Printers and MFDs Lesson 003: Printer Drivers and Firmware Part 3

What does XPS stand for?

XML Paper Specification.

What does PDF stand for?

Portable Document Format.

What are the two most common printer file formats?

XPS and PDF.

XML Paper Specification

Microsoft’s PDL.

What format do most printers default to on Windows systems?

Microsoft’s XPS.

What does XPS offer?

A virtual printer option to save files in the <term> format for printing later on.

Portable Document Format

Developed by Adobe to service similar functionality and has been around for decades before XPS came on the market.

What is the caveat with using PDF over XPS on Windows systems?

Using PDF results in larger files.

Firmware

The software embedded in the printer that controls its basic functions.

What are examples of functionalities that printer firmware controls?

Print quality, print speed, and connectivity options.

Where does firmware reside inside of a printer?

Inside of the printer on a chip.

Why is it important to keep firmware up to date?

Not doing so can lead to compatibility issues, degraded performance, or security breaches.

How does one update printer firmware?

By going to the manufacturer’s website, downloading the latest firmware version, and follow the instructions to install it.

What do printers sometimes do regarding firmware updates?

Notify the end-user of available updates and the ability to initiate said updates directly from the printer’s control panel or through a web-based interface.

What is important to ensure while printer firmware is updating?

That the printer remains powered on during said process.

What can happen if a printer firmware update is interrupted?

It can damage a printer and make it unusable.

What is important for printers to use for high quality prints?

PDLs.