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Espon 1430 (1 black cart vs 6 black carts) using AccuRIP

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  Unik Ink 
#1 ·
I just purchased an EPSON 1430.

I was going to get the Cobra Ink System all black (6 total) carts to print my films.

I was also contemplating about using this printer to MAYBE print some color photos down the road.

Would I see a difference in film and image quality printing with 1 black cart and leaving my other color carts in the printer compared to using all 6 black carts?

I will be using the AccuRIP software.

I know they say it prints faster with all 6 black carts since it pulls ink from all 6 instead of just 1 and you wont run out of ink as fast, but, is there any other benefit?

My main concern is will I notice a difference in image quality on the film if I use just the 1 black cart with AccuRIP compared to using all 6 black carts?

I just don't want to make this printer only useful for printing films since I COULD print HD color photos :)

Thanks in advanced.
 
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#3 ·
I don't know much about Accurip, but if you are printing from more than one channel, you lower your resolution to avoid laying a tremendous amount of ink down. This is why you can print much faster. The faster the print, the less sharp quality you will have with fine details like halftones and line art. I would recommend using one channel unless you truly need the speed.
 
#4 ·
I am successfully printing films with 1 black channel from a Epson R2200

Highest resolution (2400, or whatever it is), VIVID, BLACK ONLY, Dark setting all the way dark....

I haven't done multicolor halftone stuff yet, but did do a 1 color halftone, and the screen came out great.... no visible undercutting or bleed, though I'm sure there was some to an extent....

I'd say if it's working for ya, leave it as is

As far as the majority of my work - one color - I am getting good exposures and great detail

just my input, from my limited experience
 
#5 ·
I had an Epson 2200 with a RIP. Printing nothing but film, and using the chip resetter when the color cartridges finally went dry burned up the printhead. Set me back $280 to repair.
I think one of the reasons (aside from speed) for going all black and using the printer as a dedicated film device is to use all of the stations continuously without having to refill the color stations with ink you aren't using for production, unless you're using it for color prints, too.
 
#6 ·
Accurip does as already mentioned. With an exception. It print higher resoultion not lower or the same with a smaller dot. The lower the resoultion the bigger the ink droplet the printer uses. To lower the amount of ink it has to print higher resoultion or a smaller dot. Epson has variable dot technology and accurip doesn't take full advantage of it. When it starts to print it uses 1 size dot through out the print. It does use the variable dot to control the ink. For example in 720x720 it can use a 21pl, 14,pl, 7pl size dot. With a single cartridge it may use the 21pl size dot. With all Channels it may use the 7pl dot or change resoultion to 1440x720 Where it can use a 14, 7, 3 pl size dot or 1440x1440 where it could use a 7, 3, 1.5 pl size dot. But only uses 1 size dot though a print. Filmmaker DTP will use all 3siz dot for the resoultion selected. Making sharper edges, better gradients and more tunable dot control.

Advantages of all black are faster printing in most cases, less cartridge changes or refills, less chance of the head clogging due to the other channels not being used, I tested doing the multi use printer but ultimately ended up picking up a 1400 off craigslist for $40 with a bad nozzle check. Used the head soaking procedure to unclog and been using it the last 2 1/2 years without issue.
 
#8 ·
It doesn't always use a higher resoultion just a smaller dot at same resolution. But here is the way it was explained to me when I inquiried about the same thing. It prints from multiple channels different and each channels is prints a different area. This is not the case with filmmaker though since it uses the variable dot technology. You have to depend on printing lower resoultion and high speed (multi directional) For fast printing but I'd rather have high quality over high speed any day of the week.

Years ago I did a lot of research, long before screen printing and learned how each printer manufactures printer worked a Epson had the best setup for photography. When I was trying to decide which Rip to buy both accurip and filmmaker had to call back since they couldn't answer all the questions I had. Wasatch on the other hand could. I just couldn't afford their software.
 
#9 ·
Again though, you can print at a higher resolution using a single cartridge and get the same speeds and output as all channels. With all channels, you must reduce the amount of ink volume coming from each channel, otherwise you would obviously get too much ink. Not trying to be combative, I'm really trying to understand the concept of a rip that allows you to print from all channels but not increase speed and how that is beneficial to someone purchasing.
 
#10 ·
UPDATE:
Well to update everyone I decided to go with 1 channel black and keep the colors in (allowing me to use printer for color photos also. Using refillable black cart from cobra ink systems.
Using accurip so it controls everything for me :) ink droplet weight set to 10.

OUTCOME:
It is printing beautiful dark blacks takes about 1 min. Halftones are great also. And now with keeping the colors I can print photos also instead of going all black system.
 
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