HP Deskjet 1280 Printer series - Manual (Page 35)

ENWW 5-4
Poor print quality
Printout is faded or colors are dull
Check the Print Quality setting.
The Fast option uses less ink and prints at a faster rate, which is good for printing drafts.
To achieve better colored printout, select Normal or Best quality in the printer driver.
Check the Paper Type setting.
When printing on transparencies or other special paper types, select the corresponding
paper type in the printer driver.
Check the type of paper you are using.
Some paper types are not suitable for use with your HP printer. For information on
recommended media, see
“Printing and loading media.”
Check the print cartridges for low ink or clogs:
• Whenever print quality deteriorates, it is a good idea to clean the print cartridges and
then print a test page. See “Cleaning the print cartridges” for instructions.
• Check that all the lines on the test page are connected and printed properly. If the lines
are broken, your print cartridge is probably out of ink. Replace your print cartridge with
a new one (see
“Replacing the print cartridges” for instructions). However, if you have
recently replaced your cartridge, your cartridge is probably defective. See “HP supplies
and accessories” for replacement information.
Colors are bleeding into each other
Check the Print Quality setting.
Some Paper Type settings (such as Transparency) and Print Quality settings (such as
Best) require more ink than others. Choose different print settings in the printer driver.
Also, make sure that you have selected the correct paper type in the printer driver.
Check the Paper Type setting.
Some paper types are not suitable for use with your HP printer. For information on
recommended media, see
“Printing and loading media.”
If you refilled your print cartridges, HP does not recommend or support refilled print
cartridges.
Refilling processes and the use of incompatible inks might disrupt the intricate printing
system, potentially resulting in reduced print quality and even printer damage. To order
the original HP print cartridge, see
“HP supplies and accessories.”
When printing on photo paper and transparency film:
Ensure that the paper is inserted print-side down when loaded from the front manual feed
tray or main paper tray.
Ensure that the paper is inserted print-side up when loaded from the rear manual feed.
Use only HP Inkjet Transparency Films listed under “HP supplies and accessories.”
Open the top cover when you suspect a print cartridge problem. The inside top case has icons
on it showing cartridge problems. If there is a problem, the yellow arrow on the cartridge cradle
points to the icon that indicates the problem.