The ImageWriter LQ does not recognize unbacked transparency material, due to
its optical paper sensor.
Optical sensors are normally of two types: see-through and reflective. Both
have difficulty detecting transparencies.
- Reflective sensors depend on a certain amount of light being bounced back
to the sensor by reflection from the paper. If that amount is not received,
the sensor believes there is no paper in the printer.
- See-through sensors depend on seeing little or no light through the paper.
Because transparency material passes too much light, the sensor doesn't
detect paper.
Transparency material that has a white backing sheet is available, and can
be used in the ImageWriter LQ or ImageWriter II. The image density isn't
significantly greater on the Imagewriter LQ than on the ImageWriter II, since
the print density on transparency material is very weak no matter what
printer is used -- the surface is generally too smooth to accept much ink
from the ribbon.