HP Officejet 6500A Plus - Manual (Page 117)

▲ Look at the Ink Level indicators in Line 21. If any of the bar level indicators are low,
you may need to replace that ink cartridge.
NOTE: Ink level warnings and indicators provide estimates for planning
purposes only. When you receive an ink alert message, consider having a
replacement cartridge available to avoid possible printing delays. You do not
need to replace cartridges until print quality becomes unacceptable.
Good color bars
Example of Good
Color Bars All seven bars are solid, sharp-edged, and extend with uniform color all
the way across the page - the printer is operating correctly.
▲ Look at the color bars in the middle of the page. There should be seven color bars.
The color bars should have sharp edges. They should be solid (not streaked with
white or other colors). They should be uniform in color throughout.
The bars correspond to the ink cartridges in the printer as follows:
Item Cartridge color
1 Black Ink Cartridge
2 Cyan Ink Cartridge
3 Magenta Ink Cartridge
4 Yellow Ink Cartridge
Ragged, irregularly streaked, or faded bars
Example of Bad Color Bars The top bar is irregularly streaked or fading.
Print quality troubleshooting 113