Digital BW, The Print

Greetings everyone. I have been following the IP5 discussion.

I use MIS VM with Roark curves on an 1160 with both a
Windows XP Pro and a Mac OS 10.3 machine. I have been very pleased
with this setup. On the Mac I have to do all my printing through
Photoshop running in Classic. I had also been using a 1270/Gen 4
Enhanced combination with a $100 custom curve to do my color. I had
problems printing out of gamut colors (bright yellows, oranges/dark
reds, and dark greens) with this combo. 

I bought the 2200 about a month ago and wasted a lot of time, paper
and ink trying to get a neutral color image using the Epson profiles
and also a profile that I downloaded from the Lepp site. I tried this
on both my Mac and PC with respective Epson drivers. I could not get
the cast out using the sliders either. I consulted Epson support twice
which was a waste of time. I posted my problem and tried several
suggested courses of action none of which worked.

I decided to try IP5. I bought the Windows version. I have been a
happy camper with what I consider excellent output. Both B&W and color
output are dead neutral as far as I can tell. Far fewer colors fall
out of gamut and if they do they do not look out of gamut on the
print. I use EEM and H.Photo Rag with the supplied IP curves. So far I
have had no problems with banding other than I did briefly have a
problem with the last 3/8" printed being lighter or banded looking. I
never could figure out the reason. I reinstalled the software and it
disappeared and I have been getting perfect prints since. 

Getting going was not smooth. I made it without calling IP tech
support through the good will of Tom Fors who shared his experience.
My son, a software engineer, cannot understand why I paid $500 for
such a confusing combination of software and instructions. Well, all I
can say is that it gets the job done. I had a deadline for a show and
John and Jane at Colorbyte got it to me overnight and it ultimately
lives up to its claims.

The software consists of four separate applications (ImagePrint,
ImagePrint Spooler, AutoPrint, and Printer Installer). ImagePrint
itself sends its output to the IP Spooler. I have managed to freeze
the spooler more than once (by trying to open the Epson 2200 monitor
to check ink levels while the spooler was printing). The print job
within the spooler sticks at whatever percentage is done, shoots the
unfinished print out and then won't let you delete the unfinished job
and won't go on to the next job. I had to reinstall the software
(uninstall, delete all files manually, and empty the trash --
uninstall by itself did not get rid of the unfinished job) each time
this happens.

At the first installation of the printer I had the IP Spooler spooling
to the Windows print spooler. After my first reinstall it no longer
did this and I have not been able to get it to work this way again. I
think it has to do with the name you give the printer when you do the
IP printer install. 

The IP Spooler directly controlling the printer works fine. I run the
2200 and the 1160 and a 980 and work in Photoshop/ surf internet/do
e-mail simultaneously without a problem. The three printers are hooked
to individual USB ports, not a hub. 

I downloaded all the new/extra profiles including new ones for EEM. If
you have to reinstall be sure to drag the Color folder out of the main
IP folder before uninstalling and then drag it back in after reinstall
or you will have to download the extra profiles all over again.

The uneven margins threw me too until I figured out what was going on.
I got used to them actually. I now orient my image so that the wider
margin is at the bottom and use this extra space to sign and name and
date the print. I adjust the other margin so the side margins are
more or less even.

I too think that 1160 / MIS VM with the Roark curves produces superior
B&W prints compared to the 2200 (not to mention that MIS VM with a CIS
system is more economical if many prints are made).

Bill