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Improve print quality when using a Hawking Print Server System
As a Windows user who just acquired a Mac Mini, I had a bit of a headache getting decent looking output from my printers being shared on a Hawking HPS12U print server. I guess the "out of the box" experience for the Mac is not so nice for people with slightly more advanced setup requirements.

Problem 1: I couldn't seem to use the Samsung and Canon OS X drivers to print to the print server using SMB or IP printing.

Problem 2: The "equivalent" printer drivers using CUPS were generating less-than-optimal looking output with the Hawking print server.

Fortunately my notebook, which is running Xandros (Linux), was printing properly using CUPS combined with Foomatic and Ghostscript. This gave me the necessary clues to getting them to work. An important thing to note is that the Samsung 1250 is not compatible with the 1210 drivers, which use GDI. The trick is to install GhostScript and the Foomatic RIP.

The next thing you need are the PPDs for each printer. Note that these happen to be the same PPDs I use in Xandros Linux, and they work fine, but your mileage may vary. For the Samsung ML1250, I use pxlmono, and for the Canon i550, I use bj8pa06n.

Connecting to the server:

In the printer setup, simply use the following settings under IP Printing:
  1. Printer Type: Internet Printing Protocol
  2. Printer Address: [IP number of the Hawking Print Server]
  3. Queue Name: [LPT port name of the printer, i.e. lpt1]
  4. Printer Model: Other
  5. Browse to the PPDs above for printer descriptions, and save.
Badabing, badaboom, your printers should be working.
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Improve print quality when using a Hawking Print Server
Authored by: diamondsw on Feb 21, '05 10:56:19AM

I think this hint, while very useful to some, shows exactly why we use Mac OS X and NOT Linux. Install Ghostscript, Foomatic, and bj8pa06n, fiddle, pray it survives system updates, maintain the packages and updates yourself, etc. If you want to do it "just because", have fun - seriously. If you are doing it for a more mundane reason ("I need to print this document"), it's going to bite you in the end. For most people, just buy a new printer for $50-90 which is probably better than the one it's replacing and *works*.

After all, what is your time worth? Here's a good tip - your employer has decided what it's worth, and I hope you value your time more than your employer does. According to that formula, if I spend more than a few hours getting this to work, then I've "spent" more than it would cost to replace the printer.

(Sorry, in a bit of a grumpy mood this Monday morning)



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Title misleading; nothing to do with Hawking server
Authored by: alblue on Feb 21, '05 11:22:18AM

Just so that others reading this hint know; this has nothing to do with a Hawking print server. All it is is a network printing device that takes binary print files and dumps them to whatever connected printer is used.

What the author was really talking about was the fact that his printer isn't supported under Mac OS X, and he was improving the print quality for the printer iself. The fact that it's network connected -- whether directly, indirectly via a windows box or indirectly via a network print server is irrelivant.



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Nice!
Authored by: Tomnibus on Feb 21, '05 12:40:29PM

Sure wish this hint existed a year ago when I had a print-server (hawking by coincidence.) I bought it to network my printer up here and couldn't get it to work properly at all for the same reasons listed here.

I ended up buying a new printer like the first comment but now I'm stuck managing two printers and different cartridges, etc. Not to mention trying to keep the kids away from the printer that's downstairs because they'are just so curious. I would have much rather have just had one printer for the entire family.

I was very close to spending 120 for Airport Express to get the functionality that I want. I then saw this ad online and thought this may do it for me too.
http://www.seh.de/mac_campaign/



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Improve print quality when using a Hawking Print Server
Authored by: ibroughton on Feb 22, '05 06:52:41AM

Not really a hint then realy is it? more of a workaround to get 'OK results' from something that is not supported. Note to the editor:- Maybe setup a diffferent site for bodge jobs that just about get something working.
(Still in a grumpy mood even though it is tuesday!)

---
The server is up but the site is down and I don't know which direction you are trying to go



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Bodging printer servers to clients
Authored by: greed on Feb 22, '05 10:49:05AM

Well, all this discussion is useful. It tells me that I will be making sure my next laser printer has PostScript support.

My general rule is, if it won't work without a manufacturer-specific driver, you're going to be in trouble. I can live with a PPD file for a PostScript [compatible] printer. Heck, I can almost understand them....



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