3. Click the blue disclosure triangle next to the Printer selection to access the print options.
4. Specify the page attributes:
• Choose the paper size.
• Select the orientation.
• Enter the scaling percentage.
5. To change other options, such as paper type, select them from the Application pop-up menu toward the bottom
of the dialog.
NOTE: When printing a photo, you must select options for the correct paper type and photo enhancement.
6.Click  Print to begin printing.
Use the HP Solution Center
The HP Solution Center provides convenient access to many features of your HP device and software. Use the
HP Solution Center to learn about the printer and its software, and view troubleshooting solutions.
After you have installed the HP Photosmart software on a computer, open and explore the HP Solution Center:
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▲Right-click the  HP Digital Imaging Monitor  icon on the Windows taskbar, and then click  Launch/Show
HP Solution Center .
You can also use the HP Solution Center to:
• Check printer status and access the printer Toolbox for maintenance utilities.
• Change printer settings.
• Order supplies.
• Start HP Photosmart software.
• Update your printer software.
• Access the HP Activity Center and HP Professional Photography Center Web sites.
For more information on us ing the HP Solution Center, see the onscreen Help.
You can also view informative How Do I? animations from the HP Solution Center:
▲ In the HP Solution Center, click  Help, and then click  Open Library in the Animations Library  area.
Find more information
You can access a variety of resources, both printed and onscreen, that provide information about setting up and
using the HP Photosmart.
•Start Here guide : The Start Here guide provides instructions for setting up the HP Photosmart, including
printhead installation, ink cartridge insertion, paper loading, and software installation. Make sure you follow the
steps in the Start Here guide in order.
If you have problems during setup, check the Start Here guide for troubleshooting information, or see
Troubleshooting and support on page 17 .
• HP Photosmart animations : The HP Photosmart animations, located  in the relevant sections of the onscreen
Help, show you how to complete key tasks on the HP Photosmart. You will learn how to load paper, insert a
memory card, and replace ink.
• Help from your device : The Help menu on the display provides quick access to key help topics and is available
when you press the  Help button. From the Idle state, pressing  Help lists a menu of it ems for which help is
available. Depe nding on the topic you se lect, the topic will appear on yo ur display or on your computer screen.
When viewing screens other than Idle, pressing  Help provides context sensitive help.
• Onscreen Help : The onscreen Help provides detailed instructions  on features of your HP Photosmart that are
not described in this guide, including features that are only available using the software you installed with your
HP Photosmart. The onscreen Help also provides regulatory and environmental information.
To access the onscreen Help
◦ Windows:  Click Start > All Programs > HP > Photosmart B8500 series > Help .
To install the onscreen Help, insert  the software CD in your computer and follow the onscreen instructions.
◦ Macintosh:  Click Help > Mac Help > Library > HP Product Help .
• Readme : The Readme file contains the most recent information which might not be found in other publications.
Install the software to  access the Readme file.
• HP Web site : If you have Internet acce ss, you can get help and support from the HP Web site at 
www.hp.com/
support. This Web site offers technical support, drivers, supplies, and ordering information.
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2 Maintain the HP Photosmart
The HP Photosmart requires little maintenance. You might need to replace ink cartridges, clean the printhead, or
align the printer from time to time. This section provides instructions for keeping the HP Photosmart in top working
condition. Perform these simple maintenance procedures as necessary.
Work with ink cartridges and the printhead
To ensure the best print quality from the HP Photosmart, you will need to perform some simple maintenance
procedures and, when prompted by a message on the display, replace the ink cartridges.
Information on ink cartr idges and the printhead
The following tips help maintain HP ink cartridges and ensure consistent print quality.
• Make sure you follow th e instructions in the Start Here guide for installing the printhead and the ink cartridges
for the first time. For information on the ink cartridges used by this product, see the back cover of this guide.
• If you need to replace an ink cartridge, wait until you have the new ink cartridge available to install before removing the old cartridge.
CAUTION: Wait until you have a new ink cartridge available before removing the old ink cartridge. Do not
leave the ink cartridge outside of the product for an extended period of time. This can result in damage to
both the product and the ink cartridge.
• Keep all ink cartridges in the original sealed packages until they are needed.
• Turn off the HP Photosmart by pressing the  On button located on the product. Wait until the  On light turns off
before unplugging the power cord or turning off a power strip. If you improperly turn off the HP Photosmart, the
print carriage might not return to the correct position causing problems with the ink cartridges and print quality
issues.
• Store ink cartridges at room temperature (15.6-26.6° C or 60-78° F).
• You do not need to replace the cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable, but a significant decrease in print quality may be the result of one or more depleted cartridges. It could also be caused by a clogged
printhead. Possible solutions include checking the estimated ink levels remaining in the cartridges, and cleaning
the printhead. Cleaning the printhead will use some ink.
NOTE: Ink level warnings and  indicators provide estima tes for planning purposes  only. When you receive
a low-ink warning message, consider having a replac ement cartridge available to avoid possible printing
delays. You do not need to replace the ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
• Do not clean the printhead unnecessarily. This wastes ink and shortens the life of the cartridges.
• Handle ink cartridges carefully. Dropping, jarring, or  rough handling during installation can cause temporary
printing problems.
• If you are transporting the product, do the following to  prevent ink leaking from the print carriage or other damage
from occurring to the product:
◦ Make sure you turn off th e product by pressing the  On button.
The print carriage should be parked on the right side in the service station.
◦ Make sure you leave the ink cartridges and printhead installed.
◦ Lightly pack the inside of the product with crumpled newspaper to prevent the print carriage from moving
during transportation.
◦ The product must be transported sitting flat; it sh ould not be placed its side, back, front, or top.
Check the estimated ink levels
You can easily check the ink supply level to determine how  soon you might need to replace an ink cartridge. The
ink supply level shows an estimate of the am ount of ink remaining in the ink cartridges.
NOTE: 1If you have installed a refilled or remanufactured cartridge, or a cartridge that has been used in another
printer, the ink level indicator might be inaccurate or unavailable.
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NOTE: 2Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning purposes only. When you receive a
low-ink warning message, consider having a replacement  cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays.
You do not need to replace the ink cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
NOTE: 3 Ink from the cartridges is used in the printing process in a number of different ways, including in the
initialization process, which prepares the product and ca rtridges for printing, and in printhead servicing, which
keeps print nozzles clear and ink flowing smoothly. In addition, some residual ink is left in the cartridge after it
is used. For more information, see 
www.hp.com/go/inkusage .
Visit www.hp.com/go/learnaboutsupplies  for more information on estimated cartridge yields.
To check the ink levels from the control panel
1. Press  Setup.
2.Press the down arrow button to highlight  Tools, and then press  OK.
3. Press the down arrow button to highlight  Display Ink Gauge, and then press OK.
The product displays a gauge that shows the estimated ink levels of all cartridges installed.
TIP: You can also print a diagnostic page to see if ink cartridges might need to be replaced.
Replace the ink cartridges
Follow these instructions when you need to replace ink cartridges.
NOTE: If you are setting up the product for the first time, ma ke sure you follow the instructions in the Start Here
guide for installing the printhead and the ink cartridges.
If you do not already have replacem ent ink cartridges for the HP Photosmart, to order cartridges, go to www.hp.com/
buy/supplies. If prompted, choose your country/region, follow the prompts to select your product, and then click one
of the shopping links on the page.
NOTE: At this time, some portions of the HP Web site are available in English only.
CAUTION: Wait until you have a new ink cartridge available before removing the old ink cartridge. Do not leave
the ink cartridge outside of the product for an extended period of time. This can result in damage to both the
product and the ink cartridge.
To replace the ink cartridges
1. Make sure the prod uct is turned on.
2. Open the ink cartridge access door.
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3.Wait until the print carriage stops moving. Press the tab on  the front of the ink cartridge and remove the cartridge
from the slot.
4. Remove the plastic wrap from the new ink cartridge by pulling the orange pull-tab straight back.
NOTE: Make sure you remove the plastic wrap from the ink cartridge before installing it in the product, or
printing will fail.
5. Twist the orange cap to snap it off.
6.Slide the ink cartridge into its matching slot, and then press down firmly until it snaps into place.
CAUTION: Do not lift the latch handle on the print carriage when installing the ink cartridges.
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7.Repeat steps 3 through 6 for each ink cartridge you are replacing.
8. Close the ink cartridge access door.
Print a diagnostic page
If you are experiencing problems with printing, print a  diagnostic page before you replace the ink cartridges. This
page provides useful information on several aspects of your product, including the ink cartridges.
To print a diagnostic page
1. Load letter, A4, or legal unused plain white paper into the main input tray.
2. Press the  Setup button on the control panel.
3. Press 
 to highlight  Tools, and then press  OK.
4. Press 
 to highlight  Diagnostic Page , and then press OK.
The product prints a diagnostic page, which contains the following information:
• Product information : includes the model number, serial number, and other product information.
• Revision information : includes the firmware version number.
• Ink delivery system information : displays the approximate ink level of  each installed ink cartridge, the
status of each ink cartridge, the date each cartridge was installed, and the date each cartridge will expire.
• Print quality pattern : displays five color bl ocks, representing each of the  five installed cartridges. Solid,
even blocks of color indicate there  are no print quality problems. When  streaks are displayed or there are
missing blocks, clean the pr inthead. If the color blocks still show print qual ity problems after cleaning the
printhead, align the printer. For more information on cleaning the printhead and aligning the printer, see the
onscreen Help. If the color bl ocks continue to show print quality problems after cleaning and aligning, contact
HP support.
• History log : contains information that might be used for diagnostic purposes if you need to call HP support.
Turn off the HP Photosmart
To avoid damaging the product, you must properly shut it down by using the  On button located on the product. Wait
until the  On light turns off before you unplug the power cord or turn off a power strip.
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3 Troubleshooting and support
This chapter contains troubleshooting information for the HP Photosmart. Specific information is provided for
installation and configuration issues, and some operationa l topics. For more troubleshooting information, see the
onscreen Help that came with yo ur software. For more information on accessing  the onscreen Help, see Find more
information on page 12 .
Many issues are caused when the HP Photosmart is co nnected to the computer using a USB cable before the
HP Photosmart software is installed on the computer. If you connected the HP Photosmart to your computer before
the software installation screen prompts you to do so, you must follow these steps:
Troubleshooting common setup issues
1. Disconnect the USB cable from the computer.
2. Uninstall the softwa re (if you have already installed it).
3. Restart your computer.
4. Turn off the HP Photosmart, wait one minute, then restart it.
5. Reinstall the HP Photosmart software.
CAUTION: Do not connect the USB cable to the computer until prompted by the software installation screen.
For support contact inform ation, see the inside back cover of this guide.
Uninstall and reinstall the software
If your installation is incomplete, or if you connected th e USB cable to the computer before prompted by the software
installation screen, you  might need to uninstall and then reinstall the software. Do  not simply delete the
HP Photosmart application files from your computer. Make sure to remove them properly using the uninstall utility
provided when you installed the software that came with the HP Photosmart.
To uninstall and reinstall the software (Windows)
1. On the Windows  taskbar, click Start, Settings , Control Panel  (or just Control Panel ).
2. Double-click  Add/Remove Programs  (or click Uninstall a program ).
3. Remove all the items that are related to the HP Photosmart Software.
CAUTION: If the computer is manufactured by HP or Compaq,  do not remove any applications other than
those listed below.
• HP Photosmart, Officejet, Deskjet (with the product name and software version number)
• HP Solution Center
• Shop for HP Supplies
•HP Update
• HP Imaging device functions
• HP Photosmart Essential
• HP Customer Participation Program
• HP Smart Web Printing
• Yahoo! Toolbar
4. Disconnect the product from your computer.
5. Restart your computer.
NOTE: It is important that you disconnect the product bef ore restarting your computer. Do not connect the
product to your computer until after you have reinstalled the software.
6. Insert the product CD-ROM into your computer’s CD-ROM drive and then start the Setup program.
NOTE: 1 If the Setup program does not appear, locate the setup.exe file on the CD-ROM drive and double-
click it.
NOTE: 2 If you no longer have the installation CD, you can download the software from www.hp.com/
support.
7.Follow the onscreen instru ctions and the instructions pr ovided in the Start Here guide that came  with the product.
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