m_white Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 I am having problems with a new Epson 1800. I don't know if the problem is just the way the printer works, or if there is some other explanation. I have noticed faint banding accross prints on Epson Premium glossy photo paper. It is not the same strong banding that occurs whith a clogged print head. It is very fine, very close pale lines that show up in areas of solid color and smooth gradations (especially in cyan/blue/green tones). Its as if the ink dropplets are not dithered enough and each pass of the print head can be seen. I have checked the nozzels, they are not clogged. I have done a print head allignment, and it was fine. I am using the Epson premiul glossy icc profile. I have printed using the photo setting, best photo, and photo rpm; all with high speed off and gloss optimizer on. I have tried printing from a different computer and the same thing occurs. The problem is not nearly as noticable on plain paper or epson enhanced matte paper (I may only be able to see it because i know to look for it). Is this just the limitations of the printer? Honestly the prints look like they were done on an old, cheap inkjet. The fine line texture can be seen clearly from a foot away. Any suggestions on what could be the problem? Anyone experience the same thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank_skomial Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 The printer does not work this way. Using the printer driver dialog, clean couple times the print heads until you get perfect test page printout. Cleaning once only or even twice, does not always remove all problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian_scholey Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 You may need to do a print head alignment. Its normally in the same utility menu as the nozzle cleaning Ian http://profiles.colourperfect.co.uk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_white Posted March 13, 2006 Author Share Posted March 13, 2006 I have tried the nozzel cleaning... The test pattern prints perfect- no missing bars. I did a cleaning anyway, just to be sure. The pattern prints out the same as before - no broken lines or missing colors. I also have already done a head allignment (manual and automatic, this printer offers both). Neither step has made a change. Is it possible for this type of problem to be due to the icc profile? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mona_chrome Posted March 13, 2006 Share Posted March 13, 2006 Shouldn't be an ICC problem. I have a similar problem with my Canon printer all the time and occasionally with my 4000. I don't know your printer, but if you have paper thickness settings, check them to see that they are right for the paper you are using. If they are, try them set differently to see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joename Posted March 14, 2006 Share Posted March 14, 2006 When you print using the custom ICC profile - are you making sure you check the box (on the right side of the print properties) that says NOT to color manage - set it to "off" - that may help if you're not doing it already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_ruland Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 I have the exact same problem... fine banding lines on all prints made on Epson Premium Glossy paper, and also on Enhanced Matte, but less noticable on Matte. Like you, I've tried photo, best photo, and photo RPM, none of which improved it. I've also cleaned and cleaned (which wasted over $100 of ink REAL fast) and aligned the heads... neither of which helped. Even worse: prints from my new R1800 look HORRIBLE compared to to my Epson 1280. I've compared prints, printed from same file, on same paper, at same time, etc. The 1280 prints are MUCH sharper and smoother, and the ink droplets of the R1800 look huge and horrible compared to the 1280 prints. The 1280 prints are SO much smoother, AND sharper at the same time, which just can't be right. I'm VERY frustrated over this. For all of you who have an R1800, please scrutinize your prints very closely and let me know if you see this problem. I'm hoping that I just have a defective one, because this is NOT what I expected. I wanted an upgrade, not the downgrade in print quality (despite being archival which the 1280 isn't) that I got in this R1800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m_white Posted April 25, 2006 Author Share Posted April 25, 2006 Hi, Thought I should update what happened with the printer. I spent lots of time with epson tech support doing every test imaginable and wasting tons of ink. They had no explanation, considered the printer defective and I got a new one. Unfortunately the new one did the exact same thing (also after cleanigs allignments and tests). It made me think its just the way the printer prints. While I am sure it is fine for some people and uses, the faint lines really bother me. I returned the 1800 and got the 2400. While I am not happy about the higher price tag, the print quality is great. It is what it should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_ruland Posted April 25, 2006 Share Posted April 25, 2006 Oh no! That is NOT what I wanted to hear. Well I agree with you... those faint lines REALLY bother me too. They look horrible, and the ink droplets look huge and terribly grainy/choppy compared to my 1280 prints which look MUCH smoother AND sharper. Yet, I've read reviews from reliable professionals who seem to LOVE the R1800 and its output. It just simply CAN'T print this way by design; there's no way anyone would think this output is ok... not anyone at Epson who engineered and sells it, or any higher-end consumers who buy it for $500-plus. I just has to be some kind of defect with the 2 you had and the one I have. Up until now I've read nothing but sparkling reviews about its awesome output. Certainly they couldn't have been overlooking this quite obvious banding problem. Is there anyone else out there having this problem? Please reply. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian_entz Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 I am having the same problem with both my Epson R1800 and R800. Light banding that makes my prints non-saleable. I've been emailing teck support and have about given up with them. Maybe I need to upgrade to the 2400, but hate doing that without knowing if I will still have the same problem. Could the problem be with software issues between OSX and the epson printer drivers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_abraham2 Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 I seem to be having this problem lately as well. It's only noticeable in areas of continuous colour. Very annoying. Some website somewhere suggested somehow cleaning the print heads with windex (but in my experience with previous printer messing with the print heads is a bad idea.) Maybe I'll run a few cleaning cycles. It's very frustrating. This is why I retired my Canon i900. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_rummey Posted February 17, 2007 Share Posted February 17, 2007 I have exactly the same thing... brand new printer running a Media Street CIS.. no one seems to know how to fix this in anyway. If anyone gets to the bottom of it please let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alajber_alkhawarizmi Posted March 4, 2007 Share Posted March 4, 2007 i had this problem with epson 2000P and glossy papers. Switched to matt papers (permajet classic and museum), and the problem disappear. I think that the problem is due to rollers and the ink that has not yet dried (smooth papers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaron_morris1 Posted March 13, 2007 Share Posted March 13, 2007 Hi All- I just opened up my new 2400 tonight. After printing several prints, I too was having the end of print banding problem! I was absolutely sick! But I have good news... I downloaded the newest driver set from Epson for Windows XP... After installing and rebooting the problem has gone away. I am using premium glossy photo paper on Best Photo setting. Color managed in application, rather than print driver. The print quality with the new driver is dramatically better! Colors match my lab printed photos much closer now. Gradients are smoother. Large color fields look more uniform, no dopple patterns. Too bad I already made about 10 prints with the old driver! Good Luck everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_castling Posted April 4, 2007 Share Posted April 4, 2007 M White I am having virtually the same prob with my 1800 in fact this is my second one and I am expecting a third soon, I have been on to epson for days and have tried everything they said to no avail,curiously it also happened on two 2400 that I sent back. I also reloade the drivers - no difference. Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishij Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 Check out my banding patterns on the Epson R2400 using Mac OS X: <p> <img src = "http://web.mac.com/rishisanyal/PrinterTests/R2400_banding.jpg"> <p> My Epson R200 puts out better images then this new R2400 I got. <p> Epson Tech Support, after an hour and a half, won't even pick up my call. <p> I've tried every combination/permutation of head cleaning, nozzle checks, head alignment, turning the printer off and waiting overnight, etc. etc. <p> Not that a printer that costs $850 with ink costing $100 per replacement should even have me going through these tests if some sort of quality control were established over at Epson. <p> I mean, this banding is hideous. Happens on all my images with smooth gradients (i.e. skies). <p> If anyone has any further ideas, let me know. Else it's going to be arguing with Epson for them to take this back so I can go back to the inferior yet superior Epson R200... <p> -Rishi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishij Posted April 7, 2007 Share Posted April 7, 2007 K, so I think I uncovered the *reason* for the banding seen above... but don't have a *solution*. For some reason, when I remove the yellow cartridge, I see mostly cyan ink on the nozzle (the yellow nozzle, that is). Now, inside my yellow ink cartridge, I see a bit of cyan ink. So either the cartridge had some cyan in it to begin with, or cyan is somehow leaking from the cyan cartridge to the yellow nozzle. Anyone heard of this? This is crazy. -Rishi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Hi, I too had this fine banding showing on epson arc matte and to a lesser extent on premium gloss, especially in areas of subtle shades. What i ended up doing was running the r1800 adjutment software that can be found on the web (unfortunatly for a price, albeit very little). When i ran it i found that many of the alignment settings of my printer were way out. It is a long proccess to go through them all, and takes alot of paper. The first time i ran through the adjustments i must have made an error as the problem was the same, but the second time seemed to fix all the fine banding issues. Now i dont suggest that this is going to be the solution for everyone, infact unless you know what you are doing i wouldnt recomend it. But if you do, make sure that you use the option to backup your printer eprom first, then if it all goes T*Ts up then you can restore it. Please do not go down this route unles you are sure that the banding is not caused by blocked print heads. It is a sad state of affairs that we seem to pay so much for this technology these days, when the potential of these devices is marred by total lack of decent quality control. I keep seeing it again and again in all areas of technology. Gone are the days of feeling secure in the knowledge that if you pay for quality yo get quality! On a side note, I would truely reccomend having profiles made of your papers. I spent a year tring to solve the r1800 dark prints problem, god knows how much i wasted in ink and paper. In the end paying ?15 for a custom profile solved my problem, and now i have beautiful prints.. happy printing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishij Posted April 11, 2007 Share Posted April 11, 2007 Agreed on the 'gone are the days of feeling secure in the knowledge that if you pay for quality you get quality'. Since on about 90% of my nozzle checks and head alignment test patterns I would see cyan dye splattered across all the other colors in the print, I concluded that there was a serious problem with the print head leaking cyan ink throughout the other nozzles. Pretty crazy if that's true, but Epson is sending a replacement & I have my fingers crossed that it'll be *usable*. If you don't mind can you post a link, or give some more detail, on this adjustment software you speak of? Thanks, Rishi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rishij Posted April 12, 2007 Share Posted April 12, 2007 Just to report back... The replacement Epson R2400 is just fine. Stunning, in fact. So the previous printer was just *broken*. Cheers, Rishi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
col Posted April 16, 2007 Share Posted April 16, 2007 2manuals.com as i said i cant say it will work for you. ive noticed that the banding returns when using a Rip, both qtr and gimp. seems to me its a very sensitive printer as far as drivers are concerned. does sound like yours is broken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_rummey Posted May 8, 2007 Share Posted May 8, 2007 Just to update - I finally got rid of the nasty banding! After many discussions with Media Street (I was using Media Street Inks) it turns out they had a dodgy batch of magenta ink - sent me some new stuff and hey presto! Sorted. The nozzles do clog a lot still though :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter_huppertz Posted May 22, 2007 Share Posted May 22, 2007 I had the same problem. Banding at every print head pass, best visible on monochrome or duotone prints, in the midtone areas. Drove me mad for days. Then, after having tried everything suggested here and more, I downloaded the latest driver (4-4-2007) from the Epson support site. And hey presto. Problem gone completely - plus a slight, but at normal vieing distance (holding an A5 print at arm's length) detectable increase in print sharpness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morrie_gasser Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 My printer, working fine for months, suddenly developed banding, along with 8 or 10 little red droplet splatters on each print. A nozzle check shows everything is perfect. Here is highly enlarged section of a print: http://www.thegassers.com/Temp/r1800lines.jpg Notice the light bands where red appears to be missing, and the red splatters exactly on top of the bands. On one side of each splatter more red nozzles are working than on the other side. It's as if the ink wasn't squirting out of the nozzle (so leaving an empty trail on the print) but building up on the head instead. Then all that built-up ink comes out in one huge splatter. I'm using regular Epson inks. Any idea how to fix this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j._alleyne Posted January 29, 2010 Share Posted January 29, 2010 <p>Thanks all this was helpful. <br> I just got the banding to stop. I'm not sure what did it.<br> I downloaded the most recent driver Epson R1800 6.53 and I change from plain paper to a generic heavy mat paper under the options for the Epson driver. Voila! The best print I've got so far from the machine. <br> I also experimented with the ICC paper profiles and found much beter results in matching my monochrome print with Abolute colour matching (the colours within the gammut are not adjusted for the colour of the paper or realtive to each other).<br> Hope this helps some other sad desperate soul out there.</p> <p>johwanna<br> tobeinpictures.com</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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