Printing PDF containing png graphic results in bad text quality (pixelized)

[FreeMinded]

When printing a PDF containing a graphic in png format the print quality of that text is badly reduced. I realized this issue when I got a new color printer (Brother DCP-9045CDN). Text is printed badly pixelized looking like 150dpi (without hinting). Printing the same text containing a jpg (or without) graphic instead of a png does not show this problem and text is printed just fine.
Printing the original document (incl png) directly from OpenOffice or printing the PDF with png from Windows with Acrobat Reader or OSX with preview works fine as well

Not a printer or driver issue
After some more investigation I realized that the problem also appears on other printers (tested with Brother HL-5250 and HP LaserJet 1210). Much less pronounced thought and therefore I haven't realized it before. Directly comparing the print out quality of PDF with png vs. one with jpg shows a slightly reduced text quality.

Screen rendering is fine in both cases, even when zooming in.

Is it not the application, its deeper in the stack
I used Okular to print the PDF but I also tested XPDF which shows the same behaviour. Using Acrobat Reader it prints "fine" but with a lower over all quality (looks like the document is turned into a picture before being sent to the printer).
Without being a specialist I assume that the problem is the PDF processing (poppler?) before its sent to the printer (Acrobat seems to use something different there).

I can provide example documents if required as well as print out examples.

[FreeMinded (pascal-planetmages)]

BTW: this problem appears on Kubuntu 10.04 and 10.10

[Fabio Marconi (fabiomarconi)]

Assign to poppler just to involve somone much expert

[arakelov (nabadvin)]

I can confirm this also happens on Ubuntu (gnome) 10.10 on PDF files containing text with another PDF graphic embedded (generated with pdflatex).

[FreeMinded (pascal-planetmages)]

Thanks for confirming. I hope we get some movement in this bug. I'm not expert enough to point out the probleme more precisely.

[madbiologist (me-again)]

Is this still occurring on Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal"?

[FreeMinded (pascal-planetmages)]

Hi madbiologist

I can confirm that it is still happening in Ubuntu 11.04 "Natty Narwhal".
And I would be happy to provide you with more information or examples to help.

[madbiologist (me-again)]

Thanks. Please attach a PDF containing a graphic in PNG format that prints poorly and another PDF containing a graphic in JPG that prints well. If you can also attach scanned images of both printouts that would be great.

[FreeMinded (pascal-planetmages)]

Example files are attached now. Please note that the print results vary depending of the printer used. The example attached is from a Brother DCP-9045CDN. On other printers the pixelation is less pronouced (see description above).

Thanks in advance for looking into the issue.

[FreeMinded (pascal-planetmages)]

I have updated one of my PC to Kubuntu 11.10 and this problem is still persistent.

[Tom Mittelstaedt (1358-s)]

This is still persistent in 16.10 using a Kyocera network printer (that is PostScript and PDF capable).

however if the png-pdf is printed using lpr everything is fine.