Digital BW, The Print

I'd like to get folks opinion on this

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

The first 8x10 was with no adjustment and then I followed the workflow settings. This was on Epson Archival Matte paper. This is on a PC using Qimage as my output engine.

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

I am printing 8x10 borderless only.

So lets go back to the beginning on this then - how many pages at 8x10 can be reasonably expected with these cartridges.

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'll be charitable and say 8 pages total as 4 nozzle checks cannot take that much ink - so my cost per page $4.10 per page plus shipping.

Adding in shipping, which was well over $10.00 raises the cost per page to Over $5.10 per page.

IS this what folks are getting - how about when you go to the CFS systems, I know they are cheaper, but if I spend $190.00 and only get ~38 out of one set of inks, this may be much more expensive than I can afford.

Any help is appreciated. 

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I started out just like you with a brand new C86. I just used the original color carts first 
and then switched to a set of prefilled EZN carts. After about 5 cleaning cycles and 2 more 
the next day the black cart was empty. I had not printed a real print yet at that time - only 
cleaning cycles and nozzle checks. I then replaced the black with a new cart that I had 
filled myself, and have been happily printing since..
So... buy at least two black carts first time.. :)

Bjorn


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Aaron Good" <agood214@c...> 
wrote:
> I'd like to get folks opinion on this
> 
> 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
> 
> The first 8x10 was with no adjustment and then I followed the workflow settings. This 
was on Epson Archival Matte paper. This is on a PC using Qimage as my output engine.
> 
> This was on a brand new C86 directly from the box with no color inks ever applied.
> 
> I am printing 8x10 borderless only.
> 
> So lets go back to the beginning on this then - how many pages at 8x10 can be 
reasonably expected with these cartridges.
> 
> 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'll be charitable and say 8 pages total as 4 nozzle checks cannot take that much ink - 
so my cost per page $4.10 per page plus shipping.
> 
> Adding in shipping, which was well over $10.00 raises the cost per page to Over $5.10 
per page.
> 
> IS this what folks are getting - how about when you go to the CFS systems, I know they 
are cheaper, but if I spend $190.00 and only get ~38 out of one set of inks, this may be 
much more expensive than I can afford.

> 
> Any help is appreciated. 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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"

I had the same problem with Mis UT2, then again with a no brand color cart. So I opened it to find out , it happens the sponge was quite dry and totally white on the top with normal residual ink level at the bottom of the cart. This means it hasn't been fully filled , and that seems to occur more & more often. I think refill is the way to go.

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Aaron Good 
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Thursday, January 06, 2005 6:25 AM
  Subject: [Digital BW] How many pages at 8x10 can be reasonably expected with these cartridges C86 EZ


  I'd like to get folks opinion on this

  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

  The first 8x10 was with no adjustment and then I followed the workflow settings. This was on Epson Archival Matte paper. This is on a PC using Qimage as my output engine.

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

  I am printing 8x10 borderless only.

  So lets go back to the beginning on this then - how many pages at 8x10 can be reasonably expected with these cartridges.

  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'll be charitable and say 8 pages total as 4 nozzle checks cannot take that much ink - so my cost per page $4.10 per page plus shipping.

  Adding in shipping, which was well over $10.00 raises the cost per page to Over $5.10 per page.

  IS this what folks are getting - how about when you go to the CFS systems, I know they are cheaper, but if I spend $190.00 and only get ~38 out of one set of inks, this may be much more expensive than I can afford.

  Any help is appreciated. 

  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

"Aaron Good" <agood214@...> 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 noticed something about the latest batch of virgin empty cartridges from MIS. For these I use the vacuum fill method but I found that out of 5 cartridges I could only get one to totally filled up. I suspect the bottom seal leaks due to some problem in manufacturing process. If this is indeed the case, I'll bet their inkjet filling station may not be able to fill the carts to their maximum capacity.

Bjorn in a response to your email said that he was able to print lots more after refilling the cartridge himself. I think it is would be helpful to MIS if they are informed of this problem and get it corrected. I will send them an email about this as well.
 
--nick


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]