Digital BW, The Print

> -----Original Message-----
> From: jimhayes361 [mailto:jimhayes@...]
>
> Yes, I read that link to Phil Askeys DPreview site that the Japenese
> gentlemen wrote (somewhere back a day or two posted on this list), and
>  it was tantalizing. He was saying something about the ink Epson was
> making for the printer being:  Pigment not dye, individully
> changeable (7 discrete carts), and most mysterious, he alluded to
> something like Epson was making optional carts to switch out for the
> black/grey/(?) color carts in some positions, to allow B&W....if I
> interpret his comments right.
> Wonderful if true. I can't believe after all this that Epson marketing
> just had their collective I.Q. raised<g>.
>
> 3rd parties will certainly take advantage of that 7th slot. Wonder if
> Epson will give up on upping the ante on chipping carts, and truely
> follow if you can't beat em join em.

Jim,

I really don't know... and I don't normally like to get caught up in such
speculation - these things get found out a few weeks or months After a
product is released, not before (so often, those pre-release spec sheets say
... subject to change... on them :(

HOWEVER, If Epson are releasing a printer with 7 separate carts, we have to
assume they are following the C80 - every darn cart has a chip model.

Secondly, they will use an 'alternative' 7th cart as an excuse to introduce
a fourth or fifth kind of chip... am I correct in thinking we have chips
that report 'dye ink' (870, 1270, 1280 etc), 'pigment ink' (2000P), dye ink
(810), durabrite ink (C80)<big question mark on this>... and so I would
asume we'll soon have '7th colour yellow durabrite' '7th colour grey
durabrite' chips, and so on.

Perhaps I am being overly cynical. But I still can't quite figure out the
'it's cheaper if you have lots of carts' sales-pitch (supposedly on the
basis of less wasted ink) when the cart-sets cost twice as much as the
previous two we had to buy. Factor in that most business graphics will use
four-colour printers, and use primary-type colours for graphics (thus
balancing out the inks consumed)... and 'photo printers' will mostly be used
for photos... thus balancing out the ink usage, and I simply can't see how
this could be cost effective for the consumer.  BUT... I ain't done the
maths!

Take care, have a nice Sunday everyone!

nij