BO Printing purple/blue!

[finepics]

I have an Epson 2100 running a CIS system using MIS Ultrachrome inks

with Eboni Black. I have tried printing Black Only following the guide

"Digital Tri X" onto Epson Enhanced Matt paper only to get a print

that is predominantly toned purple/blue. What is going wrong? I have

checked all the settings in Photoshop and the print driver (I have

noticed that printing at 2880dpi is not an option in the Epson 2100

driver when selecting Archival Matt - now known as Enhanced Matt in

the US - although it is an option in the 2200 version). Any help, as

always, gratefully received.

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

If you're getting a colored hue, you're either not printing black only or there is something wrong with your Eboni Black. Have you tried a different bottle? I haven't used a CIS system (I print on a 1280) but is it possible that the tubes are crossed or something? At the risk of sounding condescending, your are selecting the black radio button rather than color in the Epson printer software right?

[finepics]

Hi Paul,

 

The system is connected up fine (about nine months) and prints colour beautifully. The MIS inks are designed to have an identical gamut to the Epson UC inks. If I print a B/W print from PS using full colour and a profile I get a reasonably neutral print (slight magenta cast under tungsten light - but thats a well known metarism problem) and printing ordinary documents gives a normal black text, although that is full colour printing. I am trying to get QTR sorted out properly but proving very difficult and time consuming so far but in the long run that will be my way to B/W. Its bizarre and I cannot think of any reason for it. Its as if the ink is not truly black which I think unlikely, Eboni is usually most peoples black of choice from MIS.

[glenn_jobson]

I know that the Epson driver for the 1290s(1280) uses the cyan ink as well as the black when certain paper types are selected in the print options, Premium Glossy Photo Paper for example.

 

My guess would be to do some test, small squares on a sheet and try all media setting to see which ones actually only use black when only black is selected in the printer settings.

 

Glenn

[paul_sokal___dallas__tx]

I have used Eboni Black cartidge on Epson Enhanced matte in BO mode with great, neutral results. If Glenn is right maybe that's what is affecting your 2100. I didn't see in your note that you have tried a different bottle of Eboni, just in case you got a bad bottle.

[finepics]

Thanks for all your help. Thats interesting about the cyan ink use, that could well be it. I will try out the different paper settings when I get home and let you know the results later.

[finepics]

Glenn,

 

You are right about Cyan being used in the Epson driver. I rang MIS tech support and they told me that the Epson driver does not shut off the colour nozzles when selecting Black only - how irritating is that. So the way to pure B/W for me will have to be through QTR.

[jtk]

I don't understand the problem.

 

I thought "black only" referred simply to the Epson printer setting...which produces an epson warning and then

DOES make totally neutral, reasonably fine B&W prints without further fiddling around. The worst I can say about that method is that it sometimes reveals artifacts in its "grain."

 

By contrast, using QTRgui and OEM pigments (not Eboni) my 2200 prints whatever I select, from neutral to cold to warm, no hassle, no weird colors, good black. I gather I might get colder blacks if I wanted the hassle of Eboni, and if I was willing to give up EPSON OEM's greater density.

 

QTR does waste color pigments while it prints its synthesized B&W, but the waste don't hit the paper...and I don't think its significant.

 

One of the big advantages of QTR seems its ability to very easily print fine B&W without specialized inks.

[bobmichaels]

Take a tiny swab of the Eboni straight from the bottle and smear it on a piece of paper to tell if there is a problem with the ink.

 

And to print 2880 dpi, just select glossy paper. It seems to lay down an approximate equal amount of ink. But my naked eye could never tell the difference between 1440 and 2880 coming out of my 1280.

 

It may be worthwhile triple checking to insure you are not introducing some other software variable if a text document prints black and a grayscale photo prints purple/blue using the same printer driver.

[finepics]

Hi John,

 

Well thats what I thought. There is no great secret to BO printing. In the old days the problems with it were mainly due to printer droplet sizes not producing a tonally smooth image, but with todays variable droplet printers you should have a well toned neutral print. But not so, all mid-grey tones particularly come out a slightly blueish colour. I am stumped! But as I said in an earlier post MIS state that true BO is not possible in the Epson driver (maybe this is a peculiarity with the 2100 driver which does differ from the 2200 driver). I cannot choose 2880dpi with Archival Matt paper (known as Enhanced Matt in the US) and you can have 2880dpi with the 2200 driver?

[finepics]

I have just examined my blueish print with a loupe and there is definitely Cyan and Magenta or Light Cyan/Magenta being laid down as well as black. So that accounts for my toned image. What I don't understand is why the Epson driver still uses colours when the Black radio button is checked in the print driver. Maybe this is done to neutralise the brownish tone of the original Epson black inks. As I understand MIS Eboni is a compromise between Epson PK and MK inks and may not be as brown by itself and so perhaps that is the problem?

[bobmichaels]

While a "neutral tone" black is certainly subjective, I've always seen what I would always consider neutral blacks using Eboni only in 1280 and 2200. The Epson K seems warm in comparison.

 

Unfortunately, I really don't know much about the 2100 printer or it's output.

[peter_linder]

I have the same problem using a HP 7960 (Mac and photoshop cs)

I have tried a number of settings but does not seem to work.

I sent a file out to a pro lab which came back nice bw, just to compare.

A bit frustrating I must say.