Samsung SCX Series Printer Driver

paras_rasmatazz · n00b Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 39

At http://support.samsung.de/modelselect.aspx?modelcode=SCX-4216F&fileType=DR&language= , there is a linux driver for the Samsung SCX Series Multifuntion devices. I tried it and they almost work out of the box, eg. Scanning via sane and Printing via cups. Unfortunateley, the drivers add some kernel modules which seem not to be very compatible (sometimes /etc/init.d/cupsd restart hangs). Is it possible to just get the .ppd file for the specific printer out of the driver package and add it into cups so that the propetiary drivers aren't neccessary ?

yottabit · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 2:39 pm Post subject:

Is this printer a LASER? If so, try CUPS's HP LaserJet II, III, and 4 drivers. Those usually work for 99% of LASERs. (I could be mistaken but I thought PPD were just for PostScript-comaptible printers... if your printer speaks PostScript then by all means use generic PostScript drivers of your choice in CUPS.)

If it's an inkjet, try some low-key Epson or IBM (Lexmark) drivers.

J
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paras_rasmatazz · n00b Joined: 21 Apr 2004 Posts: 39

Yes, it's a laser mfp. I don't know if it's postscript.... How one find out ? Printer manual, or is there a generic way of inquiring the printer via some program ?

yottabit · Posted: Thu Mar 10, 2005 2:49 pm Post subject:

By general rule, if you didn't order it with PostScript, it doesn't have PostScript.

Since PostScript is an Adobe language, they charge a lot for it. Most low-end to middle-end printers don't even have a PostScript option.

(There's always an exception of course, and one exception is HP. Some of their middle-end LaserJets have shipped with a "generic" PostScript support. It isn't actually Adobe's, and doesn't always work as you'd expect, but it's something. I don't know how they get around the licensing issues. But then again we have GNU software can can create PS & PDFs, so....)

(And thinking some more about HP's generic PS... the point of using PS is so printed output looks the same on all devices, whether it's an Epson, a Tektronix/Xerox, an HP, etc. And if the generic PostScript isn't always compliant, that's an issue. But I suppose those that really care have the $$ to buy a printer with "proper" PS from Adobe.)
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mu-sly · Posted: Thu Nov 09, 2006 4:42 pm Post subject: Samsung SCX-4100 under Linux

Please see my posting here which might help clear up this issue, and also the countless problems caused by the older version of Samsung's driver that comes with it's own Qt version (so borks KDELibs and other related compiles).

Update 2007-10-15: This is now obsolete, since Samsung have released their "Unified" driver, which has it's own set of problems - sigh! :roll:

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