Something strange with Epson R3000 + installing under Mac/Snow Leopard

[pharmacist]

Recently I tried to install the driver software of my Epson R3000 on my Macbook Pro and and my iMac. After each fresh install of the drivers I tried to test the printer by printing a few pictures to this printer.

Now is it normal the printer suddenly executed a cleaning cycle, which took almost 5 minutes before the print came out. The ink level of all colours dropped about 5 %. This happens again when installing the drivers on my iMac. Again heavy cleaning during 5 minutes and another drop of 5 % of the ink level. I never experienced this when installing the printer under Windows PC's. I am using the wireless LAN driver.

Could this be a booby trap made by Epson forcing you to buy extra ink ???

 

[jtoolman]

Does it only perform the cleaning once? Maybe it thinks it is being initialized for the first time on each of your Macs.
It does sound a bit weird but soon you should be set up with refillables right?

 

[pharmacist]

The strange thing is: everytime I set up on a Windows system, there is no excessive cleaning cycle. Is this typically a Mac bug ? I still find this very strange, as the cleaning cycle only happens on Mac's, not on Windows systems. Hopefully I can go away with the refillables or CISS. If everytime this cleaning cycle is endorsed by the Mac driver, my cartridges will be empty in no time.

 

[jtoolman]

Are you saying this occurs every time you run the printer in your Macs or just during each initial driver install?
It does seem that Epson and Mac OSs don't along very well. It seems that every time I read of some really odd strange problems, I say to myself, I bet that's running on a Mac, after a few replies,,,, it always turns out to be the case.
I find it unacceptable that Epson seems to not bother to ensure that their printer drivers work perfectly on Mac. I don't use Macs at home but did at work so I too have experienced weird, odd mishaps with my Epsons and my Macs.

 

[pharmacist]

I have heard about tenacious problems with mixed up color management and inconsistent prints with Photoshop and Lightroom under Mac and now this. Not sure the problem will exist on consecutive prints, because I stopped trying to print under Mac, being afraid more ink will be drained into the sponges.

 

[jtoolman]

It's too bad the R3000 does not include a maintenance tank, even a small one. I can't believe a printer of that caliber still insist in dumping waste ink onto sponges that in many cases cost as much as the printer to replace. Hace you figured out how to collect waste ink externally?

Also, am I correct in thinking that it also shares the same print head channel for Matte and photo black so it has to purge between the two whenever you switch paper types? Even the lowly R1900 seems to be much more up to date in that regards.
I was very much contemplating getting an R3000 but in retrospect I am more inclined to not go that route, though it is a fantastic printer.

 

[pharmacist]

HI jtoolman,

still not. I might to disable the printer myself and see how the tubing is connected. I think the absence of a user replacable maintenance tank is a bit disappointing. They could also omit the LLB and use only LB to create the ABW prints and having the LLB channel permanently occupied by the MB cartridge. Both the HP B9180 and the Canon Pro 9500 only have a single grey cartridge and the b&w prints are on pair with the Epson K3 (Vivid) ink set.

 

[irvweiner]

Apotheker, contacting Dano Steinhart of Epson should help your cause. He is at the top of their food chain.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?topic=58090.0

good luck irv weiner

 

[lolopr1]

What version of SL are you running 10.6._?

 

[pharmacist]

10.6.8, the latest before going to Lion.