White lines and low quality printing with a new Brother HL-3170CDW laser printer

[Shasoosh]

Printer model: Brother HL-3170CDW (Laser printer)

Firmware version: 1.01

Connection: WiFi

Current OS: Win 10, OS X Sierra

 

I just hooked it up and all the prints I've tried have vertical & horizontal grayish \ white lines.

I've attached an album: Imgur

The first image is the actual sky image, the second is a print of those sky. The other two are demo prints, you can clearly see vertical lines on all of them. On an actual image print it looks a lot worse than on a print of a solid color like in the demos.

So far I tried installing new drivers, different OS's, calibrating color from the printer and driver, changing print quality from the driver.

 

Can anyone tell me where's the problem?

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

The best help you can get about that is from Brother's support...

 

I'm not a printer guru, but your header might be bad. just my 2 cents.

[Shasoosh]

On 10/13/2016 at 10:50 PM, Mindovermaster said:

The best help you can get about that is from Brother's support...

 

I'm not a printer guru, but your header might be bad. just my 2 cents.

Thanks, I'll contact them on Monday. What do you mean by "header" ?

[+BudMan MVC]

But you didn't update the firmware?  I have that same printer, and the current firmware is

 

Maintenance Information

Node Information

Model Name Brother HL-3170CDW series

Serial no. U63478(snipped)

Main Firmware Version 1.27

Sub1 Firmware Version 1.05

Memory Size 128MB

 

There is not really a print head in laser printer..  So its not that.. My guess would be toner cart is low or empty or just bad.  Did you try taking the towner out and rocking it back and forth?  Your pickup roller could be dirty as well or just some dirt in your paper path?  I agree though your best best is to connect their support.  I have had mine for a few years now and have no such issue.

[Shasoosh]

Thanks @BudMan

 

I'll try playing with the toner now.

I thought about returning it thinking that that model is faulty in general. Glad that's not the case.

Is there a chance you have a photo of a color printed page you can upload so I can also print it and compare? It would be a lot easier if I could present a print with "this is how it suppose to look" to the store I bought it from.

 

Edit: My firmware is 1.27 & 1.05, In the first post I took the numbers from the driver, I now checked the actual printer.

 

Edited October 15, 2016 by Shasoosh

[Yogurth]

Give Your toner cartridge a gooood shake, I mean really shake it up. If toner has been siting for too long unused it could have sediment-ed to the bottom.

[+BudMan MVC]

you just want a pic of the test page?

 

Well took a pic with my phone of the demo and test print pages.. Clearly there is no streaks.

 

 

 

I have been really happy with it.. This dec will be 3 years and still on original carts.  Black is getting low at 10% but colors are still at 40%.  I don't do all that much printing.  But when I do its fast, and the printer really uses like no power sitting there idle in sleep mode.  But when you print it wakes up really fast and you have your page(s) in a few sec.  Other than the size it makes for a great home printer if you ask me.  It is a bit larger than your typical inkjet, etc.  When its time for more ink I might give it to my son and let him buy the ink   And just git myself something new.. Using new tech, etc.  I wouldn't mind getting rid of my old flatbed scanner and making some room on my desk and getting new color laser with scanner built in, etc.

[Shasoosh]

Thanks @BudMan

Actually I was hoping for a picture pic if you have one laying around (for example: http://wallpapersdsc.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Blue-Flower-HD.jpg ) as it's really hard for me to see those lines from the demo print

I totally understand if you're low on ink and prefer not to. 

 

Btw, from what I've read on that printer, sometimes the ink indicator says low on ink but actually there's a lot more in there so reseting the toner get a lot more prints out of a "need to replace" one. Worth a shot.

[+BudMan MVC]

Ok printing that image.. You do understand its not a photo printer right..  It's a laser printer - not going to give you photo quality prints..

 

How long you think that print would of taken with a "photo" printer??  With the laser it was printed in just a couple of seconds.  I what your after is photo quality printing then a laser is not what your after.

 

 

From your examples of your demo print I can clearly see lines in your color boxes.  I do not see any of those in my demo print..

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

3 hours ago, BudMan said:

But you didn't update the firmware?  I have that same printer, and the current firmware is

 

Maintenance Information

Node Information

Model Name Brother HL-3170CDW series

Serial no. U63478(snipped)

Main Firmware Version 1.27

Sub1 Firmware Version 1.05

Memory Size 128MB

 

There is not really a print head in laser printer..  So its not that.. My guess would be toner cart is low or empty or just bad.  Did you try taking the towner out and rocking it back and forth?  Your pickup roller could be dirty as well or just some dirt in your paper path?  I agree though your best best is to connect their support.  I have had mine for a few years now and have no such issue.

I was just about to mention, shake the toner cartridge! Some particles may have settled during warehouse storage. (DON'T TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN! JUST TAKE IT OUT, SHAKE IT, AND ROLL THE ROLLER A FEW TIMES. DON'T RUIN YOUR CLOTHES, lol!) Remember: hands are washable, and you can get the toner off relatively easy. It's not so easy on clothes, so if you do shake it, do it cautiously)

[+BudMan MVC]

Laser printer is great for printing everyday stuff, stuff for your kids school, work reports with graphs, etc., flyers and such.  Recipes, etc. etc.  Great for doing paper crafts with my granddaughter and heavy paper (card stock) But if what you want is to print out some photos to hang on the wall etc..  Then no the quality going to suck for that..  Either just order them at your local drug store walgreens, cvs, target, walmart and have them mailed to you or pick them up.  If we need a photo we just upload it to the corner walgreens and can pick it up in less than an hour for like 10 cents a print.

 

Makes no sense to me to have a photo printer when I can have great prints for a few pennies in less than hour.  Any size - and I didn't have to buy ink, paper or printer..
 

[Shasoosh]

Thanks guys and thanks a lot for that print @BudMan, That was really cool of you.

 

I do understand that that's not a photo printer but printing a photo helped me distinguish between the quality of the printer or a problem with the printer. I do suspect that my blue and black toners are faulty. 

 

I did a few more tests and found another problem, not sure it's the printer fault this time. As one that owns that same printer, I'd love to hear your take on this one too.

 

 

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

5 hours ago, Obi-Wan Kenobi said:

I was just about to mention, shake the toner cartridge! Some particles may have settled during warehouse storage. (DON'T TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN! JUST TAKE IT OUT, SHAKE IT, AND ROLL THE ROLLER A FEW TIMES. DON'T RUIN YOUR CLOTHES, lol!) Remember: hands are washable, and you can get the toner off relatively easy. It's not so easy on clothes, so if you do shake it, do it cautiously)

Yeah, I did that before...

 

[Obi-Wan Kenobi]

12 minutes ago, Mindovermaster said:

Yeah, I did that before...

 

Man, me too! Ruined my whole uniform! Hard lesson learned!

[Shasoosh]

12 hours ago, Obi-Wan Kenobi said:

Man, me too! Ruined my whole uniform! Hard lesson learned!

I had no idea it could splash! Did the shake just before a wedding too. Saved!

[Mando]

looks like a dirty image transfer drum/fuser unit to me (may look like a big metallic roller) they can get charged up and toner/paper dust particles can stick to it, esp if transported recently.

[Hhhhhhugo]

Hi all, I have exactly the same problem than  Shasoosh user. Did you solved the problem? Thank you!

[DrunknMunky Veteran]

3 hours ago, Hhhhhhugo said:

Hi all, I have exactly the same problem than  Shasoosh user. Did you solved the problem? Thank you!

Hello and welcome to Neowin.

 

I would recommend creating a new topic with a description of your problem, including as much detail as possible to aid in helping you with a solution.