Epson Stylus Color 300 und Enter IEEE 1284.4 Command

bajun · 01-11-2008, 06:06 PM

I deprecate my by bad English, please don't see on stupid errors.

I have very old printer Epson Stylus Color 300 installed on Ubuntu Gutsy with standart stc300 driver through parallel to USB adapter (best print quality).
On top of every print i have two strange lines:

EJL 1284 4
EJL

All lines of all documents are moved on three positions downwards. Every page ended on the next list.

After searching in internet i have found some fixes, all about to switch the communication mode of parallel ports in bios. I have no parallel ports on my laptop, therefore there is no ability to switch this.

I have found this:

Quote:

Enter IEEE 1284.4 Command
This command specifically takes the printer out of the Epson packet mode communication protocol (whatever that is) and enables IEEE 1284.4 communications mode.

Syntax:

Code:

@EJL<SP>1284.4<LF>~
@EJL<SP><SP><SP><SP><SP><LF>

Then I have tried to add the following commands from the "Details of Ghostscript output devices" article in system-config-printer advaced options, without any result:

Code:

upBeginJobCommand:@
upBeginPageCommand:@
upWroteData:0

Any ideas on how to fix this would be great! I don't want to bring my good old printer to garbage deponie because of this stupid error.

pixellany · 01-12-2008, 11:02 AM

I would take the cowardly (lazy??) way out of this. A stylus color 300 is quite obsolete and could easily die just as soon as you got it working.

The real cost of ink-jet printing is in the ink and paper. For less than $100, you can get a stylus C88 or a stylus photo R280. Just a pair of cartridges for that printer is ~$40. (At Atlex, they don't even list it. The $40 estimate is based on their price for SC400 carts.)

I would venture a guess that the newer printer could save time and money in the long run. Depending on where you live, my advice may have to be modified.

bajun · 01-12-2008, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

I would venture a guess that the newer printer could save time and money in the long run.

Ok but I'm live now and my life phase is more fleeting now to make long scenario.
And this is a principal question - why should I buy a new printer if i have a good old printer. Cartridges are for 3 Euro to fuel.
Linux should have some controllability to solve this problem.

pixellany · 01-12-2008, 12:10 PM

OK--fair enough. If you are refilling your own cartridges, then the equation is quite different.

Quote:

Linux should have some controllability to solve this problem.

There is a problem with saying "Linux should". There is no one organization to go to to cause Linux to do something. You can only make suggestions to different SW and distro maintainers. Most people are clamoring to get fixes for current hardware, etc. For an obsolete printer, I'm afraid you'll have to wait in line.

Quote:

why should I buy a new printer if i have a good old printer?

I'll give you 2 reasons:
The print quality will be very much better than the SC300.
It will work with Linux "out of the box"

Another option: Look for a used Epson C-something that has USB.

bajun · 01-12-2008, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

"Linux should"

have more configurability as Windows. I mean Linux have absolute configurability. This is a first reason and motive, why people make a option to use Linux.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pixellany

For an obsolete printer, I'm afraid you'll have to wait in line.

Yes. But where can I read a specification for commands in n system-config-printer advaced options? I can make, maybe, my personal fix. This is the point.

pixellany · 01-12-2008, 12:43 PM

You are right that Linux will make it easier to dig around and make your own fix. This is not one of my strengths----I would start here:

http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

bajun · 01-26-2008, 09:06 PM

I don't like this. I need real help. Yes, as every Linux user, first, what I've checked was openprinting. There is completely nothing there about this and I have there 2 threads - no answers. The question is unsolved - where is the difference between mechanic of output of stcolor driver, which have not this problem, but very low quality, and stc300 driver. This is not a good way - using virtual windows xp for printing.