Mac 9.x and Panasonic KX-P7110

  • Thread starter Thread starter Holly Sommer
  • Start date Start date
H

Holly Sommer

I've got the Network Setup Tool installed on the Mac, and the test
page prints fine (just a bunch of diagnostics in Courier), but when I
try to print anything else it comes up with multiple lines of what
looks like PCL printed one on top of the other... at the end is
hanging out MListQuery.

Any ideas or tips for getting this beast to work with the Mac? It's
got its own IP, and I can print to it fine from my XP Pro box. The
Mac, however... well, just prints jibberish. The PPD is installed, and
the Printer does show in the Chooser. It's set up as a Networked
printer, accessible via Ethernet.

Thanks.

-Holly
 
I've got the Network Setup Tool installed on the Mac, and the test
page prints fine (just a bunch of diagnostics in Courier), but when I
try to print anything else it comes up with multiple lines of what
looks like PCL printed one on top of the other... at the end is
hanging out MListQuery.

Any ideas or tips for getting this beast to work with the Mac? It's
got its own IP, and I can print to it fine from my XP Pro box. The
Mac, however... well, just prints jibberish. The PPD is installed, and
the Printer does show in the Chooser. It's set up as a Networked
printer, accessible via Ethernet.
Click to expand...

You said you've installed its PPD, which implies PostScript. PS is not
standard with this printer -- do you have that option?
Otherwise, you need either a PCL driver, or software (like
Ghostscript) that translates PS to PCL.
This page <http://tinyurl.com/5agyw> doesn't list any Mac drivers at
all from Panasonic.

If you don't have PS, it may be worth trying a Brother PCL driver,
from <http://solutions.brother.com/hl1400/download/drivers.html#macOS>

If the printer does have PS, possibly it's autodetecting incorrectly.
I have a PS/PCL printer, and it can be set to operate in one mode
exclusively. If possible, try setting to to PS only (making sure to
use the PS driver in Windows too).
 
You said you've installed its PPD, which implies PostScript. PS is not
standard with this printer -- do you have that option?
Otherwise, you need either a PCL driver, or software (like
Ghostscript) that translates PS to PCL.
This page <http://tinyurl.com/5agyw> doesn't list any Mac drivers at
all from Panasonic.
Click to expand...

There was an installation CD with the printer, which lists OSes
supported. Ranged from 8.6 on up. Though now I'm wondering what they
MEANT by supported.
If you don't have PS, it may be worth trying a Brother PCL driver,
from <http://solutions.brother.com/hl1400/download/drivers.html#macOS>
Click to expand...

Installed the HL-1200, 1440/50/70N and 1650/1670N drivers. None of
them show the printer in the Chooser, so I guess those are no-gos. :/
If the printer does have PS, possibly it's autodetecting incorrectly.
I have a PS/PCL printer, and it can be set to operate in one mode
exclusively. If possible, try setting to to PS only (making sure to
use the PS driver in Windows too).
Click to expand...

It's supposed to be PCL6 emulation. I'm not really a hardware person,
so there are gaps in my understanding here. Am I to assume then, that
even though the PPD shipped with the installation disk, because it
isn't a PS printer, those PPDs are pretty much useless, and I need to
get my hands on a PCL driver for the Mac which will work with it? Or
else GhostScript (which I wasn't aware was made for MacOS 9.x)?

Thanks!

-Holly
 
There was an installation CD with the printer, which lists OSes
supported. Ranged from 8.6 on up. Though now I'm wondering what they
MEANT by supported.


Installed the HL-1200, 1440/50/70N and 1650/1670N drivers. None of
them show the printer in the Chooser, so I guess those are no-gos. :/


It's supposed to be PCL6 emulation. I'm not really a hardware person,
so there are gaps in my understanding here. Am I to assume then, that
even though the PPD shipped with the installation disk, because it
isn't a PS printer, those PPDs are pretty much useless, and I need to
get my hands on a PCL driver for the Mac which will work with it? Or
else GhostScript (which I wasn't aware was made for MacOS 9.x)?
Click to expand...


PPDs are for Postscript printers -- you can read them,
they're plain text and describe the abilities of the
printer.

Anyway, just to be sure, a few things to check:
install a generic PS printer in your Windows PC (Such as a
Laserwriter) and try to print a test page using that. If it
comes out gibberish, your printer does not have PS. But if
that works, try connecting your Mac to the printer with a
USB cable (assuming your Mac has this). If that works, you
have a networking problem.

If still no-go, your printer really is just PCL.
The only printer manufacturer that I know of that has a PCL
drivers for Mac OS9 (It's no problem with OSX) is Brother,
so that's why I suggested trying that. But it appears to be
checking that it is a Brother printer.
You can buy the PS upgrade for about $100, otherwise, to do
it in software, there is a Mac version of Ghostscript, but I
haven't used it.
See <http://www.kiffe.com/macghostview.html>, $20. But
printing seems to be via Acrobat.

I did use a PCL laser with PowerPrint some time ago.
This is sold by Strydent, <http://www.strydent.com/>
If you do go with this, check with the company that they
really do support your printer over ethernet.
But it lists for $99, so it's probably better just to do
the hardware upgrade unless you can find a second hand copy
(some on Ebay very cheap).
 
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