Epson Stylus Color 660 Ink Jet Printer Basic Manual Basics

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CPD 8882-R1

Printer Basics

Printed on recycled paper with at least 10% post-consumer content.

Printer Basics

basics.book Page i Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

ii

Copyright Notice

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior

written permission of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. The information contained herein is designed only for

use with this EPSON printer. EPSON is not responsible for any use of this information as applied to other

printers.

Neither SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION nor its affiliates shall be liable to the purchaser of this product or third

parties for damages, losses, costs, or expenses incurred by purchaser or third parties as a result of: accident, misuse,

or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product, or (excluding the

U.S.) failure to strictly comply with SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION’s operating and maintenance instructions.

SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION shall not be liable for any damages or problems arising from the use of any

options or any consumable products other than those designated as Original EPSON Products or EPSON

Approved Products by SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

Trademarks

EPSON and EPSON Stylus are registered trademarks of SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.

SoundAdvice is a service mark and EPSON FaxAdvice, Micro Piezo, and PhotoEnhance are trademarks of Epson

America, Inc.

General Notice: Other product names used herein are for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of

their respective owners. EPSON disclaims any and all rights in those marks.

The ENERGY STAR emblem does not represent EPA endorsement of any product or service.

CPD 8882-R1

Copyright © 1999 by Epson America, Inc. 9/99

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Contents

WELCOME! 1

About Your Software 2

About Your Documentation 3

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips 3

System Requirements 4

ENERGY STAR Compliance 4

Year 2000 Ready 5

Important Safety Instructions 5

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions 6

VIEWING YOUR ELECTRONIC PRINTER MANUAL 7

Accessing Your Electronic Printer Manual 7

Navigating Your Electronic Printer Manual 8

PRINTING FROM START TO FINISH 11

Using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise 11

Printing with Windows 12

Loading Paper 12

Opening the Printer Software 13

Selecting Your Printer Software Settings 14

Controlling Printing 16

Printing Photographs 17

Using Custom Project Types 18

Using Advanced Settings 20

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Using Special Papers 22

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper 22

EPSON Photo Paper 22

Envelopes 25

Selecting the Correct Media Type 26

MAINTAINING YOUR PRINTER 27

Cleaning the Print Head 27

Using the Head Cleaning Utility 28

Using the Control Panel 29

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern 30

Replacing an Ink Cartridge 31

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges 32

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge 34

Aligning the Print Head 37

Cleaning the Printer 38

Transporting the Printer 39

PROBLEM SOLVING 41

Diagnosing Printer Problems 41

Checking the Control Panel Lights 41

Running a Printer Check 43

Printer Parts 44

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Problems and Solutions 45

Solving Problems Setting Up the Printer or Installing Its Software 45

Solving Problems with Printing 46

Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality 47

Solving Problems with Paper Feeding 50

Solving Miscellaneous Printout Problems 51

Uninstalling Printer Software 52

Reinstalling Printer Software 52

Where To Get Help 53

EPSON Technical Support 53

Creative Software Technical Support 54

INDEX 55

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Welcome!

Your EPSON Stylus® COLOR 660 printer is the ideal output device for small office

or home printing. You can print anything from reports and resumes to photos and

greeting cards with great results.

The printer comes with these features:

■Resolutions up to 1440 by 720 dpi (dots per inch), even on plain paper

■EPSON’s exclusive Micro Piezo™ ink jet technology for smaller, cleaner dots

■Four-color printing for photo-quality color and sharp black text on plain paper or

a variety of special media

■Great results on any paper size, including letter, legal, envelope, card, and

panoramic paper

■Creative software for implementing all your ideas for business or home

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About Your Software

The printer software CD-ROM includes all the software you need for printing:

■Your printer driver runs your printer and lets you control how your documents

look. You can’t use your printer without it.

■Your creative software, including:

■The EPSON Guided Printing Exercise, a quick step-by-step guide to

changing your printer software settings

■Polaroid® PhotoMAX™ Pro, a full-featured image editing program

■ArcSoft™ PhotoPrinter™ SE, a photo layout program

■eFax™, a program that allows you to send and receive faxes directly from your

PC (trial version)

■EPSON Software™ Film Factory™, a photo printing and organizing program

(trial version)

■Your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide gives you complete

information about your printer. (You need an HTML browser—such as Internet

Explorer 3.0 or later, or Netscape® Navigator® 3.0 or later—to view the guide.)

If you haven’t yet installed your printer software from your CD-ROM, see Start Here

for instructions.

If you need to rerun the installation program, insert the CD-ROM,

double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,

then double-click the EPSON icon.

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About Your Documentation

To set up your printer and install its software, see the Start Here card. This book

contains system requirements, important safety information, and instructions on:

■viewing your electronic printer manual

■printing with Windows

■maintaining the printer

■solving basic problems

For more details about printing with, maintaining, or troubleshooting your printer,

see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide. For instructions on

viewing it, see page 7.

Warnings, Cautions, Notes, and Tips

Please follow these guidelines:

Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.

Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your

equipment.

Notes contain important information about your printer.

Tips contain additional hints for better printing.

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System Requirements

To use your printer and its software, your system should have:

■An IBM® compatible PC with at least a 486/66 MHz (for Windows® 98) or

486/25 MHz (for Windows 95 or Windows NT® 4.0) processor (Pentium®

processor recommended)

■Microsoft® Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT 4.0

■At least 16MB of RAM (32MB for Windows 95 or 98, or 64MB for

Windows NT 4.0 recommended)

■At least 50MB of free hard disk space (100MB recommended)

■VGA, Super VGA, or better display adapter and monitor

■Double-speed (2x) CD-ROM drive (quad-speed [4x] or faster recommended) for

installing the printer software

■A high-speed, bidirectional, IEEE-1284 compliant parallel cable (6 to 10 feet

long); the cable must have a D-SUB, 25-pin, male connector for your computer

and a 36-pin, Centronics® compatible connector for the printer

If you want to use your EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 with Windows 98 USB or a

Macintosh® with a built-in USB port, an optional USB/Parallel Adapter kit is

available. You can purchase the kit from EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 or

visit our website at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call

(800) 873-7766 for dealer referral. The Macintosh printer driver and EPSON USB

Printer Device and Windows 98 USB drivers are included on the CD-ROM that

comes with your printer.

ENERGY STAR Compliance

As an ENERGY STAR Partner, EPSON has determined that

this product meets the ENERGY STAR guidelines for energy

efficiency. The EPA ENERGY STAR office equipment

program is a voluntary partnership with the computer and

office equipment industry to promote the introduction of

energy-efficient personal computers, monitors, printers, fax machines,

and copiers in an effort to reduce air pollution caused by power generation.

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Year 2000 Ready

Your EPSON printer is Year 2000 Ready. However, be sure the other parts of your

computer system are also ready for the year 2000.

Important Safety Instructions

Before using your printer, read the following safety instructions to make sure you use

the printer safely and effectively:

■Be sure to follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer.

■Turn off and unplug the printer before cleaning. Clean with a damp cloth only.

Do not spill liquid on the printer.

Always turn the printer off using the

P power button. Don’t

switch off the power strip, or unplug the printer until the

power light is off.

■Do not place the printer on an unstable surface or near a radiator or heating vent

or direct sunlight.

■Do not block or cover the openings in the printer’s case or insert objects through

the slots.

■Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label.

■Connect all equipment to properly grounded power outlets. Avoid using outlets

on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on

and off.

■Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be easily unplugged.

Placez l’imprimante près d’une prise de contacte où la fiche peut être débranchée

facilement.

■Do not let the power cord become damaged or frayed.

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■If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure the total ampere rating of

the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cord’s ampere

rating. Also, make sure the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the wall

outlet does not exceed the wall outlet’s ampere rating.

■Except as specifically explained in this manual, do not attempt to service the

printer yourself.

■Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the

following conditions:

If the power cord or plug is damaged; if liquid has entered the printer; if the

printer has been dropped or the case damaged; if the printer does not operate

normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. Adjust only those controls

that are covered by the operating instructions.

Ink Cartridge Safety Instructions

■Install the ink cartridge immediately after you remove it from its foil package.

Leaving the cartridge unpacked for a long time before use may result in reduced

print quality.

■Do not put your hand inside the printer or touch the cartridge during printing.

■Under normal circumstances, ink will not come out of the cartridge. If it does get

on your skin, wash it off with soap and water. If it gets in your eyes, flush them

immediately with water.

■Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

■Do not dismantle the ink cartridges or try to refill them. This could result in

damage to the print head.

■Once you install an ink cartridge, do not open the clamp or remove the cartridge

except to replace it with a new one. The cartridge may become unusable

otherwise.

■Do not use an ink cartridge beyond the date printed on the cartridge package. For

best results, use up the ink cartridges within six months of installing them.

■Do not shake an ink cartridge; this can cause leakage.

■Do not move the print head by hand; otherwise you may damage the printer.

■Before transporting the printer, make sure the print head is capped in the far right

position and the ink cartridges are in place.

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Viewing Your Electronic Printer

Manual

Your printer software CD-ROM includes an electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660

Reference Guide. The manual is in HTML format so you need a browser—such as

Internet Explorer 3.0 or later or Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later—to view it. If you

are using a different browser, the pages may not display correctly. (Browsers are not

included on the printer software CD-ROM.)

Accessing Your Electronic Printer Manual

You can view your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide from the

CD-ROM or copy it to your hard drive and view it from there. Follow these steps:

1. Insert your printer software CD-ROM.

2. Double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,

then double-click the EPSON icon. The installer Main Menu appears:

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3. Click View Electronic Documentation.

The following screen appears:

4. You can either view the manual from the

CD-ROM (View Reference Guide) or

copy the manual to your hard drive (Install

Reference Guide) and view it from there.

If you copy the manual to your hard drive,

you can access it at any time by clicking

Start, Programs, EPSON, and selecting

ESC 660 Manual.

For guidelines on viewing the manual, see the next section.

Navigating Your Electronic Printer Manual

Here are some guidelines for viewing the Reference Guide. When you first open the

manual, you see this screen:

Click a topic on the left to expand the table of contents.

Click here to

expand the

table of

contents

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After expanding the table of contents, you can click on the topic you want to view.

Click the right arrow to view subtopics.

Click on a topic to go to it or click the down arrow to close the list.

Expanded

table of

contents;

click here to

go to a topic

Closed list,

click to

expand

Click to go

to topic

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Printing from Start to Finish

Here’s what you need to do to print a basic document—such as a memo, newsletter,

or photograph—from loading the paper to selecting print settings to controlling print

jobs. Follow the step-by-step instructions in this chapter. You can even practice

selecting settings using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise, as described below.

If you’re already familiar with ink jet printing, you can skip ahead to these sections:

■Selecting custom project types with preset options for printing specific reports,

graphs, or drafts, or selecting a color-matching method, page 18

■Fine-tuning your settings for maximum control of your printouts, page 20

■Using special papers such as EPSON Photo Paper or envelopes, page 22

Using the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise

Your printer software CD-ROM includes a Guided Printing Exercise with

step-by-step printing instructions. The Guided Printing Exercise shows you how to

access your printer driver and make changes to your printer settings.

If you didn’t install the Guided Printing Exercise when you set up your printer, you

can install it now. Follow these steps:

1. Insert the printer software CD-ROM.

2. Double-click My Computer, double-click your CD-ROM drive icon,

then double-click the EPSON icon. The installer Main Menu appears.

3. Click Install Creative Software, then click EPSON Guided Printing Exercise.

To run the exercise, click the EPSON Guided Printing Exercise icon on your

desktop. Then follow the on-screen instructions to print a full-color image.

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Printing with Windows

This section describes these basic printing steps:

■loading paper

■opening the printer software

■changing settings

■controlling printing

Loading Paper

Make sure your printer and computer are turned on. Place your paper against the

right edge guide and slide the left edge guide against the paper’s left edge.

Keep the following in mind when loading paper:

■Load the printable side face up. The printable side is usually whiter or brighter.

■Load letterhead or preprinted paper so the top of the paper feeds into the printer

first.

■Don’t load paper above the arrow on the left edge guide.

■If you are printing on envelopes or paper that isn’t letter-size, see pages 22

through 25 for loading instructions.

slide paper against

the right edge guide

load paper only

up to this arrow

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Opening the Printer Software

After you create your document and load your paper, you’re ready to change your

printer driver settings. Make sure the document you want to print is open and then,

from the File menu, click Print. You see the Print dialog box for your application

(your Print dialog box may look slightly different):

Make the following selections on the Print dialog box:

■Make sure EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 is selected.

■If your application’s Print dialog box contains a Properties button, click it.

If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. Then click Properties on

the next screen.

If you click the print icon on your application’s tool bar instead

of selecting Print from the File menu, you may not get the

option to change the printer driver settings for your print job.

Click here to get to

the next dialog

box.

If you see a Setup,

Printer, or Options

button, click it.

Then click

Properties on the

next screen.

Select your printer here.

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Selecting Your Printer Software Settings

The most important thing to remember is to set the correct Media Type for the paper

you are using. The Media Type setting affects the other options you can choose in

your printer driver.

You can select the Media Type setting on the printer Properties dialog box. If

necessary, click the Main tab to display the settings shown below:

Make the following settings on the Properties dialog box:

■Choose the Media Type you are printing on (click

the arrow button to scroll through the list).

If you are not sure which setting to select, see

“Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 26.

For instructions on loading special paper, see

page 22.

■Make sure Ink is set to Color if you want to print in

color. To print a black text document, click Black.

Select between faster or

higher-quality printing.

Make sure this setting matches the

paper you loaded (see page 26).

Select Automatic for the best

results on your paper.

Select your Ink setting.

Click OK to return to the

Print dialog box.

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■Set the Mode option to Automatic. This lets the printer software determine the

best settings for your print job. It’s the easiest way to get good printing results on

all types of paper.

■Set the slider in the Mode box to Quality or Speed. This lets you choose between

a higher resolution or faster printing for the media you’re using. (The slider is not

available when certain media types are selected.)

For more information about printer settings, click the Help

button. Or you can right-click any item on the screen and then

click What’s This?.

The printer settings you make apply only to the application

you’re currently using. If you usually print one type of

document—for example, black ink on legal size paper—you can

change the default printer settings. You do this by accessing the

Properties dialog box through the Printer utility:

1. Click Start, point to Settings, and then select Printers.

2. Right-click the EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 icon.

3. Select Properties (Document Defaults in Windows NT). Then

click the Main tab.

4. Any changes you make will become the default settings for

all your applications and documents. Click OK when you’re

finished.

You can also save the settings as a custom project type; see

page 20 for instructions.

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Controlling Printing

Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box, shown below.

Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

After a moment, the Progress Meter appears and shows the progress of your print job.

You can use the buttons to cancel, pause, or restart your print job. You can also see

how much ink you have left and view printing tips.

For more advanced printer settings, see pages 17 through 21.

click OK to start

printing

name of the file

you’re printing

click to cancel printing

click to view more details

about the displayed Tip

does not

appear if you

are printing

over a network

pages printed/

pages in job

click to pause/resume

printing

click to display

or close Epson

Printing Tips

below

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For more information on printing—for example, previewing your printout, changing

the paper size, or adding a watermark—see the electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660

Reference Guide. See page 7 for instructions on viewing the manual.

Printing Photographs

The printer driver includes PhotoEnhance™ options that can increase brightness and

contrast to improve the appearance of low-resolution images. You can also add special

effects such as Soft Focus. If you used photo editing software to increase your image’s

resolution or if you have high-resolution images, you may want to use the Automatic

setting instead.

PhotoEnhance does not affect your original image; it only affects your printout.

Printing with PhotoEnhance may take longer on some systems and images.

Follow these steps:

1. Create your image or document in

your application software.

2. Access the printer Properties dialog

box as described on page 13. You see

this dialog box:

3. Choose the Media Type you want to

print on. (If you’re not sure which

setting to select, see “Selecting the

Correct Media Type” on page 26.)

4. Choose Color ink. (You cannot select

PhotoEnhance in the next step if Black

ink is selected.)

5. Click PhotoEnhance.

6. If your photograph was taken with a

digital camera, you can click the Digital

Camera Correction box. This gives

your printed images the appearance of

photographs taken with a film camera.

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7. For more fine tuning, click Standard. You see a list of

specialized settings for photographs. Select the setting

that most closely matches your photograph (People or

Nature) or select one of the special filters (Soft Focus or

Sepia). You may need to experiment with these settings

to get the exact look you want, especially if you have

multiple images on a page.

You can also make detailed settings on the Advanced dialog

box to fit your individual needs, as described on page 20.

8. If you need to change your paper size, number of copies, orientation, and

printable area, click the Paper tab. (You can often make these settings in your

application software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

9. If you need to reduce or enlarge the image (proportional printing), print multiple

pages on a single sheet, “tile” an image to make a large poster, or add a watermark,

click the Layout tab. (You can often make these settings in your application

software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

10. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

11. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing. (Depending

on your system and the image, printing with PhotoEnhance may take longer.)

Using Custom Project Types

Your EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 printer software includes custom project types

with preset options for printing specific types of documents—such as reports, graphs,

or drafts. You can also select a color-matching method. These custom project types let

you quickly select the best settings for your particular type of document and paper.

You can also make settings on the Advanced dialog box to fit your individual needs, as

described on page 20.

Follow these steps to print with custom project types:

1. Create your image or document in your application software.

2. Access the printer Properties dialog box as described on page 13.

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3. Choose the Media Type you want to print on. (If you’re not sure which setting to

choose, see “Selecting the Correct Media Type” on page 26.)

4. Choose Color or Black ink.

5. Click Custom, and then click Custom Settings. You see the list of project types.

6. Choose a setting for your project following these guidelines (remember that these

settings are restricted by the Media Type and Ink settings):

■Text/Graph: For printing graphics-intensive documents like presentations

with charts and graphs.

■Economy: For printing rough drafts of text on plain paper. Saves ink.

■ICM (Image Color Matching; Windows 95 and Windows 98 only):

For printing documents created in an ICM compatible application.

■sRGB (standard Red Green Blue; recommended only with Windows 98): For

printing documents created in an sRGB compatible application using sRGB

colors, such as those designed for the World Wide Web. See your

Windows 98 online help for details.

Click Custom, then

click here to see a

list of project types.

Always choose your Media Type and

Ink settings before you select a custom

project type. Some project types may

not be available with the Media Type

or Ink settings you choose.

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7. If you need to change your paper size, number of copies, orientation, and

printable area, click the Paper tab. (You can often make these settings in your

application software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

8. If you need to reduce or enlarge the image (proportional printing), print multiple

pages on a single sheet, “tile” an image to make a large poster, or add a watermark,

click the Layout tab. (You can often make these settings in your application

software. If so, you should make the changes there.)

9. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

10. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

Using Advanced Settings

For maximum control over your project, you can customize your print settings and

special effects. You can even save your custom settings as a group so you can use them

whenever you print a similar project.

To access the Advanced dialog box, follow these steps:

1. Create your image or document in your application software. Then access the

printer Properties dialog box as described on page 13.

2. Select your Media Type and Ink settings.

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3. Click Custom, and then click the Advanced button. You see the Advanced dialog

box:

4. Check the Media Type and Ink settings. These settings are the same as the ones

you selected on the Main dialog box. You can change them here as you customize

your settings, if needed.

5. Choose a Print Quality setting.

6. Select a color management system (the availability depends on your operating

system).

After you customize your print settings for a special project,

you can save them as a group. Then you can reuse them

whenever you print a similar project. Click Save Settings in the

Advanced dialog box. Type a name for your setting group and

click OK.

7. Select any other settings you need to change.

8. Click OK to return to your application’s Print dialog box.

9. Click OK (or Print, depending on your application) to start printing.

For more information about the settings described in this section, see your electronic

EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

Some of these

options are

automatically

set or disabled

by other

settings you

choose

Click here to

change your

Print Quality

(resolution)

Changes

depending on

the Color

Management

setting selected

above

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Using Special Papers

How can you get the best-looking photos, most vivid colors,

and sharpest text? Always use EPSON’s special ink jet papers.

To show you how much difference EPSON paper can make,

we’ve included some free samples.

Check out the EPSON Photo Quality Media Pack that came

with your printer. Instructions for printing on the samples,

along with other papers, are given in the following sections.

For a list of EPSON special ink jet papers and ordering

information, see the inside back cover.

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper is great for presentation materials and

newsletters. Load it as described on page 12. Before you print, be sure to select

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper as the Media Type.

EPSON Photo Paper

You can use EPSON Photo Paper to print photographs that look almost as good as

the ones you get from film processing. EPSON 4 ×6-inch Photo Paper is

micro-perforated around the edges so you can trim your printouts and “bleed” the

photo—extend it to the edge of the paper—on all sides. Photo Paper is available in a

variety of sizes; see the inside back cover for a list and ordering information.

Keep the following in mind when using EPSON Photo Paper:

■Always load the paper with the whiter (glossier) side facing up.

■Load up to 20 sheets of 4 × 6-inch, letter-size, or A4-size Photo Paper or 1 sheet

of Panoramic paper. Use a support sheet if it is included in the paper package.

■To keep your printouts looking their best, store them in a resealable plastic bag or

other airtight covering and protect them from heat, humidity, and direct sunlight.

Return unused paper to the original package as soon as you finish printing.

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If you’re using letter-size or A4-size Photo Paper, follow the instructions starting on

page 12 to load and print on the paper. Be sure to select Photo Paper as the Media

Type setting. If you’re using 4 × 6-inch or Panoramic Photo Paper, follow the steps in

the next sections.

4

×

××

×

6-inch Photo Paper

1. Load the paper against the right edge guide

with the glossy side facing up and the

perforated margins positioned as shown:

You can load up to 20 sheets of 4 ×6-inch

Photo Paper at a time. Make sure you place

the included support sheets A and B beneath

the stack, but don’t print on them. (If you

don’t have the support sheets, use plain paper

cut to size.)

2. Slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the paper.

3. When you create the image in your application

software, size it to 4.25 × 6.25 inches. You can

also use your printer software’s Reduce/Enlarge

settings, as described in your EPSON Stylus

COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

4. Choose Photo Paper as the Media Type setting.

5. Choose Photo Paper 4 × 6 in as the Paper Size

setting and Maximum as the Printable Area setting

on the Paper tab.

6. After you print your picture, fold the paper back and forth

along the perforations and carefully tear the margins off.

trim size

printed

image size

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24

Panoramic Photo Paper

1. Pull up the paper support extension. Load one sheet of Panoramic paper

glossy side up, then hold up its top edge and press the

E load/eject button to feed

it into the printer.

2. Choose Photo Paper as the Media Type setting and Panoramic 210 ×594 mm

for the Paper size setting.

Preserving Photos on EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Paper has been specially formulated to work with EPSON’s ink to

create prints that last as long as traditional photographs when protected from light in

photo albums or similar archival conditions.

When you display your EPSON Photo Paper prints in picture frames or mounted on

the wall, the paper provides extra UV (ultraviolet) light protection so your prints will

last longer than prints on other ink jet photo papers. Depending on the type and

intensity of the light your print is exposed to, a print on EPSON Photo Paper may

last two or more years before noticeable fading occurs. Fade resistance could decrease

in intense light conditions or increase if your print is protected by glass or special

laminates.

For optimum results and longer print life, print your digital photos on EPSON Photo

Paper. See the inside back cover of this manual for a list of available paper sizes.

Be sure to support

your Panoramic Photo

Paper as it ejects from

the printer so it doesn’t

fall onto the floor

Support the

paper as it

feeds into

the printer

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25

Envelopes

You can load up to 10 envelopes at a time. Load the

envelope flap edge first and printable side up. Place it

against the right edge guide and adjust the left edge

guide as shown here.

You’ll get better results if you press each envelope flat

before loading it, or load one envelope at a time.

Select Plain paper as the Media Type and choose the

correct envelope size as the Paper Size setting in the printer software.

Set the thickness lever to the + position when you print on envelopes or other thick

media, as shown here. (Make sure you return the lever to the 0 position before you

print on regular media.)

If the printing smears or you

have banding (light lines), try

turning off High Speed printing

in the Advanced dialog box.

Lever position for

envelopes and

thick paper

Make sure

this option is

unchecked

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26

Selecting the Correct Media Type

Your printer automatically adjusts itself for the type of

paper you select in your printer software. That’s why

the Media Type setting is so important. It tells your

printer what kind of paper you’re using and adjusts the

ink coverage accordingly.

Before you print, always check your Media Type

setting. Here are the settings you should choose for

your paper:

If any paper you buy comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use

the cleaning sheet with this printer; it may jam inside the

printer.

For this paper . . . Select this Media Type setting . . .

Plain paper sheets or envelopes Plain paper

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

EPSON Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper

Photo Paper

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Photo Stickers

Photo Quality Glossy Film

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Ink Jet Transparencies

Matte Paper - Heavyweight Matte Paper - Heavyweight

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27

Maintaining Your Printer

This section describes the most common maintenance procedures you’ll need to

perform to keep your printer working at its best and to prepare it for moving. Just

follow the instructions in this chapter for:

■cleaning the print head

■replacing an ink cartridge

■aligning the print head

■transporting the printer

For more details, see your electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide as

described on page 7.

Cleaning the Print Head

If your printed image is unexpectedly light or faint, or dots are missing from the

image, you may need to clean the print head. This unclogs the nozzles so they can

deliver ink properly.

When you don’t turn on your printer for a long time, the print

quality can decline. It’s a good idea to turn on your printer at

least once a month to maintain good print quality.

Cleaning the print head uses ink, so clean it only if print quality declines. You can

clean the print head in either of the following ways:

■using the Head Cleaning utility in your printer software (when the printer is

connected to a local port, not over a network), as described on page 28

■using the printer’s control panel buttons, as described on page 29

Always wait until your document has finished printing before cleaning the print head.

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28

If any paper you buy comes with a cleaning sheet, don’t use

the cleaning sheet with this printer; it may jam inside the

printer.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility

Follow these steps to run the Head Cleaning utility:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the

B black and

A color ink out lights are off. (If an ink out light is flashing, replace the ink

cartridge before continuing.)

2. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as

described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660 icon in the Printers windows. Then select Properties

(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

3. Click the Utility tab.

4. On the Utility menu, click the Head Cleaning button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to clean the print head. Cleaning takes a

little over a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

P power

light flashes.

Never turn off the printer while the

P power light is flashing,

unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than

5 minutes.

6. When the

P power light stops flashing, run a nozzle check to confirm the print

head nozzles are clean and reset the cleaning cycle.

Make sure paper is loaded in the printer and click Print nozzle check pattern.

Then click Next. The nozzle check pattern prints; see the next section for details.

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29

7. If the nozzle check pattern is filled in completely, click Finish.

If the pattern is missing dots, click Clean to clean the print head again. If you

don’t see any improvement after cleaning three or four times, check the solutions

in “Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 47. You can also turn

the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—and then

try cleaning the print head again.

Using the Control Panel

Follow these steps to clean the print head:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on but not printing, and both the

B black and

A color ink out lights are off. (If an ink out light is flashing, replace the ink

cartridge before continuing.)

2. Press the

R cleaning button and hold it down for three seconds. Cleaning takes

about a minute, during which the printer makes some noise and the

Ppower

light flashes.

Never turn off the printer while the

Ppower light is flashing,

unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than

5 minutes.

3. After the

P power light stops flashing, print a page to test the print quality and

reset the cleaning cycle.

If your printer is connected directly to the computer, go to step 4 to run a nozzle

check.

If you’re printing over a network, open an application and print a small document

containing black and color data. Then go to step 8.

4. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as

described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660 icon in the Printers windows. Then select Properties

(Document Defaults in Windows NT).

5. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu.

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30

6. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer, click the Nozzle Check button, and click

Next. The nozzle check pattern prints; see the next section for details.

7. If the nozzle check pattern has no gaps in its dots, click Finish.

If the pattern is missing dots, click Clean to clean the print head again.

8. If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning three or four times, check the

solutions in “Solving Problems Getting Good Print Quality” on page 47. You can

also turn the printer off and wait overnight—this allows any dried ink to soften—

and then try cleaning the print head again.

Examining the Nozzle Check Pattern

Examine the nozzle check pattern you print. It should look something like this:

Each staggered horizontal and straight vertical line should be complete, with no gaps

in the dot pattern. If your printout looks okay, you’re done. If any dots are missing, as

shown below, clean the print head again; see page 27 for instructions.

missing dots

missing dots

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31

Replacing an Ink Cartridge

When the

B black or

A color ink out light flashes, the indicated cartridge is low on

ink. This is a good time to make sure you have a new cartridge. When the light stays

on, the cartridge is empty and you need to replace it.

You cannot print if either ink cartridge is empty. Leave the

empty cartridge installed in the printer until you have obtained

a replacement. Otherwise the ink remaining in the print head

nozzles may dry out.

Use these EPSON ink cartridges within six months of installing them and before the

expiration date on the package:

■Black ink cartridge: S020187

■Color ink cartridge: S020191

To ensure good results, use genuine EPSON ink cartridges

and do not refill them. Other products may cause damage to

your printer not covered by EPSON’s warranty.

When you need new ink cartridges, contact your dealer or call EPSON Accessories at

(800) 873-7766 or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In

Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

If you need to replace an ink cartridge before the lights flash (because the ink is too

old, for example) follow the instructions in “Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge”

on page 34.

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32

Removing and Installing Ink Cartridges

You can replace a cartridge when the

B black or

A color ink out light is either

flashing or on. (If you perform these steps when both ink out lights are off, the printer

cleans the print heads as described on page 27.)

Be sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. Once you start the ink

cartridge replacement procedure, you must complete all the steps in one session.

Follow these steps to replace ink cartridges:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing (the

Ppower light should be

on, but not flashing), then open the printer cover.

2. Press the

R cleaning button and hold it for about three seconds until the print

head moves slightly left and the

Ppower light begins flashing.

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by

hand. Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to

replace it with a new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you

can’t reuse it, even if it contains ink.

3. Unwrap the new ink cartridge.

4. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top.

black cartridge

(S020187)

color cartridge

(S020191)

You must remove the yellow tape

from the top of the cartridge or you

will permanently damage it. Don’t

pull off the blue portion or try to

remove the clear seal underneath

the cartridge.

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33

5. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder. (The

illustration shows the color ink cartridge replacement. To replace the black ink

cartridge, lift up only the smaller clamp on the left.)

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap

and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately

with water.

7. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward

the back of the printer.

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34

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. If you need to replace the other ink cartridge, repeat steps 5 through 8 before

continuing with step 10.

10. Press the

R cleaning button and close the printer cover. The printer moves the

print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The

Ppower light flashes, and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about one

minute. When it’s finished, the

Ppower light stops flashing and stays on.

Never turn off the printer while the

P power light is flashing,

unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than

5 minutes.

Replacing an Outdated Ink Cartridge

If an ink cartridge is more than six months old, you may need to replace it. How can

you tell? You may notice that your printouts don’t look as good as they used to. If

print quality doesn’t improve after cleaning and aligning the print head, you can

replace one or both cartridges.

Follow these steps to replace an ink cartridge before the

B black or

A color ink out

light is flashing or on:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and not printing (the

Ppower light should be

on, but not flashing), then open the printer cover.

2. Press the

E load/eject button and hold it for about three seconds until the print

head moves slightly left and the

Ppower light begins flashing.

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35

To avoid damaging the printer, never move the print head by

hand. Don’t open the clamp or remove a cartridge except to

replace it with a new one. Once you remove a cartridge, you

can’t reuse it, even if it contains ink.

3. Unwrap the new ink cartridge.

4. Remove only the yellow part of the tape seal on top.

5. Pull up the ink cartridge clamp. The cartridge rises up from its holder. (The

illustration shows the color ink cartridge replacement. To replace the black ink

cartridge, lift up only the smaller clamp on the left.)

6. Lift the cartridge out of the printer and dispose of it carefully.

Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children.

If ink gets on your hands, wash them thoroughly with soap

and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately

with water.

black cartridge

(S020187)

color cartridge

(S020191)

You must remove the yellow tape

from the top of the cartridge or you

will permanently damage it. Don’t

pull off the blue portion or try to

remove the clear seal underneath

the cartridge.

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36

7. Lower the new ink cartridge into its holder with the label facing up and toward

the back of the printer.

8. Press down the ink cartridge clamp until it locks in place.

9. Press the

E load/eject button again and close the printer cover. The printer moves

the print head and begins charging the ink delivery system.

The

Ppower light flashes and the printer makes noise. Charging takes about one

minute. When it’s finished, the

Ppower light stops flashing and stays on.

Never turn off the printer while the

Ppower light is flashing,

unless the printer hasn’t moved or made noise for more than

5 minutes.

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37

Aligning the Print Head

If your printouts contain misaligned vertical lines, you may need to align the print

head. Your printer must be connected to a local port, not on a network, to use the

Print Head Alignment utility.

For the best results, load EPSON ink jet paper in the printer

whenever you check the print head alignment.

Follow these steps:

1. Make sure the printer is turned on and letter-size paper is loaded.

Load paper that’s at least 8.27 inches (210 mm) wide. This

prevents ink from spraying inside the printer and smudging

your printouts.

2. If you have an application running, access the printer settings dialog box as

described on page 13.

Or click Start, point to Settings, then select Printers. Right-click the EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660 icon in the Printers windows. Select Properties (Document

Defaults in Windows NT).

3. Click the Utility tab. You see the Utility menu.

4. Click the Print Head Alignment button.

5. Follow the instructions on the screen to print a test page.

6. Select the most precise alignment pattern from the printed choices on the test

page. Enter the number of the best aligned pattern following the instructions on

the screen.

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38

Cleaning the Printer

To keep your printer working at its best, you should clean it several times a year.

Follow these steps:

1. Turn off the printer, unplug the power cord, and disconnect the printer cable.

2. Remove all the paper from the sheet feeder.

3. Clean the exterior of the printer with a soft, damp cloth.

4. Clean ink out of the printer’s interior with a soft, damp cloth.

Don’t touch the gears inside the printer.

Never use alcohol or thinner for cleaning; they can damage

the printer components and case.

Don’t use a hard or abrasive brush.

Don’t get water on the printer components and don’t spray

lubricants or oils inside the printer.

Don’t use any cleaning sheets included with special media;

they may jam inside the printer.

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39

Transporting the Printer

If you move your printer some distance, you need to prepare it for transportation in

its original box. Follow these steps:

To avoid damage, always leave the ink cartridges installed

when transporting the printer.

Be sure to remove the tape used in step 4 after installing the

printer in its new location.

1. Turn on the printer, wait until the print head locks in the far right position, then

turn off the printer.

2. Unplug the power cord from the electrical outlet. Then disconnect the printer

cable from the printer.

3. Remove any paper from the printer and remove the paper support.

4. Open the printer cover. Secure the ink cartridge holder to the printer with tape as

shown, then close the printer cover.

5. Push in the output tray extensions and close the tray.

6. Repack the printer and attachments in the original box using the protective

materials that came with it. See the unpacking sheet that was packed with your

printer.

Be sure to keep the printer level as you transport it. If you notice a decline in print

quality after transporting the printer, clean the print head (see page 27); if output is

misaligned, align the print head (see page 37).

Tape the ink cartridge holder

to the printer case; remove

the tape after installing the

printer

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40

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41

Problem Solving

This section gives you the basics for diagnosing and solving printer problems.

■First see “Diagnosing Printer Problems” to help determine what the cause of the

problem may be.

■Then see “Problems and Solutions” on page 45 for solutions to common setup

and software problems.

It’s a good idea to check EPSON’s web site periodically for

possible updates to your printer driver. Visit www.epson.com

and check the section for your product to see if there is a new

driver available for downloading to your computer.

Diagnosing Printer Problems

You can diagnose some problems by checking the printer’s control panel lights, as

described below. It may also be helpful to try running a printer check; see page 43 for

instructions.

Checking the Control Panel Lights

power button

load/eject button

cleaning button

color ink out light

black ink out light

power

light

paper out light

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42

Follow these guidelines when the control panel lights come on or flash:

P is on The

P power light is on when the printer is on and ready to print. It

flashes when the printer is receiving a print job, charging ink, or

cleaning the print head.

S flashes When the

S paper out light flashes, you have a paper jam. Turn off the

printer and gently pull out all the paper. Make sure none of the sheets

are curled, creased, old, stuck together, or too thin. Then reload the

stack against the right edge guide and slide the left edge guide over to

the paper’s left edge. Then turn the printer on.

S is on When the

S paper out light comes on, your paper is out or incorrectly

loaded. Make sure none of the sheets are curled, creased, old, stuck

together, or too thin. Then reload the stack against the right edge

guide and slide the left edge guide over to the paper’s left edge. Press

the

E load/eject button to resume printing.

B

or

A flash When an ink out light flashes, your ink supply is low. Make sure you

have a replacement cartridge (black S020187, color S020191).

B

or

A are on When an ink out light comes on, you need to replace the ink cartridge.

Make sure you have a replacement cartridge (black S020187, color

S020191). See page 31 for replacement instructions.

P and

S flash

and

B and

A are on

When the

P power and

S paper out lights flash and the

B black and

A

color ink out lights come on, jammed paper may be blocking

movement of the print head. Turn off the printer, wait a few seconds,

and turn it back on. If no paper ejects, turn off the printer, remove the

jammed paper, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash, contact your

dealer or EPSON; see page 53 for contact information.

P

S

B

A flash When all the lights flash, your printer may have an internal error. Make

sure you removed all the packing material as described on the

unpacking sheet in your printer box. Then turn off the printer, wait a

few seconds, and turn it on again. If the lights still flash, contact your

dealer or EPSON; see page 53 for contact information.

P

S

B

A are off When all the lights are off, the printer is not receiving power. Try

these solutions:

■Make sure the printer is turned on.

■Turn off the printer, plug in the power cord securely, and turn on

the printer again.

■Make sure the outlet is operable and is not controlled by a switch

or timer.

■Try using another outlet.

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43

Running a Printer Check

You can run a printer check to determine whether the problem comes from the

printer itself or some other source. Follow these steps to run the printer check:

1. Make sure both the printer and computer are turned off.

2. Disconnect the interface cable from the printer.

3. Make sure paper is loaded in the printer.

4. Hold down the

E load/eject button, then press and release the

Ppower button.

Continue holding down the

E load/eject button until the

Ppower light starts to

flash, then release it.

The printer prints one page showing its ROM version number, ink counter, and a

nozzle check pattern. Only the nozzle check pattern is shown below.

5. To end the check, turn off the printer after it prints the check page. Then

reconnect the interface cable and turn on your printer and computer.

■If the results are satisfactory, the problem lies in your software settings, the

interface cable, or your computer.

■If the check page does not print correctly, you may have a problem with

your printer. Try the suggestions in “Problems and Solutions” on page 45 for

more information.

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44

Printer Parts

If you need help identifying the parts of the printer, refer to the following

illustrations:

ink cartridge

holders

thickness

lever control panel

sheet

feeder

left edge

guide

output tray extensions

output tray

printer cover

paper support

right edge guide

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45

Problems and Solutions

Here are some basic troubleshooting tips if you have any problems setting up your

printer, installing software, or getting good print quality.

Solving Problems

Setting Up the Printer

or Installing Its

Software

The printer started making noise

after you installed the ink

cartridges . . .

■The first time you install ink

cartridges, the printer must

charge its ink delivery system for

a couple minutes. Wait until

charging is finished (the

Ppower

light stops flashing) before you

turn off the printer. If you turn

off the printer while it is

charging, it will begin charging

again the next time you turn on

the printer and use more ink than

necessary.

■Make sure the ink cartridge

clamps are locked down

completely and that no packing

material remains in the printer.

The printer has finished charging

the ink cartridge, but the

Ppower

light is still flashing . . .

■Make sure the ink cartridge

clamps are locked into place.

■Make sure all packing material

has been removed.

■If the printer is not moving or

making noise, but the light is still

flashing after 5 minutes have

passed, turn the printer off. If the

light is still flashing when you

turn it back on, contact your

EPSON dealer or see “Where To

Get Help.”

You’re having problems installing

the printer software . . .

■Carefully follow the instructions

in Start Here.

■Make sure your printer is turned

on and the printer cable is

securely connected.

■Make sure you’ve closed all other

applications, including any screen

savers. Then try installing the

software again.

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46

If you installed the software and

cable for the parallel connection

and now want to use the

USB/Parallel Adapter . . .

You must first uninstall the printer

software as described on page 52,

then install the USB/Parallel Adapter

software.

If you installed the USB/Parallel

Adapter software and cable and

now want to use a parallel cable . . .

Follow the steps below (you don’t

need to reinstall the software).

1. Turn off the printer.

2. Disconnect the USB/Parallel

Adapter cable and connect the

parallel cable to your printer and

computer.

3. Double-click the My Computer

icon.

4. Double-click the Printers icon.

5. Right-click your printer icon and

select Properties.

6. On the Details tab, select LPT1,

then click OK.

7. Close any open windows, then

restart your computer.

You’re using the parallel port . . .

For maximum print speeds, enable

ECP/DMA mode on your

computer’s parallel port. See your

computer documentation or the

manufacturer for instructions.

(ECP/DMA doesn’t need to be

enabled if you’re using the

USB/Parallel Adapter cable.)

You’re printing over a network . . .

See your electronic EPSON Stylus

COLOR 660 Reference Guide for

computer configuration instructions.

Solving Problems

with Printing

Only the

P power light is on, but

nothing prints . . .

■Make sure the interface cable is

connected securely. (Use a fully

shielded IEEE-1284 compliant

parallel cable.)

■Run a printer check as described

on page 43.

If you ran a printer check

successfully, make sure your

printer and application software

are installed correctly. If you’re

printing on a network, you may

need to set up your printer for

network printing, as described in

your electronic EPSON Stylus

COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

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47

The printer sounds as though it is

printing, but nothing prints . . .

Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print head,

see page 27.

Printing is too slow . . .

Make sure your system meets the

requirements listed on page 4. If you

are printing a high-resolution image,

you need more than the minimum

requirements listed. You may also need

to do the following:

■Clear space on your hard disk or run

a defragmentation utility.

■Don’t run too many applications at

the same time.

■Increase your system’s memory

(RAM).

For the fastest printing, try the

following:

■Choose Black ink if your document

does not include any other color.

■Set the Quality/Speed slider to

Speed.

■In the printer software’s Advanced

dialog box, turn MicroWeave off.

and turn High Speed on.

Your printer makes noise when you

turn it on or after it has been sitting

for a while . . .

Your printer is performing routine

maintenance.

Solving Problems

Getting Good Print

Quality

You see horizontal banding . . .

■Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print

head, see page 27.

■Make sure the Media Type setting

matches the paper you loaded. See

page 26 for guidelines.

■Make sure the printable side of the

paper is face up. It is usually whiter

or shinier.

■Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink. If either ink out light is

flashing, replace the ink cartridge;

see page 31. If your ink cartridge is

more than six months old, you may

need to replace it; see page 34.

■Try using Automatic mode. See

page 14 for instructions.

■For most papers, make sure the

paper thickness lever is in the

+ position, as shown on the next

page. If you’re printing on thicker

paper or envelopes, set the lever to 0.

basics.book Page 47 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

48

You see vertical banding . . .

■Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print

head, see page 27.

■Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for instructions.

■Make sure the paper thickness lever

is in the 0 position, as shown below.

Set the thickness lever to the

+position when you print on

thicker paper or envelopes. You may

also need to turn off High Speed

printing in the printer software’s

Advanced dialog box.

Your printout is blurry or

smeared . . .

■Make sure your paper isn’t damp or

loaded face down (the printable side

should be loaded face up). If it’s

damp, reload a new stack of paper.

■Use a support sheet with special

media or try loading your media

one sheet at a time.

■Make sure your paper or media

meets the specifications listed in

your electronic EPSON Stylus

COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

■Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for instructions.

■Check the paper thickness lever

position. If it’s in the + position,

your printer is set for thicker paper

or envelopes and your image may

smear. For most papers, set the

paper thickness lever to the 0

position, as shown to the left.

basics.book Page 48 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

49

Your printout is faint or has gaps in

the image . . .

■Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print

head, see page 27.

■Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink. To replace an ink

cartridge, see page 31.

■Make sure the Media Type setting

matches the paper you’re using.

■Make sure your paper isn’t

damaged, old, dirty, or loaded face

down. If it is, reload a new stack of

paper with the printable side up.

The printable surface is usually

whiter or shinier.

Your printout contains incorrect or

missing colors . . .

■Make sure the Ink setting is set to

Color for color images.

■Make sure the print head nozzles are

not clogged. To clean the print

head, see page 27.

■Make sure the ink cartridges aren’t

low on ink or too old. If either ink

out light is flashing, replace the ink

cartridge; see page 31. If your ink

cartridge is more than six months

old, you may need to replace it; see

page 34.

■If you are printing a high-

resolution image, try turning

off PhotoEnhance.

■Try using Automatic mode. See

page 14 for instructions.

■Your printed colors can never

exactly match your on-screen colors.

However, you can use a color

management system to get as close

as possible. For information on your

printer software’s color matching

options, see your electronic EPSON

Stylus COLOR 660 Reference Guide.

basics.book Page 49 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

50

Your printout contains incorrect

characters . . .

■Your printer’s interface cable may

not be securely connected. Check

that the cable is locked firmly in

place at both ends to ensure

proper communication between

your printer and computer. After

adjusting the cable, try printing

from an application again.

■Your printer may not be selected

as the current printer in your

application or as the Windows

default printer. Be sure to select

EPSON Stylus COLOR 660 in

your application. For instructions

on selecting the Windows default

printer, see your Windows

documentation or online help.

■Make sure there aren’t any stalled

print jobs. If there are, delete

them and then try printing again.

■Make sure you’re not using a

switch box with your printer;

connect the printer directly to

your computer and try printing

again.

Your printout is grainy . . .

■Try using a higher quality paper.

■Make sure you set the

Quality/Speed slider to the

Quality setting in your printer

software; see page 14 for

instructions.

■Run the Print Head Alignment

utility. See page 37 for

instructions.

■You may need to increase the

image resolution or print it in a

smaller size. See your software

documentation for instructions.

Color documents print in black

and white . . .

■Make sure your printer and port

are selected in your software

application.

■Make sure color printing is

selected in your application and

the printer software.

Solving Problems

with Paper Feeding

Paper doesn’t eject fully or is

wrinkled . . .

■If the paper doesn’t eject fully,

you may have set the wrong paper

size. Press the

E load/eject button

to eject the paper. Then make

sure you select the correct paper

size in your application or printer

software.

■If it’s wrinkled when it comes

out, the paper may be damp or

too thin.

basics.book Page 50 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

51

Paper doesn’t feed . . .

Remove the stack of paper from the

sheet feeder. Check that the paper:

■Isn’t curled or creased

■Isn’t too old

■Isn’t loaded above the arrow on

the left edge guide

■Isn’t jammed inside the printer.

(If the

S paper out light is

flashing, paper is jammed.)

Then reload the paper as described

on page 12, making sure the left

edge guide is adjusted to fit the

paper’s width.

Paper jams inside the printer . . .

Turn off your printer, open the

cover, and remove all the paper

that’s inside, including any small

pieces that may have torn off.

Reload the paper as described on

page 12. If your paper jams

frequently, make sure you:

■Use smooth, high-quality paper,

loaded printable side up.

■Fan the stack and then even the

edges before loading it.

■Don’t load paper above the arrow

mark on the left edge guide.

■Place the paper against the right

edge guide and adjust the left

edge guide to fit the width of

your paper.

Multiple pages feed at the same

time . . .

Remove the stack of paper from the

printer.

■Make sure the paper isn’t too

thin.

■Fan the edges of the stack of

paper to separate the sheets.

■Reload the paper as described on

page 12.

■Make sure the edge guides are

snug against the edges of the

paper.

■If too many copies are printing,

check the Copies settings in both

the printer software and your

application program.

Solving Miscellaneous

Printout Problems

The margins are incorrect . . .

■Make sure the paper settings are

correct for your paper size.

■Check your software

documentation for instructions

on selecting the correct margins

for your paper size. Make sure

the margins are within the

printable area of the page. See

“Specifications” in your

electronic EPSON Stylus COLOR

660 Reference Guide for more

information.

basics.book Page 51 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

52

The image size or position is

incorrect . . .

Make sure the paper and/or layout

options are set correctly.

The image is inverted, as if viewed

in a mirror . . .

Turn off Flip Horizontal in the

printer software or the mirror setting

in your application software. (If you

are printing on EPSON Iron-On

Cool Peel transfer paper, turn on the

Flip Horizontal setting so the image

will view correctly after it is ironed

on.)

The printer prints blank pages . .

■Make sure your printer is selected

in your application or as the

Windows default printer.

■Make sure the paper settings in

the printer software are correct

for your paper size.

■Make sure the print head nozzles

are not clogged. To clean the

print head, see page 27.

Uninstalling Printer

Software

If you need to uninstall your printer

software, follow the steps below:

1. Double-click the My Computer

icon, then double-click the

Control Panel icon.

2. Double-click Add/Remove

Programs.

3. Click EPSON Printer Software

in the program list.

4. Select the EPSON Stylus

COLOR 660 printer icon.

5. Click the Add/Remove button

and follow the instructions on

screen.

6. If you installed the software for

the optional USB/Parallel

Adapter, continue with step 7.

Otherwise skip to step 9.

7. Click EPSON USB Printer

Software in the program list.

8. Click the Add/Remove button

and follow the instructions on

screen.

9. Restart your computer. To

reinstall your software, see the

next section.

Reinstalling Printer

Software

If you need to reinstall your printer

software, follow the instructions in

Start Here. Before you begin, make

sure you uninstalled the printer

software, following the instructions

in the previous section.

basics.book Page 52 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

53

Where To Get Help

If you need help with your printer or its software, see the contact information below.

For help with the creative applications on the printer software CD-ROM, see page 54

for contact information.

EPSON Technical Support

EPSON provides technical assistance through electronic support services and

automated telephone services 24 hours a day, as listed in the following tables:

Electronic support services

Service Access

World Wide Web From the Internet, you can reach EPSON’s Home Page at

http://www.epson.com.

EPSON Internet

FTP Site

If you have Internet FTP capability, use your Web browser (or

other software for FTP downloading) to log onto ftp.epson.com

with the user name anonymous and your e-mail address as the

password.

EPSON Forum on

CompuServe

Members of CompuServe can type GO EPSON at the menu

prompt to reach the Epson America Forum. For a free

introductory CompuServe membership, call (800) 848-8199 and

ask for representative #529.

Automated telephone services

Service Access

EPSON

SoundAdviceSM

For pre-recorded answers to commonly asked questions about

EPSON products 24 hours a day, seven days a week, call

(800) 922-8911.

EPSON

FaxAdviceTM

Access EPSON’s technical information library by calling

(800) 922-8911. You must provide a return fax number to use

this service.

EPSON Referral

Service

For the location of your nearest Authorized EPSON Reseller or

Customer Care Center, call (800) 922-8911.

basics.book Page 53 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

54

To speak to a technical support representative, dial:

■U.S.: (562) 276-7533, 6 AM to 8 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday and

7AM to 4 PM, Saturday

■Canada: (905) 709-2567, 6 AM to 8 PM, Pacific Time, Monday through Friday

and 7 AM to 4 PM, Saturday

Toll or long distance charges may apply.

Before you call, please have the following information ready:

■Product name (EPSON Stylus COLOR 660)

■Product serial number (located on the back of the printer)

■Computer configuration

■Description of the problem

You can purchase ink cartridges, paper, manuals, and accessories from EPSON

Accessories at (800) 873-7766 or visit our website at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S.

sales only). In Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

If you need help using another manufacturer’s software with an EPSON product, see

the documentation for that software for technical support information.

Creative Software Technical Support

If you need help with the creative software on the printer software CD-ROM, please

contact the manufacturer, as listed below:

Contact

method

Polaroid PhotoMAX Pro

ArcSoft PhotoPrinter

Phone (510) 440-9901, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm Pacific Standard Time

Fax (510) 440-1270

Online e-mail: support@arcsoft.com

web site: http://www.arcsoft.com

Mail ArcSoft Technical Support

46601 Fremont Blvd.

Fremont, CA 94538

basics.book Page 54 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

55

Index

Numerics

360 dpi Ink Jet Paper, 26

4 x 6-in Photo Paper, 23

A

Accessories, 4, 54

Advanced settings

custom project types, 18 to 20

print quality, 20 to 21

special effects, 18, 20 to 21

Automatic mode, 15

B

Banding, 47

Bonus software, 2

Browser, 7

C

Cable, printer, 4

Cleaning

print head, 27 to 30

printer, 38

sheets, 26, 28, 38

Color management settings, 21

Creative software, 2

Custom project types, 18 to 20

D

Digital Camera Correction setting, 17

E

Economy setting, 19

Electronic manual, 7

ENERGY STAR, 4

Envelopes, 25

EPSON

Accessories, 4, 54

help, 53 to 54

media and paper, 26

F

Faint images, 49

Flip Horizontal setting, 52

G

Graph setting, 19

Guided Printing Exercise, 11

H

Head Cleaning utility, 28

Help, 15, 53 to 54

High-resolution images, 17

I

ICM (Image Color Matching) setting, 19

Incorrect colors in printout, 49

Ink cartridge

replacing, 31 to 34

replacing outdated, 31, 34 to 36

safety instructions, 6

Ink Jet Transparencies, 26

Ink level, 16

basics.book Page 55 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

56

Ink setting, 14, 17, 19, 21

Installation

software, 52

troubleshooting, 45

Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper, 26

L

Layout

problems, 52

settings, 18

Lever, thickness, 25, 47, 48

Low-resolution images, 17

M

Macintosh, 4

Media Pack, 22

Media Type setting, 14, 19, 21, 26

Mirror images, 52

Monitoring ink level, 16

Moving printer, 39

N

Network printing, 46

Nozzle check pattern, 30

P

Panoramic Photo Paper, 24

Paper

handling problems, 50 to 51

loading, 22 to 25

thickness lever, 25, 47, 48

types, settings, 14

Photo Paper, 22 to 24, 26

Photo Quality Glossy Film, 26

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper, 22, 26

Photo Quality Media Pack, 22

PhotoEnhance settings, 17 to 18

Photographs, printing, 17 to 18

Print Head Alignment utility, 37

Print head, cleaning, 27 to 30

Print quality, 27, 47 to 50

Printable area setting, 23

Printer

cable, 4

noise, 47

parts, 44

Printer software

problems installing, 45

reinstalling, 52

uninstalling, 52

Printer status, 16

Printing, 12 to 17

Problems

installing software, 45

miscellaneous, 51

paper handling, 50 to 51

print quality, 47 to 50

printing, 46

setting up printer, 45

Progress Meter, 16

Project types, custom, 18 to 20

Q

Quality/Speed setting, 15

R

Reinstalling software, 52

S

Safety instructions, 5 to 6

Service, 53 to 54

Smears, 25, 47, 48

Software

bonus, 54

creative, 2

installing, 2

troubleshooting, 45

Special effects, 20 to 21

basics.book Page 56 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

57

Special papers, 22 to 26, 28

sRGB (Standard Red Green Blue) setting, 19

Support, 53 to 54

System requirements, 4

T

Text/Graph setting, 19

Thickness lever, 25, 47, 48

Transfer Paper, Iron-On Cool Peel, 26

Transparencies, 26

Transporting printer, 39

Troubleshooting, 53 to 54

U

Uninstalling software, 52

USB, 4, 46

Utilities

Head Cleaning, 28

Print Head Alignment, 37

W

Windows

printer status, 16

system requirements, 4

USB, 4, 46

World Wide Web, 53

Y

Year 2000, 5

basics.book Page 57 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

58

FCC Compliance Statement

For United States Users

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to

Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference

in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not

installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio or television

reception. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this

equipment does cause interference to radio and television reception, which can be determined by turning the

equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following

measures:

■Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

■Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.

■Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.

■Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

WARNING

The connection of a non-shielded equipment interface cable to this equipment will invalidate the FCC

Certification of this device and may cause interference levels which exceed the limits established by the FCC for

this equipment. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain and use a shielded equipment interface cable with this

device. If this equipment has more than one interface connector, do not leave cables connected to unused

interfaces. Changes or modifications not expressly approved by the manufacturer could void the user’s authority to

operate the equipment.

For Canadian Users

This Class B digital apparatus meets all requirements of the Canadian Interference-Causing Equipment

Regulations.

Cet appareil numérique de la classe B respecte toutes les exigences du Règlement sur le materiel brouilleur du

Canada.

basics.book Page 58 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:42 AM

62

EPSON Ink Jet Papers

Use EPSON’s paper and inks to get the same photo quality results that have earned your printer all of

its awards! EPSON’s papers are specially coated to work with EPSON’s quick drying inks. You’ll notice

that when prints come out of your printer, you can immediately handle them. There is no drying time,

no smearing or smudging, and your image is clean and smooth. Here are just a few of EPSON’s papers:

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper

Bright white, with a smooth matte finish to create your best impression. Perfect

for presentations, newsletters, color reproductions, and all your photo and craft

projects.

Photo Quality Glossy Film

Durable, bright white film sheets with the highest-gloss finish. Perfect for

printing professional quality, high-resolution photographs of all your digital

images.

Photo Paper and Panoramic Photo Paper

Photo lab quality, heavier weight glossy paper available in a variety of

sizes. Perfect for color photo keepsakes of snapshots, framed art,

banners, and panoramics.

Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper

Transfer your designs and photographs onto t-shirts or other cloth items. Perfect

for ironing onto team t-shirts, canvas bags, crafts, and gifts.

See the inside back cover for a list of EPSON papers and ordering information.

insdfrt.fm Page 62 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:40 AM

63

How to Order EPSON Ink and Paper

To order EPSON ink cartridges, paper, and other printing media, contact your dealer or call EPSON

Accessories at (800) 873-7766 or visit our web site at www.epsonsupplies.com (U.S. sales only). In

Canada, please call (800) 873-7766 for dealer referral.

Ink Cartridges

Black S020187

Color S020191

EPSON Papers

Paper name Size Part number

EPSON 360 dpi Ink Jet Paper Letter S041060

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041059

EPSON High Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041111

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041117

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper Letter S041062

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041061

Legal S041067

EPSON Photo Quality Ink Jet Cards A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041054

8 x 10 inches S041122

EPSON Photo Paper 4 x 6 inches S041134

Letter S041141

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041140

Panoramic (8.3 x 23 inches) S041145

EPSON Photo Stickers Kit (CD-ROM/paper) A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041144-KIT

EPSON Photo Stickers (refill) A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041144

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Film Letter S041072

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041071

A6 (4.1 x 5.8 inches) S041107

EPSON Ink Jet Transparencies Letter S041064

A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041063

EPSON Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets A4 (8.3 x 11.7 inches) S041106

EPSON Iron-On Cool Peel Transfer Paper Letter S041153/S041155

EPSON Photo Quality Glossy Paper Letter S041124

A4 S041126

Matte Paper - Heavyweight Letter S041257

insdbck.fm Page 63 Thursday, September 23, 1999 10:40 AM