Digital BW, The Print

I have a 3-K version, similar to the 1800 3-MK, running on my 1400 now.  This approach takes care of much of the black only microbanding, which does show up in smooth areas.  Still, however, the 1400 edge banding and the inevitable increased graininess of black only cannot be solved with only the OEM inks.  

The WorkForce printers with the dilute dyes (user mixed -- see http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/1100-Dye.pdf) make much smoother cards with no microbanding even at the edges -- easy and near perfect for less money, but more work mixing.

At any rate the 1400 3-K setup is another option that allows un-altered OEM inks to produce the B&W, with fewer artifacts than just the single black only approach.  The 1400 3K approach also allows full 3D controls -- LM, LC, and Y can be in the printer.  Most of the cards that I make don't show the artifacts.  However, those with very smooth sky areas, particularly at the leading edge where the paper transport is less than perfect, do show the typical 1400 edge problem.

Note that non-card type prints with 1" borders are looking good with the BO and very good with the 3K setup.  Aside from the borders, only the most sensitive images will show significant artifacts, aside from the courser grain one has to expect with no dilute inks.

This 1400 BO effort is not to make the ultimate dye printer, but rather to whet the appetite of enough people to get Epson or some other company in the ink business to make the inks.  (I'm really not in that business, even though I've supplied some to others.)  Once you see your B&W cards and snapshots on metallic paper with dyes, you'll want one of these setups.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com