Reliability and savings of MediaStreet Niagara II on Epson 2200

[barmijo]

I've done a few searches in the archives and haven't quite found what

I'm looking for so . . .

 

Over the past few months I've started running about 1500 prints a

month through my small shop. I'm using an Epson 2200 and the output

is great but the ink costs are terrible. I'm considering getting a

Niagara II system to reduce the cost and the wasted time swapping

cartridges.

 

1) Does anybody have any data on the relative cost using the Niagara

II vs. Epson 2200 OEM cartridges? MediaStreet's website says

only "most Epson OEM cartridges hold 1/2 ounce of ink" but that

doesn't seem very specific.

 

2) Does anybody have any data/experience they can share on print

quality from MediaStreet Generations G-Chrome inks?

 

3) Does anyone have any experience with the system related to

reliability, tech support capabilities, service etc?

 

Thanks in advance!

Bert

[www.whitemountainphoto.com]

Bert, just a thought. My 2200 just broke down after far less prints, and with a 32 print order due in three weeks, matted and framed, I've come to the conclusion that I really should have a second printer. It's going to take them 10 days or maybe more to fix and cost $250. I've been reading where the new Epson 4000 uses larger ink cartridges, cutting your printing costs almost in half, and you can now do 16x20 in house. My thought is to get the 4000 to use 90% of the time, to also lower my ink cost, and keep the 2200 for back-up, but continuing to print a couple on it each week just to keep the ink heads clean. That way I won't be sweating like I am today, hoping I can get it back, and working properly next week, to get this job done for my biggest client.

[mark_herring]

I would also consider MIS. Their CFS systems are a bit more competitive than Niagara.

 

Interesting comment about 4000 ink---the larger carts give you more ink per dollar? My colleague at work decided on a novel way of saving money with his 2200--he is buying the large carts for something like the 7600 or 9600--and then extracting the ink and putting into the 2200 carts. Genuine Epson at a lower cost.

[yeung-seu yoon]

I've used a Niagara III system with my Epson 2200 for about 6

months. It works very consistently, and I have had no problems

with ink delivery yet while doing about 10 prints a day. I don't use

G-chrome inks (instead, I have a greyscale inkset from

Sundance), so I can't speak directly about your ink costs, but a

12 ml cartridge of Sundance ink costs $18, while a 120 ml bulk

bottle costs $30, meaning that my ink costs six times more in a

cartridge than it does in a bottle. I would bet this is a good

ballpark estimate of the cost ratio for your inks.

 

Cheers,

[barmijo]

Thanks for your responses.

 

I'd thought about the 4000 as well. I think, if I've got the math right, the 220ml cartridges for the 4000 at $85 are a little more than twice the cost of the Mediastreet G-Chrome inks in 8oz bottles. Not a bad choice, but since I don't often make large prints that'd be a $1700 investment to save ink costs.

 

I think I'm still leaning toward the Niagara II but just wanted to get your opinions.

 

Thanks again!

[steven_clark]

As for what mark mentioned, as far as I know the 110 and 220ml cartridges used by the 4000 are the exact same ones used on the 7600, 9600, etc. At that many prints a month you probably want a 4000 or similar in the long run. It's a printer designed for the type of worload you are now experiencing.

[david_hamory]

This has been "A Nightmare on Mediastreet" I installed the system on my 2200 in October. Occasionally I got a blob of ink on my prints. This increased to the point where large pools of ink were smeared across the print every inch or so. Ink levels were dropping so in January I ordered more ink. Mediastreet said to remove the stand that came with the Niagra to hold the inks up about 1". But it was too late. There was a pool of ink under my printer and the inside was drowning in ink. Disassembly was required to literally hose out the interior. With the inks now at printer level the yellow quit printing suddenly at about 2" into a print. I have followed all their directions for removing foamy ink from the carts but have been able to print only 2-3 8x11s at a time. Head cleaning results in a worse nozzel check each time. Their support is strictly email and I have answered the same questions from them repetedly. They sent me two replacement carts once and said they would replace the set of inks that went down the drain. My last email asked when. Today I got a response that didn't even address my question but instead they asked me how I could print between October and January when according to their records I didn't order ink until January. And that they would sell me a new Magenta cart at half price. My adult, sophisticated response?...BITE ME! The only time I got good results was during a storm. Could have been due to low atmospheric pressure. The system seems to deliver too much ink to the carts or not enough. For my $500+ I have printed the equivalent of 40-50 8x10 prints. You do the math. They also say the life of a crtridge is 1-1.5 years. That means another $80.

Also check out the MIS website and read the troubleshooting section about foaming ink there. That alone should frighten you away.

I am on my 2nd 2200 and hope the warranty on the first was not voided by using this ink. I haven't heard from Epson yet.

Dave

[toshi_kakawa]

You can try i-INK from InkRepublic.com

I have heard that their system works great with epson 2200 and R800.

But I've never tried it. Just think spongeless cis makes more sense.

 

 

http://www.InkRepublic.com

[kieran_mullen]

You have to play with the height of the cis tanks. Elevate them too high and they will force ink out of your printer, to low and you will get air in your lines.