Sharp MX4111N Slow Printing on MAC best generic driver?

[troyofsunday]

What is the best generic MAC driver to use. We always want our customers to use the correct driver for the machines but we have an issue and using SHARPS driver isn't an option. I have laid out what we have done and why we are looking for a generic driver below.

We have a customer with a MX-4111N that is taking around 12-15 mins to print a large PowerPoint file. The doc is close to 65mb and around 61 pages full color. Even after changing it to PDF the doc is taking the same amount of time. We tried the file on the Windows side and the document only took a few mins to process. Working with there IT we tried printing the file on the following machines, MX-M654N, MX-5111N, MX-5141N. The 654 did the best with the document. This file has been sent to different machines on different networks with similar results. We tried multiple ways of printing the document as well. Submit print job from web page, print from usb, print from external data access (pulled file from our server), and from workstation. Best results were from print job from web page on the 5141.

After calling sharp and they scratched there heads and said they were not sure why it would be doing this we were out of options. In a last ditch effort we ended up trying one of the generic driver options on the MAC. When we used the Generic PCL6 driver on MAC 11.10 and it processed in about a min and was at true machine speed once it hit the machine. The only problem we ended up having was it printed in b/w even though it was told color. With them needing it to be in color and the speed increase we are now searching for a driver that will solve both issues.

[guitar9199]

I don't recall Mac computers ever being able to use PCL drivers... only PS, and "Model Specific" ones written for Mac.

That said, have you tried going into the CUPS interface to tweak the settings?

localhost:631 in your browser window will get you there, unless it's disabled. Then you need to go into Terminal, and type in "cupsctl webinterface=yes" (without quotes)

...Good luck.

[slimslob]

I don't recall Mac computers ever being able to use PCL drivers... only PS, and "Model Specific" ones written for Mac.

That said, have you tried going into the CUPS interface to tweak the settings?

localhost:631 in your browser window will get you there, unless it's disabled. Then you need to go into Terminal, and type in "cupsctl webinterface=yes" (without quotes)

...Good luck.

Here is a very recent thread discussing non-ps drivers for Mac. MAC gutenprint do not have usercode selection.issue is it possible to program it?

Generic PCL has been available in OS X since v10.5. 10.5: Print to any PCL printer in 10.5 - Mac OS X Hints

[troyofsunday]

Here is a very recent thread discussing non-ps drivers for Mac. MAC gutenprint do not have usercode selection.issue is it possible to program it?

Generic PCL has been available in OS X since v10.5. 10.5: Print to any PCL printer in 10.5 - Mac OS X Hints

Thanks for the information, I have passed it on to their IT for them to try.

[qbert69]

Check here to see if this PPD is any different than the original one you tried!:

Printer: Sharp MX-4111N | OpenPrinting - The Linux Foundation

Also, make SURE that the PDF you are creating is FLATTENED!...some printers, when it comes to flattening layers, tend to choke!...especially coming from a MAC!

I have had instances where a PDF which generated on a MAC will error out on a Postscript capable Printer (RICOH). But when transferred to a PC running Windows 7 x64 and using a PCL 6 print driver, will print PERFECTLY FINE!!!....go figure! Additionally, PDF files generated on a MAC I've also seen not print on a PC due to it being created by an Adobe Product on the MAC!...I then go ahead and then recompile the PDF on the PC (Win 7 x64) with Bullzip and then it is able to be printed!....DOH! I have also seen printers choke on PDF files which weren't flattened and contained graphics which were color of two different color spaces....RGB and CMYK! Most of these errors that I have seen have been with Ricoh-Savin machines! You just have to figure out what kind of workflow the MFP/Printer likes and stick to that workflow to get CONSISTENT RESULTS!!!

GOOD LUCK!

[ruben]

Sounds more like you are trying to print through mDNS. Try removing the printer and readding as a direct IP printer.

Add the printer as you normally would, select IP and change the Protocol to HP JetDirect.

[Craigcul]

Hi mac cannot print PCL THEY can only print postscript and some generic print driver on mac will only print black and white only the original manufacture driver will print colour.


Sent from my Samsung A5 using Tapatalk

[habik]

Hi mac cannot print PCL THEY can only print postscript and some generic print driver on mac will only print black and white only the original manufacture driver will print colour.
Sent from my Samsung A5 using Tapatalk

You sure about that? There is Generic PCL available..

PCL on mac.jpg

[slimslob]

Hi mac cannot print PCL THEY can only print postscript and some generic print driver on mac will only print black and white only the original manufacture driver will print colour.


Sent from my Samsung A5 using Tapatalk

You sure about that? There is Generic PCL available..

PCL on mac.jpg

Apparently you did not read all of Craigcul's reply. He did mention the generic PCL driver