Digital BW, The Print

This is a known problem.  Try adding some noise to the background.


> From: ldina <lbdina@...>
> Reply-To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Date: Sun, 19 Dec 2004 17:40:19 -0000
> To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
> Subject: [Digital BW] QTR - Weird "Banding" Problem
> 
> 
> 
> I'm new to QTR and am using v2.1b and the QTRgui interface on a
> windows XP machine with a 2200.  I'm using Epson mk inks for now.
> 
> I just printed an image on 13 X 19 EpEnhMatte paper using the
> UC_EEnhMatte-warm tone curve, with ink limit slider set to 20 to
> deepen the shadows a little bit.  I used 1440dpi and "better"
> settings.  In the setup I fed the paper narrow edge first, but told
> QTR it was landscape so I could print on half a sheet (image size was
> 8X10).
> 
> This is a portrait of a small boy with light features against a black
> background.  In PS, the blacks are totally black (100K) and I saved
> the file as a grayscale TIFF with embedded gamma 2.2 profile and
> without LZW compression.
> 
> When it printed, I saw noticeable banding in the solid black area
> (pure black to perhaps zone 4 or 5).  The bands are not totally even
> in width and are about 1/2" wide, fading in and out, almost like
> venetian blinds out of focus way in the background.  It is not
> clogged nozzles, and besides, the banding is parallel to the long
> edge (opposite of the travel of the rails the ink cartridges are
> mounted to).  I checked the image in PS and the info palette shows
> the entire area measures 100K.  As a reality check, I printed the
> Image using ImagePrint and there was absolutely no banding.
> 
> I'm a little stumped.  I love the quality of the image printed with
> QTR, with the exception of the banding.  The banding only shows up in
> the solid black areas, not on the child's face, hair or clothing.  I
> printed it a second time and got the exact same pattern in the exact
> same locations.  I even shut of my computer and cold booted it and
> the printer to be sure something wasn't corrupted.
> 
> Any thoughts?  It wouldn't be 1440 dpi instead of 2880 would it?  I
> really love this product and would like to get it working.
> 
> Thanks,  Lou