QTR-Quadtone RIP

Hi all,
I'm struggling with a lot of stuff right now - it's late and I'm 
going to go to bed before I do something really dumb - but before I 
turn in - I've just got time to shout HELP!

Firstly I am amazed by the goodwill that the internet community 
shares - I always try to help my fellows where I can too...

I have had an Epson 2100/2200 for a couple of years and have settled 
on a reasonably functional process - Ilford Smooth Pearl with the 
Ilford profiles (I've just about got to grips with using photoshop 
to apply the profile and Epson's driver set to 'no colour 
adjustment'). This works well for colour. I also use a Spyder to 
calibrate my monitor.

This is great until I come to do black and white. I am a member of a 
portrait 'competition' club - every 6 months we each place our best 
colour and our best B&W prints on the table at the local club house. 
Everyone elses B&W (traditional film/prints) look great - mine turn 
a funny colour - yes, you guessed it metamerism!

So having read lots of great stuff about QTR - and having 
just 'upgraded' to an XP PC I am able to join the club and give it a 
try. (Version 2.2.1 using download 2.2b)

First impressions are that the GUI does a great job and the whole 
concept is wonderful - but!

But - I feel like an outcast - I'm using XP and not MAC or Unix! I 
had a load of hassel trying to load the tutorials etc that come as 
stuffit rather than zip, but I got there in the end. I'm not sure 
when/if Aladdin will come for my kneecaps for using 
their 'expander'...

So now I give it a go - I got a reasonble - if warm print on Epson 
Premium Semi Gloss using 'no curves', but when I told the QTR GUI 
that it was wokring with EPSG (UCpk-EPremSemiGloss-warm.quad) I got 
a terribly heavy print with very blocked up blacks. (I am using the 
photo black not the matt black ink).

I haven't tried to create my own curve yet - I thought I'd have a 
pop with the standard ones first and see how I get on.

I've also read that Ilford profiles for the Epson UC inks are out 
there, but not in my download, and not in a any downloadable 
profiles that I could find.

Any pointers?

Also - how the hell do I read this forum? I use dpreview but I can't 
get my head round Yahoo, nothing seems to 'flow'. I can't follow the 
threads. I'm sure it's just another case of me hitting the wrong 
button...

Sorry if I sound tired and emotional (it's just because I am!)

I'm off to bed - will look tomorrow to see if there's any golden 
nuggets of advice (assuming I can navigate Yahoo).

Thanks for reading - if you got this far without falling asleep.

Cheers... Martin 
 
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