Friday, June 1, 2001 Paper sensor problems If you have trouble getting photo-quality printing when using photo paper, the printer's paper-type sensor may be to blame.

If you have trouble getting photo-quality printing when using photo paper, the printer's paper-type sensor may be to blame. This detection is not always a perfect process--the sensor nearly always reads "plain paper" when it shouldn't. For instance, it will misread paper that is marked, scratched, or wrinkled; paper that has letterhead or markings at the top; and paper that is dark (or that contains metallic fillaments). Photo printers will print in lower quality (or "draft mode") for plain paper, because they cannot handle the resolution and ink quantity that is needed for a real photo-quality image. If you're using plain paper, don't expect photo quality. If you're using photo paper, however, and the printer is incorrectly detecting it as plain paper, make sure that the photo paper is fresh, clean, and bright. If the problem continues, leave the paper sensor disabled and manually select the paper type.

Formerly part of Computer Currents, Stephen J. Bigelow's Computer Advisor column has been resurrected on computeruser.com as a daily tech tip column. Find Stephen at www.dlspubs.com.