Color test page. Test of the printer with the built-in CISS Epson L800 from the magazine "Fotomaster. How to print a test page

To check the print quality of printers in our laboratory, a special set of tests was developed, which is used in various combinations, depending on the type and class of the printer.

For testing monochrome and color laser printers, the complex looks like this:

1. Print speed. When required, printer print speed is measured using Xerox Recommended 5% Coverage Sample (PDF Sample -).

A job is sent to the printer from several copies of the above document (to improve accuracy - as a rule, 2N + 1 or 3N + 1 copies, where N is the print speed declared by the manufacturer), then the time of the first print out is subtracted from the result and then the "net" print speed is calculated ...

2. A set of control fonts. The original file in the vector CDR format of the Corel Draw program can be obtained

3. Universal test set of vector elements. Specifically for testing color laser printers in raster gradient modules of each color, 512-step fill is applied. The radial lines are used to check the quality of the combination of yellow (Yellow) and cyan (Cyan) colors for the synthesis of green shades. At the center of the 90-angle star is a 1 pt spiral. The original file in the vector CDR format of the Corel Draw program can be obtained

4. Complex test color table IT8 Reference Target for a comprehensive check of the print quality of bitmap images. The printable TIFF image is hosted

Every user after purchase new technology, seeks to try it out as soon as possible. Of course, this also applies to printers. The only sure way to test the printing device is to print a durable page. This procedure will make sure that all the basic settings of the device have been set correctly, in addition it will be possible to make sure that the color is transmitted in full accordance with the desired result.

In addition to the information listed, printing a test page on an HP printer will help you find out the exact driver version and model you are using. All the information provided may well be useful in case there are any problems or additional questions.

Test Print on an HP Printer

Left-click the "Start" button in the taskbar and select "Control Panel" from the list of services.

Move the mouse cursor over the selected printer and press the right key. The context menu of the printer appears. From the context menu select the command “properties and click on it with the left mouse button.

In the "Properties" menu, open the "General" tab and left-click on the "Test Print" command. If this is the first time the printer is starting up or has not been used for a long time, you will need to wait a few seconds (15 to 30) before printing starts. It just takes the printer driver time to collect all the information about the system. In the future, the print processing speed will be higher. The test page parameters of any printer are defined by default and absolutely all printer parameters are tested during printing. The test page may differ from model to model.

When printing finishes, evaluate the test page. It should contain graphics, text, samples of absolutely all colors. There should be no distortion or unevenness. If the print was done with an inkjet printer, then there should be no ink drips.

When the printer finishes printing the page, you are prompted to save the print settings. If all the parameters of the test page suit you, you can simply click on the command “save print parameters by default.

How do I print an HP test page without a computer?

To get started, load regular, white paper of the correct size in the input tray.

A test print page for inkjet printers is printed as follows: turn off the device with the button, press the “Sheet” button without releasing it, press the “ON” button, release it, continue to hold the “Sheet” for about 10 seconds.

What problems may arise?

However, sometimes the following problem occurs: The test print page did not print correctly. In this regard, the question arises of what to do in this case and how to print this page? So, if the test page is printed incorrectly, then one of the possible problems is in old or “broken drivers.

To solve it, you need to download and install their updated version. But what if this action did not help and the problem related to the fact that the printer does not print is still relevant? In this case, give “Everyone” full rights for “C: \\ Windows \\ System32 \\ spool \\ PRINTERS, and then delete the required printing device on the“ HKEY_USERS \\ .DEFAULT \\ Printers.

In addition, give a regular user the rights that the administrator has and install a brand new driver under his name. After that, you can revoke the previously granted rights from him. You should also disable UAC. If the actions taken do not help, then you should launch the Process Explorer utility and during printing pay attention to what rights are missing.

It is difficult to focus on an uncalibrated monitor, since the similarity of the print to the monitor screen will be partial.

There are three options for checking a color profile. The first way to print black and white photographs is to be black and white, without color impurities. You need to watch after complete stabilization of the ink and at the source for which the color profile was ordered. The second method is to print photos and compare them with a calibrated monitor. It may be necessary to compare in paper simulation mode. This can be done by Photoshop, Illustrator, Indesign, CorelDraw. The third way is to print our test images and visually analyze their quality. The fact is that sometimes the printed image itself has a color shift, especially when filming indoors. We tried to collect images without obvious color deviations.

There are two blocks of images:

Checking RGB drivers. Printing from Windows with native printer drivers. RGB color profile.
Checking Photolabs (wet print). RGB pictures.

COLORED TEST PICTURES FOR PHOTO LABORATORY CHECK (WET PRINT).

Introduction When drawing up a methodology for testing printers, the main question that arose was whether it should be made separate for different types of devices. Under the general name printers, in reality, devices that are quite different in capabilities and purpose are hidden. An attempt to find and apply a universal cure for all diseases does not always lead to success - the patient may die. Nevertheless, the desire to adhere to some common standards and a unified approach in testing peripheral devices in this category ultimately prevailed, albeit with certain reservations. These are, first of all, restrictions on the types of printers covered by this technique. We deliberately extended its effect only to color inkjet and laser printers, not adapting it for matrix and dye-sublimation printers, due to the specificity and low prevalence of such models on russian market... In principle, this document can be guided in the future when testing monochrome laser printers, excluding from it the clauses governing the determination of the color rendering quality.
The technique we have created concerns mainly two critical characteristics printers, which, of course, are print quality and productivity. Of course, there is also a third indicator - the cost of the product, which worries all users, but it is not within the competence of this technique and is dictated by the seller of the product. We can only subjectively assess the correspondence of the price of the printer to its other characteristics we are considering. In addition, of course, there are other factors that influence the decision to purchase a particular printer.
Before proceeding directly to the testing methodology, let's say a few words about other aspects that we will take into account when considering the next model of the printing device. These are the following parameters:

Specifications;
Printing technology;
Constructive performance;
Software;
Printer complete set.

There is no point in describing the above points in detail - most users who have a slightest degree of dealing with printers understand what is at stake.

Print quality

The "print quality" indicator is generalized. In fact, it is formed as a result of the interaction of several components, which, taken together, make it possible to get an eye-pleasing picture on a paper sheet in the end. The total result will depend on the printing technology, ink, paper, software and some other factors. Naturally, in our case, the task is to control what we get at the output.
One of the main factors that form a quality image is the printer's ability to provide correct color reproduction. Let's make a reservation right away that we are talking about the technical side of this issue, and not about the most beautiful and pleasing image. As a result of its work, the printer must print the image that corresponds to the electronic original as much as possible in three color components (RGB) in each pixel. It will be appropriate to remind here that, of course, the finished color copy is in practice always worse than the original, since it is almost impossible for a printer to accurately reproduce the entire range of colors of the original. In addition, an important element in the operation of any printer is the ability to provide high-quality halftone transmission. In some cases, the inability of the printer to provide uniform color filling in the entire brightness range becomes problematic for this task. Usually the most problematic areas are areas of very light tone. In color printing, black is formed by mixing RGB colors, and the final result is not always satisfactory due to the violation of their correct balance. Another aspect of obtaining a high-quality image on paper is the resolution of the printer, which allows ensuring the correct transfer of the smallest details. Many modern printers have a very high print density declared by manufacturers, which in practice does not always have a direct relationship with the actual physical resolution, and you can find out the true state of affairs only during testing.
Now that we've looked at the challenges that come with trying to get the best print quality, it's time to choose how to concretely implement the challenge ahead.
The resulting prints are assessed subjectively and objectively. The first method is based on the traditional visual method, which makes it possible to identify imperfections visible to the naked eye. The second method is based on a more accurate and impartial assessment of print quality. It consists in the fact that the printed test images are scanned on a reference scanner and converted into digital form. Further, using special software, RGB values \u200b\u200bare taken from special "dies", and the degree of deviation in color characteristics from the original image is determined. In order to account for the degree of error in the results introduced by the scanner itself, it is calibrated using the Kodak branded Q-60 color target before testing.
The above methods for assessing print quality fully apply to color test images. If you use only black ink for printing, the procedure for testing prints is somewhat simplified due to the fact that there is no need to study the color characteristics.

Print speed

Print speed is indicated in the documentation for their printers by all manufacturers. The data shown in the specifications are for different modes of operation and are expressed in the number of pages printed per minute. However, not all so simple. In theory, if there is a unified approach among manufacturing companies in determining the speed for all models, the numbers should turn out to be quite correct, but as you yourself guess, there is no certainty that when determining the print speed all companies use the same reference documents - no ... In order to compare printers from different companies in terms of print speed, it is better to do your own testing. In this case, we use the same templates to determine the performance of all models, regardless of whether they belong to a particular company, and we will be able to make a reasonable comparison between them in this indicator.
To determine the print speed, we will use three pre-prepared electronic layouts printed on A4 sheets. The first of the templates is one page of text. The second layout consists of a combination of text and color graphics. In the first two cases, standard office paper (80 g / m ^ 2) is used for printing. A color test image prepared by us, printed on photo paper, is used as the third layout. best qualityrecommended by the manufacturer. In this case, the print mode is selected with the highest possible density. The time of printing in all cases is fixed from the moment of issuing the Print command to the exit of the sheet into the tray.

Basic tests

The list of basic tests includes those that later make it possible to compare the quality and print speed of any printer model when they perform the most typical functions. For easy comparison of final results, A3 and A4 printers use the same paper size. List of basic tests:

Test for the quality (speed) of color printing (office and photo A4 paper). The TF1 file is used (description of the files used below).
Monochrome print quality test (A4 office paper). TF3 file is used.
Monochrome print speed test (text, A4 office paper). TF4 file is used.
Mixed print speed test (b / w text / color graphics, A4 office paper). TF5 file is used.
Test for the resolution of monochrome printing (A4 office paper). TF2 file is used.
Color print resolution test (A4 photo paper). TF2 file is used.
Test for moisture resistance of ink on paper after drying the print (wet cotton wool).

Additional tests

In addition to the above-mentioned basic tests for print quality and speed, based on the study of the ability of printers to perform their main functions, it is possible to conduct additional tests based on the availability of specific capabilities of specific models. The point is that some printers allow printing on CDs, roll paper, thick media, etc. etc. Additional tests allow you to assess the quality of performance of such functions. The expediency of carrying out additional tests will be decided based on the results of studying the characteristics of the printers that were tested.

Test Procedure Notes

Now about how the testing itself is carried out. Before it starts, the printer heads are calibrated. If some printer models require the installation of an additional cartridge to obtain a photorealistic image, then a similar step is taken. The print mode is performed with the "default" settings, in the absence of any comments in the text. The final test parameters are selected depending on the specific characteristics of the devices in question.

Test template files

TF1 File

In order to determine the ability of printers to efficiently carry out color printing, a special target was created. It presents several color and one black and white artistic image, which serve for subjective quality assessment.
In addition, there is a rectangle on the target with a gradient filling of black from 0 to 100 percent, as well as a seven-color plate with "steps" of varying intensity and known RGB values. With their help, you can objectively assess the degree of correctness of the color rendering of printers.

TF2 File

This test file in PDF format is intended to determine the resolution of printers. The USAF 1951 test image can be used to determine the resolution of the printer. This target has several groups of six elements each. The items in each group are progressively reduced and numbered from one to six. Each element in the group is represented by two triplets of rectangles, located vertically and horizontally. Each new group of elements is smaller in size than the previous one. The nesting level of the groups is large enough to find out the maximum print resolution that the printer is capable of.

TF3 File

A doc-format file intended for determining the quality of monochrome text printing consists of several dozen lines of font of various sizes and styles, which also allows you to determine, to some extent, the maximum resolution.

TF4 File

This template is designed to determine the speed of monochrome text printing. A doc-format file contains one page of text in 10-point Times New Roman font, regular style and single line spacing.

TF5 File

In order to determine the speed of printing mixed documents (monochrome text / color graphics), a file in doc format is used. It contains text in 10-point Times New Roman font, regular style and single line spacing, and two color images (diagrams).

Evaluation of color quality based on objective indicators

When assessing the color quality of the printer, we will to some extent adhere to the principles of the methodological approach described in the article about testing scanners.
The image of the target printed on the printer (TF1 file) digitized after scanning in color mode with the optical resolution of the scanner is used to determine the RGB color components at certain points using special programs, for example, Adobe PhotoShop... For this, the results are taken on all eleven "sites" of different brightness of seven color "lines": Red, Green, Blue, Black, Yellow, Magenta, Cyan.
Further, all the data obtained for each control point from the scanned image is entered into a special table.
Based on the results for all seven colors, an integral factor is determined to accurately reproduce the original colors by the printer. It is calculated as the sum of the difference, taken in absolute value, of the color component (RGB) values \u200b\u200bof each of the control points in the scanned image and the reference file, then divided by seventy-seven.

The smallest value obtained as a result of calculations will be a sign of the most accurate reproduction of the original color palette by the printer from among those who took part in the test. Note that the indicator we offer is suitable only for comparative analysis color quality between models and cannot be an absolute estimate.

Color balance and halftone quality

Based on the measured RGB values \u200b\u200bof a rectangle filled with a gradient fill in black, a graph is built that reflects how well the printer performed this procedure. The x-axis is the distance expressed in points, and the y-axis is the RGB pixel values.

The final picture in the case of close to ideal looks approximately the same as can be observed on the chart. The lines from all three black RGB components merge into a single whole, and the absence of dips and peaks indicates their balance. The desired range for the values \u200b\u200bof the color components (RGB) should be from 0 to 255.

We will consider our methodology as a basic document available for modification and development as it is applied in practice.

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When in inkjet printer low on ink, the user needs to refill the cartridge or purchase a new print cartridge. Some users purchase only original consumables, others prefer compatible inks, but both the former and the latter are interested in obtaining high-quality prints and extending the life of their printing equipment.

Unfortunately, it is impossible to check the quality of ink in the store, so the user has to rely only on the conscientiousness of the manufacturers and personal experience in choise supplies... But at home it is not difficult to test the quality of purchased ink. This requires a printer, quality paper, and, in fact, purchased ink. The essence of testing inkjet ink at home is to print specific test pages or test items and their careful analysis in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of these inks. Test page for checking the quality of inkjet ink can be found on the Internet.

Test page items for testing inkjet ink quality

If you plan to use ink for printing home photos, then the first two elements of the test page will be enough for you, but if you are using ink for professional commercial photo printing, then the test page should contain all the elements listed in the figure above.

An example of a test page with the designation of its main elements is presented below.

Legend:

1, 1a - gradient transition from white to black; 2 - a portrait of a person with a natural skin tone;

3 - image fragments containing light elements on a dark background and vice versa;

4 - dice filled with different colors.

Sample test page with designation of its elements

Considering the resulting test page, you should pay attention not to the exact coincidence of the shades of the obtained image with the original, but to the balance of the selected set of ink. The main criterion here is the gray fill that the inkjet printer generates during printing. The gray color should be pure, without any extraneous shade. If such a shade is present on the print, then the selected ink is far from ideal.

An example of color distortion when printing in gray is shown in the following figure. Here is a comparison of several scans from inkjet ink testing. In testing, we used the same printer, when printing, the same settings were set, printing was done on the same paper.

Ink A

Ink B

Scans from inkjet ink testing

Ink B and IN when printing, they form extraneous shades: on the print B - blue, printed IN - purple. This is especially noticeable in the gray fill of the picture located in the lower right corner. Ink AND demonstrated accurate color reproduction, which indicates their quality and balance.

An extraneous tint can appear both in the entire image and in its individual areas. Excessive pallor of the print, distortion or mixing of colors, insufficient image clarity and low rendering of small details may also indicate poor ink quality. Only the ink for the cartridges can be to blame for the appearance of the listed symptoms. Most likely, the manufacturer did not sufficiently test its ink and released it to the market ahead of time. Pay attention to the drawing of fine details in the darkest and lightest areas of the image. Good printer ink renders fine details better than bad ink. As an example, consider two scans of photographs printed with different inks on the same inkjet printer using the same paper.

Ink A

Ink B

Photos printed using the same photo paper

on the same inkjet printer, but different inks

Ink AND exhibit more realistic color reproduction and render fine image details better. Ink B they do not accurately convey halftones and small details, their colors are not as natural and deep as on the first print. Light halftones in the picture B look flashy, there is no smooth transition between light and dark areas of the image.

If, after receiving insufficient quality test prints, you are already going to the supply store for new ink, stop! Practice shows that you can achieve quite satisfactory print quality by experimenting with the settings in the "printer-ink-paper" system. If you do everything right, you can increase the realism and color of your photos and improve the color rendition of midtones and shades. If you plan to use inkjet ink for professional photo printing, you will have to spend a little more time finding the balance in the printer-ink-paper system. You may need to print more than one test page before you get a satisfactory image. Let's take a picture as an example.

Basic test page

The base test page has a pale yellow tint. The children's faces at the bottom of the test page look faded, and the shades are not vivid and natural enough.

Open the color rendering settings window in the computer and find the halftone curve. Decrease the yellow color in the settings, increase and adjust the brightness and clarity of the image. We print the second test page with the new settings.

Test page after additional customization color rendering

After adjusting the color rendition, the test page looks more natural: the milky-yellow tint has disappeared, the images have become more realistic, distinct, and brighter.

If the color rendering does not give the expected results, then most likely you are using the wrong photo paper for the ink. In this case, you will not get satisfactory print quality without color distortion even with original inks, let alone cheaper compatible inks.

In conclusion, it should be noted that the correct selection of ink for inkjet - the process is quite time consuming and difficult for an ordinary buyer. Therefore, if you are unsure of your knowledge and skills in inkjet printing and printer maintenance, it is best to seek professional advice.

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