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HP laserjet printer software not supported by Mac OS X 7.5

How can I connect my HP color laser jet 1500L printer with my Mac OS X. I am using Lion. HP says it is not supported and there is no software available but I'm sure there is a way, but I am NOT computer savy but desperate to use my printer. I do not want to buy a new computer but would like to be able to use my "new" Craigslist printer. Can someone help me?

Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on Nov 16, 2012 4:57 PM

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5 replies

Nov 16, 2012 7:12 PM in response to spkintx

The way I got my old 1500L to work with Lion was that I also had a laptop with Leopard; I connected the printer to the laptop, which I used as a print server. That worked fine for several months until I gave it to a Windows guy who was sure he could use it. Except it turned out the printer wasn't compatible with the verison of Windows he had (64 bit Windows 7). The printer went to Best Buy for recycling.


Sorry, but good luck.


srb

Nov 17, 2012 8:29 AM in response to spkintx

You could try Gimp-Print drivers

<http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php>


And even if your printer is not specificly listed, if the printer is similar to another HP printer (and many of them are), you may be able to specify a related printer.


Some google searches says it supports the following printer languages: HP PCL 6, HP PCL 5c, PostScript Level 3 Emulation


So try finding a Gimp-Print driver that is related to the 1500 and speaks one of these languages.

If your printer really does Postscript, then it should work with a generic Postscript driver. It may not use every feature, but it should print. And there should be PCL 6 drivers in the mix. HP has been using PCL for years and all of its printers talk PCL. Again an alternate driver may not exercise every feature of the printer, but it should still be able to print something.

Nov 17, 2012 5:33 PM in response to BobHarris

Hi Bob

Thanks so much for trying to help me! I have to admit I only understood about half of what you wrote, but somehow, I think, I'm very close. I downloaded Gutenprint plus about 3 others blindly hoping I was doing the rightbthing. Previously I had manually addedd the printer to my Mac. And with an generic driver was able to see the printer but not printer. ,I had not been able to open HP software until I downloaded the drivers you suggested. The HP printer drivers. Pkg did download now and it is asking me to select Printer software. I have many to choose but not 1500 or any 1500 series. My question is, how do I pick from all of those softwares listed, which one would be the most ompatabile with mine? NThere is at least 30 to choose from. For example HP Color laserJet 5000-CUPs+Gutenprint v5.2.9. Obviously I have no idea what I'm doing. Can you tell me how I fiqure which printer software would be the most compatible with my printer when it is not listed?


Thanks for your help!

Nov 17, 2012 5:40 PM in response to spkintx

I do not know anything about the 1500L printer.


You could use Google to find the specs for some of the drivers listed, and see if any of the features are close to what the 1500L has.


Then just try the driver and see if it works.


If not, try another.

Repeat until it either works, or you are totally frustrated 🙂


Or Maybe someone else reading this thread has a suggestion.

Nov 18, 2012 10:49 AM in response to BobHarris

Hi,

The Color Laserjet 1500 use the Host-based printing language,

As much as I can see only PCL printers are supported by GutenPrint and therefore I doubt any driver will work.


Try the following steps and check if that may work, although using an alternative driver for any Host-Based device may be tricky and will not work for sure.


Download and install this package:

http://support.apple.com/kb/DL907


After installing the package go to Devices and Printers > Print & Scan.

Click the plus sign and select the printer.

Click the Use drop-down and then click Select Printer Software.

Try using any of the models below which use the Host-Based printing language and check if that may work:

  • HP Color LaserJet 2600
  • HP Color LaserJet 3500
  • HP Color LaserJet 3550
  • HP Color LaserJet 3600


Best of luck,

Shlomi

HP laserjet printer software not supported by Mac OS X 7.5

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