- Joined
- May 29, 2007
- Messages
- 2,567
- Reaction score
- 1,269
- Points
- 313
- Location
- Ghent, Belgium
- Printer Model
- Epson SC-P800,WF-7840,XP-15000
This is a call for all technical guys to help me for a serious attempt to get Epson CcMmYK printers (the so-called 6 colour based printers using the latest variable droplet size technology) to be turned into a true dedicated B/W (Advanced B/W) + CMYK colour printer, similar to an Epson R2400/R2880, but without the need to swap out matte/photo black inks.
Some technical background about my idea:
Epson R800/R1800/R1900 are all 8 channel based printers having the same common fact they do not have Light Magenta nor Light Cyan, but are still capable to print smooth lighter gradients using full strength colours (R800/R1800: cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, matte black, red, blue, gloss optimizer and for the R1900: cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, matte black, red, orange, gloss optimizer). Coincidentally the Epson R2400 also has 8 channels: cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta, light black (grey), light light black (photo grey) and the eight channel being shared between photo black/matte black. So one can conclude: the variable droplet size technology of Epson makes it possible to omit the light or photo colours, without comprising in printing quality as do the Epson R800, R1800 and the R1900 show.
Canon latest MP980 and the MP990 can produce very neutral B/W prints by introducing a grey cartridge. Like the Canon IP4500 (and the MX850, IP5300) these printers produces 3 different droplet sizes for magenta and cyan, mimicking the lighter shades of photo magenta and photo cyan. This way there is no need to use a dedicated photo cyan and photo magenta cartridge to produce these necessary lighter shades to get great photo prints. The Canon MP980/MP990 also produces 3 shades of grey and help by the photo black cartridge this will get you true neutral B/W prints.
Now back to my idea to turn my Epson 1400 into a printer that can rival the Epson R2400 and also get you the benefit not having to exchange the photo black and matte black, which we know will trigger the printer to flush the complete printhead to prime for the black in change and wastes alot of ink. The Epson 1400 can print with 5 different droplet size per channel: 1.5/3/7/14 and 21 pl droplets. This is even more than the 3 different shades of magenta/cyan and grey seen with Canon printers and should produce very fine gradients. Technically this makes the usage of light cyan/light magenta/light grey completely obsolete. I just mentioned the fact that the Epson R800/R1800/R1900 do not have light magenta/light cyan cartridge, but are still capable to print stunning photo prints with very smooth gradients.
The key solution to turn the Epson 1400 into a dedicated advanced B/W and colour printer is to use a RIP. And this german company offers a very affordable RIP which supports many printers including the Epson 1400. But the question is, would this be possible to do this ?
My idea is to change the ink positions as follows (using pigment ink)
yellow => yellow
photo black => photo black
light cyan => matte black
light magenta => grey
magenta => magenta
cyan => cyan
If this can be done, a whole series of Epson 6-colour printers using the same variable droplet size technology and same ink configuration can be turned a printing device that rivals the expensive Epson R2400 printer. Especially the Epson 1400 would be a very interesting and cheap alternative for the R2400 and the best thing would be: no need to swap out black inks and waste ink, because the printer triggers a purge job.
The only problem is: how does this Printfab RIP driver works, because I could not figure out how to configure the right method to tell the driver which channel must use which colour ???
Some technical background about my idea:
Epson R800/R1800/R1900 are all 8 channel based printers having the same common fact they do not have Light Magenta nor Light Cyan, but are still capable to print smooth lighter gradients using full strength colours (R800/R1800: cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, matte black, red, blue, gloss optimizer and for the R1900: cyan, magenta, yellow, photo black, matte black, red, orange, gloss optimizer). Coincidentally the Epson R2400 also has 8 channels: cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan, light magenta, light black (grey), light light black (photo grey) and the eight channel being shared between photo black/matte black. So one can conclude: the variable droplet size technology of Epson makes it possible to omit the light or photo colours, without comprising in printing quality as do the Epson R800, R1800 and the R1900 show.
Canon latest MP980 and the MP990 can produce very neutral B/W prints by introducing a grey cartridge. Like the Canon IP4500 (and the MX850, IP5300) these printers produces 3 different droplet sizes for magenta and cyan, mimicking the lighter shades of photo magenta and photo cyan. This way there is no need to use a dedicated photo cyan and photo magenta cartridge to produce these necessary lighter shades to get great photo prints. The Canon MP980/MP990 also produces 3 shades of grey and help by the photo black cartridge this will get you true neutral B/W prints.
Now back to my idea to turn my Epson 1400 into a printer that can rival the Epson R2400 and also get you the benefit not having to exchange the photo black and matte black, which we know will trigger the printer to flush the complete printhead to prime for the black in change and wastes alot of ink. The Epson 1400 can print with 5 different droplet size per channel: 1.5/3/7/14 and 21 pl droplets. This is even more than the 3 different shades of magenta/cyan and grey seen with Canon printers and should produce very fine gradients. Technically this makes the usage of light cyan/light magenta/light grey completely obsolete. I just mentioned the fact that the Epson R800/R1800/R1900 do not have light magenta/light cyan cartridge, but are still capable to print stunning photo prints with very smooth gradients.
The key solution to turn the Epson 1400 into a dedicated advanced B/W and colour printer is to use a RIP. And this german company offers a very affordable RIP which supports many printers including the Epson 1400. But the question is, would this be possible to do this ?
My idea is to change the ink positions as follows (using pigment ink)
yellow => yellow
photo black => photo black
light cyan => matte black
light magenta => grey
magenta => magenta
cyan => cyan
If this can be done, a whole series of Epson 6-colour printers using the same variable droplet size technology and same ink configuration can be turned a printing device that rivals the expensive Epson R2400 printer. Especially the Epson 1400 would be a very interesting and cheap alternative for the R2400 and the best thing would be: no need to swap out black inks and waste ink, because the printer triggers a purge job.
The only problem is: how does this Printfab RIP driver works, because I could not figure out how to configure the right method to tell the driver which channel must use which colour ???
