Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "TerryR" <terryr1028@h...> 
wrote:
> Martin,
> 
> My hope is that through the efforts of Paul, Dan, and the many 
others 
> that I have not mentioned from this list, that these alternative 
inks 
> will gain popularity and thus increase the market to the point that 
> the manufacturers are willing to invest the time and money to offer 
> these curves. 

Terry,

I believe that you are right on this. I think that we get so intent, 
it is easy to lose sight of just how small the market really is but I 
think there is a growing interest.

> I thought of the Piezo B/W but shyed away due to the 
> cost, the banding problems, the tone of the inks, nozzle plugging, 
> etc... 

I started with Piezo but was never really happy with the color, 
strictly a matter of personal taste, and I could never quite 
eliminate the microscopic banding on my 1200. However I have seen 
Piezo prints that were flawless.
> 
> The Piezo system is the way to go for someone looking at getting 
into 
> this, but you do pay for it, both in the cost of the inks, as well 
as 
> the software, and as Henry said (with a little modification on my 
> part) "Any tone you want as long as it is warm".

The current "buy in" with a refurbished 1200 from Epson and CIS is 
about $1,000. I hate to send people off hunting for 1160's anymore. 
When Piezo comes out for the 1280 that will be the way to go but I 
bet the total cost with the printer will be $1,200 to $1,300.

Even my 1280, CIS and MIS VM setup cost me $850. 
> 
> My thinking when I first came across the curves and inks that Paul 
> helped develop was "at this price, I wouldn't be out much if it 
> didn't work" - that is when I took the plunge. I am no expert, but 
> felt confident that I could apply some curves and print. I am now 
> glad that I did.

My feelings are the same. Yesterday I worked out a simple adjustment 
curve to take my files that were adjusted to print with Piezo to 
apply when I want to print them with the Neutral MIS VM curve. Now I 
would really like to develop my knowledge and skills to be able to do 
my own ink/paper profiles. I think that this may be necessary given 
the printer-to-printer variations in the 1270-90 family you discussed 
elsewhere.
> 
> Maybe at this point it would help to think of yourself as one of 
the 
> great pioneers that will help make it possible for the masses <g> 
> after all, you are the co list owner that has already helped get 
much 
> of this info out there!

Well one of the motivations to get this list going was to get 
information for myself and boy has it worked! I may just be suffering 
from information over load at this point, which is making it 
difficult to settle into a workflow and start turning out prints.

Martin

> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., mwesley250@e... wrote:
> > Terry,
> > 
> > I am afraid you are right. It is a "we sell the materials and it 
is 
> > up to you to figure out how to use them" approach. There is 
nothing 
> > wrong with that if honestly communicated and given the size of 
the 
> > market even understandable.
> > 
> > It sort of comes down to the old chicken or the egg. They don't 
> > support the software end because the market is too small and the 
> > market does indeed stay small. It seems like there are a lot of 
> > questions about how to get started in quad printing from people 
who 
> > have very little knowledge in the area and, as Mark Tucker said 
in 
> an 
> > earlier post, they are likely to buy something assuming there is 
> some 
> > support when there isn't. When this occurs it is bad for everyone.
> > 
> > Hopefully as the market and interest does grow someone will take 
an 
> > interest in the software side and customize an existing profiling 
> > package specifically for quad inks.
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > Martin
> > 
(snip)