I’ve just purchased a Canon Pixma printer G3670.
This printer was recommended in the Feb issue of Choice.
Got it working fine, except I couldn’t do double-sided printing.
Scoured the net for advice for hours - tried everything twice (short of magical incantations and prayer).
I then wrote to Canon. To their credit a quick reply came.
Not to my liking though: duplex NOT compatible with MAC - only Windows.
I think Choice needs to add an extra column in its tests - ‘Mac compatible’? And I mean totally compatible. I would not have bought it had I known.
I should say, to be fair, it does print well, as the review surmises. Pity about the forests…
It is however possible, while a bit more fiddly, to still duplex print.
print the even pages in reverse order (if the OS version allows you to do this - otherwise manually sort pages in reverse),
load these pages into the printer the right way around to print on the other side and then,
print the odd pages.
Do a test print such as parking one side at the top of the paper before printing to work out how to reload the paper for duplexing. Our own printer doesn’t duplex and this is our workaround to allow us to save paper and duplex print when required.
The above should be able to be done simply if the Canon website is correct and you have OS X 10.3 and later:
This might not be a Canon issue. Nowadays, it is the drivers on the device you are sending the print request from that are the issue as they determine what the printer prints. Windows these days often have Microsoft reworked drivers they obtain from the manufacturers in the first place but are “tuned” or “tweaked” by Microsoft to meet their code signing requirements.
As the printer certainly supports duplex printing, then the issue appears to reside in the Apple product/products driver coding. Those Apple Canon print drivers may not have been coded to support duplex printing, in fact this is the most likely reason. Canon cannot make Apple code for duplex printing if it is available on a Canon printer, and as part of the very tied down Apple software universe the drivers may have been only given more basic ability tasks. So until Apple provide or allow the support for duplex printing on Canon printers, then to use a Canon printer requires a workaround.
Some of these print things are in the set up panel when you go to print as to how you choose double siding but if Canon said no thats a bit of a let down.
I found: Double-Sided Printing
Click on the File tab.
Click Print.
Select your Canon from the printer drop down menu.
The printer model doesn’t have two sided printing within the printer, it is a printer that only prints on one side for paper going through the printer. The printer isn’t a true duplex printer where the paper goes in blank and comes out the other side with printing on two sides.
To print double sided, the printer performs the steps as outlined in my previous post, that being it will initially print odd pages in reverse order. Then odd pages are printed, it will wait until one then turns the printed pages over and then places in the paper tray ready for even page printing on the other side. When ready, button is then pushed to commence printing on the second side.
The print double sided process is automated, rather than manually selecting settings as outlined above to achieve the same result.
Joey77,
Interesting. I have used MAC for over 20 years and for a long time have only used Canon as they are the most compatible printers for MAC.
I currently have a Canon Pixma TS9160. which certainly does double sided printing. In my case the printer and Mac talk to each other through our internet router and not directly through either WiFi or ethernet cable.
Whether it just doesn’t work with the G3570, I don 't know.
