Colour JPG image converted to PCL, can send to monochrome PCL laser?

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Oso
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Joined: 2019-08-13T10:36:49-07:00
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Colour JPG image converted to PCL, can send to monochrome PCL laser?

Post by Oso »

I'm creating a PCL output file by converting a colour JPG image — image is at https://ibb.co/QHGZMKb.

convert bears.jpg -compress none bears.pcl
or
convert bears.jpg bears.pcl

As a test, prior to printing it, I'm using a tool WinPCLtoPDF (based on GhostPCL) to check the output. It's perfect and creates a colour PDF, presumably indicating that the PCL output is valid.

I then copy the raw PCL output file directly to my MONOCHROME Brother PCL-compatible laser MFC-7860, it appears as a solid black box, with some white streaks - clearly the printer doesn't like it. Example is at https://ibb.co/qYZpx0N

Is this because the colour output is throwing the monochrome PCL-compatible printer? Does the printer need to specifically support PCL5C, rather than just PCL5?
Oso
Posts: 5
Joined: 2019-08-13T10:36:49-07:00
Authentication code: 1152

Re: Colour JPG image converted to PCL, can send to monochrome PCL laser?

Post by Oso »

Just an update to this, in the event it might help others.

We've found that sending the PCL containing ImageMagick's colour conversion from JPG to PCL in fact works perfectly on a mono Brother MFC-L2750DW.

It doesn't work on a Brother MFC-7860DW. Both models' specifications say they support only PCL6. They don't mention PCL5/PCL5C. But it appears to me that the former printer most likely supports PCL5C, despite the specification.
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