Digital BW, The Print

From one day to another I have problems with my Epson 1160 
with Piezo driver. I get a sort of steps (banding) in the middletone 
areas, f.ex. skintone in a portrait. It looks like it is totally 
overexposed in the highlight areas.  I made axactly the same 
print ya few days ago and it was perfect. 
Can someone tell me what this is? I have never had these 
problems before. Is it banding? And is it a problem with the 
printer or the software?  How can I get rid of this?
I use PiezoToneWN and Epson Archival matte paper.
Nozzle checks is OK, have also checked the alignment, it was 
OK.

Bjorn

Bjorn:

I think it is most likely a software/driver problem.  Many folks have 
reported banding using the PiezoBW driver on the 1160, but report no 
banding if using the Epson driver (with the 1160 RGB Partitioned 
Workflow) on the same printer.  Note:  The 1160 RGB workflow was 
developed for the original PiezoBW and MIS/FS inksets.  I haven't 
tested it with the PiezoToneWN inkset, but it should be close.

Jeff Randall

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "bjornaagedk" <bs@p...> 
wrote:
> From one day to another I have problems with my Epson 1160 
> with Piezo driver. I get a sort of steps (banding) in the 
middletone 

> areas, f.ex. skintone in a portrait. It looks like it is totally 
> overexposed in the highlight areas.  I made axactly the same 
> print ya few days ago and it was perfect. 
> Can someone tell me what this is? I have never had these 
> problems before. Is it banding? And is it a problem with the 
> printer or the software?  How can I get rid of this?
> I use PiezoToneWN and Epson Archival matte paper.
> Nozzle checks is OK, have also checked the alignment, it was 
> OK.
> 
> Bjorn

OK, but how can it be a software problem? I havent changed 
anything at all since the print came out perfect! Would it help to 
reinstall Photoshop/PiezoDriver?



--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Jeff Randall" 
<jrandall@c...> wrote:
> Bjorn:
> 
> I think it is most likely a software/driver problem.  Many folks 
have 
> reported banding using the PiezoBW driver on the 1160, but 
report no 
> banding if using the Epson driver (with the 1160 RGB 
Partitioned 
> Workflow) on the same printer.  Note:  The 1160 RGB workflow 
was 
> developed for the original PiezoBW and MIS/FS inksets.  I 
haven't 
> tested it with the PiezoToneWN inkset, but it should be close.
> 
> Jeff Randall
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "bjornaagedk" 
<bs@p...> 
> wrote:
> > From one day to another I have problems with my Epson 
1160 
> > with Piezo driver. I get a sort of steps (banding) in the 
> middletone 
> > areas, f.ex. skintone in a portrait. It looks like it is totally 
> > overexposed in the highlight areas.  I made axactly the same 
> > print ya few days ago and it was perfect. 
> > Can someone tell me what this is? I have never had these 
> > problems before. Is it banding? And is it a problem with the 
> > printer or the software?  How can I get rid of this?
> > I use PiezoToneWN and Epson Archival matte paper.
> > Nozzle checks is OK, have also checked the alignment, it 
was 

> > OK.
> > 
> > Bjorn

I assumed the banding you were describing to be the "subtle" kind and 
not the paper-feed kind.  I say I think its a software problem 
because I believe it is a problem with the PiezoBW driver and its 
interactions with the 1160 -- the Epson driver does not exhibit the 
problem.  No one that I'm aware of has figured out exactly what 
causes the problem.  Reinstalling the plugin will most likely not 
help.  The PiezoBW driver pushes the 1160 well beyond its design 
limits.  Therefore the slightest variation in any parameter can cause 
the PiezoBW driver to band.  

Many threads and posts in this group have been devoted to this 
topic.  Do a search and check it out.

Jeff Randall

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "bjornaagedk" <bs@p...> 
wrote:
> OK, but how can it be a software problem? I havent changed 
> anything at all since the print came out perfect! Would it help to 
> reinstall Photoshop/PiezoDriver?
> 
> 
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Jeff Randall" 
> <jrandall@c...> wrote:
> > Bjorn:
> > 
> > I think it is most likely a software/driver problem.  Many folks 
> have 
> > reported banding using the PiezoBW driver on the 1160, but 
> report no 
> > banding if using the Epson driver (with the 1160 RGB 
> Partitioned 
> > Workflow) on the same printer.  Note:  The 1160 RGB workflow 
> was 
> > developed for the original PiezoBW and MIS/FS inksets.  I 
> haven't 
> > tested it with the PiezoToneWN inkset, but it should be close.
> > 
> > Jeff Randall
> > 
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "bjornaagedk" 
> <bs@p...> 
> > wrote:
> > > From one day to another I have problems with my Epson 
> 1160 
> > > with Piezo driver. I get a sort of steps (banding) in the 
> > middletone 
> > > areas, f.ex. skintone in a portrait. It looks like it is 
totally 

> > > overexposed in the highlight areas.  I made axactly the same 
> > > print ya few days ago and it was perfect. 
> > > Can someone tell me what this is? I have never had these 
> > > problems before. Is it banding? And is it a problem with the 
> > > printer or the software?  How can I get rid of this?
> > > I use PiezoToneWN and Epson Archival matte paper.
> > > Nozzle checks is OK, have also checked the alignment, it 
> was 
> > > OK.
> > > 
> > > Bjorn

For what it's worth, I've been using an 1160 with the Piezo driver for much
of the last year.  I've had almost no problems with banding, and when I
have, it has usually been because of what turns out to be a
less-than-perfect nozzle check.  As I'm sure you know, even a slightly bad
pattern from a nozzle check can cause banding in a print; cleaning has
always cleared this up.

$.02

Yesterday I was getting banding with my 1160 Piezo.  I switched 
to the Woolf curves from MIS and the banding disappeared.  Not 
a bad print either.  I havent been following this thread, but if it 
hasn't already been suggested, try downloading the Epson driver 
curves for Piezo on the MIS site.

Stephen,  I got my 2200 yesterday.  How's yours working out?  I'll 
get you a CD of the Gray Balancer as soon as I get my new 
burner.   Frank

http://www.photoeye.com/frankward

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., Stephen Petegorsky 
<petegorsky@e...> wrote:
> For what it's worth, I've been using an 1160 with the Piezo 
driver for much
> of the last year.  I've had almost no problems with banding, and 
when I
> have, it has usually been because of what turns out to be a
> less-than-perfect nozzle check.  As I'm sure you know, even a 
slightly bad
> pattern from a nozzle check can cause banding in a print; 
cleaning has

> always cleared this up.
> 
> $.02