QTR-Quadtone RIP

>I'm having a slightly visible horizontal banding at the 
>first and last cm of the print. ...

I've run into this for years with different printers and workflows. I think
it's a paper transport problem.  My old 3000 had it, and I got rid of it by
having more margin at the top and bottom of the image so that the printer
had more paper to grab onto.  My relatively new 1800 also shows the problem,
and again the cure is to be sure there are ample top and bottom margins.  If
both sets of rollers -- before and after the head -- are engaged, I suspect
the paper transport is more accurtate. Thick papers are usually more prone
to it than thin papers.  QTR is probably not more prone to it than the Epson
driver.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com