S-L-O-W Printer Response (HP Business Inkjet 2800)

[Sveetly]

I have a HP Business Inkjet 2800 (no attachments or upgrades) and it works fine on Windows through Bootcamp, but is painfully slow on Mac OS X (10.5.3.) I've always had a problem with Macs and HP printers, but this has become ridiculous.

I have the latest drivers installed, but it can take over 14 hours to begin printing a single image, only about 15-30 minutes for text only. I don't print anything with more than 1 image from OS X anymore.

I can't find anything that works. I even tried using a shorter (4 ft.) USB cable.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance!

 

[MisterMe]

Which software application?
What type of file?
Which model Mac?
How much RAM?
How much free hard drive space?

 

[Sveetly]

Response . . .

All Applications (TextEdit, Word (2004), Safari, Photoshop (CS3), Pages ('08), Keynote ('08), etc., etc.)

DOC, PNG, PSD, TXT, HTML, etc.

Mac Pro (2007)

5GB RAM

Primary HD: 42GB Available
Secondary HD: 473GB Available

 

[cmcbridejr]

Without researching too much about that particular model, the problem is that HP uses a PCL print driver, which is best used for printing Microsoft Office documents.

Macs really need Post Script print drivers in order to print at optimal speeds and accurately reproduce the image, especially for PDF files or anything from the Adobe Suite.

You typically will not find Post Script printers at a retail store like Staples or Office Depot, as they are much more expensive.

Are you using this printer for business or personal use?

 

[MisterMe]

Without researching too much about that particular model, the problem is that HP uses a PCL print driver, which is best used for printing Microsoft Office documents.

...

While it is true that most HPs use PCL, this is not the cause of the OP's problem. My guess is that he is using an old driver. On 26 October 2007, HP released Version 9.7 of its driver suite for the HP Business Inkjet 2600/2800. I suggest that the OP download HP Full Feature Software and Drivers - MacOS X v10.3.9, v10.4, and v10.5 from HP's website.

 

[Sveetly]

Question . . .

Thanks for the link.

But after installing the drivers, only the old version appeared on the select drivers list for the printer. Where does it install the drivers to and what are they called?

EDIT: Oh, and I'm not sure if this matters anymore, but the Mac is for personal use. I have of 2800's being used with PCs for business, though. Macs are just because I like them

 

[MisterMe]

...

But after installing the drivers, only the old version appeared on the select drivers list for the printer. ...

• Restart. (I don't know if this will help, but it certainly won't hurt.)
• Deleting the previous installation.
• Redo the printer setup.

 

[Sveetly]

Even after doing this, it still shows up as the same version (v3010.107)

And it insists on printing slow

 

[strawberryluna]

Yup. I had the exact same issues and nothing we did to attempt to make the printing time better helped one bit. In fact, many jobs died in the queue after a few hours. Awesome.

I'm a screenprinter and just needed this machine to print black transparencies, and despite HP claiming this printer is Mac compatible, you need a PC to install and update driver. Which we did, and still...no help.

My solution was to give up and buy an Epson. Nice work HP.

 

[TK10K]

2800 driver problem

you can switch to 2600 PS-RC-2.0 manually it improves the speed but it still slower than half priced printers.

 

[SteinersMac]

Patched Driver for faster printing on HP Business Inkjet 2800

Hi HP2800 Users,

The slow printing of the HP Business Inkjet 2800 on Mac is over.

Content:
A printer-driver for the Hewlett-Packard Business Inkjet 2800 for faster printing.

Problem:
The original printer-driver of HP needs a very long time, especially for pictures (p.e. screenshots), for delivering the data to the printer and starting print. Times of 15-30 minuten were not unusual.

Solution:
With the appended printer-driver hp2800+ this timing will be improved.
The new 2800+-driver (ppd-Datei) was developed on base of the driver of HP Business Inkjet 2300. This 2300-driver is modified to support papersizes to A3, duplex-printing and the second paper-tray.

Installation:
After installing at least one printer 2800 by the common way (for verifying the plugins are available) do:
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" (ppd) in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/PPDs/Contents/Resources/de.lproj". IF "de.lproj" does not exist, create it.
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+.icns" in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/hp/Icons".
- Create a new printer-queue.
- Choose as driver in "Others" the "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" from upper folder manually.
- Choose the options (Tray2, Duplex, RAM) manually.


From now on, printing should start short after submitting data.

Zeilinger

P.S. Sorry for german version. Try to install the driver under en.lproj and give feedback.
See here for newer Versions www.macuser.de

 

[zjmuse]

Thank you SteinersMac,

The driver you provided does work and speeds up the process! We have been having trouble with my co-workers Mac (10.4.7) getting it to print anything in a timely fashion but after the install it seems to have solved the problem.


But only "problem" is the German/English thing. I put it in the en.lproj but its still mostly in German. Not a terrible thing as we still have the old driver to see what the menus say if we are confused.

 

[2UpDuc]

Hi HP2800 Users,

The slow printing of the HP Business Inkjet 2800 on Mac is over.

Content:
A printer-driver for the Hewlett-Packard Business Inkjet 2800 for faster printing.

Problem:
The original printer-driver of HP needs a very long time, especially for pictures (p.e. screenshots), for delivering the data to the printer and starting print. Times of 15-30 minuten were not unusual.

Solution:
With the appended printer-driver hp2800+ this timing will be improved.
The new 2800+-driver (ppd-Datei) was developed on base of the driver of HP Business Inkjet 2300. This 2300-driver is modified to support papersizes to A3, duplex-printing and the second paper-tray.

Installation:
After installing at least one printer 2800 by the common way (for verifying the plugins are available) do:
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" (ppd) in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/PPDs/Contents/Resources/de.lproj". IF "de.lproj" does not exist, create it.
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+.icns" in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/hp/Icons".
- Create a new printer-queue.
- Choose as driver in "Others" the "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" from upper folder manually.
- Choose the options (Tray2, Duplex, RAM) manually.


From now on, printing should start short after submitting data.

Zeilinger

P.S. Sorry for german version. Try to install the driver under en.lproj and give feedback.
See here for newer Versions www.macuser.de

This may have sped up the printing process but the photo printing still SUCKS...
I am scrapping this printer and getting a Canon Pro-9500 Mark-II

Thanks for all the help HP.. I will never by another HP printer for my Macs...

 

[mrdenis102]

Thanks so much!

Hi HP2800 Users,

The slow printing of the HP Business Inkjet 2800 on Mac is over.

Content:
A printer-driver for the Hewlett-Packard Business Inkjet 2800 for faster printing.

Problem:
The original printer-driver of HP needs a very long time, especially for pictures (p.e. screenshots), for delivering the data to the printer and starting print. Times of 15-30 minuten were not unusual.

Solution:
With the appended printer-driver hp2800+ this timing will be improved.
The new 2800+-driver (ppd-Datei) was developed on base of the driver of HP Business Inkjet 2300. This 2300-driver is modified to support papersizes to A3, duplex-printing and the second paper-tray.

Installation:
After installing at least one printer 2800 by the common way (for verifying the plugins are available) do:
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" (ppd) in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/PPDs/Contents/Resources/de.lproj". IF "de.lproj" does not exist, create it.
- Copy the file "HP Business Inkjet 2800+.icns" in the folder "/Volume/Library/Printer/hp/Icons".
- Create a new printer-queue.
- Choose as driver in "Others" the "HP Business Inkjet 2800+" from upper folder manually.
- Choose the options (Tray2, Duplex, RAM) manually.


From now on, printing should start short after submitting data.

Zeilinger

P.S. Sorry for german version. Try to install the driver under en.lproj and give feedback.
See here for newer Versions www.macuser.de

I had this problem for years, and today this solved it! thanks so much! I like this printer for the ease of filling up inks...
Denis