HP Color LaserJet 1600 on Linux (clj1600)

I have this printer since october 2006, and I am a totaly beginner with color management. Correct me if I have made mistakes. I am currently far from satisfied of the color rendering, I need to find a good ICM file.

Installation

This printer requires to use the ZjStream protocol. Install the "foo2zjs" package from sources.

You run getweb 1600 to get the ICM files (color correction) and put them in /usr/share/foo2hp/icm

Check that the gs version is 8.54 (mine is 8.53 and my problems may be come from here).

In the magicfilter file, if you use it, in place of gs I personnaly use : /usr/bin/foo2hp2600-wrapper -c -r600x600 -p A4 -u 128x124 -l 128x124

If on some files you have the 'page too complex' printer error, you may try to change the clipping values given by -u and -l.

What's the result?

The text quality is very nice. The ghostscript dithering is visible on pictures, I will make a Floyd-Sternberg filter to correct this drawback. But it will certainly break the color profile (ICM).

There is certainly a problem with my ghostscript installation because the resulting colors are not nice.

ICM profile	Result
hpclj2600n-1.icm	This is the default profile. The pure cyan color is green on paper... The gamma must be corrected with something like {0.333 exp} {0.333 exp} {0.333 exp} {0.333 exp} setcolortransfer as in /usr/share/foo2zjs/gamma.ps file. I add this gamma correction in /usr/bin/foo2hp2600-wrapper but a better way must exists. Some peoples say that colors are perfect with this profile, it is not the case for my system (GS version?).
hpclj2600n-0.icm	The result tint is fine but the color luminance is not good. It's the profile that give the "best" result on my printer.
km2430_2.icm	This profile is clearly not for this printer.
none	Without ICM correction, the black is brown and there is artefacts in the picture.

Links

The HP page on CLJ1600.

Some useful information are given by the linux printing project: hp clj 2600n.

Some information for Evaluating color in printers and ICC profiles

An interesting mail: review: HP 1600

Some links on calibration softwares; These softwares use a calibration target, these targets (IT8.7/2, ...) costs between $40 and some hundreds.

• The lprof application (from littlecms) is needed to make the ICC profile of a scanner/monitor but not a printer... The interactive help of this application is full of informations and good tips.
• Argyll CMS It needs to enter some hundreds of values to calibrate the printer. And the calibration must be redone if ghostcript change its dithering algorithms. The values are acquired with a colorimeter (or a profiled scanner) not visualy.

If you are interested by the calibration process, you can take a look to:

• Color management with Scribus
• http://www.av8n.com/imaging/color-management.htm
• Making fine prints in your digital darkroom
• If you are using 'Gutenprint CUPS' or 'ESP Print Pro drivers' you can run the cups-calibrate utility.

How I am going to calibrate my printer

I will add informations here as my experiments will progress.

• Find a cheap IT8.7/2 calibrating chart
• Use it to calibrate my digital camera (I have not a scanner) with 'lprof' or 'argyll'
• Use 'argyll' and the camera to calibrate the printer. As I am using a camera, the shot must be taken in the same lighting.
• Calibrate the video monitor the same way ?