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less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by sagaface

Hi All....

I'm feeling incredibly frustrated with the micro-banding in the midtones on my 2200. I've 
done the nozzle checks/head alignments and even tried lowering the number, as Clayton 
suggested - all to no avail. The prints just look terrible, with both vertical and horizontal 
banding in any large expanse of mid-gray, but nowhere else. The horizontal lines show up 
as three lines quite close together, some space, then three more lines, on down the print, 
with the verticals appearing a bit thicker and evenly spaced.

What the h*** am I missing (printing BO, btw)?? I've looked at past posts about this and 
don't see anything I haven't tried. Is this a 2200 issue that is improved on other models 
like the 4000? Is it my image? 

And....has anyone definitively determined that the 3800 prints true BO?

Thanks!
Sarah

Re: less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by dizpark

Sarah!

I did look at your original thread re microbanding with BO on 2200, 
but I did not have the patience to read it all.  So if what I am 
suggesting here has been already tried, forget about it. 

I assume you are using the settings as suggested by Clayton i.e. 
2880 dpi and with high speed checked. Have you tried printing it 
with 

a) at 2880 dpi with high speed unchecked.

b) at 1440 dpi with high speed checked 

c) at 1440 dpi with high speed unchecked.

Does the banding go away then?

I know the quality will take a huge hit at 1440 dpi and I am not 
suggesting to use this for your prints - only to find out what may 
be wrong with the printer. 

For instance if the banding goes away at 2880 dpi with high speed 
unchecked, then I would guess that the culprit could possibly be 
incorrectly adjusted Bi-directional printing... 

What I am driving at is that you may consider having a go at the 
Epson Servicing programme for this printer. This lets you print out 
test patterns to determine if the printer is adjusted correctly and 
make the necessary adjustments yourself, if you want.  I wrote about 
it here:

http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/messa
ge/83642

I am not suggesting that this would solve the banding problems, but 
if you are desperate, maybe it is worth a try.  The cost of service 
manual and the service programme is trivial.  However, you have to 
account for the time it will take to go through the manual and 
perform various tests. It is a bit of a learning curve and time-
eater. 
Also for printing certain test targets Epson service manual suggests 
using  Epson Photo Quality Inkjet paper - at letter size this not a 
big problem, but for certain tests you need the A3+ 13x19 size 
paper. As this paper in this size comes at packs of 100 sheets only, 
then buying the whole pack just for these tests alone is a waste.  I 
think you can use any similar weight matte surface "photo quality" 
paper for these tests. I ended up using Epson Enhanced Matte for 
this.

Didzis

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "sagaface" 
<sagaface@...> wrote:
>
> Hi All....
> 
> I'm feeling incredibly frustrated with the micro-banding in the 
midtones on my 2200. I've 
> done the nozzle checks/head alignments and even tried lowering the 
number, as Clayton 
> suggested - all to no avail. The prints just look terrible, with 
both vertical and horizontal 
> banding in any large expanse of mid-gray, but nowhere else. The 
horizontal lines show up 
> as three lines quite close together, some space, then three more 
lines, on down the print, 
> with the verticals appearing a bit thicker and evenly spaced.
> 
> What the h*** am I missing (printing BO, btw)?? I've looked at 
past posts about this and 
> don't see anything I haven't tried. Is this a 2200 issue that is 
improved on other models 
> like the 4000? Is it my image? 
> 
> And....has anyone definitively determined that the 3800 prints 
true BO?
Show quoted textHide quoted text
> 
> Thanks!
> Sarah
>

RE: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by Paul Roark

>... frustrated with the micro-banding in the midtones on my 2200. ...
> The prints just look terrible, with both vertical and horizontal 
>banding in any large expanse of mid-gray, ...
> (printing BO, btw)...

When I check the "Black Ink Only" box in my 2200 driver I get a message from
Epson: "The Black ink setting is suitable for text or draft printing.  The
print quality is not suitable for photographic images."

My experience is that there are good reasons Epson has this message pop up.

I understand some people prefer BO printing, but the printers are not made
to give consistently good results with only the black ink.  The more inks
that are firing, the more likely the artifacts will be covered up. 

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 
http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html

Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by sagaface

Well, Paul, you have a compelling point there! I'd forgotten about that message.

Much as I resist, I may have to start exploring other printing options for some of my 
images. I will miss the luminosity of the paper showing through with BO, though.

Thanks for that reminder,
Sarah


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> 
wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> >... frustrated with the micro-banding in the midtones on my 2200. ...
> > The prints just look terrible, with both vertical and horizontal 
> >banding in any large expanse of mid-gray, ...
> > (printing BO, btw)...
> 
> When I check the "Black Ink Only" box in my 2200 driver I get a message from
> Epson: "The Black ink setting is suitable for text or draft printing.  The
> print quality is not suitable for photographic images."
> 
> My experience is that there are good reasons Epson has this message pop up.
> 
> I understand some people prefer BO printing, but the printers are not made
> to give consistently good results with only the black ink.  The more inks
> that are firing, the more likely the artifacts will be covered up. 
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html
>

RE: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by Paul Roark

Sarah,

>... I may have to start exploring other printing options for 
> some of my images. I will miss the luminosity of the paper 
> showing through with BO, though.
...

The next step might be to use QTR and print with just the Eboni and LK.
That too lets a lot of paper show through, but it might be enough to hide
the defects.  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 
http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html

Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by sagaface

Paul...how do I turn the other jets off?


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> 
wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> Sarah,
> 
> >... I may have to start exploring other printing options for 
> > some of my images. I will miss the luminosity of the paper 
> > showing through with BO, though.
> ...
> 
> The next step might be to use QTR and print with just the Eboni and LK.
> That too lets a lot of paper show through, but it might be enough to hide
> the defects.  
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html
>

RE: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by Paul Roark

In QTR the Warm profiles that are there in the 2200 UC folder sometimes if
not always turn off the color inks and just print with K and LK.  For the
other inks the Curve Creator shows "Not Used."  See if you like those warm
curves.

 

Paul

www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  

http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html 

 

  _____  
Show quoted textHide quoted text
From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sagaface
Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 9:21 AM
To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

 

Paul...how do I turn the other jets off?

--- In DigitalBlackandWhit
<mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint%40yahoogroups.com>
eThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> 
wrote:
>
> Sarah,
> 
> >... I may have to start exploring other printing options for 
> > some of my images. I will miss the luminosity of the paper 
> > showing through with BO, though.
> ...
> 
> The next step might be to use QTR and print with just the Eboni and LK.
> That too lets a lot of paper show through, but it might be enough to hide
> the defects. 
> 
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com 
> http://home1. <http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html>
gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html
>

 



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

Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-15 by Joost Horsten

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

> I understand some people prefer BO printing, but the printers are not 
made
> to give consistently good results with only the black ink.  The more 
inks
> that are firing, the more likely the artifacts will be covered up. 

That may be true, and I'm by no means a hard-core BO adept (being 
perfectly happy with my UT3D inks), but once in while there is an image 
that just beckons for a BO print. Of course it's not as smooth as when 
firing three or more inks, but it prints just fine on my 2100. No 
banding whatsoever.

Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??

2007-02-16 by sagaface

Thank you, Paul. I will give this a shot. I'm happy to expand my options and this seems a 
good place to begin.

Thanks again!
Sarah





--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@...> 
wrote:
Show quoted textHide quoted text
>
> In QTR the Warm profiles that are there in the 2200 UC folder sometimes if
> not always turn off the color inks and just print with K and LK.  For the
> other inks the Curve Creator shows "Not Used."  See if you like those warm
> curves.
> 
>  
> 
> Paul
> 
> www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>  
> 
> http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html 
> 
>  
> 
>   _____  
> 
> From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of sagaface
> Sent: Thursday, February 15, 2007 9:21 AM
> To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: Re: [Digital BW] less micro-banding on 4000? Please??
> 
>  
> 
> Paul...how do I turn the other jets off?
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhit
> <mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint%40yahoogroups.com>
> eThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Paul Roark" <paul.roark@> 
> wrote:
> >
> > Sarah,
> > 
> > >... I may have to start exploring other printing options for 
> > > some of my images. I will miss the luminosity of the paper 
> > > showing through with BO, though.
> > ...
> > 
> > The next step might be to use QTR and print with just the Eboni and LK.
> > That too lets a lot of paper show through, but it might be enough to hide
> > the defects. 
> > 
> > Paul
> > www.PaulRoark.com 
> > http://home1. <http://home1.gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html>
> gte.net/res0a2zt/photos.html
> >
> 
>  
> 
> 
> 
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

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