Datacolor User to User Support Group.

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, David Miller <dm2363@...> 
wrote:
>
> 
> On Oct 6, 2008, at 5:01 PM, gmcphotographics wrote:
> 
> > I've been using a Colorvision PrintFix 2 Pro for about 9 months. 
I've
> > calibrated both of my main displays and I'm happy with my result.
> > It's a Samsung 226bw. It profile's fairly neutral, with a very 
slight
> > warm tone.
> > My issue is my Epson R1800, running an Ink Republic CIS system. 
I've
> > never got colours that I'm happy with. I'm using Ilford Smooth 
Pearl
> > paper, because I like it's texture and the IR inks aren't very
> > glossy, so glossy papers look wrong.
> > So what's my problem? The output has a strong green cast. I have 
used
> > the large patch and I've used the extended greys. I allowed the
> > targets a week to dry before calibrating, I printed the targets 
from
> > Photoshop CS2, making sure that no profile was selected. I've ran 
the
> > Printfix pro software along side photoshop (restarting it ever 
time I
> > made a profile change) and I can't get this paper neutral. There 
is a
> > really strong green cast still. If I print a grey scale, it's more
> > like a green scale and there's odd pink colour bands in the greys
> > too. Is there something that I'm doing wrong or is that this 
device
> > isn't accurate enough to fix this paper/ink combo?
> >
> >
> >
> 
> Can you email your measurements to me so that I can have a look? 
Could
> be that you're not printing the target correctly; (in particular,
> this can be a problem with Epson drivers under OSX Leopard, if 
you're
> running on a Mac). If you print the target "wrong" with color 
management
> turned on, then you'll get a do-nothing profile from the 
measurements,
> and THEN, when you try to print through profile, you'll get a
> non-color-managed print. (which on an R1800.... will have a dark,  
> greenish
> cast, so I think that's what's probably going on here).
> 
> Or just as a guess: if you're printing on a Mac, with OSX and 
Leopard:
> you have to choose "Epson Color Controls" in the Color Matching
> pane up near the top of the Leopard print dialog popup when you 
print.
> If you choose ColorSync (which is, unfortunately, the default), then
> the Epson standard profile gets applied, and you get: a color 
managed
> target print (bad). If this is the case: reprint the target with
> Epson Color Controls selected in the Color Matching section (and 
then,
> also, in the R1800-specific section, make sure you turn color
> management OFF as well). This would give you a visibly darker target
> print if you compared with your previous target print, side-by-side.
> THEN measure this, build a profile from the measurements, and print.
> 
> David Miller
> Senior Software Developer, Digital Color Solutions
> Datacolor
>

Ok, I've checked my CIS and the magenta ink tank was getting low and 
had looks like it's pressure was pretty weak. I've re-primed it and 
now every thing has a strong magenta cast (indicating that this was 
the problem all along). So I'm scrapping all of my target sheets and 
profiles...and starting again. Ho-hum....at least I now know what the 
root cause was! If I have any more problems...I'll drop you a line or 
two :-)

Regards,

Gareth Cooper