Epson Artisan 810 AIO Install Procedure?

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Level 4

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Epson Artisan 810 AIO Install Procedure?

What's the recommended way of installing the software drivers for the scanner, printer and fax in this AIO? Should I just plug it in and let the Mac recognize it....or install everything from the Epson website? (I realize if I just plug it in, I"ll still need to install the PrintCD application from the CD or website).

Also...if I elect to d/l and install the software from Epson's website, will Software Update spot a newer version if one's available in the future...or does that only work if I let the Mac OS recognize the AIO and install the drivers itself?

Getting a new Artisan 810 tomorrow and am wondering about the best install method.

Thanks

3.06GHz Alum iMac; iPod 80GB Classic; Epson RX680 AIO; iPhone 3Gs 32GB, Mac OS X (10.6.2), 4GB RAM

Posted on Jan 15, 2010 6:29 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 15, 2010 7:20 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

Mike Osborn wrote:
What's the recommended way of installing the software drivers for the scanner, printer and fax in this AIO? Should I just plug it in and let the Mac recognize it....or install everything from the Epson website? (I realize if I just plug it in, I"ll still need to install the PrintCD application from the CD or website).

Also...if I elect to d/l and install the software from Epson's website, will Software Update spot a newer version if one's available in the future...or does that only work if I let the Mac OS recognize the AIO and install the drivers itself?

I just bought one of those recently for OS X 10.5. The printer should come with an installation disc. I'd use it. Once the installation is complete, check version numbers and see if there's anything newer on Epson's Web site. If so, download and install it.

Side note: Epson software seems to be happiest if older versions are uninstalled first. So if you have a newer installer, try running it in "uninstall" mode first, then in "install" mode.

A WARNING about those installers on the disc that comes with the printer: I'd had a number of Epson printers over the years, and that installer was far weirder than any Epson installer I'd used in the past. Once launched, it seemed to launch multiple sub-installers as fast as it could. After struggling with it, I discovered that the best way to deal with it is to only authenticate one instance of the installer at a time. Once you've entered your administrative password to start an installation, do NOT do that again until the first installer seems to have finished all activity.

The oddest thing about the multiple installer situation is that it became almost impossible to enter my password in the authentication window. I'd click in the password field and that window would almost immediately lose focus. If I were fast, I could click in the password field and then enter one character of the password. Eventually I was able to enter the entire password.

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Answer 2

babowa

Level 9

78,568 points

Jan 15, 2010 8:52 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

I just installed this printer less than a month ago. The installation disk with my Artisan 810 included a note that it should not be used if you are running SL (10.6); instead, go to the Epson download site and download their latest package here:

http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?BV_UseBVCookie=yes&oid= 132634&prodoid=63084664&infoType=Downloads&platform=Macintosh

You want to download the second one (Drivers and Utilities Combo Package, Epson 13615) - assuming you will be connecting the printer via hardwire. Then follow their setup directions using your downloaded .dmg instead of the install disk.
I had also downloaded the package for the Network, but never needed it - instead, I turned on my printer and went to Setup -> Network Settings -> Confirm Network Settings before connecting it to my router and noted the printers IP (MAC) address. I entered it on the router's website; as soon as the router reset itself, it recognized the printer and my Macbook was able to print without installing anything (after turning on Sharing).

As for Software Update, I got one notification that an update was available after doing the initial install - I clicked ok and it took care of it; there was no apparent change to anything.

Hope this helps.

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Answer 3

Jan 16, 2010 4:12 AM in response to MacMikeInOK

Just to add more information, I had other Epson devices already installed and I found the installer as downloaded from the Epson site caused havoc.

I ended up removing all of my Epson drivers, plugged in the 810, used the Printer and Fax System preference to install the new printer, and let the installer go out and find the drivers from Apple.

I eventually had to reinstall my software for my other Epson scanner.

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Answer 4

MacMikeInOK Author

Level 4

3,722 points

Jan 17, 2010 7:18 AM in response to babowa

Thanks for all the advice, folks.

Yesterday I picked up my new Artisan 810 at Office Depot...I just couldn't resist getting it for a sale price of $179.00 minus a $50 printer exchange...net price of $129.00.

I decided to download the software from Epson...everything seems to work. I was able to set the Wi-Fi settings very easily thru the printer's front panel "wizard". (Prints from my iPhone using Epson's iPhone app...pretty cool).

I'm not done evaluating the printer yet, though....I was trying to figure out why some photos had a purple line thru them....printed quite a few, and some had the lines, some didn't. Finally decided to clean the print heads, and this took care of the problem.

I'm not sure yet about the quality of the paper feed in this unit. While having the secondary photo try directly above the main cassette is nice...it also seems to get in the way of properly feeding paper from the main tray. Sometimes the paper feeds fine...sometimes it gets a bit "crunched" before exiting the printer. I noticed that, when trying to print the last 8x10 photo paper (set atop the regular paper in the cassette) it would consistently (3 times in a row) pick up a piece of regular paper in addition to the photo paper. Other observations about the paper feed....(1) First time a tried the duplex feature it jammed the paper very firmly...took a while to remove it. Removing the duplexer and reinstalling it seems to have fixed this issue...(2) Loading the main paper cassette seems odd...there doesn't seem to be any clear demarcation when the paper is set against the rear of the cassette.

Other things I've noticed....there are more printer settings with this unit than my RX-680 it replaced. I haven't decided yet how to set things for good quality photos with Epson glossy photo paper. Still playing around with the Color Matching settings between Epson Color Controls and Colorsync. I noticed that with Colorsync there are profiles for just about every Epson photo paper. Still not sure yet how these Color Matching settings interract with the Color Management settings in the printer driver....I guess I'll figure it out in time.

I like the ADF feature...didn't have that in my old AIO.

Again...thanks for all the advice, folks!

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Answer 5

babowa

Level 9

78,568 points

Jan 17, 2010 11:41 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

Glad to hear of your purchase; as for the jams, I wonder if you are as precise with the edge guides as one needs to be when inserting paper. I've not had a problem at all - I followed their instructions precisely, especially because I thought that tray is such cheap plastic construction. I also carefully hold the top (photo tray) in place while pushing the tray back in and slide out the two edge guides before inserting the paper. Once the paper is in place, I slide the guides back to the edge of the paper.

As far as the rear of the cassette is concerned, I think there is no clear demarcation because the rear edge guide is supposed to be moved to the paper edge (and that depends on the size of the paper). That might explain why a regular size paper was being moved through along with your 8x10 photo paper. I'd take out the regular paper, insert the 8x10 and move the rear edge guide to the rear edge of the 8x10 paper.

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Answer 6

MacMikeInOK Author

Level 4

3,722 points

Jan 18, 2010 7:39 PM in response to babowa

Barbara,

Thanks for the tip about the edge guides...I'm not sure I was as careful as I should have been when inserting paper. I'll try it again, being careful with the guides, when I'm back home on Friday (am travelling this week).

It's good to know 20lb paper should work fine with this printer...I would have hated to switch paper stock, as I have 2 reams left of 20lb.

Mike

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Answer 7

Jan 18, 2010 8:08 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

The last Apple system update supports the Epson Artisan 810 AIO.
Plug it in and let the Mac find and install it,

oops, kinda late on the info.
Sorry you had to d/l for naught.

Message was edited by: Donald Palmer

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Answer 8

MacMikeInOK Author

Level 4

3,722 points

Jan 18, 2010 8:12 PM in response to Donald Palmer

No problem with the late advice. Oddly enough, after I'd downloaded and installed the s/w from the Epson site...the next day there was a Software Update available for it from Apple, which I downloaded and installed. Not sure what, if anything, got changed, though.

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Answer 9

babowa

Level 9

78,568 points

Jan 18, 2010 8:38 PM in response to MacMikeInOK

The very same thing happened to me and I didn't notice any changes after the download either...

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