lost communication with deskjet 720

[mtaviary]

While printing larger-data pages, usually including a small picture or graphic or two with the text, when commanded to print several copies of the same page, the HP720 will print 4 or 5 pages, then stop mid-page and display the message that communication has been lost to the printer. I had assumed that my pc just didn't have the capacity to handle that amount of data, but I've recently upgraded the pc to a pentium III with 128 ram, which I would think would have plenty of horsepower to do what I'm asking...but still get the lost communication in mid-print problem. Anyone have any ideas what might be happening, and what can be done to correct it?
Thanks-

 

[DaveGoTech]

The symptoms of the problem indicate that the printer cannot print data as fast it is being received and the printer is overloading. these are the possibilities:
1. That's the way the printer is.
2. I'm not sure if this printer will accept more memory (check with HP or your dealer). More RAM may be the problem. Or, installing a printer buffer box (with RAM). These were very popular in the dot-matrix days to solve this type of problem, but are hard to find today.
3. Try turning ON spooling in your Printer Properties.
4. Make sure you have a "bi-directional" printer cable (IEEE) and your
Printer Port in CMOS is set to ECP or EPP (instead of Standard). Some
printers use additional lines in the cable for 'handshaking' that others do not.
The bi-directional has these.

http://www.GoTechnologiesInc.com

 

[mtaviary]

DaveGoTech-
Thanks for your prompt reply to this 720 problem. Upon checking the property settings for this printer, I find the following:

Spooling is enabled, set to start printing after first page is spooled
Spool data format is EMF
Bidirectional support is enabled

In port settings, LPT port, spool MSDOS print jobs is checked
check port state before printing is checked

Timeout settings
not selected: 15 seconds
transmission retry: 45 seconds

I am sure that the cable is bi-directional.

Any additional suggestions?

This deskjet 720 is not that old of a printer, so you would think it would have capacities in line with todays typical print jobs...

Thanks again-
Tom

 

[agedoorn]

This is a common problem with the new generation of HP DJ printers. So you get the same problem with 800 and 900 series.
It seems there is not enough buffering capacity....
Of course it is possible to build-in in your application a delay in sending data. It works but you have to wait until the printing job is done. In the mean time the computer is imobilised.

Is there a way to spool via windows spooling.
I am very interesting to get a sollution for the problem!!!!!