Posted by Carol_MI on 9/14/05 10:55am
Msg #65150

How to know if I need more printer memory

I've got an HP1320TN which has been a great printer. I have not upgraded the memory (yet). Right now I'm printing pdf e-docs, and it's pausing between sheet and printing about 3 pages per minute.

It has never been this slow before and I wonder if it's due to the way these documents were compiled. If so, would extra memory help? Fortunately, I am not rushed to get this printed (for once!!!!).

Thanks.

Carol

Reply by Art_MD on 9/14/05 11:02am
Msg #65152

Was the bar showing "printing page x of y" taking a long time to complete all pages?
How many pages in the file?

You can try this also: print 10 pages. If it still prints slow, its most likely due to a lot of programs running or it's taking adobe lots of time to convert from file to print format.

Art

Reply by Carol_MI on 9/14/05 11:53am
Msg #65162

Now what does this mean?

Yes, the bar was very slow going through all the pages before it would start to print any of them. Saving the file to my computer (rather than printing directly from the email) did not help. Restarting computer did not help. The file was 62 pages, but it was no faster when I told it to only print pages 1 through 3. There were also two other pdf files sent, and those zipped right out as normal.

So this tells me it was the file and not my computer. But, back to my original question, would more memory speed this up if it ever happens in the future? Or is the pausing between sheets something I can't control? I'll gladly buy more printer memory if it will help.

Reply by Art_MD on 9/14/05 12:20pm
Msg #65163

Re: Now what does this mean?

Doesn't sound like your printer. The file was probably formed with image not text. Takes adobe much longer to prep for printing. More printer memory won't help.
What was file size when you put on your computer? This would help determine how file was formed. Over 1meg?

Art

Reply by Carol_MI on 9/14/05 12:36pm
Msg #65166

Re: Now what does this mean?

3.70 MB

Thank you, Art.

If you or anyone else cares to list the symptoms of low printer memory, that would be helpful for in the future. I think others have said that it prints slow. Does that mean pausing between pages or the pages print slowly? Anything else to watch for like pages not printing correctly? Maybe I should just max it out and not worry about it even though I haven't had a need for more memory yet.

Reply by taxpro on 9/14/05 1:01pm
Msg #65169

Re: Now what does this mean?

I am convinced that this problem has something to do with:
#1) the way the documents were converted to a pdf file, and
#2) Windows XP
Some pdf documents will print just fine, very fast, no problem. These are always documents that were converted as text, not just as images (not scanned in)
Other times, I'd get a pdf document that would take FOREVER to print. (20 to 30 seconds between pages) And it slowed down my whole system in the process. Even after I finished printing, everything ran slow, other programs too, and sometimes it just locked up. I always had to reboot after trying to print that type of pdf file.
But, we have several computers networked in the office, so when I get that type of pdf file, I copy it to another computer that runs Windows Professional (instead of Windows XP), and it prints just fine, really fast, one page after another. And it's the same printer, so that's not the issue. Also, I tried adding more memory to my printer, and it didn't make one iota of difference. So, if it is causing a real problem, you might want to get Windows Professional. I don't know why it makes a difference, I just know that it does. Hope this helps.

Reply by Nd_WA on 9/14/05 1:30pm
Msg #65175

Re: Now what does this mean?

1. The PDF file was scanned in as images not text.
2. The file has been compressed to 3.7MB by PDF for faster transfer/view.
3. The amount of memory required to print a file that size could be 10-50 times more depend on the print resolution as your computer/printer has to render/translate the graphic of each image. Click on the printer icon at the bottom right of your monitor (this will open the printer status window) to find out exactly how much memory needed for the job.

Best fix is you either need to upgrade your printer memory or try to print at the lowest possible resolution (300x300/600x600) your printer is capable of.

Reply by MelissaCT on 9/14/05 1:42pm
Msg #65181

Re: Now what does this mean?

I don't think it's the memory. More likely, it's the format the pages were scanned in that is causing the delay. If scanned as picture, it will take much longer than as text. I say that because I can get files with hight page counts both in .pdf and one will print quickly (normal) & the other will be like molasses in winter. The same page (say 1st pg of Mtg deed) may be 28MB in one file & 56MB in another -- depends on the format used in scanning.

Extra memory probably wouldn't hurt, but it may not help, either.

Reply by Les_CO on 9/14/05 1:20pm
Msg #65173

If you want more memory check out SA Technologies Inc. 3390-H De La Cruz Blvd Santa Clara CA 95054 www.satech.com
About 1/5 the price of memory from HP. The 1320tn, only comes with 8 mb, and uses most of that just running. Mine works much better (faster) with expanded memory.

Reply by Iris_WA on 9/14/05 2:49pm
Msg #65193

Recently began having Adobe Reader problems

Carol_MI -- I don't have an HP printer and my little Samsung only has 16MB memory, however, Adobe sent out an alert not too long ago that they had an upgrade to their program. After I upgraded, I began to have slow problems similar to those you mention with Adobe, AND something began causing my Windows XP Home (SP2) edition to freeze the computer.

I uninstalled Adobe totally, went to their website and downloaded a fresh copy of the next version with all upgrades. No problems since then.

Of course, it could be the way the documents were formatted to send. (Had a bunch the other day that came in sideways! Makes it hard to scan the docs for problems beforehand -- and have to use the Rotate & Center setting on Reader PLUS the "shrink to fit" (because it was chopping off the top of the page when I used "NONE" for scaling.

AH!!! The joys of printing e-docs. (NOT!!!)