Epson 50 - Artisan 50 - Printer User manual

Artisan 50 Series
Quick Guide
Basic Printing
Maintaining Your Printer
Solving Problems
TM

2Contents
Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Loading Paper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Using Special Papers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
Basic Printing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Printing in Windows . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Printing With a Macintosh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Selecting the Correct Paper Type . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Printing on CDs and DVDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Maintaining Your Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Checking the Print Head Nozzles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Cleaning the Print Head . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Checking the Ink Cartridge Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Replacing Ink Cartridges . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Solving Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Checking for Software Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Error Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Problems and Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Where To Get Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Notices. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Epson America, Inc. Limited Warranty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Introduction 3
Introduction
After you have set up your printer as described on the Start Here sheet, turn here
to:
■Load paper
■Get the basic steps for printing from your computer
■Print true BorderFree®frame-ready prints on select papers
■Print on ink jet-printable CDs and DVDs
■Perform routine maintenance
■Solve simple problems
For additional instructions, see the on-screen Epson Information Center by double-
clicking the icon for it on your desktop.
Please follow these guidelines as you read your printer instructions:
Warning:
Warnings must be followed carefully to avoid bodily injury.
Caution:
Cautions must be observed to avoid damage to your equipment.
Note:
Notes contain important information about your printer.
Tip:
Tips contain hints for better printing.

4Loading Paper
Loading Paper
You can print on a variety of paper types and sizes. For details, see page 6.
1. Open the paper support, then pull up the extension.
2. Open the front cover and pull out the tray extensions.
3. Slide the edge guide to the left.

Loading Paper 5
4. Insert paper, glossy or printable side up, short edge first, against the right side
and beneath the tab. (Load letterhead or pre-printed paper top edge first.)
You can load up to 120 sheets of letter-size plain paper or 20 sheets of photo
paper.
Note:
The type of paper you choose affects the way your printout looks. If you are just
printing text or a rough draft, plain paper is fine. However, for the best results, you’ll
want to use one of Epson’s special ink jet papers designed for your printer. See the
next section for more information.
5. Slide the edge guide against the paper, but not too tightly.
Note:
For instructions on loading envelopes, see your on-screen Epson Information Center.
Always load paper short edge
first, even for landscape printing.
Letter-size or 8 × 10-inch paper 4 × 6 or 5×7-inchpaper
Letter-size or 8 × 10-inch paper 4 × 6 or 5×7-inchpaper

6Loading Paper
Using Special Papers
Epson offers a wide array of high quality papers, making it easy to maximize the
impact of your photos, presentations, and creative projects.
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper at Epson Supplies CentralSM at
www.epson.com/ink3 (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales). You can
also purchase supplies from an Epson authorized reseller. To find the nearest one,
call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766) or visit Epson’s website.
Paper type Size
Part
number
Sheet
count
Epson Bright White Paper Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041586 500
Epson Photo Paper Glossy 4 × 6 in. S041809
S042038
50
100
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041141
S041649
S041271
20
50
100
Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy Borderless 4 × 6 in. S041808
S041727
40
100
Borderless 5 × 7 in. S041464 20
Borderless 8 × 10 in. S041465 20
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S042183
S041667
25
50
Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy Borderless 4 × 6 in. S042174 100
Borderless 5 × 7 in. S041945 20
Borderless 8 × 10 in. S041946 20
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S042182
S042175
25
50
Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss Borderless 4 × 6 in. S041982 40
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041331 20
Epson Presentation Paper Matte Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041062 100
Legal (8.5 × 14 in.) S041067 100
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte Borderless 8 × 10 in. S041467 50
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041257
S042180
50
100
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Double-sided
Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041568 50
Epson Photo Quality Self-adhesive Sheets A4 (8.3 × 11.7 in.) S041106 10
Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer Paper Letter (8.5 × 11 in.) S041153 10

Basic Printing 7
Basic Printing
This section describes the basic steps for printing a photo or document stored on
your Windows®or Macintosh®computer, and printing directly on an ink jet-
printable CD or DVD. For detailed instructions on printing, see the on-screen
Epson Information Center.
Before you start, make sure you’ve installed your printer software and connected
the printer to your computer as described on the Start Here sheet.
Tip:
It’s a good idea to check for updates to your printer software (see page 24 for
instructions).
Printing in Windows
1. Open a photo or document in an application.
2. Open the File menu and select Print. You see a window like this one:
3. Make sure EPSON Artisan 50 Series is selected, then click the Preferences
or Properties button.
Click here to open
your printer software
Select your printer

8Basic Printing
(If you see a Setup, Printer, or Options button, click it. Then click
Preferences or Properties on the next screen.)
4. On the Main tab, select the basic print settings. Make sure you choose the
correct paper Type setting for the paper you are using (see page 13 for
details).
Tip:
For quick access to the most common settings, click the Shortcuts tab and select
one of the presets. You can create your own presets by clicking the Save Settings
button on the Advanced tab. For details, see your on-screen Epson Information
Center
5. To improve the color, contrast, and sharpness of photos, select Fix Photo.
This feature automatically analyzes your photos and adjusts them if necessary.
6. To reduce or remove red-eye effects in photos, select Fix Red-Eye.
7. To print more quietly on plain paper, select Quiet Mode.
8. If you want to reduce or enlarge your printout, or print double-sided, click the
Page Layout tab and select settings as necessary.
9. For more printing options, click the Advanced tab.
Select your
document
Orientation
Select your
paper Size
Select your
paper Type
Click here for
borderless photos
Select the type of document you’re printing
(choose Photo or Best Photo for pictures)

Printing With a Macintosh 9
Note:
For more information about print settings, click Help or see your on-screen Epson
Information Center
10. Click OK to save your settings.
11. Click OK or Print to start printing. This window appears and shows the
progress of your print job.
Printing With a Macintosh
See one of the sections below for your Mac OS®operating system.
Mac OS X 10.5
1. Open a photo or document in an application.
2. Open the File menu and select Print.
3. Select EPSON Artisan 50 as the Printer setting.
4. Click dto expand the Print window, if necessary.
Cancel
printing
Check ink
cartridge status
Click to expand

10 Basic Printing
5. Select the basic page setup options. For borderless photos, choose a Paper
Size setting with a Sheet Feeder - Borderless option.
Note:
If the setting you want isn’t shown (for example, Scale), check for it in your
application before printing. Or check for it in the settings for your application at the
bottom of this window. (If you’re printing from Preview, you see the settings shown
below.)
6. Choose Print Settings from the pop-up menu, then select the following
settings that appear on the bottom of the screen:
7. Choose any other printing options you may need from the pop-up menu. See
the on-screen Epson Information Center for details.
Tip:
To automatically adjust the color, contrast, and sharpness of photos, choose Color
Management from the pop-up menu and select Fix Photo. To reduce or remove
red-eye effects in photos, choose Extension Settings from the pop-up menu and
select Fix Red-Eye.
Page setup
options
Pop-up menu
Select your paper type
(see page 13)
Select higher quality or
faster printing (if available)
Select Color or
Black/Grayscale output
Choose Print Settings

Printing With a Macintosh 11
8. Click Print.
9. To monitor your print job, click the printer icon in the dock. Select your print
job, then select an option to cancel, pause, or resume printing, if necessary.
Mac OS X 10.3 to 10.4
1. Open a photo or document in an application.
2. Select Page Setup from the File menu. Select the following settings:
For borderless printing, choose a Sheet Feeder - Borderless option in the
Paper Size list for your paper size.
3. Click OK to close the Page Setup window.
Cancel
printing
Select the
print job
Pause or resume printing
Select your printer
Select your Paper Size
Select your document
or image orientation

12 Basic Printing
4. Select Print from the File menu. You see a window like this one:
5. Choose Print Settings from the pop-up menu and select the following
settings as necessary:
Note:
In certain programs, you may need to select Advanced before you can select Print
Settings. For more information about printer settings, click the ?button.
6. Click the Advanced button to change additional settings.
7. Choose any other printing options you may need from the pop-up menu. See
your on-screen Epson Information Center for details.
8. Click Print.
Select Print Settings
Select your printer
Select your paper
type (see page 13)
Select Color or
Black/Grayscale
Select higher quality
or faster printing
(if available)
Select
Automatic mode

Selecting the Correct Paper Type 13
9. To monitor the progress of your print job, click the printer icon in the dock.
Selecting the Correct Paper Type
Select the correct Type (see page 8) or Media Type (see page 10 or page 12)
setting in your printer software. This tells the printer what kind of paper you’re
using, so the ink coverage can be adjusted accordingly.
For this paper Select this setting
Plain paper
Epson Bright White Paper
Plain Paper/Bright White Paper
Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy Ultra Premium Photo Paper Glossy
Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy Premium Photo Paper Glossy
Epson Photo Paper Glossy Photo Paper Glossy
Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss Premium Photo Paper Semi-Gloss
Epson Presentation Paper Matte Presentation Paper Matte
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Epson Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Double-sided
Epson Photo Quality Self-adhesive Sheets
Epson Iron-on Cool Peel Transfer Paper
Premium Presentation Paper Matte
Envelopes Envelope
Cancel
printing
Select the
print job
Pause or resume printing

14 Basic Printing
Printing on CDs and DVDs
Your printer includes a special tray that lets you print customized text, graphics,
and photos directly on an ink jet-printable CD or DVD. The Epson Print CD
software makes it easy to import your own photos, add text, and modify your
designs with a variety of special effects. For detailed instructions on printing, see
the on-screen Epson Information Center.
To prevent errors, make sure the data, music, or video is burned on your CD/
DVD before you print.
1. Turn on the printer, then open the front cover.
2. Lift the front tray up with both hands, then pull it out of the paper position
(lower notches).

Printing on CDs and DVDs 15
3. Place the front tray in the CD/DVD position (upper notches).
4. Place the disc on the CD/DVD tray with the white or printable side face-up.
Make sure the disc lies flat in the tray.
5. Gently insert the CD/DVD tray along the base of the front tray until the
arrows on the CD/DVD tray and the front tray are aligned. Make sure both
sides of the CD/DVD tray slide into the brackets on the front tray.
6. To design and print with Epson Print CD, follow the detailed instructions in
in the on-screen Epson Information Center.
Caution:
Be sure to place the front tray in the paper (lower) position when you’re done
printing on CDs and DVDs.
8-cm CD/DVD
12-cm CD/DVD
CD/DVD
adapter
Align
the
arrows

16 Maintaining Your Printer
Maintaining Your Printer
Follow the instructions in this chapter for checking and cleaning the print head
nozzles and replacing ink cartridges. To align the print head, if necessary, see your
on-screen Epson Information Center.
Checking the Print Head Nozzles
If your printouts are faint or have gaps in them, some of the nozzles in the print
head may be clogged. Follow the steps below to check the print head nozzles.
1. Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.
2. Windows:
Right-click the printer icon in the bottom right corner of your screen (the
taskbar) and select Nozzle Check.
Macintosh:
Open the Applications folder, open EPSON Printer Utility3, select your
printer (if necessary), and click OK. Then select Nozzle Check.
3. Click Print.

Cleaning the Print Head 17
4. Check the nozzle pattern that prints to see if there are gaps in the lines.
5. If there are no gaps, click Finish. If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, clean
the print head as described in the next section.
Cleaning the Print Head
If print quality has declined and the nozzle check pattern indicates clogged
nozzles, you can clean the print head. Print head cleaning uses ink, so clean it only
if necessary.
Note:
You cannot clean the print head if an ink cartridge is expended, and you may not be able
to clean it when a cartridge is low. You must replace the cartridge first (see page 20).
1. Load a few sheets of plain paper in the sheet feeder.
2. Windows:
Right-click the printer icon in the bottom right corner of your screen (the
taskbar) and select Head Cleaning.
Macintosh:
Open the Applications folder, open EPSON Printer Utility3, select your
printer (if necessary), and click OK. Then select Head Cleaning.
Nozzles are clean Nozzles need cleaning

18 Maintaining Your Printer
3. Follow the on-screen instructions to start the cleaning cycle, which lasts
around one minute.
The Ppower light flashes throughout the cleaning cycle and stays on green
when the cycle is finished.
Caution:
Never turn off the printer during a cleaning cycle or you may damage it.
4. When the Ppower light stops flashing and remains on, you can check to see
if the nozzles are clean. Click Print Nozzle Check Pattern and click Print.
5. Check the nozzle pattern that prints to see if there are gaps in the lines.
6. If there are no gaps, click Finish.
If there are gaps or the pattern is faint, click Clean to clean the print head
again.
Note:
If you don’t see any improvement after cleaning the print head four times, turn off your
printer and wait at least six hours to let any dried ink soften. Then try cleaning the print
head again. If quality does not improve, one of the ink cartridges may need to be
replaced. If that doesn’t help, contact Epson as described on page 28.
If you do not use your printer often, it is a good idea to print a few pages at least once a
month to maintain good print quality.
Checking the Ink Cartridge Status
When the Hink light starts flashing, a cartridge is low on ink. You can continue
printing until a cartridge needs replacement. When the Hink light stays on, you
need to replace a cartridge.
Note:
You cannot print when an ink cartridge is expended even if the other cartridges are not
expended. Replace any expended cartridges before printing.
A window will appear on your computer screen when you try to print when ink is
low. This window can optionally display ink offers and other updates retrieved
from an Epson website.
Note:
To disable checking for ink offers or updates from Epson, see the instructions in your on-
screen Epson Information Center.

Checking the Ink Cartridge Status 19
Tip:
If a cartridge is more than six months old, print quality may decline. If necessary, try
cleaning the print head (see page 17). If printouts still do not look their best, you may
need to replace the cartridge.
You can purchase genuine Epson ink and paper at Epson Supplies Central at
www.epson.com/ink3 (U.S. sales) or www.epson.ca (Canadian sales). You can
also purchase supplies from an Epson authorized reseller. To find the nearest one,
call 800-GO-EPSON (800-463-7766).
Use the following list when you order or purchase new ink cartridges:
Note:
The 78 Standard-capacity ink cartridges and the 77 High-capacity color multipack are
available online and from Epson authorized resellers. The 77 High-capacity individual ink
cartridges are available only online.
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 priming the printer.
Yields vary considerably based on images printed, print settings, paper type, frequency
of use, and temperature. For print quality, a small amount of ink remains in the cartridge
after the “replace cartridge” indicator comes on.
For best printing results, use up a cartridge within six months of opening the package
and before the expiration date on the cartridge box.
Store ink cartridges in a cool, dark place. If cartridges have been exposed to cold
temperatures, allow them to warm up to room temperature for at least 3 hours before
using them.
Ink color High-capacity Standard-capacity
Black 77 78
Cyan 77 78
Magenta 77 78
Yellow 77 78
Light Cyan 77 78
Light Magenta 77 78

20 Maintaining Your Printer
Replacing Ink Cartridges
Make sure you have a new ink cartridge before you begin. You must install new
cartridges immediately after removing the old ones.
Caution:
Do not open ink cartridge packages until you are ready to install the ink. Cartridges are
vacuum packed to maintain reliability.
Note:
Leave the expended cartridge installed until you have obtained a replacement, or the ink
remaining in the print head nozzles may dry out.
1. Turn on the printer.
2. Open the printer cover.
3. Press the Hink button.
If you are replacing a low or expended cartridge, the print head moves to the
_position to indicate which cartridge is low or expended.
If you are replacing a cartridge before it is low or expended, the print head
moves directly to the ink cartridge replacement position. Skip to step 5.