Bizhub C450 Speed

lauramac50 · 02-07-2008

Hello

I am a non-tech trying to figure out where to go next with a problem with our Bizhub C450. The performance level of the printer function has dropped to the point of causing office squabbles. The printer takes up to 10 minutes to print PDF files that are no more than 20MB.

We are a Mac office. I have 4 users on the printer, all of which print large files (TIFF, JPEG, PDF etc.) The printer will error out if we send more than 5 or large files in a row.

Do you have advice? Is this fixable? Or is it a case of re-setting our expectations?

Thanks very much!
Laura

mitchl · 02-07-2008

Well Laura this should prove once and for all that like most of the world, copiers hate Macs........................ Just kidding! I'll ask my IT guy what could be the cause as I have seen this on a PC network also but cant recall what the fault was. Is it taking 10 minutes to before printing starts or ten minutes to print the whole job from start to finish?

lauramac50 · 02-07-2008

Thank you so much for helping! Here's the scoop: if I were to send a (single page) PDF to print, the Data light would begin blinking pretty much right away. The job will not show up in the copier's job list though. It'll think for about 5 -10 minutes and then the job will show up in the queue and it'll shoot right out.

L.

mitchl · 02-07-2008

Are you sure you have the PS drivers loaded? It sounds like its doing a conversion to the files before printing them which takes time. If you need the drivers you can download them here Konica Minolta Download Selector Search Results - Product: bizhub C450 / File Type: Drivers / Operating System: Mac OS 10.4x

Keep in mind Laura that if the machine was printing fine before, its performance isn't going to deteriorate speed wise unless someone in your office decided to make some type of change to the configuration, which undoubtedly is the case. Fortunately we are blessed with only about 5 Mac users in our whole customer base as the vast majority of our 6000+ customers like to use real computers (sorry couldn't resist) so our experience level troubleshooting Macs is way, way down compared to real computers!!!! I do use a hacked iphone though and love it!............ As a last ditch effort you may want to call your local Konica Minolta dealer and request a service call............ Couldnt hurt.

lauramac50 · 02-07-2008

Heh! I'm jealous of your iPhone! I get by with the iTouch since there's so much free WiFi in the City. But someday I'll graduate to the real deal...

Thanks so much for the advice. I will replace all our drivers with fresh ones. Next time the IT consultant is here I'll ask if he might check the network for recent changes that could affect the printer's performance.

That's good to know that the speed wouldn't naturally deteriorate. It changes the way I'll approach the question.

I'd read in another thread that I could also tweak the print settings for PDF's (print as image) but the instructions were for PC users. I'll research this option for Mac users, see if I can make that change.

I don't have the authority to request a service call. Its so frustrating! I must convince others that its really a problem first. And right now its just a bug, not stopping work. Not quite enough to merit the call in TPTB's eyes.

Again, I very much appreciate your time!

Laura

mitchl · 02-08-2008

	Quote:			Originally Posted by lauramac50
	Heh! I'm jealous of your iPhone! I get by with the iTouch since there's so much free WiFi in the City. But someday I'll graduate to the real deal... Thanks so much for the advice. I will replace all our drivers with fresh ones. Next time the IT consultant is here I'll ask if he might check the network for recent changes that could affect the printer's performance. That's good to know that the speed wouldn't naturally deteriorate. It changes the way I'll approach the question. I'd read in another thread that I could also tweak the print settings for PDF's (print as image) but the instructions were for PC users. I'll research this option for Mac users, see if I can make that change. I don't have the authority to request a service call. Its so frustrating! I must convince others that its really a problem first. And right now its just a bug, not stopping work. Not quite enough to merit the call in TPTB's eyes. Again, I very much appreciate your time! Laura

Non copier IT guys are our worst nightmare, they dont know their butts from a hole in the ground and go in like a bull in a china shop changing this that and the other, fly out the door leaving havoc in their wake. Find out if your local dealer has a staff IT person that you can contact for future reference in regards to printing issues, yes they will charge you for this but if printing is taking that long you have a bunch of people brown thumbing waiting for there job to finish, so in essence paying the copier IT guy is a cost savings in the long run( Damn nice spin if I dont say so myself!).......... One other thing, whom ever is in charge of your network internally needs to make sure that after your outside IT people come in and do stuff, they absolutely positively need to check printing function and scanning before they scurry out the door!

mitchl · 02-08-2008

	Quote:			Originally Posted by lauramac50
	Heh! I'm jealous of your iPhone! I get by with the iTouch since there's so much free WiFi in the City. But someday I'll graduate to the real deal... Thanks so much for the advice. I will replace all our drivers with fresh ones. Next time the IT consultant is here I'll ask if he might check the network for recent changes that could affect the printer's performance. That's good to know that the speed wouldn't naturally deteriorate. It changes the way I'll approach the question. I'd read in another thread that I could also tweak the print settings for PDF's (print as image) but the instructions were for PC users. I'll research this option for Mac users, see if I can make that change. I don't have the authority to request a service call. Its so frustrating! I must convince others that its really a problem first. And right now its just a bug, not stopping work. Not quite enough to merit the call in TPTB's eyes. Again, I very much appreciate your time! Laura

My iphone runs on T-Mobile which is cool, when your ready you can buy hacked iphones new on Ebay for 400..........such a deal but remember if you do get one dont let itunes do a system upgrade, it will ask and tell it NO! If you upgrade it it relocks all the files and over writes the hack code making it an AT&T phone only. Then you have to jailbreak the little bugger(unlock the encrypted files) then do the file mods needed to make it a unlockled phone........... Get one they RULE!

konisolver · 02-08-2008

I deal with MAC's just about everyday and they are not as bad as they look. Here are a couple of things you can try.

Do you have a Fiery or built in controller?

Try the following steps -

1. Have your copier upgraded to the latest firmware (by copier rep)
2. Make sure the copier printer settings is not set to batch print but to page print (Utility-administrator-system-output-printer-page)
3. Make sure you are using the correct PPD
4. Make sure you are either printing IP or bonjour - Appletalk will only make it slow.
5. What apps from Mac ( Adobe CS2? - you can make a couple of changes that you can make to lower the file size)
6. Do not use the "print as image" this will only quadriple your file size.
7. If you do not care about quality but would like the file to print as fast as possible. Change the "output protocol from ASCII to BINARY or vice versa ( you can actually see the difference in size. Change the resolution to 72dpi if you are printing only text but DPI at 300 should be fine.

hopefully this will help.

lauramac50 · 02-08-2008

Thanks so much for this list. I'll go through these steps this morning. You've all been very helpful!

Laura

lauramac50 · 02-08-2008

Hey Konisolver? I'm back -- what does it mean if my Utility menu only shows option #4 (Check Consumable Life)? The others are missing from the screen.

Thank you!
Laura