Digital BW, The Print

Bernhard,

You wrote:

>...a second printer for VM inks - I feel that FS is often too warm ...

>... Is the 1160 to prefer (its still sold here)

I like the 1160 because it's easier to experiment with inks.  However, the
modern 6-ink printers can make smoother MIS VM prints.  With FS inks and the
Piezo driver, this is not true; with Piezo I'd go with the 1160.

Whether the quality differences make any difference is a matter of debate.
I use the 1160 and find I see no dots in photos at normal viewing distance.
Up very close with a magnifier or strong reading glasses, I can see dots in
test strips.

>or more likely the 1290 (which is about 25 to 30% more expensive)?

We don't have the 1290 in the U.S., and the 1280 has a different driver.
So, there are no curves for the 1290 yet.  Bernd (" Ruhrfoto/Bernd L."
<ruhrfoto@y...>) was running a 1290 with a PC and using the 1280 driver.  He
is probably the one you want to contact to see where he's at now with the
1290.

>Will the VM inks in "normal" position give exactly the same tone as Full
>spectrum inks? In other words, would the VM be a complete
>substitute for FS when used in neutral position?

The MIS VM color with no toner (the warm curve) is slightly warmer than FS.
With the medium warm curve it is very close to the FS.  The neutral is the
"nc" curve that is notably cooler than the FS inkset.

The reason to use the FS inkset is really, in my view, is to be able to use
the Piezo driver and not have to buy the Piezo inks.  I have the Piezo
driver, but so no reason to use it.  Some do prefer it, however.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:
>
> We don't have the 1290 in the U.S., and the 1280 has a 
different driver.
> So, there are no curves for the 1290 yet.  Bernd 
(" Ruhrfoto/Bernd L."
> <ruhrfoto@y...>) was running a 1290 with a PC and using the 
1280 driver.  He
> is probably the one you want to contact to see where he's at 
now with the
> 1290.

> Paul

Paul, Bernhard,
under Windows ME it was possible to run the 1290 with the 1280 
driver. Using Paul´s curves. I got prints in "piezo-quality" (16 bit 
file, 2880dpi printing possible).
Meanwhile I switched to WinXP. Now I can´t run the 1290 with an 
1280 driver any longer. As there is no German 1290 WinXP driver 
available yet,  I downloaded an English 1290 WinXP driver from 
the   www.Epson.co.uk   site. 
this combo works, but my 1290 prints became rather flat now 
and with my old monitor settings I have no WYSIWIP any longer. 
Have to calibrate the system again (using a custom dot gain 
curve), but have not finished it so far. So my results are 
preliminary.
Bernd
PS:
Bernhard, if you buy an 1290 with MIS VM HEX there will probably 
be no need for an 1160 with MIS FS any longer.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark" 
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:

> I like the 1160 because it's easier to experiment with inks.  
However, the
> modern 6-ink printers can make smoother MIS VM prints.  

Would you consider a 1200 a 'modern' 6-ink printer, or are you 
referring to 1270/1280? Is there any appreciable difference between 
output using MIX VM on these various 12xx printers? I'd rather avoid 
the 'anti-chipping' issues of the 1270/80's if not...

Thanks for all the great posts by everyone here - I'm in the process 
of getting back into the Quadtone fray, and am trying to decide 
whether I should go MIS VM CIS with my old 1160, or pick up one of the 
12xx'ers...

Thanks!

Neil Simms

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "nsimms" <nsimms@n...> 
wrote:

(snip)

> Thanks for all the great posts by everyone here - I'm in the 
process 
> of getting back into the Quadtone fray, and am trying to decide 
> whether I should go MIS VM CIS with my old 1160, or pick up one of 
the 
> 12xx'ers...
> 
Neil,

I wouldn't be too concerned about the chipped cartridges as the 
NoMoreCarts chipped CIS seems to work just fine in my 1280 with the 
Epson driver and the Piezo driver.

MIS has a chip/software CIS solution but only for Windows 98 and ME.

MIS also sells chips and empty cartridges if you want to roll your 
own.

If you already have a spare 1200 I wouldn't invest in a 1280. I don't 
see any measurable difference in print quality between the two. The 
1280 seems to feed paper a bit better and is much quieter though.

But if you are buying new, than I would go for the 1280 which will 
probably be better supported with curves and such in the future.

Martin Wesley

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Paul Roark"
<paul.roark@v...> wrote:

>> I like the 1160 because it's easier to experiment with inks.
However, the
>> modern 6-ink printers can make smoother MIS VM prints.

Neil wrote:

>Would you consider a 1200 a 'modern' 6-ink printer, or are you
>referring to 1270/1280? Is there any appreciable difference between
>output using MIX VM on these various 12xx printers? I'd rather avoid
>the 'anti-chipping' issues of the 1270/80's if not...

I've seen some very smooth 1200 outputs.  In that respect it seems modern.
At least one person who has had 1200s, 1160s, and 1280s believes that the
1200 is not as sharp as the others.  I've never been in a position to see
the difference.

>... trying to decide
>whether I should go MIS VM CIS with my old 1160, or pick up one of the
>12xx'ers...

Why don't you try a cart in the 1160 and see if you like it.  In prints at
"normal" viewing distance, most don't see any differences among the
printers.

Paul
http://www.PaulRoark.com