Digital BW, The Print

This is a 1280, many problems in my prior experience with the color cartridge after I first started using it, tons of frustrations....do you do a nozzle check before every single print? (which you must do w/this printer.)

After all the crap and frustration, I turned my 1280 into a black-only printer, and put all problems into the past, now it's really great, using only the black channel. I run an empty color cart, no ink, no water, no nothing...just ebony ink in the black cart, running from a 4 oz bottle and a tube (a BO CIS system, if you will).

It does clog without use, but after 2-3 cleanings, even after a couple months, it comes back every time.

The BO prints are fantastic using the Ebony ink in the black cart. Of course you will need to tweak your curves (I use "Chartthrob" to create my curves; look it up), but it really does print great BO prints.

This printer is unreliable at best for anything other than BO, depending on the specific printer (some seem to have good luck), and if you're having issues using the color carts, that's normal for this printer based on my experience, and the experiences of many others on this list as can be researched. Best of luck. An Epson 1400 will cost you a couple hundred bucks and solve all headaches, if you can, it never clogs, and it puts out better prints. best of luck!