Digital BW, The Print

Hi there,

I am interested in purchasing an Epson 1400 currently advertised for 
sale. It is well priced but has a fault described as follows:

"This is a brand new printer but im selling because it has a paper 
registration error (basically means that it will print perfectly up 
until it reaches the last couple of inches of the page and then the 
printer will not hold the paper in place while it finishes printing so 
the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly.  I've been told 
this is a common fault (known as a paper registration error) and can be 
fixed easily "

Dies anyone on the board know whether such a fault is in fact common 
with these printers and know whether it is indeed fixed easily?

Thanks and regards

Alistair

--- In 
DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "alistair_owens" 
<owens@...> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
> 
> I am interested in purchasing an Epson 1400 currently advertised 
for 
> sale. It is well priced but has a fault described as follows:
> 
> "This is a brand new printer but im selling because it has a paper 
> registration error (basically means that it will print perfectly 
up 
> until it reaches the last couple of inches of the page and then 
the 
> printer will not hold the paper in place while it finishes 
printing so 
> the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly.  I've been 
told 
> this is a common fault (known as a paper registration error) and 
can be 
> fixed easily "
> 
> Dies anyone on the board know whether such a fault is in fact 
common 
> with these printers and know whether it is indeed fixed easily?
> 
> Thanks and regards
> 
> Alistair
>

Alistair, check out the refurb's ar Epson (free shipping).  I just 
bot a 1400 there for $143 and put Jon Cone's K6 CIS in it.  It works 
great.

Bill

>... Epson 1400 ... paper registration error (basically means 
> that it will print perfectly up until it reaches the last couple 
> of inches of the page and then the printer will not hold the 
> paper in place while it finishes printing so 
> the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly...
>... common fault (known as a paper registration error) and 
> can be fixed easily ...

Common but not easily fixed might be more accurate.

The problem seems to be that at the very bottom of the page printers 
rely on the exit rollers for paper tranport.  These exit rollers are 
often -- if not always -- not up to the job. The printers with 
the "vertical" (relative to the paper) head alignment have more of a 
problem because the distance between the main rollers and exit 
rollers is greater.  The trough where the head runs used to be very 
narrow.  Now it's grown to about 1 3/4 inch due to the space some of 
the new or vertically positioned heads need.  In the older printers 
we could totally disable the exit rollers to avoid pizza wheel marks 
and not have any effect on the print, at least if you didn't tell the 
driver to center the 8x10 image on letter size paper.  You can't do 
this on the printers with these large gaps between rollers.  I've 
noticed the problem on not only the cheaper printers, including the 
1400, but also the 1800.

The bottom line is that on a number of newer printers a 9 x 7 inch 
print on letter size paper may be the maximum that will really be 
good.

Have you noticed that if you simply print an 8 x 10 image on letter 
size paper, and do not tell the driver to center it, the bottom 
margin will be larger than the top?  There is a reason for this.

I don't know if the problem can be fixed.  Epson either has to put 
more serious exit rolers on printer (messing up the glossy prints) or 
go back to the narrow, horizontally placed heads (slowing up the 
printing speed -- and Epson's sales).

It's possible some of these printers are built worse than others and 
show more of the defect, but I think it's a design problem with many 
Epson printers.

The solution is to have very substantial bottom margins if you want 
to avoid microbanding there.  In fact, the 1.5 pl printers seem to 
also have a slight problem at the top of the page.  It seems to be 
less of a problem (narrower), but the paper transport is so critical 
that having both sets of rollers engaged is where the best printing 
occurs.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com

Just to add that the 1900 has the same problem.
Its a design compromise issue, not a build quality problem.

At least when both rollers are engaged the print quality on these 1.5pl
printers is excellent.

Just need to use a bit longer paper than before. I am using A3+ cut in half.

Mike

2008/9/9 pr_roark <pr_roark@...>

>   >... Epson 1400 ... paper registration error (basically means
> > that it will print perfectly up until it reaches the last couple
> > of inches of the page and then the printer will not hold the
> > paper in place while it finishes printing so
> > the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly...
> >... common fault (known as a paper registration error) and
> > can be fixed easily ...
>
> Common but not easily fixed might be more accurate.
>
> The problem seems to be that at the very bottom of the page printers
> rely on the exit rollers for paper tranport. These exit rollers are
> often -- if not always -- not up to the job. The printers with
> the "vertical" (relative to the paper) head alignment have more of a
> problem because the distance between the main rollers and exit
> rollers is greater. The trough where the head runs used to be very
> narrow. Now it's grown to about 1 3/4 inch due to the space some of
> the new or vertically positioned heads need. In the older printers
> we could totally disable the exit rollers to avoid pizza wheel marks
> and not have any effect on the print, at least if you didn't tell the
> driver to center the 8x10 image on letter size paper. You can't do
> this on the printers with these large gaps between rollers. I've
> noticed the problem on not only the cheaper printers, including the
> 1400, but also the 1800.
>
> The bottom line is that on a number of newer printers a 9 x 7 inch
> print on letter size paper may be the maximum that will really be
> good.
>
> Have you noticed that if you simply print an 8 x 10 image on letter
> size paper, and do not tell the driver to center it, the bottom
> margin will be larger than the top? There is a reason for this.
>
> I don't know if the problem can be fixed. Epson either has to put
> more serious exit rolers on printer (messing up the glossy prints) or
> go back to the narrow, horizontally placed heads (slowing up the
> printing speed -- and Epson's sales).
>
> It's possible some of these printers are built worse than others and
> show more of the defect, but I think it's a design problem with many
> Epson printers.
>
> The solution is to have very substantial bottom margins if you want
> to avoid microbanding there. In fact, the 1.5 pl printers seem to
> also have a slight problem at the top of the page. It seems to be
> less of a problem (narrower), but the paper transport is so critical
> that having both sets of rollers engaged is where the best printing
> occurs.
>
> Paul
> www.PaulRoark.com <http://www.paulroark.com/>
>
> 
>


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

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "pr_roark" 
<pr_roark@...> wrote:
>
> >... Epson 1400 ... paper registration error (basically means 
> > that it will print perfectly up until it reaches the last couple 
> > of inches of the page and then the printer will not hold the 
> > paper in place while it finishes printing so 
> > the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly...
> >... common fault (known as a paper registration error) and 
> > can be fixed easily ...
> 
> Common but not easily fixed might be more accurate.
> 

Thank you Paul so much for your comprehensive reply and also Michael 
for your added comments regarding the 1900.

On this basis I think I may just look around for a couple of 1800's 
to play with.

Thanks again.

Alistair

maximalimage wrote:
> --- In 
> DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "alistair_owens" 
> <owens@...> wrote:
>   
>> Hi there,
>>
>> I am interested in purchasing an Epson 1400 currently advertised 
>>     
> for 
>   
>> sale. It is well priced but has a fault described as follows:
>>
>> "This is a brand new printer but im selling because it has a paper 
>> registration error (basically means that it will print perfectly 
>>     
> up 
>   
>> until it reaches the last couple of inches of the page and then 
>>     
> the 
>   
>> printer will not hold the paper in place while it finishes 
>>     
> printing so 
>   
>> the bottom of your page may not be aligned properly.  I've been 
>>     
> told 
>   
>> this is a common fault (known as a paper registration error) and 
>>     
> can be 
>   
>> fixed easily "
>>
>> Dies anyone on the board know whether such a fault is in fact 
>>     
> common 
>   
>> with these printers and know whether it is indeed fixed easily?
>>
>> Thanks and regards
>>
>> Alistair
>>
>>     
>
> Alistair, check out the refurb's ar Epson (free shipping).  I just 
> bot a 1400 there for $143 and put Jon Cone's K6 CIS in it.  It works 
> great.
>
> Bill
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Please visit the Group Homepage to check the Files, and other resources as they are often being updated.
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint
>
> If you wish to receive no emails or just a daily digest, or you wish to unsubscribe, please edit your Membership preferences by visiting this same page.
>
> Please follow these basic guidelines:
> - As threads develop, trim off excess portions of earlier messages to keep them short.
> - Good manners are required at all time. No personal attacks or flames. Hostile, aggressive or argumentative users may be removed from the membership without notice.
> - Keep your posts and threads related to the group topic of digital B&W printing. Users who persistently make off-topic posts may be removed from the membership.
> - By posting on this forum you agree to abide by the group rules and guidelines, and to abide by the actions and decisions of the group Owner and Moderators. See "Group Topic, Rules and Guidelines" in the Files section:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/files/
>
> BY PARTICIPATING IN AND/OR POSTING MESSAGES TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO! GROUP YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT THE "OWNER" AND "MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF PROFITS, GOODWILL, USE, DATA OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSSES (EVEN IF THE  "OWNER" AND "MODERATORS" OF DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES), RESULTING FROM: (i) THE USE OR THE INABILITY TO USE THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; (ii) UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR ALTERATION OF YOUR TRANSMISSIONS OR DATA; (iii) STATEMENTS OR CONDUCT OF ANY THIRD PARTY ON THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP; OR (iv) ANY OTHER MATTER RELATING TO THE DIGITAL BW, THE PRINT YAHOO GROUP.
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>   


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