EPSON Support: EPSON 1000 ICS: - Frequently Asked Questions

A: To check your ink supply, do one of the following:

1. Press one of the Menu buttons on the EPSON 1000 ICS control panel several times until you see Ink Levels. This gives you an approximate percentage of ink remaining in each cartridge.

2. In Windows, double-click the printer icon on your taskbar (in the lower right corner of your screen). You'll see a window showing approximately how much ink is still available.

Return to the index

Q: The colors of my image on my monitor do not match the output from my printer. What is wrong?

A: First you must have an understanding of how color is produced. A monitor displays color by transmitting Red, Green and Blue (RGB) light into your eyes. A printer uses existing light to reflect Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and blacK (CYMK) light into your eyes. It is virtually impossible to have these two different color types (transmissive and reflective) to match perfectly. Also, due to its transmissive nature, the monitor is able to display a much wider range of colors than a reflective product, such as a piece of paper with ink on it.

Secondly, most monitors are not calibrated for correct color display out of the box, they have to be calibrated to produce accurate colors. Adobe PhotoShop includes a basic monitor calibrator to do this; it is the Adobe Gamma utility. This utility is contained in the Control Panel in Windows and on the Macintosh. Some of the higher-end monitor calibrators use a suction cup device that sticks on the monitor and reads a range of colors displayed on the monitor. These hardware/software combination devices create much more accurate color profiles than the strictly software solutions.

Also, what type of color matching system (CMS) are you using when printing your image? The color matching system can greatly affect the output color of your image. For information on how to use the various color management system available, please check the CMS user documentation or the website of the manufacturer.

To ensure that the images your Epson Color printer produces are as close as possible to the images displayed on your monitor you should do the following:

Calibrate your monitor
Experiment with various Color Management Systems
Try using the ICM (Windows 95 or 98)

Return to the index

Q: The quality of my printed output is unacceptable. What can I do to improve this?

A: Make sure you are printing the image at its actual size. If you try to increase the print size of a low resolution image, it will be very pixelated. Verify that you are using the correct printer driver for your printer model. If MicroWeave is off, turn this feature on. If High Speed is on, turn it off. Make sure the Media Type setting matches the paper or media loaded. Also, the Halftoning and Color Adjustment Mode options may be set incorrectly for your document type. Let the printer driver automatically select the settings for the best quality.

Verify that the printable side of the paper is face up, and check the type of paper being used. EPSON brand paper, which is specifically designed for the Stylus ink jet series of printers, delivers the best-printed output. If your output is faint, check the printer driver to make sure you have selected a print resolution other than Economy. The resolution of your image may also be set too low. Increase the image resolution using your image-editing software, or decrease the size of the image.

Try testing the printer on another computer. This will eliminate the possibility of a defective printer cable, USB port, or software issue. If you're still experiencing a problem, try replacing the ink cartridge and make sure you are using a genuine EPSON ink cartridge.

Return to the index

Q: Vertical lines are not aligned or vertical banding appears. How can I correct this?

A: First make sure you are using the most current version of the printer driver, which is available on the EPSON web site.

To align the print head, make sure a high quality ink jet paper is loaded and the printer has power.

Access the "Utility" tab (if you are using Windows) located in your printer driver settings.
Click the Print Head Alignment icon and follow the instructions on the screen.
Make sure the #8 alignment pattern is aligned perfectly. If not, choose one of the other alignment pattern numbers with the most perfect alignment and reprint the alignment sheet.
Make sure to use the printer's power switch to turn off the printer, otherwise the settings will not be saved.

If you have already tried to align the print head and did not have any success, try turning high speed off in the printer driver settings. Also, the print head nozzles may be clogged. From the head cleaning section found in the Utility section of the EPSON printer driver, clean the print heads by performing a head cleaning followed by printing a nozzle check pattern. A head cleaning and nozzle check pattern must be performed as a cycle.
After printing a nozzle check pattern, examine the printed dot pattern. Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps in the dot pattern. If there are gaps in the dot pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 cycles if necessary. If you continue to experience this situation, please contact the EPSON Connection for assistance.

Return to the index

Q: Why is my printer printing colored pages in black and white?

A:
1. Click on �START/SETTINGS/PRINTERS�
2. Right click on the �EPSON 1000 ICS� icon
3. Click on �PROPERTIES�
4. Click on the �MAIN� tab
5. Click on �COLOR� under the ink section
6. Click �APPLY�
7. Click �OK�
8. Try printing

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the printed image has horizontal banding?

A: Run the nozzle check utility from the printer driver Utility menu to see if a head cleaning is needed. Run the Head Cleaning utility, if necessary, to clear any clogged ink nozzles then run another nozzle check. Repeat the head cleaning and nozzle check if necessary.
Select Automatic as the Mode setting on your printer driver's Main menu. Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up in the sheet feeder. Check the error light. If the light is flashing, replace the appropriate ink cartridge. Make sure that Maximum is not selected as the Printable Area setting in your printer driver. When this setting is selected, banding may occur in the expanded area. Make sure that the Media Type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of media loaded in the printer.

Return to the index

Q: When I print on EPSON 4"x6" photo paper, why does the image print outside of the perforated margins?

A: This should be resolved by choosing the 'centered' option within the printer driver properties.
Follow these instructions to change to the 'centered' preference. If this does not correct it, it may be a software issue and you may need to contact your software company for further support.

1. Click on Start/Settings/Printers
2. Right click on the "Epson 1000 ICS" icon
3. Click on "Properties"
4. Click on the "Paper" tab
5. Ensure that the "Paper Size" is set to "Photo Paper 4 x 6 in"
6. Under the "Printable Area" selection, choose "Standard" and "Centered"
7. Click on "Apply"
8. Click on "OK"

Return to the index

Q: I tried to print before turning the printer on, then clicked Retry after turning on the printer, and now I get an "Out of Paper" message. How can I fix this?

A: Please follow the directions below to resolve the situation.

1) Click on START, go to SETTINGS, and click on PRINTERS.
2) Double click on the EPSON 1000 ICS icon.
3) Click on PRINTERS, and click on PURGE PRINT JOBS.

This will delete the job that got stuck in the queue when you tried to print with the printer off.

Return to the index

Q: When I try to print, the Print box automatically goes to the Fax mode and I don't even have a fax. Why?

A: This can be resolved by the following steps:

1) Click on START, go to SETTINGS, and click on PRINTERS.
2) Double click on your EPSON 1000 ICS icon.
3) Click on where it says PRINTER, and then click on where it says SET AS DEFAULT.

The EPSON 1000 ICS has now been set as the default printer.

Return to the index

Q: Can this be set up to print in Black by default instead of Color?

A: To select 'Black' ink within your printer driver, please follow the steps listed below.

1. Click on 'START', 'SETTINGS', 'PRINTERS'.
2. Right click on the printer model 'EPSON 1000 ICS', then click on 'PROPERTIES'.
3. Once in the 'Printer Properties', click on the 'MAIN' tab.
4. Select 'BLACK' under the Ink type.
5. Click on 'APPLY', then 'OK' to save the setting.

* If you wish to print in color, repeat the steps listed above replacing 'BLACK' with 'COLOR' for the ink type.
** Keep in mind that the printer will print both black and color when 'COLOR' is selected as the ink type in your 'Printer Properties'.

Return to the index

Q: After printing something in the landscape mode I can't change to portrait mode. What can I do?

A: 1. Click on START, go to SETTINGS, and click on PRINTERS.
2. Right click on your EPSON 1000 ICS icon, and then click on PROPERTIES.
3. Select Paper and change the Orientation to whatever you require.
4. Click on APPLY at the bottom of the window.

Your changes have now been saved, and are now the default. You will have to repeat this process any time you wish to make changes to the settings of your printer.

Return to the index

Q: Why does my printer print out blank pages?

A: Your printer may not be selected in your application or selected as the Windows default printer. Select your printer in your application or select it as the default Windows printer. Your document may have more pages than you think. Select Print Preview in your software application Print menu before printing. Then either select to print only the current page, or only those pages with text, or delete the extra pages in your document before printing. Paper settings in the printer software may be incorrect for your paper size. Check the paper size, orientation, printable area, and layout settings to make sure they�re correct for your paper size. The print head nozzles may be clogged. Perform a nozzle check and clean the print head if necessary.

Return to the index

Q: Does this printer support borderless printing?

A: When used in stand-alone mode, without a computer, it can make borderless copies of photos only on 4" x 6" borderless Photo Paper (P/N S041458). When used with a computer, it can print borderless prints on 4" x 6" (borderless or micro-perforated), 8" x 10" and letter size paper.

Return to the index

Q: How do I copy a 4" x 6" photo to 4" x 6" borderless photo paper in stand-alone mode?

A: When printing in stand-alone mode, you must use EPSON Photo Paper-Borderless, 4" x 6" (S041458).
Epson's 4" x 6" (S041134) micro-perforated paper can only be used when printing from the computer.
Follow these steps to get 4" x 6" borderless copies on EPSON Photo Paper-Borderless, 4" x 6" (S041458).

On the control panel make the following settings:

1. Set Quality to Photo
2. Set Paper Size to 4x6
3. Set Reduce/Enlarge to 4x6->4x6 BF: 109%
4. Set Bottom Margin to Zero inch
5. Place your 4" x 6" photo on the Scanner in the top left corner in the landscape position
6. Insert 4" x 6" Borderless Photo Paper and press Copy

Return to the index

Q: How do I set it up for the fastest printing?

A: Make sure your system meets the requirements listed in your user's manual. If you are printing a high-resolution image, you need more than the minimum requirements listed. You may also need to do the following:
Clear space on your hard drive or run a defragmentation utility.
Don't run too many applications at the same time. Increase your system's memory (RAM).
Note: If you're trying to print or copy a large image, your computer may not have enough memory. For the fastest printing, try the following:
Choose Black ink if your document does not include any other color.
Set the Quality/Speed slider to Speed.

Return to the index

Q: Why can't I print from a particular Windows application in color?

A: Make sure the correct driver is selected and the Color option is enabled in the printer driver. Try printing again. If the image comes out monochrome, print from a resident program within Windows, such as Paintbrush. If the results are successful from Paintbrush, contact the software manufacturer of the application for assistance. If the results are not successful, troubleshoot the pertinent areas within Windows, such as the video driver.

Return to the index

Q: When printing with Windows 98, the message "The printer is out of paper" or "The printer is off-line" appears. Why?

A: Make sure the printer has paper. Also, the interface cable may not be securely connected. Turn off the printer and computer. Disconnect and reconnect the cable on both the printer and computer. Make sure the printer cable is fully shielded and meets the printer's specifications. Try printing a screen from a DOS prompt. If the DOS print screen does not print or is garbled, try using a different printer cable (a Belkin cable with a length of 6 feet or less is recommended).

Return to the index

Q: How can I stop the Separator Page from printing in Windows ME?

A: To eliminate the separator page, please follow the directions below.

1) Click on START, go to SETTINGS, and click on PRINTERS.
2) Right click on your EPSON 1000 ICS and click on PROPERTIES.
3) Where it says SEPARATOR PAGE, change to NONE.
4) Click on APPLY.
5) The separator page has now been turned off.

Return to the index

Q: How can I determine if there is a problem in the computer or the EPSON 1000 ICS?

A: You can print a nozzle check to determine whether a problem comes from the EPSON 1000 ICS itself or some other source.

1. Make sure letter-size or larger paper is loaded in the sheet feeder.
2. Press the left Menu button on the control panel until you see Nozzle Check.
3. Press the Copy button.

If the check page prints, the problem probably lies in your software settings, the interface cable, or your computer. If the check page doesn't print, you may have a problem with your printer.

Return to the index

Return to the index

Q: The EPSON 1000 ICS sounds as though it is printing, but nothing prints or the printout is light or has lines in it. Why?

A: Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged. You may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can deliver ink properly.
Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only if quality declines. When you don't turn on your EPSON 1000 ICS for a long time, the print quality can decline. It's a good idea to turn on your EPSON 1000 ICS at least once a month to maintain good print quality.

1. Make sure the EPSON 1000 ICS is turned on but not printing, and the Error light is off.
If the Error light is flashing or on, you may need to replace an ink cartridge.
2. Press the left Menu button on the control panel several times until you see Cleaning and then press the Copy button.
Cleaning takes about 30 seconds, during which the EPSON 1000 ICS makes some noise and the Operate light flashes. Never turn off the EPSON 1000 ICS while the Operate light is flashing, unless the EPSON 1000 ICS hasn't moved or made noise for more than 5 minutes.

Return to the index

Q: What can I do about horizontal banding?

A: Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged. Make sure the Media Type setting matches the paper you loaded. See "Choosing the Right Settings for EPSON Papers" in your user's manual for guidelines.

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face up. It's usually whiter or shinier. Check the ink levels to make sure that you're not low on ink; see "Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges" in your EPSON 1000 ICS manual. If your ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it; see "Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge" in your EPSON 1000 ICS manual.

If you see banding when you print, but not when you copy, try using Automatic mode.

Make sure you're not using the Maximum Printable Area setting. Banding may occur in the expanded area: Set the paper thickness switch to the 0 position.

Return to the index

Q: What can I do about vertical banding or misalignment?

A: If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, you may need to align the print head. You can align the print head directly from the EPSON 1000 ICS control panel. Load plain paper that's at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide to prevent ink from spraying inside the EPSON 1000 ICS and smudging your printouts.

1. Make sure the EPSON 1000 ICS is turned on and plain letter-size paper is loaded.
2. Press the left Menu button on the control panel several times until you see Print Head Alignment and then press the Copy button to print a test page.
3. On the test page, select the pattern with the two vertical lines most precisely printed on top of each other. You may need to use a magnifying glass or loupe. Select one pattern each for rows 1, 2, and 3.
4. Use the Value buttons to select the number of the best pattern for the first row, then press the Copy button. Repeat this step for the second and third rows.
5. If pattern 8 was the best aligned in each row, your print head is properly aligned. If other patterns were better aligned, repeat the steps above.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the printout is blurry or smeared?

A: Make sure your paper isn't damp, curled, or loaded face down (if you're using ink jet paper, the printable side should be loaded face up).

Try using Automatic mode. Use a support sheet with special paper or film, or try loading it one sheet at a time.

Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the printout has incorrect or missing colors?

A: Make sure the Ink setting is set to Color for color images.

Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged. If you are printing a high-resolution image, try turning off PhotoEnhance. Try using Automatic mode.

Return to the index

Q: Why don't the printed colors exactly match the on-screen Colors?

A: You can use a color management system to get as close as possible. For information on your printer software's color matching options, see your electronic EPSON 1000 ICS Basics manual on the CD-ROM that came with your unit.

Return to the index

Q: What can be done if the printout is grainy?

A: Make sure you are printing the image at its actual size. If you try to increase the print size of a low resolution image, it will look very grainy. You may need to increase the image resolution or print it in a smaller size. See your software documentation for instructions.

Try using a higher quality paper.

Run the Print Head Alignment utility.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the printout contains incorrect characters?

A: Make sure the interface cable is connected securely at both ends. Make sure your EPSON 1000 ICS is selected as the current printer in your application or as the Windows default printer. Make sure there aren't any stalled print jobs. If there are, delete them and then try printing again.

Return to the index

Q: Why are my color documents printing in black and white?

A: If you're copying in stand-alone mode, select color mode on the front control panel.
If you're printing from the computer, make sure your printer and port are correctly selected in your software application.
Make sure color printing is selected in your application and the printer driver software.

1. Click on 'START-SETTINGS-PRINTERS'
2. Right click on the 'EPSON 1000 ICS' icon
3. Click on 'PROPERTIES'
4. Click on the 'MAIN' tab
5. Click on 'COLOR' under the ink section
6. Click 'APPLY'
7. Click 'OK'
8. Try printing

Return to the index

Q: What can I do about paper feed problems?

A: If your EPSON 1000 ICS doesn't feed paper, feeds multiple Pages, or paper is jammed, remove the jammed paper.

Remove any wrinkled sheets and fan the paper before replacing the stack of paper.

Finally, press the load/eject button to make sure it feeds the paper properly.

Make sure of the following:
Paper isn't old, creased, damp, or too thin.
The edge guide is resting against the stack of paper.
Paper isn't loaded above the arrow on the edge guide.

If paper doesn't eject fully, you may have set the wrong paper size.
Press the load/eject button to eject the paper. Then make sure you select the correct paper size in your application or print settings.
Fan the stack of paper and then even the edges before loading it.
Make sure your EPSON 1000 ICS is on a stable, level surface.

Return to the index

Q: Why is the printer printing blank pages?

A: Make sure the EPSON 1000 ICS is selected in your application.

Also, if you're running Windows, make sure it's selected as the Windows default printer. Make sure you have selected the correct paper size.

Make sure the print head nozzles are not clogged by running some cleaning cycles followed by nozzle checks. If that doesn't help, try changing the ink cartridges.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if my EPSON 1000 ICS software doesn't work properly?

A: If you're running other software at the same time, using memory resident programs, or have many device drivers, the computer may not have enough memory.

Also, if you're scanning a large image or scanning at a high resolution, your computer may not have enough memory to process the image. Try closing other applications or increasing your computer system's memory (RAM).

If you're using the EPSON TWAIN software, make sure you select EPSON 1000 ICS as your TWAIN source.

Make sure your EPSON 1000 ICS is turned on, and that the interface cable is securely connected at both ends. Try restarting your computer. Make sure you turn on the EPSON 1000 ICS before you turn on your computer.

Return to the index

Q: What can be done if the printout is grainy?

A: Try using a higher quality paper. Run the Print Head Alignment utility. You may need to increase the image resolution or print it in a smaller size. See your software documentation for instructions.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if I see a Scanner Not Ready message?

A: Make sure your EPSON 1000 ICS is turned on and securely connected to your computer or USB hub. Check to make sure the scanner lock is unlocked. If your EPSON 1000 ICS is connected to a USB hub, make sure it's connected to a first tier hub. The first tier hub is the hub closest to the host computer, if more than one hub is connected to the computer.

If you're using the EPSON TWAIN software, make sure you select EPSON 1000 ICS as your TWAIN source. Try restarting your computer. Make sure you turn on the EPSON 1000 ICS before you turn on your computer.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the image is slanted or crooked?

A: Make sure the original document is positioned so that the document guides fit snugly against the edges of the original document. If you're using EPSON Smart Panel's Copy Utility select Straighten Only in the Automatic Photo Layout box.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if the image quality is poor?

A: If you're scanning or copying a photograph using EPSON Smart Panel make sure you select Photo as your Scan Material or Document Type.

If you're using EPSON TWAIN, select Color Photo (or Black & White Photo if your photo is black and white) as your Image Type. Adjust your Quality and Resolution settings.

If you're using EPSON TWAIN to copy a photograph, use the EPSON Photo Paper in your Media Pack for best print quality. Local copy prints at 360 dpi so plain paper is sufficient.

Return to the index

Q: What should I do if something is missing or incorrect in the image?

A: If the scanned image is blank, make sure you scanned your page or photo face down.

If text is missing or incorrect, try adjusting the scan threshold in the TWAIN window.

If you're scanning a document with a lot of graphics, text may not be recognized correctly by the OCR software.

If you're using the protection sheet, make sure it isn't dirty or worn out.

Make sure your original is straight and the sheet is inserted straight into the scanner.

Make sure you select the Quality and de-screening setting in the TWAIN window.

Return to the index

Q: How do you select the correct media type in the printer software before you print?

A:Your printer automatically adjusts itself for the type of paper you select in your printer software.
That's why the Media Type setting is so important. It tells your printer what kind of paper you're using and adjusts the ink coverage accordingly.

Before you print, always check your Media Type setting.

Here are the settings you should choose for your paper:

For this paper	Select this Media Type setting
Plain paper sheets or envelopes	Plain paper
EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper	360 dpi Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper	360 dpi Ink Jet Paper
EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper	Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper	Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards	Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets	Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper
EPSON Photo Paper	Photo Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper	Photo Paper
EPSON Premium Glossy Photo Paper	Premium Glossy Photo Paper
EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film	Photo Quality Glossy Film
EPSON Photo Stickers	Photo Quality Glossy Film
EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies	Ink Jet Transparencies
EPSON Matte Paper - Heavyweight	Matte Paper - Heavyweight

Return to the index

Q: How should I preserve my pictures?

A: For optimum image quality and longer print life, print your photos on EPSON's fade-resistant Matte Paper - Heavyweight (S041257) or Premium Glossy Photo Paper (S041286).

EPSON Photo Paper has been specially formulated to work with EPSON's ink to create prints that last as long as traditional photographs when protected from light in photo albums or similar archival conditions. When you display your EPSON Photo Paper prints in picture frames or mounted on the wall, the paper provides extra UV (ultraviolet) light protection so your prints will last longer than prints on other ink jet photo papers.

Depending on the type and intensity of the light your print is exposed to, a print on EPSON Photo Paper may last two or more years before noticeable fading occurs. Fade resistance could decrease in intense light conditions or increase if your print is protected by glass or special laminates.

Return to the index

Q: Can I use the cleaning sheets that are included with any special media I purchase?

A: No. These sheets can damage the printer.

Return to the index

Q: Can I use sheet labels with this printer?

A: Yes, EPSON makes Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets (S041106).

To avoid paper jams, only load one Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheet at a time. Also, set the Media Type in the printer driver to the "Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper" setting.

Return to the index

Q: What is the correct way to load transparency paper?

A: It is recommended to use EPSON Ink Jet Transparency Paper (S041064).

Before loading the transparency, place the included support sheet or a sheet of plain paper beneath the transparency (or beneath the stack of transparencies if you are loading more than one).

You can load up to 10 transparencies at a time, but if you have more than one transparency loaded, the minimum top margin you can use is 1.2 inches.

You may get best results by loading one sheet at a time. Insert the transparency sheet making sure that the notch is at the top right side of the sheet.

Remember to choose the correct Media Type setting in the printer driver software. Please refer to your Printer Basics Guide for detailed information.

Return to the index