Brother HL-1440 laser printer

[Protagonist]

I installed the latest V1.4 beta on a system and can't get the Brother HL-1440 printer working properly. Anyone manage to do it? It is attached via the USB port and it is listed in the database when I install the driver. It gives a one line error message that I do not recall. I will have to check it out when I get back to the computer. During the setup it gives four choices and shows one as recommended. (Something about foomatic). If I choose one that mentions the HP laserjet it will print, but the printout looks like about 1/4 of the normal test page blown up to fit the entire page.

Funny thing is, the HL-5250DN Brother that I have hooked to my network on this system works flawlessly. So far the guy has been unable to find the driver disk for the printer so I can't try installing it by using the PPD file from there.

Bill

[Oko]

I do NOT use that printer and but I will try to help you.
Since I know that you are very serious user I suggest the following.
Forget about KDE GUI for printers built in in PC-BSD (I think that they had some troubles in 1.3 version that might have been fixed).
go to http://localhost:631 and use the honest CUPS manager.
On the third page they will ask you to select PPD either from the disk or to download from the net.

You select to download form the net. That is the absolutely the same PPD
as for Linux and you can find it on Linux printing http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

and I know for the fact that you can get PPD from them

http://openprinting.org/show_printer.cg ... er-HL-1440

Now I also know that Brother printers and Canon really suck in open source so people were complaining a lot. The PPD I am suggesting is not
the guarantee that the printer will work. Not with Brother and Canon at least.
Recently Brother and Canon have released binary drivers for their printers
You have to go to web site and check. You can access it via Linux Printing web site. I remember going to their web site but noting more than that as my printers of choice are HP which are supported by HPLIP.
I think they had FreeBSD version or the Linux version can be used on FreeBSD. I honestly do not remember.

That should fix your troubles with printer.

You may also try line printer old fashion Berkley way(I do not know if it is disabled on PC-BSD as I am not using it. If I guess it will be yes as one needs to disable line printer to use CUPS)

If your printer has postscript filter you can try to print with

lp filename.ps > /dev/(node of your printer ugen0 or something like that
you have to read dmesg)

Using line printer is well documented in FreeBSD handbook. There is a chapter about it.

I seriously doubt that your printer has postscript filter since some of today printers even do not have a chipset as the printing is fully controlled by the software which requires Windows as you know. That what makes them impossible to use in the open source period.

Fomantic is filter (or a system) which enables you to print things that are not in ASCII code.
Normally line printers if you remember where just printing ASCII text.

[Protagonist]

I do NOT use that printer and but I will try to help you.
Since I know that you are very serious user I suggest the following.
Forget about KDE GUI for printers built in in PC-BSD (I think that they had some troubles in 1.3 version that might have been fixed).
go to http://localhost:631 and use the honest CUPS manager.
On the third page they will ask you to select PPD either from the disk or to download from the net.

Thanks for the advice. i will give it a try when I get back over to the system and let you know how it works out. I will say I have had very good luck with my Brother HL-5250DN printer which is hooked right to my router. That one installs just fine using the KDE GUI.

Anyway, that will give me something to try. I had completely forgotten about installing that way. Forgive me, I spent too many years running Windows :-)

Bill

[Protagonist]

You select to download form the net. That is the absolutely the same PPD
as for Linux and you can find it on Linux printing http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

Well, it is a no go on the printer. I get pretty much the same results no matter how I add the printer. I am going to worry about it later as I have more pressing problems with the installation. Unfortunately the on-board video is an Intel 910GL chipset and the only spare card I have is an ATI FireGL V3100 and both are not too well supported. I can make them both work but not as they should. I may see if I can pick up a cheap nVidia card. Either that or wait a couple of months and hope something comes of ATI opening up their software a bit. Anyway, thanks for the help.

Bill

[Oko]

Originally Posted by Oko

You select to download form the net. That is the absolutely the same PPD as for Linux and you can find it on Linux printing http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

Well, it is a no go on the printer. I get pretty much the same results no matter how I add the printer. I am going to worry about it later as I have more pressing problems with the installation. Unfortunately the on-board video is an Intel 910GL chipset and the only spare card I have is an ATI FireGL V3100 and both are not too well supported. I can make them both work but not as they should. I may see if I can pick up a cheap nVidia card. Either that or wait a couple of months and hope something comes of ATI opening up their software a bit. Anyway, thanks for the help.

Bill

Did you try manufacturer binary drivers from Brother web site?
http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/index.html

I just glanced the web page and it looks like there is PPD script that came with the CD when you bought your printer. I know that you lost it but maybe you can download the same PPD from the Brother web site.

There is also a forum on Linux printing for Brother printers. You may post a question there people would know more than me

http://forums.openprinting.org/list.php?24

They are really bitch in the open source. I agree.

Sorry to hear about troubles.

You are right, video card is bigger issue and ATI cards are no go for FreeBSD (not yet) for most part. Did you try with the newest XOrg7.3 they have new video drivers. I rebuilt my user-land in last couple a days and works as charm. The XOrg 7.3 will probably be included next week into the snap shot of PC-BSD or you may try upgrading by yourself.
Do you know how to use portupgrade utility?

I am surprised to hear that that Intel on-board video chipset is not supported. I have 945G and works like a charm. That XOrg upgrade I am suggesting might help with 910GL as well.

Post a question on this forum about the graphics card as most kids know million times more than me about them (damn gamers!)
but send also a question to questions@freebsd.org

We have to get you of those initial problems.

Take care
Freddie

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Originally Posted by Oko You select to download form the net. That is the absolutely the same PPD as for Linux and you can find it on Linux printing http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting Did you try manufacturer binary drivers from Brother web site? http://solutions.brother.com/linux/en_us/index.html I just glanced the web page and it looks like there is PPD script that came with the CD when you bought your printer. I know that you lost it but maybe you can download the same PPD from the Brother web site. There is also a forum on Linux printing for Brother printers. You may post a question there people would know more than me http://forums.openprinting.org/list.php?24 They are really bitch in the open source. I agree. Sorry to hear about troubles. You are right, video card is bigger issue and ATI cards are no go for FreeBSD (not yet) for most part. Did you try with the newest XOrg7.3 they have new video drivers. I rebuilt my user-land in last couple a days and works as charm. The XOrg 7.3 will probably be included next week into the snap shot of PC-BSD or you may try upgrading by yourself. Do you know how to use portupgrade utility? I am surprised to hear that that Intel on-board video chipset is not supported. I have 945G and works like a charm. That XOrg upgrade I am suggesting might help with 910GL as well. Post a question on this forum about the graphics card as most kids know million times more than me about them (damn gamers!) but send also a question to questions@freebsd.org We have to get you of those initial problems. Take care Freddie

I have the ATI card working using the VESA driver which is fine for now because gaming and special effects are not really needed at this point. And yes, I know how to use ports. If I can get the printer up and running we may have a convert to PC-BSD from the Windows world. The guy is totally fed up with Windows. I appreciate all the advice on this matter and will be getting back to the system to try out a few more suggestions. It is really strange because I DL'd the PPD file from Brother's site and it does not work. My Brother networked printer works just fine.