Digital BW, The Print

On 7 Jan 2005 at 20:09, Aaron Good wrote:

> And a thouroughly enlightening reply (where I wrote
> about EZ black inks) 
> Dear Aaron, You will use each color and black differently
> according to what you are printing.  Each time you run a
> cleaning cycle that will use ink also.  

I don't see how they could answer much differently.  I think you're 
looking for an absolute answer to a question that doesn't have an 
absolute answer...the answer has to be "it depends".

> So I'd assume they simply agree with the coverage cost
> at over $5.00 per page. 

That doesn't seem like an accurate interpretation of their response 
to me.

> Does anyone have real data as if I'd like to do cost
> recovery on my supplies 

Possibly you didn't see my post in response to your earlier request:

On 5 Jan 2005 at 21:25, Aaron Good wrote:

> I am very surprised as I have recvieved an out of ink on
> both the photo-black and yellow positions with an
> extremely limited number of prints. I only printed the
> following: 
> 
> (4) nozzle checks, (2) 4 color purge, and (5) 8x10's

I just installed a set of EZ-W tonight - new C & M carts, and 
refilled Y and Eboni carts, with the chips reset.  

So far, I've printed about 4 nozzle checks, 3 4-color purge (I print 
these at low quality, just to get the ink moving), and 4 8.5x11s.  
Actually, I print 6x9 on 8.5x11 paper.  Three of these were fairly 
dark, with a mean value of 76...the other was a little lighter, but 
not much.  

So, I've printed a little less than you on this set, but not much.  
My ink monitor shows maybe 1/16th used.   

Printing on EEM (same as EAM?) using Matte - Heavyweight, Best Photo 
settings, -10 to -15 brightness and -15 to -20 contrast.   

> This was on a brand new C86 directly from the box with
> no color inks ever applied. 

This may be the problem.  I think the monitor isn't very 
accurate...especially when initially setting up the printer.  

When I first got my printer, it seemed to just zip through ink.  I 
started with the included Epson carts, and printed a small number of 
prints (probably about what you did...maybe a few more nozzle checks 
and cleanings) and the monitor indicated well over half the ink was 
used.  I wasn't real happy either.  I switched to an MIS EZ set, and 
got a good number of prints out of it (didn't count), and re- 
installed the half-empty Epson carts.  I got a bunch more prints out 
of the Epsons, and the yellow finally went empty on the monitor.  I 
reset the chip and continued to print, and got maybe a half-dozen 
additional prints...and it was still going when I pulled it tonight 
to put in the new EZ-W set.   

***Actually, I can tell you how much I've printed:  I've got five 
sheets left of my second 50-sheet pack, so I've printed 95 pages, 
probably 80% were 6x9, with the rest having a ~.25" border.  I've 
used 1 set of the original Epson CMY (still going!) carts, and 1 set 
of EZ CMY (close to empty, but I'm not sure the exact level 
showing...I've since refilled the Y cart).  I did print maybe 10 or 
so BO prints, and have refilled the Eboni cart ~3 times, but I'm not 
filling it completely (I over-filled the first time and made a slight 
mess...no problem since then).  And the prints tonight on the new 
set.  

Oh, and I almost forgot...I leave my printer on all the time and run 
the autoprint routine to print a full-size purge print at low quality 
every other day.  That plus the odd purge prints I've made when 
changing carts would account for at least 50 or so purge prints.  

I'm sure there are folks out there that keep better records about 
this and can give more accurate counts, but I'm satisfied with the 
ink usage by this printer.  

> My total outlay has been 2 full cartridges emptied plus
> lets say to be generous 50% of the other two, for a
> total of $32.82 in ink plus shipping to output 7 pages. 

I'd bet that the carts that show empty are nowhere near empty.  The 
chips don't measure the amount of ink actually used...they only 
record what the printer thinks it uses.  At least that's my 
understanding...

Do you have a chip resetter?  If so, reset the chips and monitor the 
usage....I'd bet that after the same print load you'd show maybe 1/8 
ink used....if that.  

Keep up posted...

Lee


-- 
Lee Hiers, AA4GA
Cornelia, Georgia

"Have Dobro Will Travel"