Digital BW, The Print

Keith,

You wrote:

>Could you please explain for us hextone neophytes) how you came up
>with your ink distribution, and why you didn't mention "the 2 photo
>shades" as they are listed on the MIS site, or what they are. I have
>been reading this site, using the original hextones on my 1200,
>gaining a lot of info and becoming confused, all at the same time. ...

Sorry for the confusion.

MIS has several distinct inksets for B&W printing.  Each inkset type -- and
usually each printer type -- has different densities and, thus, different
workflows.

My post, repeated below, was just with respect to the MIS FS inkset, and
just with respect to the hextone/6-ink printers.  The "problem" is that
currently the FS inksets (standard and the newer FS-Neutral) require the
purchase of the PiezographyBW software to print the inks with hextone
printers.  (There are Epson driver workflows for the older quad printers.)
For those who have and like the Piezo driver, this is not a problem as all.
However, there are a number of people who would like to use the FS inks in
their hextone machines and don't want to lay out more money for the Piezo
driver.

So, what I have suggested to some list members and to MIS is that a
different FS inkset is needed for hextone printers for those who want to use
the Epson driver.  As and initial starting place, I've suggested that the
current FS inks might make a rather good inkset that would work well with
the Epson driver if they were just re-arranged.  I do not, however, have a
hextone printer.  So, I cannot currently help fine-tune this
inkset/workflow.

However, MIS, upon hearing of this idea has agreed to send me an 870 that
they have.  So, in a couple of weeks I'll take a shot at coming up with an
FS-Hextone inkset approach.  I hope that with either different ink positions
or different densities an FS-Hextone with the Epson driver will print better
than any current workflow.   The reason for this is that I'll cut the cord
to the old quad printers and take full advantage of the hextone approach and
Epson driver.  I will avoid radical curves that destroy grayscale, introduce
artifacts, and require different curves and workflows for each printer type.
We shall see.

Part of my incentive for this is that rumor has it Epson will release a B&W
printer this Summer.  I think a better 3rd-party inkset and approach is
needed to take on the "Big Guy."  These curves, etc. are great for those of
us who are comfortable with such, but most don't want to mess with them.
Also, if a person needs to spend another $395 (or whatever Piezo now costs)
for more software (that is far from perfect), it really raises barriers to
new users and limits the competitive effectiveness of the 3rd-party ink
industry.  As always, I'm interested in the maximum competition so that we
don't have to pay high prices for good printing.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com




--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
> Here is the alternative FS-Hextone-Epson-driver ink positions I
recommend.
> It is based on the following observations.  First, the light inks
tend to be
> about 60% of the density of the full strength inks.  Happily, the
FS/Piezo
> magenta is almost exactly 60% the density of the cyan ink.  Second,
the
> current Piezo/FS ink mix is actually too light, being designed for
the old
> quad machines.  As such, radical curves are needed to control it.
These
> curves leave artifacts and destroy grayscale.  Thus, a darker ink
mix should
> be better.
>
> So, the alternative FS ink mix for the Epson driver is as follows:
>
> Black -- Use the MIS FS (or VM) black;
>
> Cyan position -- Use FS cyan-position ink;
>
> Light cyan position -- Use FS magenta-position ink;
>
> Magenta position -- Use FS cyan-position ink;
>
> Light magenta -- Use FS magenta-position ink;
>
> Yellow -- Use FS yellow-position ink.  (The FS magenta-position ink
may work
> here also.  I'd test both of them.)
>
> This proposed FS-Epson-Driver inkset can probably be controlled
either by
> mild partitioning inks or just a simple grayscale workflow.  It
might print
> rather well with no workflow at all.
>
> I think there is a very good chance that the FS inks in the above
positions
> in a 1280 or 1290 will produce the best B&W print possible, beating
all
> current workflows -- Piezo software included.  I hope someone will
give it a

> try and let us know how it works.
>
> Paul
> http://www.PaulRoark.com

Paul,
After I read your post this morning, I immediately ordered the FS 
inks in bottles, along with virgin carts to vacuum fill. I'm going to 
try mine in both my 1280 and 1270. Hopefully I'll get the inks in 
time to play this weekend, otherwise as I'll report back as soon 
I'm able. Thanks for the suggestion.
Peter Lindman

Peter,

>... I immediately ordered the FS
>inks in bottles, along with virgin carts to vacuum fill. I'm going to
>try mine in both my 1280 and 1270. Hopefully I'll get the inks in
>time to play this weekend, otherwise as I'll report back as soon
>I'm able. Thanks for the suggestion.


No guarantees here; I have not tried it myself.

You'll know before I do how close my initial guess comes.  I'll be gone
until Apr. 8.  So, don't take my lack of response as lack of interest.

Paul

Fear not\ufffdI understand. I'll be trying with both the Epson driver and PressReady.
I see the ink didn't ship today, so I hope it ships tomorrow for
Saturday delivery.

Paul Roark wrote:

> 
> Peter,
> 
> >... I immediately ordered the FS
> >inks in bottles, along with virgin carts to vacuum fill. I'm going to
> >try mine in both my 1280 and 1270. Hopefully I'll get the inks in
> >time to play this weekend, otherwise as I'll report back as soon
> >I'm able. Thanks for the suggestion.
> 
> No guarantees here; I have not tried it myself.
> 
> You'll know before I do how close my initial guess comes.  I'll be gone
> until Apr. 8.  So, don't take my lack of response as lack of interest.
> 
> Paul