Digital BW, The Print

I just got the UT inkset for my 1160, d'loaded the latest Epson OS X driver, and have tried 
the Roark curves. The resulting print is very strange, and shows the weird posterization of 
the curve applied file, although obviously not in color.

I'm wondering several things:

1. What are the UT3k curves?
2. Why does the driver not show the usual Epson settings?

For example, I can't select No Color Adjustment, there are options for dither which are 
very reminiscent of the GIMP-Print options, and there is an option for Quadtone under Ink 
Type. There are 2 menus for Expert Settings 1 & 2, which contain unfamiliar options. I've 
never seen an Epson driver pane look anything like this.

I followed the suggested workflow as closely as possible, but the resulting image is 
garbage - too faint, and posterized.

I have a suspicion that I'm going to have to print under Classic, which I really wanted to 
avoid. Does anyone have any input?

Nick

Nick,

>... UT inkset for my 1160, ... OS X driver, ... posterization 

>of the curve applied file, although obviously not in color.

Be sure the file had been converted to grayscale at some point to get rid of
any residual color that may have been there if the original file was color.

>What are the UT3k curves?

They are for the Epson 3000.

>Why does the driver not show the usual Epson settings?

It sounds like this might be a driver that was included on the OS disc.  I'm
not a Mac user, but with XP the disc has lots of drivers for printers, but
they are not the same as the full Epson drivers.  You need the full driver
from Epson.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@v...> 
wrote:
> Nick,
> 
> >... UT inkset for my 1160, ... OS X driver, ... posterization 
> 
> >of the curve applied file, although obviously not in color.
> 
> Be sure the file had been converted to grayscale at some point to get rid of
> any residual color that may have been there if the original file was color.

The file was originally 8bit GS, converted to RGB for printing, then the curve applied. At 
this point the file turned bright red and green, and I printed it that way. I assume this is 
how it is supposed to look.

> >Why does the driver not show the usual Epson settings?
> 
> It sounds like this might be a driver that was included on the OS disc.  I'm
> not a Mac user, but with XP the disc has lots of drivers for printers, but
> they are not the same as the full Epson drivers.  You need the full driver
> from Epson.

No, I d'loaded the driver directly from Epson, and it's their only OS X version. What's weird 
is that it looks nothing like an Epson driver, and has none of the usual settings. No 
"Speed-Quality", no PhotoEnhance, no "High-Speed", no "Color-Black", no "microweave", 
no "Flip Horozontal", and the choice of papers and dithering algorithms looks exactly like 
those contained in the QTRgui, which I assumed were a std set from GIMP Print. Oh yes, 
under paper you can choose Ilford Heavy Paper - I've never seen Epson tout an Ilford 
product! And under Ink Type, I can select Four Color Std, Three Color Composite, or 
Quadtone. I've never seen Epson officially support Quadtone either.

OK, so after a little more research, I think I have an answer. I found a newer driver on 
Epson's Eurpoean website, but it has the same behaviour as the US driver. I suspect that 
there is no OS X driver for the 1160, that the plug-in is a bare bones driver just to get OS 
X to recognize the 1160, and then it relies on the underlying CUPS/GIMP Print technology.

That said, I'm going to have to print under OS9 (no big deal, I can hook the 1160 up to 
another machine), or I'm going to have to use the QTR.

If you're using Panther, there is another driver. A GIMP driver, which you don't want.

Select the Epson driver 'SC 1160(USB)', not 'StylusCOLOR 1160', and you'll see the familiar 
options.

I use version 1.29e, which has been around for quite a while. It's named in the Summary 
window when you print. Under Panther, there is a ColorSync window that I don't think was 
present under Jaguar. I ignore it.

FYI, I learned this from the piezography list. Hope it helps.

Michael

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "lambonick"
<BMWNick@i...> 
wrote:
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark"
<paul.roark@v...> 
> wrote:

SNIP

> > >Why does the driver not show the usual Epson settings?
> > 
> > It sounds like this might be a driver that was included on the OS
disc.  I'm
> > not a Mac user, but with XP the disc has lots of drivers for
printers, but
> > they are not the same as the full Epson drivers.  You need the
full driver
> > from Epson.
> 
> No, I d'loaded the driver directly from Epson, and it's their only
OS X version. What's 
weird 
> is that it looks nothing like an Epson driver, and has none of the
usual settings. No 
> "Speed-Quality", no PhotoEnhance, no "High-Speed", no
"Color-Black", no "microweave", 
> no "Flip Horozontal", and the choice of papers and dithering
algorithms looks exactly 
like 
> those contained in the QTRgui, which I assumed were a std set from
GIMP Print. Oh yes, 
> under paper you can choose Ilford Heavy Paper - I've never seen
Epson tout an Ilford 
> product! And under Ink Type, I can select Four Color Std, Three
Color Composite, or 
> Quadtone. I've never seen Epson officially support Quadtone either.
> 
> OK, so after a little more research, I think I have an answer. I
found a newer driver on 
> Epson's Eurpoean website, but it has the same behaviour as the US
driver. I suspect that 
> there is no OS X driver for the 1160, that the plug-in is a bare
bones driver just to get 
OS 
> X to recognize the 1160, and then it relies on the underlying
CUPS/GIMP Print 
technology.
> 
> That said, I'm going to have to print under OS9 (no big deal, I can
hook the 1160 up to 
> another machine), or I'm going to have to use the QTR.

Nick,
Assuming the 1160 is like other Epson printers, and you're using Panther, You need 
to add the 1160 as though it's a new printer once you've downloaded the Epson 
drivers. To do this, go to "System Prefernces" >"Print and Fax">"Set up printers"> 
select "add", and if the downloaded Epson driver has been installed, an option will 
come up to add that printer. Both the Epson driver and the preexisting Gimp driver 
may have simlar names. Just try one and once you've acertained which is which, 
rename them so you can tell the difference when you set up your prints in 
Photoshop. 
Sarah
--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "michaelrosensf" 
<michael@m...> wrote:
> 
> If you're using Panther, there is another driver. A GIMP driver, which you don't 
want.
> 
snip> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "lambonick"

> <BMWNick@i...> 
> wrote:
> > 
> > SNIP
> 
> > > >Why does the driver not show the usual Epson settings?
> > > 
> > > It sounds like this might be a driver that was included on the OS
> disc.  I'm
> > > not a Mac user, but with XP the disc has lots of drivers for
> printers, but
> > > they are not the same as the full Epson drivers.  You need the
> full driver
> > > from Epson.
> > 
> snip> > OK, so after a little more research, I think I have an answer. I
> found a newer driver on 
> > Epson's Eurpoean website, but it has the same behaviour as the US
> driver. I suspect that 
> > there is no OS X driver for the 1160, that the plug-in is a bare
> bones driver just to get 
> OS 
> > X to recognize the 1160, and then it relies on the underlying
> CUPS/GIMP Print 
> technology.
> > 
> > That said, I'm going to have to print under OS9 (no big deal, I can
> hook the 1160 up to 
> > another machine), or I'm going to have to use the QTR.