Ite pc v40_chapter7

© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco PublicITE PC v4.0 Chapter 7 1

Chapter 7: Printers and Scanners

IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software v4.0

ITE PC v4.0 Chapter 7 2© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Cisco Public

Purpose of this Presentation

List of chapter objectives

Overview of the chapter contents, including student activities

student labs

Reflection/Activities for instructors to complete to prepare to teach

Additional resources

To provide to instructors an overview of Chapter 7:


Chapter 7 Objectives 7.1 Describe the types of printers currently available

7.2 Describe the installation and configuration process for printers

7.3 Describe the types of scanners currently available

7.4 Describe the installation and configuration process for scanners

7.5 Identify and apply common preventive maintenance techniques for printers and scanners

7.6 Troubleshoot printers and scanners


Chapter 7 Labs


Introduction Printers produce paper copies of electronic files.

Hard copies of computer documents remain important today.

Scanners allow users to convert paper documents intoelectronic files.


Types of Printers Computer technicians should know how to purchase,

repair, or maintain a printer.

A customer may request a technician to:

Select a printer

Install and configure a printer

Troubleshoot a printer


Printers: Speed and CapacityPrinters available today are:

Laser printers using electrophotographic technology

Inkjet printers using electrostatic spray technology

Dot matrix printers using impact technology

Used in applications that require multiple (“carbon”) copies

Printer speed is measured in pages per minute (ppm):

Inkjet Printer 2 - 6 ppm

Laser Printer 8 - 200 ppm

Price of a printer reflects its capacity and speed


Printers: Color and Quality The choice between a black-and-white printer and a

color printer depends on the needs of customers.

A printer produces colors using subtractive mixing.

The eye sees a color that reflects from the combination of colors on the paper.

The colors are cyan, magenta, yellow, and black (CMYK).

Quality is measured in dots per inch (dpi).

The more dpi, the higher the resolution

Color wheel


Printers: Reliability and Cost Factors of reliability include:

Warranty

Scheduled servicing

Mean time between failures (MTBF)

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) includes:

Initial purchase price

Cost of supplies, such as paper and ink

Price per page

Maintenance costs

Warranty costs

The amount of material to be printed

The expected lifetime of the printer


Printer to Computer InterfacesTo access a printer, a computer must have an interface with

it. The following are common interface types: Serial data transfer is the movement of single bits of information

in a single cycle.

Serial ports are D-shell and are either male or female ports

Parallel data transfer is the movement of multiple bits of information in a single cycle.

Parallel data transfer is faster than serial data transfer

Small Computer System Interface (SCSI), pronounced “scuzzy”, uses parallel communication to achieve high data-transfer rates.

Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a common interface for printers and other devices.


More Interface Types Firewire is also known as i.LINK or IEEE 1394 and is a

high-speed, communication bus that is platform independent. Firewire devices are hot-swappable.

Ethernet is an interface for network printers, which are usually a resource shared on a network.

Wireless printing technology:

Infrared requires transmitters and receivers on both devices, a clear line of sight between the transmitter and receiver, and a maximum distance of 15 ft (4.5 m).

Bluetooth technology uses an unlicensed radio frequency for short-range communication.

Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11 is a standard for wireless communication.


Laser Printers A laser printer is a high-quality, fast printer that uses a laser beam to

create an image.

The main components contained within a laser printer:

Toner cartridge

Laser scanner

High-voltage power supply

Paper transport mechanism

Transfer corona

Fuser assembly

Control circuitry

Ozone filter

NOTE: You should know the components of a laser printer and the steps required to print a page.


Laser Printing Process The laser printer process involves six steps to print

information onto a single sheet of paper


WARNING The primary corona wire or grid, or the conditioning

roller, can be very dangerous.

The voltage runs as high as -6000 volts.

Only certified technicians should work on the unit.

Before working inside a laser printer, you should make sure that voltage is properly discharged.


Impact Printers Impact printers form characters when the print head impacts

a printer tape or inked ribbon to create characters. (Daisy-wheel and dot-matrix printers)

Advantages:

Uses inexpensive consumables

Uses continuous feed paper

Has copy printing ability (“carbon copies”)

Disadvantages:

Noisy

Low resolution graphics

Limited color capability

Slow printing, normally 32 to 76 characters per second (cps)


Inkjet Printers Use ink-filled cartridges that spray ink onto a page through tiny

holes, or nozzles. The ink is sprayed in a pattern on the page, one column of dots at a time.

Produce high quality print

Easy to use

Inexpensive compared to laser printers

Two types of inkjet nozzles:

Thermal - A pulse of electrical current is applied to heating chambers around the nozzles. The heat creates a bubble of steam in the chamber which forces ink out through the nozzle.

A charge is applied to piezoelectric crystals, located in the ink reservoir at the back of each nozzle. This charge causes the crystals to vibrate. The vibration controls the flow of ink onto the paper.


Inkjet Printer Components A feeding mechanism draws paper in and the paper

passes by the print head where ink is sprayed onto it.

Paper leaves the printer through the discharge mechanism, and is wet for about 15 seconds.


Solid-ink PrintersUse solid sticks of ink rather than toner or ink cartridges

The printing process:

Step 1: Cleaning

Step 2: Spraying

Step 3: Transferring

Advantages:Produces vibrant color prints

Easy to use

Can use many different paper types

Disadvantages:Expensive (the printer and ink)

Slow to warm up


Thermal Printers A thermal printer uses chemically-treated paper that

becomes black when heated.

A thermal transfer printer uses heat-sensitive ribbon, which the print head melts onto the paper.

Thermal printers have a longer life because there are few moving parts.

Disadvantages:

Paper is expensive

Paper has a short shelf life

Images are poor quality

Paper must be stored at room temperature


Dye-Sublimation Printers Also called thermal dye printers

Usually used in producing photo-quality images for graphic printing

Uses solid sheets of ink that change directly from solid to gas when heated, in a process called sublimating

Advantages:

Very high quality images

Overcoat layer reduces smearing, increases moisture resistance

Disadvantages:

Media can be expensive

They are better for color than for grayscale (black and white)


Installation and Configuration of PrintersWhen purchasing a printer, the installation and

configuration information is usually supplied by the manufacturer:

An installation CD that includes drivers, manuals, and diagnostic software

Also available as downloads from the manufacturer's website


How to Set Up a Printer1. Check the box to ensure all required cables are

provided.

2. Remove packing materials from the printer and plastic inserts from the consumables.

3. Place printer in position. Ensure that the printer location will not cause overheating.

4. Install paper trays.

5. Install paper.

6. Read and follow the instruction manual .

7. Connect cables.

8. Test print from computer.


Power and Connect the Printer

1. Connect the appropriate data cable to the communication port on the back of the printer.

2. Attach the power cable to the printer and the other end to an available electrical outlet.

Warning: Never plug a printer into a UPS. The power surge that occurs when the printer is turned on will damage the UPS unit.


Printer DriverPrinter driver is the software program that enables the

computer and the printer to communicate with each other.

1. Find out if a newer driver is available on the manufacturer’s website

2. Download the driver files to your computer

3. Install the driver automatically or manually

4. Test the new printer driver


Printer Firmware Firmware is a set of instructions stored on the printer

to control how the printer operates.

If printing problems occur or you need new features, consider upgrading the printer's firmware.

Download the upgrade file from the manufacturer's website and run a setup file to install it.


Printer Memory Printer memory is used to buffer print jobs, create

pages, or draw images for documents.

Adding printer memory can improve printing speed and allow the printer to handle more complex print jobs.

Print-job buffering is the ability of the printer to capture as much of the print job into its internal memory as possible.

Consult the documentation for memory requirements:

Memory specifications

Memory population and availability


Upgrade Printer Memory

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Disconnect all cables.

3. Open the memory compartment.

4. Replace memory modules or add new modules.

5. Close the memory compartment.

6. Reconnect all cables.

7. Power on printer.

8. Run a self-test.

9. Print a test page.


Configuration Options and DefaultsCommon printer settings:

Paper type

Print quality

Color printing

Black-and-white printing

Grayscale printing

Paper size

Paper orientation

Print layout

Duplex


Optimize Printer Performance Print spool settings

You may store documents that are prepared for printing in a file in RAM called the print spool.

Spooling programs allow the application you are printing from to finish faster. You may also print directly to the printer.

Printer calibration

You can adjust settings to match the colors seen on the screen and the colors on printed sheet.

Paper orientation

You can select landscape or portrait image layout.


Print a Test Page Print a test page to verify the following:

The printer is operating properly

The driver software is installed and working correctly

The printer and computer are communicating

To print a test page manually:

Start > Printers and Faxes

In the Printers and Faxes window, right-click the desired printer and follow this path: Properties > General Tab > Print Test Page

A dialog box will open, asking if the page printed correctly. If it did not, then built-in Help will assist you in troubleshooting the problem.


Print from an Application To print from Notepad:

Start > Programs > Accessories > Notepad

A blank document will open.

Enter some text in the document.

File > Print


Test a Printer from the Command Line Printing from the command line is limited to ASCII files

only, such as .txt and .bat files.

To send a file to the printer from the command line, use this path: Start > Run

The Run box should pop up. Type cmd in the Run box, and then click OK.

At the command line prompt, enter the following command: Print thefile.txt


Test Printer from Printer Panel

Most printers have a front panel with controls to allow you to generate test pages.

This method of printing enables you to verify the printer operation separately from the network or computer.

Consult the printer manufacturer's website or documentation to learn how to print a test page from the front panel of the printer.


Sharing a Printer Printer sharing enables multiple network users or clients

to access a printer. Windows 2000/XP installs the print sharing capability in the basic setup.


Printer Sharing1. Click Start > Printers and

Faxes.

2. Right-click the printer and choose Properties.

3. Select the Share tab.

4. Click the Share this printer radio button.

5. Keep or change share name.

6. Click Apply.

To connect to the shared printer from another computer:

Choose Start > Printers and Faxes > Add Printer

Follow the steps using the Add Printer Wizard


Types of Scanners Technicians may be required to purchase, repair, or

maintain a scanner.

The following are tasks that a customer may request:

Select a scanner

Install and configure a scanner

Troubleshoot a scanner


Types of Scanners Scanners convert printed data or images into an

electronic data format that a computer can store or process as required.

A scanned image can be saved, modified, and even e-mailed as you would with any other file.

All-in-one scanner

Flatbed scanner

Handheld scanner

Drum scanner


Resolution and OCR Features, quality, and speed of scanners vary.

Scanners typically create an RGB image that can be converted into image formats such as JPEG, TIFF, Bitmap, and PNG.

An RGB image has three channels: red, green, and blue.

Some scanners can create text documents using optical character recognition (OCR).

OCR software is used to convert a scanned printed page into text that can be edited with a word processor.

Resolution of a scanner is measured in dots per inch (dpi). Like printers, the higher the dpi, the better the quality of the image.


Interfaces and Cables To allow communication of data, the scanner and

computer must have compatible interfaces.

Interfaces and cables used for printers are typically the same as those used for scanners.

Parallel(Centronicsand DB-25)

USB Firewire

Serial


All-in-one Scanners An all-in-one device combines the

functionality of multiple devices into one physical piece of hardware.

Scanner, Printer, Copier, and/or Fax

Advantages:

All devices are built in

Low cost

One upgrade for all devices

Easy connection and setup

Uses one port for all devices

Disadvantages:

One problem effects all devices

Not designed for heavy use


Flatbed Scanners Often used to scan books and photographs for archiving.

Image is acquired by placing the document face down on the glass. The scanner head lies beneath the glass and moves along the item, capturing the image.

Sheet feeders can be used with flatbed scanners to scan multiple pages automatically.

Maintenance:

Keep flatbed scanning glass clean.

Avoid placing items in the scanner that can scratch the glass.


Handheld Scanners Pass the scanner head across the surface you want to

scan.

When you want to scan an item larger than the head of the handheld scanner, you must make more than one pass to capture the full image and then put the images back together to form a single image of the item that was scanned.


Drum Scanners Produce a high-quality scanned image

Usually used in commercial operations

Being replaced by lower priced, high-quality flatbed scanners

Still in use for high-end reproductions, such as archiving photographs in museums

To scan an image using a drum scanner:

Attach the image to a revolving drum or load it into a supporting canister.

Drum is rotated at high speed across optical scanners. Optical scanners move slowly across the drum surface until the entire image is captured. The captured image is then reproduced by the computer as a digital image file.


Installation and Configuration An installation CD that includes drivers, manuals, and

diagnostic software will be included with the scanner.

The same tools may also be available as downloads from the manufacturer's website.


Power and Connect a Scanner Scanners can connect to a computer using a USB, FireWire,

network, or parallel port. Some scanners may connect using a SCSI interface.

Some scanners can draw all the power they need from the USB or FireWire connector.

All-in-ones connect directly to AC power.

Scanners that do not include a printer can connect using an AC power adapter.

After unpacking the scanner, connect the appropriate power and data cables.

CAUTION: Some scanners are packed for shipping with the scanner assembly taped or blocked off to prevent damage in transport.


Install and Update Device Driver Once the scanner is connected and started, the computer

operating system may be able to discover the scanner through the Plug and Play (PnP) process.

Install the driver software from the manufacturer.

The manufacturer's website may provide more up-to-date software.


Configuration Options and Defaults A scanner may come with applications such as:

Graphic software for editing photographs and other images

OCR software that converts text in an image to a text document

Configurations may include:

Color, grayscale, or black-and-white scanning

One-touch scanning into your choice of software

Quality and resolution choices

Sheet feeders

Color calibration between devices is important so that you see true representations of color.


Preventive Maintenance Techniques Printers and scanners have many moving parts that

can wear out over time or through extended use.

Moving parts can be affected by dust and other particles.

Clean printers and scanners regularly to avoid downtime, loss of productivity, and high repair costs.


Printer Maintenance Printers have many moving parts and require more

maintenance than most electronic devices.

CAUTION: Unplug the printer from the electrical source before beginning maintenance.

Techniques for maintaining printers:

Use manufacturer monitoring and diagnostic software.

Dot matrix printers have roller surfaces that you should clean with a damp cloth.

Inkjet printers have paper-handling mechanisms that may collect particles of paper over time. Wipe the area with a damp cloth.

Clean a laser printer with a special vacuum cleaner (not a household type) if you spill the toner. Unplug a laser printer before cleaning it due to the high voltages.


Printer Paper and Ink The correct type of paper helps the printer operate

better.

Types of printer paper available include inkjet and laser.

Some papers, especially photo paper and transparencies, have a right and wrong side marked by an arrow on the package.

Manufacturer will recommend the brand and type of ink to use.

If the wrong type of ink is used, the printer may not work or the print quality may be reduced.

Do not refill ink cartridges because the ink may leak.


Scanner Maintenance The scanner surface should be kept clean. If the glass

becomes dirty, consult the manufacturer's user manual.

To prevent liquid from leaking into the scanner case, do not spray glass cleaner directly on the device. Dampen a cloth with cleaner, and then apply gently to the glass.

If the inside of the glass becomes dirty, check the manual for instructions on how to open the unit or remove the glass from the scanner.

If possible, clean both sides of the glass.

When the scanner is not in use, keep lid closed.

Never lay anything heavy on a scanner.

Store handheld scanners in a safe place.


Step 1 Gather data from the customer

Step 2 Verify the obvious issues

Step 3 Try quick solutions first

Step 4 Gather data from the computer

Step 5 Evaluate the problem and implement the solution

Step 6 Close with the customer

Troubleshooting Printers and Scanners


1. Gather Data from the Customer Customer information

Company name, contact name, address, phone number

Printer or scanner informationManufacturer, model, OS, network environment, connection type

Description of problemOpen-ended questions

What were you doing when the problem was identified?

Closed-ended questions

Can you print from an application?


2. Verify the Obvious Issues

Some of the areas to investigate or have the customer confirm include:

Loose cable connections

Errors on equipment display

Errors on computer screen

Equipment power

Out of paper

Printer queue

Paper jams

Low ink warning


3. Try Quick Solutions First Printer or scanner problems may be either in the hardware

or the software.

Quick hardware solutions to try:

Restart the printer or scanner Restart the computer

Ensure printer doors are closed Reconnect the cables

Check printer for paper jams Reseat paper in trays

Open and close printer trays

Quick software solutions to try:

Print from another application

Remove all print jobs from the queue: Start > Printers and Faxes > double-click the printer > Printer > Cancel All Documents


4. Gather Data from the ComputerThe data gathered from the computer can be used to

confirm the data obtained from the customer.

Ensure the correct printer is selected as default.

Check that the correct services are running.

Check print monitor.

Ensure there are no hardware issues in Device Manager.

Ensure the printer or scanner is configured correctly in the Control Panel.


5. Evaluate Problem & Implement SolutionIf necessary, research and prioritize other possible solutions,

from the easiest to implement to the most difficult.

Go to the manufacturer's website to get the most recent information about the printer or scanner:

Known issues with hardware

Latest version of the drivers

Proper driver for software platform

Latest version of utilities and software

FAQs

Note: Try each solution one at a time. If a solution is tried and the problem is not fixed, then the technician should totally reverse the attempted solution before proceeding to the next step.


6. Close with the Customer Closing with the customer is the final step in the

troubleshooting process.

Complete the work order.

Communicate what the problem was and how it was fixed.

Have the customer test the solution and verify that the printer or scanner is working correctly.

Complete all documentation and prepare an invoice for the customer, if applicable.

Include the problem, the solution, the time it took to resolve the problem, and your contact information.


Common Problems and Solutions

Problem Symptom Possible Solution

Printer will not printDelete the print job from the queue and print again

Printer is printing unknown characters

Uninstall and reinstall the print driver

Laser printer prints lines or streaks on every page

Replace the toner cartridge


Chapter 7 SummaryPrinters and Scanners

Types and sizes of printers and scanners

Capabilities, speeds, and uses

Connection types, cables, and interfaces

Installing and sharing printers

Installing scanners


Instructor Training Activities


Activities for Instructor Training1. Take the Quiz provided in Chapter 7 course content.

2. Complete the student lab included in Chapter 7. Make notes of potential issues and questions that students may have.

3. Conduct Internet research to pre-screen online resources for students to use in completing the student lab, 7.4.2 Lab: All-in-One.


Instructor Training Discussion

Share and discuss with the other instructors, your list of any potential student issues and questions regarding the lab.

Share with the other instructors, your list of online resources for students to use in completing the lab.


Additional Resources Whatis?com: IT Encyclopedia and Learning Center

http://whatis.com

TechTarget: The Most Targeted IT Media http://techtarget.com

ZDNet: Tech News, Blogs and White Papers for IT Professionals http://www.zdnet.com

HowStuffWorks: It's Good to Know http://computer.howstuffworks.com

CNET.com http://www.cnet.com

PC World http://www.pcworld.com

ComputerWorld http://www.computerworld.com

WIRED NEWS http://www.wired.com

eWEEK.com http://www.eweek.com


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