CUPS does not downgrade PS version if printer/PPD requires it about cups HOT 1 CLOSED

CUPS.org User: mike

You are confusing the DSC version number (the PS-Adobe-3.0) and the language level (which, if present, is supplied in the LanguageLevel comment). The DSC version number has nothing to do with the PostScript language level, and DSC 3.0 does in fact support Level 1 PostScript in addition to Level 2 and Level 3.

As for "Type 3" fonts, they are supported by all PostScript printers.

More than likely you are just running into a PS interpreter bug in the HP 4000 (there are several in the TrueType font support, along with a handful of other esoteric problems).

To "fix" the problem, use the PCL driver included with CUPS (laserjet.ppd) or try Till's foomatic driver for the 4000 - it uses Ghostscript to provide "optimized" PostScript for the printer which may work better for you... There is also a PCL 6 driver which will provide you with 1200 DPI support (the CUPS PCL 5 driver is limited to 600 DPI due to PCL 5's limit of 600 DPI...)

from cups.