Product Specifications

B-500DN
Business Color Ink Jet Printer
Powerful, color printing productivity for network environments.
Network printing you can depend on a new era in affordable, reliable color printing Share one printer among multiple classrooms or workstations Ethernet connectivity makes it easy
Fast speeds for busy workgroups or classrooms High-capacity paper tray front-loading cassette up to 37 pages per minute (draft speed)1 holds up to 500 sheets Individual, high-yield ink cartridges print about 8,000 pages (black) and 7,000 pages (color) before replacing cartridges (when using the highest capacity ink cartridges available for the printer) 2 Economical ink cost per page as low as 4 per color page (when using the highest capacity ink cartridges available for the printer)2 Product Name Extra High-capacity ink cartridge Black High-capacity ink cartridge Black High-capacity ink cartridge Cyan High-capacity ink cartridge Magenta High-capacity ink cartridge Yellow Standard-capacity ink cartridge Black Standard-capacity ink cartridge Cyan Standard-capacity ink cartridge Magenta Standard-capacity ink cartridge Yellow Paper-saving double-sided printing automatic duplexer included Easy maintenance advanced auto nozzle check system minimizes clogging automatically Greater color productivity monthly duty cycle of 20,000 pages (4,000 recommended) for high-volume, network color printing3 UPC ISO Page Yields2 ~ 8000 ~ 4000 ~ 7000 ~ 7000 ~ 7000 ~ 3000 ~ 3500 ~ 3500 ~ 3500
Product Code T618100 T617100 T617200 T617300 T617400 T616100 T616200 T616300 T616400
Epson B-500DN business color ink jet printer C11CA03091

SPECIFICATIONS

Printing Technology Epson MicroPiezo ink jet technology Resolution Up to 5760 x 1440 dpi Ink Type Epson DURABrite Ultra Ink Maximum Print Speeds Draft mode: 37 ppm black and color2 Default mode: 33 ppm black and 32 ppm color2 Best mode: 5 ppm black and 5 ppm color2 First page out: Less than 3 seconds in Mono/Color draft mode High-yield Ink Cartridges2 Standard-capacity (C,M,Y): about 3,500 pages Standard-capacity (K): about 3,000 pages High-capacity (C,M,Y): about 7,000 pages High-capacity (K): about 4,000 pages Extra High-capacity (K): about 8,000 pages Input Paper Capacity Front paper cassette: Up to 500 letter-size sheets (plain paper) Rear automatic sheet feeder: Up to 150 letter-size sheets (plain paper) Up to 60 legal-size sheets (plain paper, with optional support) Output Paper Tray Capacity Plain paper: Letter size up to 170 sheets Legal size up to 100 sheets Envelopes: up to 15 Paper Sizes Letter (8.5" x 11"), A4 (8.3" x 11.7"), Legal (8.5" x 14"), 8" x 10", 4" x 6", 16:9 wide (4" x 7.11"), Envelope #10 (4.125" x 9.5"), A6 (4.1" x 5.8"), Half Letter (5.5" x 8.5"), user definable Paper Types Supports plain paper, Epson Bright White Paper, Epson Presentation Paper Matte, Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte, Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Double-sided, White Address Label Ink Jet 14 labels/sheet (Avery), Easy Peel White Mailing Labels 30 labels/sheet (Avery), Label Paper 20 labels/sheet (Xerox) Paper Weight Plain paper: lb or g/m2 (weight); 0.08 0.11 mm (thickness) Double-sided Matte Paper: up to 51 lb or 190 g/m2 (weight); 0.25 mm (thickness) Duplex Printing Automatic duplex unit included for doublesided printing Controller Specifications Memory: 32MB Printer control language emulations: ESC/P-Raster, ESC/P2 and PCL3 (available November 2008) Resident typefaces: compatible with all TrueType fonts and supported Windows and Macintosh fonts Connectivity Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Network interface: 100Base-Tx/10Base-Tx Ethernet Network Printing Protocol TCP/IP, LPR, PORT9100 Operating Systems Microsoft Windows 2000, XP/XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003 Mac OS 10.3.9 or later For the latest information regarding Mac drivers, visit www.epson.com/B500dnmac in the U.S. and in Canada visit www.epson.ca/ B500dnmac Monthly Duty Cycle3 Monthly duty cycle of 20,000 pages (recommended monthly volume of 4,000 pages) Power Requirements Rated voltage:120 VAC Rated frequency: Hz Rated current: 1.1 A maximum Power Consumption Printing mode: approximately 32 W Ready mode: approximately 8 W Sleep mode: approximately 4.5 W LCD Panel 22 digit x 5 line LCD 3 LEDs 6 buttons Environmental Conditions Temperature Operating: 50 to 95 F (10 to 35 C) Storage: -4 to 104 F (-20 to 40 C) Relative Humidity Operating: 20 80% Storage: 5 85% (without condensation) Dimensions (W X D X H) 18.9" x 19.3" x 12.3" Weight 29.63 lb (13.44 kg) Sound Level Sound Power Operating: 67.5 dB(A) Ready mode: 30.0 dB(A) Sleep mode: Background noise Sound Pressure Operating: 55.3 dB(A) Ready mode: 12.6 dB(A) Warranty Epson Exchange one-year limited warranty SUPPORT THE EPSON CONNECTIONSM Pre-sales support U.S. and Canada 1-800-GO EPSON Internet website www.epson.com ACCESSORY PART NUMBERS Legal-size Paper Support C12C815341 Maintenance Box T619000 PACKAGING SPECIFICATIONS B-500DN Single Carton Dimensions 25.32" x 24.73" x 19.53" Single Carton Weight 36 lb (16.33 Kg) Units Per Pallet Up to 8 Standard Capacity Cartridges Single Carton Dimensions 6.7" x 4.3" x 1.1" Single Carton Weight 0.4 lb Master Pack 60 High Capacity Cartridges Single Carton Dimensions 6.7" x 4.3" x 1.1" Single Carton Weight 0.5 lb Master Pack 60 Extra High Capacity Black Cartridge Single Carton Dimensions 11.4" x 4.3" x 1.1" Single Carton Weight 1.0 lb Master Pack 24

Estimated Street Price $549
1PPM speeds measured after first page, based on black and color text patterns on plain paper, in print mode indicated. Additional print time will vary based on system configuration,
software application and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeed for more information about print speeds.
2Cost per page is the combined cost of black and three colors, derived from the ink cartridge MSRP divided by cartridge yield. Cartridge yields are based on continuous printing of a suite
of five black and color pages as required by ISO/IEC 24712. Actual yields will vary considerably for reasons including images printed, print settings, temperature and humidity. Yields may be lower when printing infrequently or predominantly with one ink color. A variable amount of ink remains in the cartridges after the Replace cartridge signal. Part of the ink from the first cartridges is used for priming the printer. Ink is used for both printing and print head maintenance. All inks are used for both black and color printing. The B-500DN ships with standardcapacity ink cartridges. For more information about yields, see www.epson.com/cartridgeinfo For best device performance, run the device at the recommended duty.
3Monthly duty cycle is the highest duty a user could expect in a month, based on near-constant operation of a device of this kind. It is not recommended that the device be run at this duty.
Epson America, Inc. 3840 Kilroy Airport Way, Long Beach, CA 90806 www.epson.com
Epson Canada, Ltd. 3771 Victoria Park Avenue, Toronto, Ontario M1W 3Z5
Epson and MicroPiezo are registered trademarks and Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. DURABrite is a registered trademark and Epson Connection is a service mark of Epson America, Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. Copyright 2009 Epson America, Inc. CPD-30243 2/09 PDF Specifications and terms are subject to change without notice.

Fit to Page Printing. 76 Printer Settings for Windows. 77 Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.5. 79 Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.4. 82 Pages Per Sheet Printing. 84 Printer Settings for Windows. 84 Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.5. 87 Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4. 89 Poster Printing (for Windows only). 92 Printer Settings. 93 How to Make a Poster from Your Printouts. 96 Watermark Printing (for Windows only). 97 Printing the Watermark. 98 Creating Your Own Watermark. 100
Chapter 5 Using the Control Panel
Introduction. For B-500DN Users. For B-300 Users. For B-500DN Users. Buttons and Lights. Icons on the LCD. How to Access the Control Panel Menus. Control Panel Menu List. Status and Error Messages. Printing the Status Sheet. For B-300 Users. Buttons and Lights. Status and Error Lights. Printing the Status Sheet. 114 118
Chapter 6 Installing Options
Optional Legal-size Paper Support. Installing the Optional Legal-size Paper Support. Optional Duplex Unit (B-300 only). Installing the Optional Duplex Unit. Uninstalling the Optional Duplex Unit. 120
Chapter 7 Replacing Consumables
Ink Cartridges. Checking the Ink Cartridge Status. Purchasing Epson Cartridges. Handling Precautions. Replacing an Ink Cartridge. Maintenance Box. Checking the Maintenance Box Status. Purchasing a Replacement Maintenance Box. Handling Precautions. Replacing the Maintenance Box. 135 135
Chapter 8 Maintaining Your Printer
Checking the Print Head Nozzles. Using the Nozzle Check Utility for Windows. Using the Nozzle Check Utility for Mac OS X. Using the Control Panel (B-500DN). Using the Printer Buttons (B-300). Cleaning the Print Head. Using the Head Cleaning Utility for Windows. Using the Head Cleaning Utility for Mac OS X. Using the Control Panel (B-500DN). Using the Printer Buttons (B-300). Aligning the Print Head. Using the Print Head Alignment Utility for Windows. Using the Print Head Alignment Utility for Mac OS X. Using the Control Panel (B-500DN). Cleaning Your Printer. Cleaning the Inside of Your Printer. Using the Control Panel (B-500DN). Using the Printer Buttons (B-300). Transporting Your Printer. Storing Your Printer. 146 147

Chapter 9 Using the Printer on a Network
Setting Up the Printer on a Network (for B-500DN Users only). Setting Up Your Computers to Use the Printer. Setting Up the Printer as a Shared Printer for Windows (B-300/B-500DN). Setting Up the Print Server. Setting Up Each Client. 155
Setting Up the Printer as the Shared Printer for Mac OS X. 157
Chapter 10 Troubleshooting
Diagnosing the Problem. Error Indicators. Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-500DN Users). Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-300 Users). Checking Printer Status. For Windows. Using the Progress Meter. Using EPSON Status Monitor 3. For Mac OS X. The Paper Jams. Print Quality Problems. Horizontal Banding. Vertical Misalignment or Banding. Incorrect or Missing Colors. Blurry or Smeared Printout. Ink Bleeds Through the Page. Miscellaneous Printout Problems. Incorrect or Garbled Characters. Incorrect Margins. Printout Has a Slight Slant. Inverted Image. Blank Pages Print. Printed Side is Smeared or Scuffed. Printing is too Slow. Paper Does Not Feed Correctly. Paper Does Not Feed. Multiple Pages Feed. Paper is Improperly Loaded. Paper is not Ejected Fully or is Wrinkled. The Printer Does Not Print. All Lights Are Off. Lights Came On and then Went Out. The Power Light is On. Increasing the Print Speed (for Windows only). Other Problems. Print Head Cleaning Does Not Start. Color Ink is Consumed Even When Printing in Black Ink Only. 181
Appendix A Where To Get Help
Epson Technical Support. 182 Speak to a Support Representative. 182 Purchase Accessories. 182
Appendix B Product Information
Printer Parts. B-500DN. B-300. Paper, Consumables, and Options. Paper. Ink Cartridges. Maintenance Box. Duplex Unit (B-300 Users only). Legal-size Paper Support. System Requirements. Technical Specifications. Paper. Ink Cartridges. Mechanical. Electrical. Environmental. Standards and Approvals. Interface. Options. FCC Compliance Statement. For United States Users. WARNING. For Canadian Users. 196
Operating System Versions
Important Safety Instructions

Read all of the instructions in this section before using the printer. Also, be sure to follow all warnings and instructions marked on the printer.

Setting Up the Printer

Observe the following when setting up the printer: Do not block or cover the vents and openings in the printer. Use only the type of power source indicated on the printers label. Use only the power cord that comes with the printer. Use of another cord may result in fire or electric shock. The printers power cord is for use with the printer only. Use with other equipment may result in fire or electric shock. Be sure your AC power cord meets the relevant local safety standard. Avoid using outlets on the same circuit as photocopiers or air control systems that regularly switch on and off. Avoid electrical outlets controlled by wall switches or automatic timers. Keep the entire computer system away from potential sources of electromagnetic interference, such as loudspeakers or the base units of cordless telephones. Do not use a damaged or frayed power cord. If you use an extension cord with the printer, make sure that the total ampere rating of the devices plugged into the extension cord does not exceed the cords ampere rating. Also, make sure that the total ampere rating of all devices plugged into the wall outlet does not exceed the wall outlets ampere rating. Do not attempt to service the printer yourself.
Unplug the printer and refer servicing to qualified service personnel under the following conditions: The power cord or plug is damaged; liquid has entered the printer; the printer has been dropped or the casing damaged; the printer does not operate normally or exhibits a distinct change in performance. When connecting the printer to a computer or other device with a cable, ensure the correct orientation of the connectors. Each connector has only one correct orientation. Inserting a connector in the wrong orientation may damage both devices connected by the cable. If damage occurs to the plug, replace the cord set or consult a qualified electrician. If there are fuses in the plug, make sure you replace them with fuses of the correct size and rating. Do not hold the duplex unit when you lift the printer to prevent the duplex unit from becoming detached. Also, make sure that the duplex unit is attached correctly after setting up the printer.
Choosing a Place for the Printer
Observe the following when choosing a place for the printer: Place the printer on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base of the printer in all directions. If you place the printer by the wall, leave at least 4 inches (10 cm) between the back of the printer and the wall. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted at an angle. When storing or transporting the printer, do not tilt it, stand it on its side, or turn it upside down. Otherwise, ink may leak from the ink packs. Leave enough space in front of the printer for the paper to be fully ejected. Avoid places subject to rapid changes in temperature and humidity. Also, keep the printer away from direct sunlight, strong light, or heat sources. Avoid places subject to dust, shocks, or vibrations. Leave enough room around the printer to allow for sufficient ventilation. Place the printer near a wall outlet where the plug can be easily unplugged.

Warnings, Cautions, and Notes
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes in this Users Guide are defined as follows:
Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury. Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Notes contain important information and useful tips on the operation of the printer.

Chapter 1

Using Your Software
Overview of Printer Driver and Status Monitor
The printer driver lets you choose from a wide variety of settings to get the best printing results. Status Monitor and the printer utilities help you check the printer and keep it in top operating condition.
Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows
You can access the printer driver from most Windows applications, the Windows Start menu, or the taskbar. To make settings that apply only to the application you are using, access the printer driver from that application. To make settings that apply to all of your Windows applications, access the printer driver from the Start menu or the taskbar. Refer to the following sections to access the printer driver.
Note: Screen shots of the printer driver windows in this User's Guide are from Windows XP.
From Windows Applications
1. Click Print or Print Setup on the File menu. 2. In the window that appears, click Printer, Setup, Options, Preferences, or Properties. (Depending on your application, you may need to click one or a combination of these buttons.)

From the Start Menu

1. Windows Vista: Click the start button, select Control Panel, and then select Printer from the Hardware and Sound category. (If the Control Panel is in Classic View, click Printers.) Windows XP and Server 2003: Click Start, Control Panel, then click Printers and Faxes. (If the Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware, then click Printers and Faxes.)
Windows 2000: Click Start, point to Settings, then click Printers. 2. Windows Vista: Select the printer and then click Select printing preferences. Windows XP, Server 2003, and 2000: Select the printer, then click Printing Preferences on the File menu.
From the Shortcut Icon on the Taskbar
Right-click the printer icon on the taskbar, then select Printer Settings. To add a short cut icon to the Windows taskbar, first access the printer driver from the Start menu as described above. Next, click the Maintenance tab, the Speed & Progress button, and then the Monitoring Preferences button. In the Monitoring Preferences window, select the Select Shortcut Icon check box.

Chapter 4

Printing with Special Layout Options
You can print with a variety of layouts for special projects, such as booklets and posters.
Double-Sided (Duplex) Printing
Lets you print on both sides of the paper. & See Double-sided (Duplex) Printing on page 56.

Fit to Page Printing

Lets you automatically enlarge or reduce the size of your document to fit the paper size selected in the printer driver. & See Fit to Page Printing on page 76.
Note for Mac OS X users: This feature is not available for Mac OS X 10.3.

Pages Per Sheet Printing

Lets you print two or four pages on a single sheet of paper. & See Pages Per Sheet Printing on page 84.
Poster Printing (for Windows only)
Lets you enlarge material on a single document page to cover 4, 9, or 16 printed sheets of paper, and then make a poster. & See Poster Printing (for Windows only) on page 92.
Watermark Printing (for Windows only)
Lets you print text or an image as a watermark on each page of your printout. & See Watermark Printing (for Windows only) on page 97.
For example, you can put Confidential on an important document.
Double-sided (Duplex) Printing
Two types of double-sided printing are available: standard and folded booklet. Standard double-sided printing lets you automatically print on both sides of the page (on plain paper only), using the duplex unit. Without the duplex unit, you can print the odd-numbered pages first. Once these pages are printed, you can reload them to print the even-numbered pages onto the opposite side of the paper.
Folded booklet double-sided printing allows you to make single-fold booklets. The pages that will appear on the outside (after the page is folded) are printed first. The pages that will appear inside the booklet can then be printed after you reload the paper into the printer.
: Binding edge You can create a booklet by printing pages 1 and 4 on the first sheet of paper, pages 5 and 8 on the second sheet, and pages 9 and 12 on the third sheet. After you reload these sheets into the rear sheet feeder, you can then print pages 2 and 3 on the back of the first sheet of paper, pages 6 and 7 on the back of the second sheet, and pages 10 and 11 on the back of the third sheet. The resulting pages can then be folded and bound together into a booklet.

8. Click OK to return to the Page Layout window. 9. Click Margins to open the Margins window.
10. Specify the edge of the paper where the binding will be placed. You can choose Left, Top, or Right. 11. Choose cm or inch as the Unit setting. Then specify the width of the binding margin. You can enter any width from 0.12 to 1.18 inches or 0.3 to 3.0 cm.
Note: The actual binding margin may be different from the specified settings depending on your application. Experiment with a few sheets to examine actual results before printing the entire job.
12. Click OK to return to the Page Layout window. Then click OK to save your settings. 13. Load paper into the printer, then send the print job from your application. & See Loading Paper on page 22.
Manual Double-sided Printing
Follow the steps below to print odd- and even-numbered pages onto opposite sides of the sheet. 1. Access the printer settings.
2. Click the Main tab, then select one of the following Quality Option settings: Draft for rough drafts with reduced print quality Text for text-only pages Text & Image for higher quality pages with text and images Web for web pages Photo for good quality and speed 3. Select Rear Tray as the Source setting. 4. Select the appropriate Type setting. & See Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type on page 29. 5. Select the appropriate Size setting.
6. Select Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide) to change the orientation of your printout. 7. Click the Page Layout tab, then select the Duplex Printing check box.
8. Select Manual to use manual double-sided printing function. 9. Click Margins to open the Margins window.
10. Specify the edge of the paper where the binding will be placed. You can choose Left, Top, or Right. 11. Choose cm or inch as the Unit setting. Then specify the width of the binding margin. You can enter any width from 0.12 to 1.18 inches, or from 0.3 to 3.0 cm.
12. Click OK to return to the Page Layout window. Then click OK to save your settings. 13. Load paper into the rear sheet feeder, then send the print job from your application. Instructions for generating the even-numbered pages will be displayed while the odd-numbered pages are printed. & See Loading Paper on page 22. 14. Follow the on-screen instructions to reload the paper.

Handling Precautions

Read all of the instructions in this section before replacing the ink cartridges.
This printer uses ink cartridges equipped with an IC chip that monitors the amount of ink used by each cartridge. Cartridges are usable even if they are removed and reinserted. If you need to remove an ink cartridge temporarily, be sure to protect the ink supply area from dirt and dust. Store the ink cartridge in the same environment as the printer. When storing the cartridge, be sure that its label identifying the color of the ink cartridge is facing upward. Do not store ink cartridges upside down. The valve in the ink supply port is designed to contain any excess ink that may be released. However, careful handling is recommended. Do not touch the supply port of the ink cartridge or its surrounding area. Ink is consumed during the following operations: print head cleaning, initial ink charging, and nozzle maintaining. Never turn off the printer during initial ink charging. The ink may fail to be filled up and the printer may become unavailable to print. If you change the ink cartridge to Extra High Capacity Ink Cartridge, retain the default ink cartridge or Standard Capacity Ink Cartridge, or High Capacity Ink Cartridge. One of these cartridges is needed when you transport the printer. The use of other products not manufactured by Epson may affect your print quality and could result in printer damage that is not covered by Epsons warranties. Keep ink cartridges out of the reach of children. Do not allow children to drink the ink or handle the cartridges. Be careful when you handle used ink cartridges, as there may be some ink around the ink supply port or surrounding area. If ink gets on your skin, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water. If ink gets into your eyes, flush them immediately with water. If discomfort or vision problems continue after a thorough flushing, see a doctor immediately. We recommend that you use genuine Epson cartridges and do not refill them. The use of other products may affect your print quality and could result in printer damage. Epson cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-genuine ink. The ink cartridge status is not displayed when non-genuine ink is used. Leave the old cartridge installed in the printer until you have obtained a replacement; otherwise, ink remaining in the print head nozzles may dry out. You cannot continue printing with one ink cartridge expended, even if the other cartridges still contain ink. Before printing, replace the expended cartridge. Never turn off the printer while replacing the ink cartridge. Doing so may damage the IC chip on the ink cartridge and the printer may not print properly.

Using the Head Cleaning Utility for Windows
Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the Head Cleaning utility. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on. 2. Make sure that no lights are indicating errors. 3. Make sure that letter/A4 size paper is loaded in the front paper cassette. 4. Right-click the printer icon on the taskbar, then select Head Cleaning. If the printer icon does not appear, refer to the following section to add the icon. & See From the Shortcut Icon on the Taskbar on page 15. 5. Follow the on-screen instructions. The P Power light flashes while the printer performs the cleaning cycle.
Caution: Never turn off the printer while the P Power light is flashing. Doing so may damage the printer.
Note: If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure, turn off the printer and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality remains a problem, contact Epson. & See Where To Get Help on page 182. To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.
Using the Head Cleaning Utility for Mac OS X
Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the Head Cleaning utility. 1. Make sure the printer is turned on. 2. Make sure that no lights are indicating errors. 3. Make sure that letter/A4 size paper is loaded in the sheet feeder. 4. Access the EPSON Printer Utility3. & See Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X on page 15. 5. Click the Head Cleaning button in the Utility dialog. 6. Follow the on-screen instructions. The P power light flashes while the printer performs the cleaning cycle.
Caution: Never turn off the printer while the P power light is flashing. Doing so may damage the printer.
Note: If print quality has not improved after repeating this procedure about four times, turn the printer off and wait for at least six hours. Then run the nozzle check again and repeat the head cleaning if necessary. If print quality has still not improved, contact your dealer. To maintain print quality, we recommend printing a few pages on a regular basis.
Follow the steps below to clean the print head using the control panel. 1. Make sure that letter/A4 size paper is loaded in the front paper cassette. 2. Make sure that READY appears on the LCD screen, and then press the r Right button. Menu appears on the LCD screen. 3. Press the d Down or u Up button to select MAINTENANCE, and then press the OK or r Right button. 4. Press the d Down or u Up button to select CLEANING, and then press the OK or r Right button. 5. Press the OK button to start cleaning. The P Power light begins flashing.
6. When the P Power light stops flashing, the printer returns to the nozzle check menu. Press the OK button to print a nozzle check pattern to confirm that the head is clean. & See Checking the Print Head Nozzles on page 137.

Setting Up Each Client

Follow these steps for each client computer on the network.
Note: Your printer must be set up as a shared printer on the computer to which it is connected before you can access it from another computer. & See Setting Up the Print Server on page 154.
1. Windows Vista: Click the start button, select Control Panel, and then select Printer from the Hardware and Sound category. (If the Control Panel is in Classic View, click Printers.)
Windows XP and Server 2003: Click Start and select Control Panel, then select Printers and Faxes. (If the Control Panel is in Category View, click Printers and Other Hardware, then click Printers and Faxes.) Windows 2000: Click Start, point to Settings, and click Printers. 2. Windows Vista: Click the Add a Printer button. Windows XP, Server 2003, and 2000: Double-click the Add Printer icon. The Add Printer Wizard appears. Click the Next button. 3. Windows Vista: Click Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer, and then click Next. Windows XP: Select A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer, then click Next. Windows 2000: Select Network printer, then click Next.
4. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the printer you want to use.
Note: Depending on the operating system and the configuration of the computer to which the printer is connected, the Add Printer Wizard may prompt you to install the printer driver from the printer software CD-ROM. Click the Have Disk button and follow the on-screen instructions. To monitor the status of a shared printer, EPSON Status Monitor 3 must be installed on each computer. EPSON Status Monitor 3 is automatically installed when you install the printer software from the CD-ROM by using the Easy Install function.
Setting Up the Printer as the Shared Printer for Mac OS X
To set up your printer on a Mac OS X network, use the Printer Sharing setting. See your Macintosh documentation for details.
Note: When your printer is shared on a Mac OS X network, the appear in the Print window.
EPSON Printer Utility3 icon does not
Note for Mac OS X 10.5: When your printer is shared on a Mac OS X network, the Low Ink Reminder screen does not appear.

Chapter 10

Troubleshooting

Diagnosing the Problem

Troubleshooting printer problems is best handled in two steps: first diagnose the problem, then apply likely solutions until the problem is fixed. The information that you need to diagnose and solve most common problems is provided by online problem solving, the control panel, the EPSON Status Monitor utility, or by running a printer operation check. Refer to the appropriate section below. If you have a specific problem relating to print quality, a printout problem not related to print quality, or a paper feeding problem, or if the printer does not print at all, refer to the appropriate section. To solve a problem, you may need to cancel printing. & See Canceling Printing on page 51.

Note: If you cannot easily remove a foreign object, do not use force and do not disassemble the printer. Contact Epson for assistance. & See Where To Get Help on page 182.
If your paper jams frequently, make sure of the following: The paper is smooth, not curled or wrinkled. You are using high quality paper. The printable side of the paper is face-up in the rear sheet feeder and face-down in the front paper cassette. The paper stack was fanned before loading. The paper is not loaded above the c arrow mark inside the edge guide.
The number of sheets in the paper stack does not exceed the limit specified for that paper. & See Paper Loading Capacities on page 21. The left edge guide is snug against the left edge of the paper. The printer is on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base in all directions. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted.

Print Quality Problems

If you are having print quality problems, then compare it with the illustrations below. Click the caption under the illustration that best resembles your printout.

Good sample

Horizontal Banding on page 170
Vertical Misalignment or Banding on page 170
Incorrect or Missing Colors on page 171
Blurry or Smeared Printout on page 171

Horizontal Banding

Make sure the printable side of the paper is face-up in the rear sheet feeder and face-down in the front paper cassette. Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink nozzles. & See Cleaning the Print Head on page 139. Use up ink cartridges within six months of opening vacuum package. For best print quality, use genuine Epson ink cartridges. Check the ink cartridge status. & See Checking the Ink Cartridge Status on page 122. If the graphic displays the ink is low or expended, replace the appropriate ink cartridge. & See Replacing an Ink Cartridge on page 128. Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer. & See Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type on page 29.
Vertical Misalignment or Banding
Make sure the printable side of the paper is face-up in the rear sheet feeder and face-down in the front paper cassette. Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink nozzles. & See Cleaning the Print Head on page 139. Run the Print Head Alignment utility. & See Aligning the Print Head on page 143. Clear the High Speed check box from the Advanced window in your printer driver (Windows). See the printer driver online help for details.

Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer. & See Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type on page 29.
Incorrect or Missing Colors
For Windows, clear the Grayscale setting in the Advanced window in your printer driver. For Mac OS X, change the Color setting to Color in Print Settings dialog in the Print dialog of your printer driver. See the printer driver online help for details. Adjust the color settings in your application or in your printer driver settings. For Windows, confirm the settings in the Advanced window. For Mac OS X, confirm the settings in the Print Settings dialog from the Print dialog. See the printer driver online help for details. Run the Head Cleaning utility. & See Cleaning the Print Head on page 139. Check the ink cartridge status. & See Checking the Ink Cartridge Status on page 122. If the graphic displays the ink is low or expended, replace the appropriate ink cartridge. & See Replacing an Ink Cartridge on page 128. If your paper runs out, replace it as soon as possible. If the printer is left without paper for a long period of time, the colors of your next print job may be incorrect.
Blurry or Smeared Printout
Use only paper recommended by Epson. & See Paper, Consumables, and Options on page 187. Make sure the printer is on a flat, stable surface that extends beyond the base in all directions. The printer will not operate properly if it is tilted. Make sure your paper is not damaged, dirty, or too old.
Make sure your paper is dry and the printable side is facing up in the rear sheet feeder and facing down in the front paper cassette. If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite direction. Make sure the paper type selected in the printer driver is appropriate for the type of paper loaded in the printer. & See Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type on page 29. Remove each sheet from the output tray as it is printed. If you are printing on glossy media, place a support sheet (or a sheet of plain paper) beneath the stack, or load only one sheet at a time. Do not touch or allow anything to come into contact with the printed side of paper with a shiny finish. To dry your printouts, follow the instructions on the sheet packed with the paper. Run the Head Cleaning utility. & See Cleaning the Print Head on page 139.
Ink Bleeds Through the Page
Use the Print Saturation Adjustment feature to reduce the amount of ink on the page and increase the drying time if necessary. & See Special Settings for Automatic Double-sided Printing (Using the Duplex Unit) on page 59. Adjust the ink levels in the photo image.

Part number Maintenance Box T619000
Duplex Unit (B-300 Users only)
You can use the following duplex unit with the B-300.
Part number Duplex unit C12C802531

Legal-size Paper Support

You can use the following legal-size paper support with this printer.
Part number Legal-size paper support C12C815341

System Requirements

Windows Requirements
To use this printer, you must have any of the following Windows operating systems installed. For details on interfaces and operating systems, refer to the following table.
System Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003 USB 2.0 Host Driver by Microsoft must be used. PC Interface USB 1.0 and 2.0 Ethernet 100Base-TX/10Base-T (B-500DN only)

Macintosh Requirements

To connect this printer to a Macintosh computer, you must have any of the following Macintosh operating systems installed. For details on interfaces and operating systems, refer to the following table.
System PowerPC-based or Intel-based Macintosh computers running Mac OS X 10.3.9 to 10.5.x PC Interface USB 1.0 or 2.0 Ethernet 100Base-TX/10Base-T (B-500DN only)

Technical Specifications

Note: Since the quality of any particular brand or type of paper may be changed by the manufacturer at any time, Epson cannot attest to the quality of any non-Epson brand or type of paper. Always test samples of paper stock before purchasing large quantities or printing large jobs. Poor quality paper may reduce print quality and cause paper jams or other problems. If you encounter problems, switch to a higher grade of paper. Use paper under normal conditions: Temperature 59 to 77 F (15 to 25 C) Humidity 40 to 60% RH

Single sheets:

Size A4 (8.3 11.7 in., mm) in. (cm) A6 (4.1 5.8 in., mm) Half Letter (5.5 8.5 in.) in. (cm) 16:9 wide size (4 7.11 in., mm) Letter 8 1/in. Legal 8 1/in. Paper types Thickness (for plain bond paper) Plain bond paper or special paper distributed by Epson 0.003 to 0.005 in. (0.08 to 0.11 mm)

Weight (for plain bond paper)

64 g/m to 90 g/m

Envelopes:
Size Paper types Weight Envelope #1/1/2 in. Plain bond paper 75 g/m to 100 g/m

Printable Area

Diagonal lines show printable area. Single sheets:

A B-L B-R

Minimum margin Media type A B-L, B-R C Single sheets 0.12 in. (3.0 mm) 0.12 in. (3.0 mm) 0.12 in. (3.0 mm) Envelopes 0.12 in. (3.0 mm) 0.20 in. (5.0 mm) 0.12 in. (3.0 mm)
Note: Depending on the type of paper, print quality may decline in the top and bottom areas of the printout, or the area may be smeared. Automatic double-sided printing supports plain paper and Epson Bright White Paper only. Minimum bottom margin (C) is 0.63 in. (16 mm) when you use automatic double-sided printing.
Color Cartridge life Temperature Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, Black Use within 6 months of opening the package. Storage: 4 to 104 F (20 to 40 C) 1 month at 104 F (40 C) Freezing:* 8.6 F (13 C)
Ink thaws and is usable after approximately 3 hours at 77 F (25 C)
Note: We recommend that you use genuine Epson cartridges and do not refill them. The use of other products may affect your print quality and could result in printer damage. The printer ships with full cartridges and part of the ink from the first cartridges is used for priming the printer. Yields vary considerably based on images printed, print settings, paper type, frequency of use and temperature. For print quality, a small amount of ink remains in the cartridge after the "replacement cartridge" indicator comes on.

Mechanical

Paper path Loading capacity Front paper cassette, rear sheet feeder Front paper cassette About 500 sheets of letter/A4 paper at 75 g/m* Rear sheet feeder About 150 sheets of letter/A4 paper at 75 g/m* Using the optional legal-size paper support, about 60 sheets of legal-size paper at 75 g/m* Output tray About 170 sheets Dimensions B-500DN Storage Width: 18.9 in. (480 mm) Depth: 19.3 in. (489 mm) Height: 12.3 in. (312 mm) Printing Width: 18.9 in. (480 mm) Depth: 25.8 in. (656 mm) Height: 14.6 in. (372 mm) B-300 Storage Width: 18.9 in. (480 mm) Depth: 16.5 in. (420 mm) Height: 12.3 in. (312 mm) Printing Width: 18.9 in. (480 mm) Depth: 24.6 in. (624 mm) Height: 14.6 in. (372 mm) Weight B-500DN Approx. 23.6 lb (10.7 kg) (without the ink cartridges) B-300 Approx. 21.8 lb (9.9 kg) (without the ink cartridges)