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 the purchaser or third parties as a result of accident, misuse, or abuse of this product or unauthorized modifications, repairs, or alterations to this product.
❏ Do not block or cover the vents and openings in the printer. ❏ Use only the type of power source indicated on the printer’s label. ❏ Use only the power cord that comes with the printer. Use of another cord may result in fire or electric shock.
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.
❏ Always turn off the printer using the P Power button. When this button is pressed, the P Power light flashes. Do not unplug the printer or turn off the power to the outlet until the P Power light stops flashing.
Page 12
However, each time the cartridge is inserted, some ink is consumed because the printer automatically performs a reliability check. If you remove an ink cartridge for later use, protect the ink supply area from dirt and dust, and store it in the same environment as this product.
Warnings, Cautions, and Notes in this User’s 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. Safety Instructions...
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.
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.
EPSON Web-To-Page is not necessary. Note for Mac OS X users: ❏ This software is not available for Mac OS X. ❏ Printing web pages to fit to your paper size is available by using the printer driver. Utility icon. This Using Your Software...
❏ Update your printer driver with a newer version. ❏ Have a problem with the printer driver. If you are upgrading your operating system or updating the printer driver version, be sure to uninstall the current printer driver before upgrading or installing the new driver.
Page 18
Click Uninstall a program from the Programs category, and then select EPSON Printer Software from the list. Windows XP and 2000: Select Add/Remove Programs and then select EPSON Printer Software from the list. 4. Windows Vista: Click Uninstall/Change. Windows XP, Server 2003, and 2000: Click Change/Remove.
7. Follow the on-screen instructions to uninstall the printer driver. Note for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4: If the name of your printer remains in the Print Center or Printer Setup Utility, select the name from Printer List and click Delete.
Page 20
Limited account user. 1. Quit all running applications. 2. Insert the Epson printer software CD-ROM into your Macintosh. 3. Double-click the Mac OS X icon in the Epson folder. The CD Installer screen is displayed.
Chapter 2 Paper Handling Using Special Paper You can achieve good results with most types of plain bond paper. However, coated papers provide superior printouts because they absorb less ink. Epson provides special papers that are formulated for the ink used in Epson ink jet printers, and recommends these papers to ensure high-quality results.
Rear sheet feeder: Media Type Plain paper (letter-size) Plain paper (legal-size) Epson Bright White Paper Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Double-Sided Epson Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets Epson Presentation Paper Matte Envelopes Note: ❏ If the paper is curled, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite direction. Make sure the paper stack fits under the c arrow mark inside the edge guide.
Front Paper Cassette 1. Pull out the front paper cassette. 2. Squeeze the edge guides and slide them out until they click into place. MODIFY TO SHOW LETTER SIZE 3. Fan a stack of paper, then tap it on a flat surface to even the edges. 4.
Page 24
6. Gently reinsert the cassette into the printer. Caution: To avoid paper jams, do not force the front paper cassette into the printer and check the edge guides after inserting the cassette. 7. Slide out and extend the extension tray.
Note: ❏ Leave enough space in front of the printer for the paper to be fully ejected. ❏ Make sure the paper stack fits under the c arrow mark inside the left edge guide. Rear Sheet Feeder 1. Open the paper support.
Then slide the edge guide against the left edge of the paper. Note: ❏ Leave enough space in front of the printer for the paper to be fully ejected. ❏ Always load paper into the rear sheet feeder short edge first, even when you are printing landscape-oriented pictures.
Loading Envelopes Follow these steps to load envelopes: 1. Open the paper support. 2. Slide out and extend the extension tray. 3. Slide the left edge guide to the left. Paper Handling...
Page 28
4. Load envelopes short edge first with the flap facing down and to the left. Then slide the left edge guide against the left edge of the envelopes. Note: ❏ The thickness of envelopes and their ability to fold vary widely. If the total thickness of the stack of envelopes exceeds 0.6 inch (15 mm), press down on the envelopes to flatten them before loading.
The printer automatically adjusts itself for the type of paper you select in your print settings. That is why the paper type or media type setting is so important. It tells your printer what kind of paper you are using and adjusts the ink coverage accordingly. The table below lists the settings you should choose for your paper.
Chapter 3 Basic Printing Introduction This section guides you through the procedures for different kinds of printing. Printing Documents Explains how to print documents on various types of paper. & See “Printing Documents” on page 31. Printing Photos Explains how to print photos on various types of paper. &...
Printing Web Pages Explains how to print Web pages so that they fit on a sheet of paper without getting cut off on the right side. & See “Printing Web Pages” on page 43. Printing on Envelopes Explains how to print on envelopes. &...
When using special Epson paper, refer to the section below. & See “Using Special Paper” on page 21. Printer Settings for Windows 1. Open the file you want to print. 2. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. Basic Printing...
Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.5 Follow these steps to adjust your printer settings. 1. Open the file you want to print. 2. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. Basic Printing...
Page 34
3. Click the d button to extend this dialog. 4. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then make suitable settings. Note: Depending on your application, you may not be able to select some of the items in this dialog.
& See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. 7. Click Print to start printing. Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4 1. Open the file you want to print. 2. Access the Page Setup dialog.
Page 36
4. Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog. 5. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 6. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting. Then make the Copies & Pages settings. Basic Printing...
7. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 8. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. & See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. 9.
Printer Settings for Windows Follow these steps to adjust your printer settings. 1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Click the Main tab, then select Photo in the Quality Option settings. Basic Printing...
Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.5 Follow these steps to adjust your printer settings. 1. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the d button to extend this dialog. Basic Printing...
Page 40
3. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then make suitable settings. Note: Depending on your application, you may not be able to select some of the items in this dialog. If so, click Page Setup on the File menu of your application, and then make suitable settings.
After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job. Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4 Follow these steps to adjust your printer settings. 1. Access the Page Setup dialog.
Page 42
3. Click OK to close the Page Setup dialog. 4. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 5. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting. Then make the Copies & Pages settings. Basic Printing...
6. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 7. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. & See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
Note for Mac OS X users: ❏ This software is not available for Mac OS X. ❏ Printing web pages to fit to your paper size is available by using the printer driver. & See “Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.5” on page 33.
Page 45
3. Right-click the printer icon and choose Printing Preferences in Windows XP and 2000. 4. Click the Main tab, then select Web as the Quality Option settings: 5. Select the paper source as the Source setting. 6. Select the appropriate Type setting.
Refer to the section below for loading envelopes. & See “Loading Envelopes” on page 27. Refer to the section below for the printable area. & See “Printable Area” on page 190. Printer Settings for Windows 1. Access the printer settings. Basic Printing...
Page 47
& See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Click the Main tab, then select one of the following Quality Option settings: ❏ Text for most envelopes ❏ Text & Image to print images on the envelope 3.
2. Click the d button to extend this dialog. 3. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then select a suitable envelope size as the Paper Size setting. You can also define a custom envelope size.
Page 49
5. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 6. Select Envelope as the Media Type setting. 7. Make other settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. 8. Click Print to start printing. Basic Printing...
Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4 1. Access the Page Setup dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Select the printer you are using as the Format for setting.
7. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, then make the Copies & Pages settings. 8. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 9. Select Envelope as the Media Type setting. 10. Make other settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings.
Click the Stop button to cancel printing. Canceling from Mac OS X Follow the steps below to cancel a print job. 1. Click your printer icon in the Dock. 2. In the Document Name list, select the document that is printing. Basic Printing...
Page 53
3. Click the Delete button to cancel the print job. Basic Printing...
& 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. Printing with Special Layout Options...
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.
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.
Page 57
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.
Note: The duplex unit is standard on the B-500DN and available as an option for the B-300. Automatic double-sided printing supports plain paper and Epson Bright White Paper only. Thick plain paper is not supported for automatic double-sided printing.
Page 59
Automatic double-sided printing supports plain paper and Epson Bright White Paper only. 1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Select the appropriate Quality Option, Paper Options, and Orientation. & See “Automatic Double-sided Printing (Using the Duplex Unit)” on page 58.
Page 60
3. Click the Page Layout tab, then select the Duplex Printing check box. 4. Select Auto to use the automatic double-sided printing function. 5. Click Adjust Print Density to open the Print Density Adjustment window. 6. Select the appropriate document type as the Select Document Type setting. 7.
Page 61
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. Note: Do not try to pull out your prints before both sides of the page are printed.
Page 62
& See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 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 ❏...
Page 63
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. Printing with Special Layout Options...
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. Note: The actual binding margin may be different from the specified settings depending on your application.
Page 65
1. Access the EPSON Printer Utility3 dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the Printer and Option Information button. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 66
OK. 4. Close the EPSON Printer Utility3 dialog. 5. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 6. Click the d button to extend this dialog. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 67
7. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then make suitable settings. Note: Depending on your application, you may not be able to select some of the items in this dialog. If so, click Page Setup on the File menu of your application, and then make suitable settings.
Page 68
8. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 9. Select Plain Paper/Bright White Paper as the Media Type setting. 10. Make other settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 69
Ink Drying Time. Note: If you are printing high-density data, such as photos or graphs, we recommend adjusting the Print Density. 15. Load paper into the printer, and click Print. & See “Loading Paper” on page 22. Printing with Special Layout Options...
❏ Thick plain paper is not supported for automatic double-sided printing. 1. Access the EPSON Printer Utility3 dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the Printer and Option Information button. 3. Make sure that Duplexer Installed is displayed in the Auto Duplex Printing Information section, and then click OK.
Page 71
9. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 10. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 11. Select plain papers as the Media Type setting. 12. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings.
If you are printing high-density data, such as photos or graphs, we recommend adjusting the Print Density. 17. Load paper into the printer, and click Print. & See “Loading Paper” on page 22. Folded Booklet Double-sided Printing (for Windows only) Manual double-sided printing Use the following steps to create a folded booklet.
Page 73
1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 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 ❏...
Page 74
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 and select the Duplex Printing check box. Then select Manual and select the Folded Booklet check box. 8.
Page 75
❏ The paper may curl during printing due to the amount of ink used. Should this occur, slightly curl the sheets in the opposite direction before reloading them. ❏ Align the sheet stack by tapping its edges against a hard, flat surface before reloading it in the printer. Landscape Printing with Special Layout Options...
❏ Follow the instructions provided when reloading the printouts. Otherwise, paper may jam or the binding margins may be incorrect. ❏ If a paper jam occurs, refer to the following. & See “The Paper Jams” on page 165. 14. Once the paper is reloaded, click Resume to print the inside pages. 15.
Printer Settings for Windows 1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Click the Main tab, then select one of the following Quality Option settings: ❏ Draft for rough drafts with reduced print quality ❏...
Page 78
❏ If you selected By Percentage, use the arrows to choose a percentage. 9. Click OK to close the printer settings window. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
& See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the d button to extend this dialog. 3. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then make suitable settings. Note: Depending on your application, you may not be able to select some of the items in this dialog.
Page 80
4. Select Paper Handling from the pop-up menu. 5. Select the Scale to fit paper size. 6. Make sure that the appropriate size is displayed in Destination Paper Size. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 81
7. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 8. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. & See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
4. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 5. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, then make the Copies & Pages settings. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 83
6. Select Paper Handling from the pop-up menu. 7. Select Scale to fit paper size as the Destination Paper Size. 8. Select the appropriate paper size from the pop-up menu. 9. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 10. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings.
After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job. Pages Per Sheet Printing Pages Per Sheet printing allows you to print two or four pages on single sheets of paper. Printer Settings for Windows 1. Access the printer settings. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 85
& See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 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 ❏...
Page 86
Some settings may be unavailable, depending on the Orientation setting on the Main window. 9. Click OK to close the printer settings window. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
& See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the d button to extend this dialog. 3. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, and then make suitable settings. Note: Depending on your application, you may not be able to select some of the items in this dialog.
Page 88
4. Select Layout from the pop-up menu. 5. Select from the following settings: Pages per Prints multiple pages of your document on a single piece of paper. Sheet You can choose from 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, or 16. Layout Allows you to specify the order in which the pages will be printed on Direction the sheet of paper.
& See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job. Printer Settings for Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4 1. Access the Page Setup dialog. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 90
4. Access the Print dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 5. Select the printer you are using as the Printer setting, then make the Copies & Pages settings. Printing with Special Layout Options...
Page 91
6. Select Layout from the pop-up menu. 7. Select from the following settings: Pages per Prints multiple pages of your document on a single piece of paper. Sheet You can choose from 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, or 16. Layout Allows you to specify the order in which the pages will be printed on Direction the sheet of paper.
8. Select Print Settings from the pop-up menu. 9. Make the settings that you want to use to print. See online help for details of Print Settings. & See “Selecting the Correct Paper Type or Media Type” on page 29. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
Printer Settings 1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Click the Main tab, then select one of the following Quality Option settings: ❏ Draft for rough drafts with reduced print quality ❏...
Page 94
& 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 and select Multi-Page, then select Poster Printing. Click the up or down arrow to select 2x1, 2x2, 3x3, or 4x4.
Page 95
8. Click Settings to adjust the way your poster will be printed. The Poster Settings window opens. 9. Make the following settings: Print Cutting Prints guide lines for cutting. Guides Overlapping Slightly overlaps the panels and prints alignment markers so that the Alignment panels can be aligned more precisely.
How to Make a Poster from Your Printouts Here is an example of how to make a poster with 2x2 selected under Poster Printing and Overlapping Alignment Marks selected as the Print Cutting Guides. 1. Cut off the margin of Sheet 1 along a vertical line through the center of the top and bottom cross marks: 2.
4. Align the edges of the paper using the alignment markers and tape them together from the back: 5. Repeat the instructions from step 1 to step 4 to tape Sheets 3 and 4 together. 6. Repeat the instructions from step 1 to step 4 to tape the top and bottom edges of the paper: 7.
Printing the Watermark 1. Access the printer settings. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Windows” on page 14. 2. Click the Main tab, then select one of the following Quality Option settings: ❏ Draft for rough drafts with reduced print quality ❏...
Page 99
6. Select Portrait (tall) or Landscape (wide) to change the orientation of your printout. 7. Click the Page Layout tab, choose the desired watermark from the Watermark list, then click Settings. If you want to create your own watermark, see the following instructions. &...
9. Click OK to return to the Page Layout window. 10. Click OK to close the printer settings window. After completing the steps above, print one test copy and examine the results before printing an entire job.
Page 101
1. Click Add/Del under Watermark on the Page Layout window. The following window appears. 2. Do one of the following: ❏ To use an image file as a watermark, select BMP. Click Browse to locate the bitmap file you want to use, then click Open. Type a name for your watermark in the Name text box, then click Save.
Page 102
4. Click Settings. The following window appears: 5. Make sure that the appropriate watermark is selected in the Watermark list, then select Color, Position, Density, Size, Font, Style, and Angle settings. (For details, see the online help.) Your settings are reflected in the preview window. 6.
Using the Control Panel Introduction You can use the printer’s control panel to access a variety of menus that allow you to check the status of consumable products, print status sheets, and make printer settings. This section describes how to use the control panel.
For B-500DN Users The control panel of the printer consists of 7 buttons, 3 lights, and a liquid crystal display (LCD). Buttons and Lights The table below describes the functions of the buttons on the control panel. Button Description Turns the printer on or off.
Page 105
Feeds the paper when paper feed failed. OK button The table below describes the meanings of the lights on the control panel. The lights let you know the status of the printer and the type of an error when it occurs. Light Description The installed ink cartridge is expended.
The installed ink cartridge is nearly expended. The installed ink cartridge is expended. The ink cartridge is not installed. The installed ink cartridges cannot be used with the printer. Description The icon gives a rough estimate of the remaining capacity of the maintenance box.
OK button to execute the function for the item. After execution, the printer returns to the previous menu. 8. Press the + Cancel button. The printer returns to the Ready status. Control Panel Menu List This section describes the parameter for each item in the menu.
Page 108
Printer Setting Menu This menu allows you to configure the basic printer setting. Language You can select the language displayed on the LCD screen from the following list: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese. Test Print Menu This menu allows you to make settings related to test print.
IP address, Subnet mask, Default gateway You can set the IP address, Subnet Mask, and Default Gateway to the printer. To change the parameter, press the l Left or r Right button to move cursor and the u Up or d Down button to change number.
The printer is processing data. Ready The printer is ready to print. Power save The printer is in the power save mode. Power off The printer is shutting down. The table below contains error messages, a brief description of each message and suggestions for correcting the problem.
Page 111
The duplex unit is removed. Duplex unit jam Paper is jammed in duplex unit. remove paper Turn off the printer and make sure paper is not jammed. & See “The Paper Jams” on page 165. If the error still does not clear, contact Epson.
5. Press the OK button to start printing a status sheet. After printing is finished, the printer returns to the Test print menu. For B-300 Users The control panel of the printer consists of 3 buttons and 7 lights. Using the Control Panel...
P Power button is pressed while holding down the ) Paper/Cancel button. The table below describes the functions of the lights on the control panel. The lights let you know the status of the printer and the type of an error when it occurs. Using the Control Panel...
The cartridge lever is in the unlocked position. Flashing: The maintenance box is nearing the end of its service life. No paper is loaded in the paper source. The printer loads more than one sheet of paper at a time. Paper status light Flashing: (orange) Paper is jammed.
Page 115
The printer is ready to print. The printer is starting. The printer is printing. The printer is cleaning the print head. The printer is charging the ink. The print job is canceled. The table below contains the lights showing the errors, a brief description and suggestions for correcting the problem.
Page 116
Paper jam The paper is jammed. Paper size error The paper size set in the printer driver and the size of loaded paper differ. Duplex unit error The duplex unit is not installed. Replace the maintenance box.
Page 117
Printer error, restart printer A printer error has occurred Service required (Lights flash alternately) Parts inside the printer are at the end of their service life. Nozzle maintenance required Print head nozzles are clogged or misaligned. Unknown printer error An unknown printer error has occurred.
1. Make sure that letter/A4 size paper is loaded in the front paper cassette. 2. Turn off the printer. 3. Turn on the printer while holding down the H Ink button. The printer prints the status sheet. Using the Control Panel...
Installing the Optional Duplex Unit Follow the steps below to install the duplex unit. 1. Turn off the printer. 2. Press the hooks on both sides of the upper rear printer cover, and then remove the upper rear printer cover. Installing Options...
Note: The removed upper rear printer cover should be retained since it will be necessary if you remove the duplex unit. 3. Insert the bottom side of the duplex unit first, and then attach the duplex unit. Uninstalling the Optional Duplex Unit Follow the steps below to uninstall the duplex unit.
Page 121
2. Remove the duplex unit by pulling it while holding down the buttons on both sides of the duplex unit. 3. Attach the upper rear printer cover. Installing Options...
To check the ink cartridge status, do one of the following: ❏ Double-click the printer shortcut icon on your Windows taskbar. To add a shortcut icon to the taskbar, refer to the following section.
Page 123
A graphic displays the ink cartridge status. Note: If any of the ink cartridges installed in the printer is broken, incompatible with the printer model, or improperly installed, EPSON Status Monitor 3 will not display an accurate calculation of the ink cartridge status.
Page 124
Note: To display the progress meter automatically, click the Maintenance tab in the printer driver window, click Speed & Progress, and then select the Show Progress Meter check box. Replacing Consumables...
Page 125
You can check the ink cartridge status using EPSON StatusMonitor. Follow the steps below. 1. Access the EPSON Printer Utility3 dialog. & See “Accessing the Printer Driver for Mac OS X” on page 15. 2. Click the EPSON StatusMonitor button. The EPSON StatusMonitor appears. 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 this first set of cartridges is used for charging the printer.
Page 127
❏ 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.
To replace the ink cartridge, follow the steps below. 1. Open the cartridge cover. 2. Move the cartridge lever to the unlocked position. 3. Remove the expended ink cartridge. Note: Hold the printer with your hand when you remove the ink cartridge. Replacing Consumables...
Page 129
4. Remove the new ink cartridge from the package. Caution: ❏ Do not touch the green IC chip on the side of the cartridge. This can damage the ink cartridge. ❏ Always install an ink cartridge immediately after removing the old cartridge. If the cartridge is not installed promptly, the print head may dry out and be unable to print.
Page 130
6. Hold the ink cartridge with the arrow mark facing up and pointing to the rear of the printer, and then insert it into the slot. Note: Hold the printer with your hand when you install the ink cartridge. Caution: Do not remove and reinsert cartridges more often than necessary. Doing so can compromise the needle valve seal and allow air to enter the ink tubes, causing nozzle loss.
1. Make sure that READY appears on the LCD screen, and then press the r Right button. MENU appears on the LCD screen. 2. Press the d Down or u Up button to select PRINTER STATUS, and then press the OK or r Right button.
Page 132
To check the maintenance box status, do one of the following: ❏ Double-click the printer shortcut icon on your Windows taskbar. To add a shortcut icon to the taskbar, refer to the following section.
Page 133
A graphic displays the maintenance box status. Note: ❏ The printer ships with a new maintenance box, even though the service life indicator does not show 100% when the printer is new. EPSON Status Monitor 3 and the printer’s control panel will indicate when the maintenance box needs to be replaced.
❏ If the maintenance box installed in the printer is broken, incompatible with the printer model, or improperly installed, EPSON StatusMonitor will not display an accurate status of the maintenance box.
❏ Epson recommends the use of genuine Epson maintenance boxes. The use of a non-genuine maintenance box may cause damage that is not covered by Epson’s warranties, and under certain circumstances, may cause erratic printer behavior. Epson cannot guarantee the quality or reliability of non-genuine maintenance boxes.
Page 136
Note: ❏ Do not tilt the maintenance box when you remove it. ❏ Hold the maintenance box with both hands when you handle it. 5. Put the used maintenance box into the plastic bag, and then seal the bag. Note: The plastic bag is provided with the new maintenance box.
Note: The printer checks the print head on a regular basis to keep it clean and make sure you receive premium print quality. If print head nozzles are clogged, the printer automatically cleans the print head.
OK button to clean the print head. Using the Printer Buttons (B-300) Follow the steps below to check the print head nozzles using the printer buttons. 1. Make sure that no lights are indicating errors. 2. Turn off the printer.
You can clean the print head from your computer using the Head Cleaning utility in the printer driver or from the printer by using the control panel or buttons. Maintaining Your 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.
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.
& See “Checking the Print Head Nozzles” on page 137. 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.
Refer to the appropriate section below. Note: Do not press the + Cancel button (B-500DN) or the ) Paper/Cancel button (B-300) to cancel printing while printing a test pattern with the Print Head Alignment utility. Using the Print Head Alignment Utility for Windows Follow the steps below to align the print head using the Print Head Alignment utility.
#1 through #4. 8. Press the OK button to register your selection. Cleaning Your Printer To keep your printer operating at its best, clean it thoroughly several times a year. Warning: Be careful not to touch the parts inside the printer.
You can clean the inside of your printer using the control panel. Caution: Do not wipe the inside of the printer, or small pieces of lint may build up inside the printer. Using the Control Panel (B-500DN) Follow the steps below to clean the inside of the printer using the control panel.
Otherwise, ink may leak inside the printer. 1. Plug in the printer and turn it on. Wait until the print head returns to the home position. 2. Press the P Power button to turn off the printer, then unplug its power cord.
Leave the ink cartridges and maintenance box installed to prevent the ink from leaking. 6. Close the output tray and paper support. Note: You may need to clean the print head the first time you use the printer after storing it for a long period of time. Maintaining Your Printer...
Setting Up Your Computers to Use the Printer Make sure you have connected the printer to your network as described on the Start Here sheet. Then follow the steps below for every computer on the network that will print to the B-500DN.
Page 149
4. Click the Install button and follow the on-screen instructions. Note: If the Windows Security Alert window appears, click the Unblock button; otherwise the printer will not be listed on the screen of EpsonNet EasyInstall. Using the Printer on a Network...
Page 150
6. If you see the following screen, select Automatic. If you need to set the IP address manually, select Manual and enter the IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway. Then click Next. Follow the instructions on the screen to install the printer driver. Using the Printer on a Network...
Page 151
7. When you see the following screen, enter a different name for the printer if you want. If you want to print a test page, select the Print test page check box. Click Next. Note: If the Windows Security Alert window appears, click the Unblock button.
Page 152
10. Click Exit and skip to step 12. Or, if you need to manage your network, click Back to return to the Easy Install screen. 11. Select Install Network Utility. Using the Printer on a Network...
Setting Up the Printer as a Shared Printer for Windows (B-300/B-500DN) These instructions tell you how to set up your printer so users on the network can share it. First you will set up the printer as a shared printer on the computer directly connected to it with a USB cable.
❏ You must log on to Windows 2000 as a user with administrative privileges (belonging to the Administrators group) to install software. ❏ When you use your printer as a shared printer on a network with the following combinations of computers, the client operating systems are not able to communicate with the printer, so that some functions are not available for that particular 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.
Page 156
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.
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.
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.
& See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17. ❏ If the test page does not print, you may have a problem with your printer. Try the suggestions in the following section. & See “The Printer Does Not Print” on page 177.
& See “Uninstalling the Printer Software” on page 17. ❏ If the test page does not print, you may have a problem with your printer. Try the suggestions in the following section. & See “The Printer Does Not Print” on page 177.
Refer to the appropriate section below. Tips Tips for getting the most out of your Epson printer driver appear in the text box of the progress meter window. A new tip appears every 15 seconds. For more details on the tip displayed in the window, click the Details button.
EPSON Status Monitor 3 displays detailed information on the printer status. There are two ways to access EPSON Status Monitor 3: ❏ Double-click the printer shortcut icon on the Windows taskbar. If the printer icon does not appear, refer to the following section to add the icon.
Page 163
❏ Open the printer driver, click the Maintenance tab, then click the Status Monitor 3 button. When you access EPSON Status Monitor 3, the following window appears: EPSON Status Monitor 3 provides the following information: ❏ Ink Status: EPSON Status Monitor 3 provides a graphic display of the ink status. To see detailed information about the ink cartridges, click the Information button.
Online Support in the EPSON Status Monitor 3 window. For Mac OS X Using EPSON StatusMonitor If EPSON StatusMonitor detects a printer problem, it will inform you with an error message. Follow these steps to access EPSON StatusMonitor. 1. Access the EPSON Printer Utility3.
For B-300 users Press the ) Paper/Cancel button to eject the jammed paper. 2. If the error does not clear, turn off the printer and remove all of the paper inside, including any torn pieces. Refer to the appropriate section below.
Page 166
In the rear sheet feeder: Gently pull out the jammed paper upward. In the front paper cassette: Close the output tray and pull out the front paper cassette. Then gently pull out the jammed paper forward. Note: ❏ If you cannot pull out the front paper cassette, pull out the output tray first and remove all paper that is loaded in the front paper cassette.
Page 167
❏ After you remove the jammed paper and insert the front paper cassette, reinsert the output tray into the printer. In the back of the printer: Remove the duplex unit (B-500DN) or the upper rear printer cover (B-300) and open the lower rear printer cover. Then gently pull out the jammed paper. Troubleshooting...
Page 168
Reload the paper and press the ) Paper/Cancel button to resume printing. 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.
❏ 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.
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 “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.
❏ 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 “Loading Paper” on page 22. Inverted Image ❏ Clear the Mirror Image check box in the settings from your printer driver, or turn off the Mirror Image setting in your application. For Windows, confirm the settings in the Page Layout window.
& See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-500DN Users)” on page 158. & See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-300 Users)” on page 159. Printed Side is Smeared or Scuffed ❏ If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it or curl it slightly in the opposite direction.
❏ This printer checks the print head on a regular basis to keep the print head clean and to ensure you receive premium print quality. If the print head nozzles are clogged, the printer automatically cleans the print head.
❏ Fan the edges of the stack to separate the sheets, then reload the paper. ❏ If too many copies of a file are being printed, confirm the Copies setting in your printer driver as follows, and also confirm in your application.
Press any button (except the P Power button) to return the control panel to its previous state. ❏ Make sure the USB cable is securely connected to the printer and to your computer and check that the USB cable is not damaged or badly crimped.
Page 178
& See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-500DN Users)” on page 158. & See “Running a Printer Operation Check (for B-300 Users)” on page 159. If the check page prints correctly, make sure the printer driver and your application are installed correctly.
Increasing the Print Speed (for Windows only) You can increase print speed by selecting certain settings in the Speed & Progress window. Click the Speed & Progress button on your printer driver’s Maintenance window. Troubleshooting...
The following dialog box appears. The table below lists the factors affecting print speed. Print speed High Speed Copies Always spool RAW datatype Page Rendering Mode Print as Bitmap For more details on each item, see the online help. Other Problems Print Head Cleaning Does Not Start ❏...
❏ Make sure that sufficient ink remains for printing. If the ink cartridge is expended, replace the cartridge. & See “Replacing an Ink Cartridge” on page 128. Color Ink is Consumed Even When Printing in Black Ink Only Not only the black ink but also the color ink is consumed during the following operations: print head cleaning and self-cleaning.
Appendix A Where To Get Help Epson Technical Support Visit Epson’s support website for the Epson B-500DN or B-300 for solutions to common problems. You can download drivers and documentation, get FAQs and troubleshooting advice, or e-mail Epson with your questions.
Appendix B Product Information Printer Parts B-500DN Front View a. Edge guide: Holds your paper straight in the rear sheet feeder. Move it to the edge of your paper. b. Rear sheet feeder: Feeds paper for printing. c. Paper support: Supports the paper loaded in the rear sheet feeder.
Front printer cover: Covers the printing mechanism. Open only when the paper jams. e. Print Head: Prints ink on your paper. f. Control panel: Use the buttons and monitor the LCD screen and lights to control your printer. & See “Using the Control Panel” on page 103.
Rear printer cover: Covers the printing mechanism. Open only when the paper jams. f. Air vents: Eject heated air from the printer. B-300 Front View a. Edge guide: Holds your paper straight in the rear sheet feeder. Move it to the edge of your paper.
Page 186
Control panel: Use the buttons and monitor the lights to control your printer. & See “Using the Control Panel” on page 103. g. Maintenance box cover: Covers the maintenance box. Open only when replacing the maintenance box. h. Output tray: Holds the ejected paper.
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Double-sided Epson Presentation Paper Matte Epson Photo Quality Self-adhesive Sheets Note: The availability of paper varies by location. Ink Cartridges You can use the following ink cartridges with this printer: Ink cartridge Part numbers B-500DN Standard capacity Black...
Maintenance Box You can use the following maintenance box with the B-300 and B500DN: 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.
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...
Weight 64 g/m² to 90 g/m² (for plain bond paper) Envelopes: Envelope #10 4 1/8 × 9 1/2 in. Size Paper types Plain bond paper Weight 75 g/m² to 100 g/m² Printable Area Diagonal lines show printable area. Single sheets: Envelopes: Product Information...
❏ 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.
Input frequency range Rated current Power Printing consumption Ready mode Sleep mode Power off Note: Check the label on the back of the printer for its voltage. B-300 Input voltage range Rated frequency range Input frequency range Rated current Power Printing consumption...
Environmental Temperature Operation: 50 to 95 °F (10 to 35 °C) Storage: –4 to 104 °F (–20 to 40 °C) 1 month at 104 °F (40 °C) Humidity Operation: 20 to 80% RH Storage: Without condensation Standards and Approvals U.S. model: Safety UL60950-1 CAN/CSA-C22.2 No.
Options Legal size paper support Duplex unit (B-300 only) 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.
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.
Operating System Versions In this manual, the following abbreviations are used. Windows refers to Windows Vista, XP, Server 2003, and 2000. ❏ Windows Vista refers to Windows Vista Home Basic Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, Windows Vista Business Edition, Windows Vista Enterprise Edition, and Windows Vista Ultimate Edition.
Page 198
Cleaning printer, 144 print head, 139 Color problems, 171 Contacting Epson, 182 Control panel buttons and lights (B-300), 113 buttons and lights (B-500DN), 104 icons (B-500DN), 106 lights (B-300), 114 location, 184, 186 menu list (B-500DN), 107 message (B-500DN), 110...
Page 199
Mac OS X accessing printer settings, 15 checking printer status, 164 status monitor, 164 Maintenance box checking status (B-300), 132 checking status (B-500DN), 131 checking status in Mac OS X, 133 checking status in Windows, 132 cover, 184, 186 part number, 188...
Page 201
194 Speed, increasing, 174, 179 Status Monitor Mac OS X, 164 Windows, 162 Status sheet B-300, 118 B-500DN, 112 System requirements, 188 Technical support, 182 Text Mac OS X 10.3 or 10.4, 35 Mac OS X 10.5, 33...