Digital BW, The Print

pr_roark schreef:
> Dave <cowcreekroad@...> wrote:
> 
>> If the HP ink works so well, then why not just use an 
>> HP printer (say, a 9180) and print with the black only option?
>> Would you get the same results on glossy stock?
> 
> I don't know.  The Epson 1400 has 1.5 picoliter drops that look good in black only printing.  I'm not sure what the drop size is for the HP.  Also, for the 1400 I use QTR to print with the HP PK only.  I'm not sure what the driver situation is with the HP.
> 
> I use Epson printers in part because the piezo heads can pump the third party inks I use or make.  I think the thermal heads of the HP and Canon require lower viscosity inks.
> 
> The 1400 is also cheap, and using HP inks from a Z3100 cart is relatively cheap compared to buying small carts.
> 
> At some point I'm going to re-examine the use of the thermal head printers for third party inks, but right now, I think the piezo head still has some advantages for the inks I use, in particular the dilute Eboni, which already has a settling problem even with a high viscosity base.
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 

It was the right choice when we discussed it and it still is. The HP 
desktop models in general have a larger droplet size than 1.5 picoliter 
(2x at least) and there are no QTR drivers for them. It doesn't look 
like a driver port from for example GutenPrint will happen any time soon.

That said there are nice aspects on the HP desktop models: user 
replaceable heads, separate and larger inkcarts with tubes to the heads 
and some office models with dual sided printing hardware. I also think 
that the nozzle quantity per head is higher so less need for using two 
heads with the same ink.

I considered an ink swap on an office model using the Z model monochrome 
inks but right now it would mean a return Photoshop curves to drive it 
and that is too much a compromise compared to QTR and I probably would 
need your skills to do that. I see no problems  using the Z inks in an 
HP office jet thermohead. An Epson 1400 is quite expensive here, I can 
buy two HP office models for that price or half an HP B9180.

The B9180 isn't the ideal printer on gloss papers. The gloss enhancer of 
the Z 3100-3200 would be needed to get there. The B9180 is a very 
capable B&W printer on matte papers though.


-- 
Met vriendelijke groeten,   Ernst


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