Epson PictureMate Pal PM200 Printing with Defects

When you order the Epson PictureMate Pal PM200 to print an image, are the images printing discolored or warped? Use this troubleshooting guide to help diagnose why.

Many of these solutions will require you to perform test prints, so make sure that paper is available for these tests.

If the print has banding, or light lines, then it is possible that the Print Pack may need replacing. This can also be determined by the photo viewer screen, which will notify you of such. If its status is unknown, the Print Pack can be checked while the printer is not printing. Press menu and navigate over to PrintPk Status and hit OK. The status will be displayed as a meter.

On computer, this can be found by double-clicking the printer icon in the Windows taskbar and opening the printer software. Click on the Maintenance tab and then click on EPSON Status Monitor 3. A screen will pop up displaying the Print Pack status.

If the Print Pack is low, consider purchasing a replacement. The PictureMate 200 Series Print Pack contains a new photo cartridge and photo paper. For replacing the Print Pack, check the guide on replacing Ink Cartridges.

If the images are printing with odd coloring, it may be possible that some settings are impacting the quality. It would be wise to check Sepia or Black & White have been enabled. This can be done by entering the menu and navigating over to Color Effect and pressing OK. Then determine the color effect that is wanted instead of the option that it was. The color effect that is selected here will be applied to all photos until a different setting is used in the Color Effect menu. You can also review photos prior to printing through Layout and Print on the Print Preview screen.

The issues may lie in how the paper was handled prior to or post printing. Common causes for photo distortions include not having the glossy side of the paper face up, a damp or curled paper inserted into the loader (the tray where paper is placed), or damaged paper. Additionally, some photos may change color when the ink dries and there may be no issue, simply wait for the ink to dry and check the photo again.

Printed images that have mismatched vertical lines, or dark or light banding may require the print head to be re-aligned. This can commonly occur after moving the printer.

Open up the lid and press menu and navigate over to Maintenance and press OK. Then navigate to Head Alignment and press OK. Press Print and the printer will create a 9 square pattern that is numbered, observe the squares and determine which among them is the best, which one has no number of streaks or lines and is the most even. A tool like a magnifying glass may be used to assist in determining the best pattern. Navigate with the printer menus to highlight the best square's number and press OK. The printer will align the print head and exits the Maintenance menu and will use the number selected as the default setting the next time you go to align the print head.
Alternatively, if the printer is being operated through a computer, the following steps can be taken. First make sure that the printer is connected and turned on, do not print yet. Next, right-click the printer icon on the taskbar (lower right corner of your screen) and select Print Head Alignment. Follow the on-screen instructions and print the alignment pattern, a 9 square print that has different patterns and numbered. Another window will appear instructing you to observe the alignment sheet and enter in the number of the best pattern, which will be determined by the square that has no lines or warps and the most even. A magnifying glass may be needed.

Printed image defects may occur due to the print head, the component that sprays ink onto the paper to "print" it, being dirty and in need of cleaning. The symptoms for this solution are best noticed when the printed image are too light, missing colors, or have unnecessary lines running through the image. Thankfully, there is a way to clean the print heads without needing to dismantle the printer.
Turn on the printer and press the menu button. Navigate the menu and enter Maintenace. Navigate over to Auto Cleaning and press OK. Upon completing the cleaning, the device will print a nozzle check pattern. If the pattern has gaps in its solid lines, then the cleaning needs to be repeated two or three times until the check pattern displays no line breaks. Should the test pattern show no improvement after three cleaning, next steps can include turning the printer off and letting it sit overnight to allow dried ink to soften and then attempt cleaning it again.
Should printing be done through a computer instead of the printer controls, auto cleaning can be selected by going into your computer's Control Panel and selecting Printers and Devices. Right-click on the printer and choose Printing Preferences, enter the Maintenance tab and select Head Cleaning. If done through the computer, you will need to manually order a Header Check, which can be found directly above the Head Cleaning option.

If re-aligning and cleaning Print Head does not solve problem, or Print Head is known to be damaged, replacing the Print Head may be advisable. For replacing the Print Head, the print heads are located in the ink cartridges. Refer to the guide on replacing ink cartridges for this replacement.