I have Postershop 4.5 running on NT4.0 SP3. I am printing to a RGI Arizona via SCSI, and to an Encad Nova jet Pro50 via Parallel. Every so often (about 1 print in 10) the image Bar Codes, which is one horizontal row of dots gets repeated down the remainder of the print. Reprocessing the file in P/S4.5 when reprinting the image will make the image print correctly. Any ideas on how to get the image to print correctly the first time its printed?

-- Anonymous, July 27, 1999

Answers

re:Barcoding

When my NT/Postershop/HP3500 was doing this, it was caused by data loss to the printer. I first started experiencing it when I upgraded my ethernet network to 100 base T, and I thought it was a conflict with the new ethernet card, and tried several different cards. It turned out to be a conflict with the sound card, and since removing it, I have not had any more problems. Something in your setup is causing the data stream to the printer to be interupted.

-- Anonymous, July 28, 1999

We are currently having a similar problem printing out to an Encad 42e on a Pentium III with Dual 550 processors. We have also found that ripping the file again will fix the problem. We print through an Intel Netport over 100 BaseT. Our previous computer was a Pentium II and it had no problems. We initially thought it was a data stream problem as mentioned by Rich but Scott in Tech support has advised us that there is a conflict problem with PentiumIII processors that can also cause this problem. Engineering is currently working on a fix. We are going to install two Pentium II 400 processors (you can get them dirt cheap) to see if it fixes the problem.

-- Anonymous, September 10, 1999

An update to our barcoding problem. We have determined that we were sending data down the scsi chain faster than the hard drives could handle. We are using four Seagate Barracudas so there isn't anything much faster. As well there was a definate conflict between our external scsi devices and the internal drives. Our solution was to slow the scsi down on our Asus board in the Bios from 80 to 40 milleseconds and we have installed a separate card for the external devices. One other item of interest is that Asus strongly reccomends an active terminator at the last hard drive instead of using the switch provided on the drive itself. All our problems are gone and the whole system seems to be running smoother - or maybe it is just my jangled nerves that have returned to normal.

-- Anonymous, October 01, 1999

I have had huge time and money problems with barcoding on an HP3000 with Postershop 4.5. Switched computers - same problem. Switched cables - same problem. Worked with HP tech support - not the HP. I have 6 rolls of 10 mil poly that printed 2, 3 and 6' out of a 7 foot graphic only to barcode and loose my inks materials time and patience. Attached is a recent response from Onyx tech support on the issue of barcoding. If anyone has a diffinitive answer to the barcoding problem it needs to be posted loud and long so that no one else has to fight this costly nerve racking problem alone.

Keep in touch! Larry

Dan is no longer with the company. I am replying with all the information we have regarding this. We think that the processor and SCSI controllers are writing faster than the drive can receive the data and that is what causes the bar coding. The problem has also been associated with internal or external cache on the motherboard, which can be tested by enabling or disablin the cache from the motherboard BIOS. This "bar code problem" is NOT printer specific. To my knowledge, bar coding has appeared (at random) on Encads, HPs, ColorSpans, PP5000s and Arizonas. The issue is not the SCSI connection or the printer. We have seen this also seen this on Dual Pentium-III 550 CPU's ASUS P2B-S Mainboard with Intel 100Mhz 440GX AGP Chip set Onboard Adaptec AIC-7896 Ultra-2 SCSI Regards

BJ (Bob Jones) Technical Services Manager Onyx Graphics 6915 South High Tech Drive Midvale, Utah 84047 Phone (801) 568 - 9900 Fax (801) 568 - 9911

-- Anonymous, March 12, 2000