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Generally setting up a printer with inks is an easy process, often it is just a simple matter of following the Setup sheet. So for this page that is exactly what we will do - but I will also add some extra bits which have been left out. The Setup sheet states that the installation will take about an hour and advises you to refer to the Quick Start Guide (the thick printed manual with 12 pages in your language - actually only 11 pages are in English), funny the first line in this manual says "Be sure to read your Setup sheet first....."
The obvious first task is to remove all the orange tape from the printer and the carriage packaging, make sure you open all the trays too as there is tape everywhere. Next power up the printer, but don't connect the USB cable yet (cable not included). This moves the print head assembly into position ready for the head cradle. Remove the last bit of orange tape which is on the head assembly.
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Pull out all the packing |
Power up the printer |
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Remove every bit of orange tape |
Remove cradle cap - |
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don't touch the actual heads |
or the gold contacts on the rear |
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Lift grey lever up and fit cradle |
Lock down cradle - ready for inks |
As with other Canon PIXMA printers, you have to fit the print head yourself. This is not a complicated task, but make sure you don't touch the print heads or the gold contacts on the rear. The cradle sits in the print head assembly which automatically positions itself in the centre when you power up. Fitting the cradle should only take you two or three minutes. On this review the print head assembly did return to the parked position before I had a chance to fit the inks, this was due to the fact I am also doing the product photography at the same time, if this does happen to then turn the power Off and On again. The advantage Canon printers have over Epson printers, is that the print head can be easily replaced by the user at any time. HP also use separate print heads on their B9180.
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Remove orange caps - but don't touch the contacts |
Match the colours to the cradle |
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A full house |
I wonder just how much ink is in each cartridge? |
Remove the orange cap on each ink tank and then fit each cartridge in its correct slot - be careful the printer will allow an incorrect ink to be fitted. Although there isn't any instructions to shake each cartridge, I did do this prior to fitting. Pigment ink has a denser consistency than dye inks and pigment particles can settle at the bottom of a cartridge. A quick shake brings the pigment particles back into circulation. Having said that, one reader has commented that the inks do not need to be shaken as the printer does this for you. I haven't seen any information on this to confirm that this is the case. I haven't installed the on-line manual as yet, I presume this information may be in there. The inks slot very easily into each compartment, once a ink is fitted a red LED light glows on the cartridge. When all the inks are installed the printer primes itself for a few minutes, we are now ready to install the drivers
Looking at the size of each Canon cartridge I wonder just how much ink they contain, I will try to find this out. The HP cartridge contains 27ml and an Epson R2400 contains approx 14ml. Having said that, I couldn't imagine bigger cartridges fitted in a print head assembly that moves up and down the print rail. I am surprised that Canon didn't incorporate a static ink system as with their large format printers - this would mean a totally new design from the Pro 9000 chassis. But then HP did do that with the B9180.
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