Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: situgrrl on January 26, 2006, 11:54:44 am

Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: situgrrl on January 26, 2006, 11:54:44 am
My Epson 2100 uses ink very quickly and I can't afford it.  There are several CIS systems on the market from £80 - £250.  I want something of comparable quality to the epson inks.  Can anyone shed any light?

Thanks
C
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: Peter McLennan on January 26, 2006, 12:32:21 pm
I've been using several CIS systems in several printers nearly trouble-free for over five years.  I use Generations 4 pigment inks from www.mediastreet.com.  

With a profile, you probably won't notice any colour differences.  They don't fade.  Period.  Other systems from MIS Associates have a good reptutation, too.  If you search this site and others, you'll find more info.

For desktop printers, if you want to actually print, especially images, and you're paying, a CIS is completely liberating.  Go for it.

Peter
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: mdijb on January 26, 2006, 02:42:16 pm
I can also vouch for the mediastreet systems and ink--I have used them on 3 different printers, including the 7600 and have been very pleased.  The print quality has been excellent and their tech support has been very helpful the few times I have needed them.  The cost savings are huge.

MDIJB
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: situgrrl on January 27, 2006, 05:17:37 am
I can't find a UK supplier for the mediastreet ink systems so I'm considering Lyson - I need to be able to get ink quickly when I'm out!

Most of the systems available sell the ink serperately from the hardware, has anyone tryed mixing and matching?  A complete setup is megabucks so I was thinking of skimping on the hardware and using good quality inks.
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: hughhill on January 27, 2006, 08:50:33 am
I dont know where you live Situgrr, but the lagest computer market has a rep from Lyson there who demonstrates and sells their systems.
they are there every saturday just off Tottenham Court Road in the University City Hospital behind Chorlotte Street.
Once I get my 4000 sorted out I will be using them myself.
I dont know if this helps, buty I wish you luck.

Hugh

Quote
I can't find a UK supplier for the mediastreet ink systems so I'm considering Lyson - I need to be able to get ink quickly when I'm out!

Most of the systems available sell the ink serperately from the hardware, has anyone tryed mixing and matching?  A complete setup is megabucks so I was thinking of skimping on the hardware and using good quality inks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56879\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: allan67 on January 27, 2006, 02:54:59 pm
Hello,
I've been using InkRepublic CIS on my R1800 and found it very reliable.
After a year of usage I found no problems with it.
The construction quality is very good and setup is easy. I was up and running in about 30 mins.
Check it at http://www.inkrepublic.com/Index.asp (http://www.inkrepublic.com/Index.asp)
They provide their own inks or you can use inks from other manufacturers.
It's not a cheap system, but I think it's worth it.
Hope it helps.
Allan
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: DarkPenguin on January 27, 2006, 03:50:23 pm
Quote
I've been using several CIS systems in several printers nearly trouble-free for over five years.  I use Generations 4 pigment inks from www.mediastreet.com. 

With a profile, you probably won't notice any colour differences.  They don't fade.  Period.  Other systems from MIS Associates have a good reptutation, too.  If you search this site and others, you'll find more info.

For desktop printers, if you want to actually print, especially images, and you're paying, a CIS is completely liberating.  Go for it.

Peter
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56826\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The last third party inks I tried clogged my 1280 solid.  Any problem with mediastreet's inks?
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: Peter McLennan on January 28, 2006, 12:31:33 am
Quote
The last third party inks I tried clogged my 1280 solid.  Any problem with mediastreet's inks?
[{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a] (http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=56937\")


I had one total clog of the black channel due to non-use.  I bought a new CIS and kept on printing.  I run an 1160 and an 880 with G4 inks.  Both have been running for nearly five years now.

I am debating long and hard whether or not to move to a CIS for my 4800.

situgrrl, you might see if MIS Associates  
[a href=\"http://www.inksupply.com/]http://www.inksupply.com/[/url]  
will ship to the UK.  I'm suprised that you can't get MediaStreet stuff.  

Peter
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: keithrsmith on January 28, 2006, 06:52:01 am
you could consider getting some empty carts and refillinf them with your chosen ink -
http://www.weink.com/ecom/catalog/easy-fil...200_4439613.htm (http://www.weink.com/ecom/catalog/easy-fill_dedicated_sponge-free_blanks_for_epson_2100-2200_4439613.htm)

I have the lyson CIS and Fotonic inks on a 2100 and am happy with the results, but unless you print quite a lot and often, the CIS can be a bit of a pain.

Keith
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: situgrrl on January 28, 2006, 02:23:15 pm
Keith your idea sounds very interesting.  I'll try really hard not to ask why a set of empty carts costs the same as genuine Epson ones with ink!  I don't quite understand the deal with chips though, you can buy a chip resetter for $10 so why do they sell 50 pks of those adhesive chips which "auto reset." Do I need both?  Why?

Thanks
Charlee
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: keithrsmith on January 29, 2006, 04:31:15 am
In truth I don't know!  The spongeless refillable carts are quite new and I haven't tried them.  

keith
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: GreenApple123 on September 22, 2006, 05:50:52 pm
I recently began using a website called Ink Replacement (http://www.inkreplacement.com/InkCartridges) and have found them to be significantly cheaper than the manufacturer's ink prices and the quality has been great.  I think they are a pretty new site because I haven't seen them until recently but I was pleased with the company.
Title: The poverty/printer ink conundrum
Post by: nigeldh on October 11, 2006, 12:08:45 am
Quote
The last third party inks I tried clogged my 1280 solid.  Any problem with mediastreet's inks?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=56937\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I have been using the G Chrome pigment inks with my Epson 1280 for almost a year. I just make sure to print a couple of 8x12 prints every week to keep things flowing. I was having an issue with the ink not feeding, often yellow not printing, but then I raised the ink supply a bit more by putting the ink bottles and stand on a 50 sheet paper box. Getting the height of the bulk ink bottles is critical - too low and the ink doesn't refill the cartridges by capillary action. Too high and the ink floods the cartridges and the print head.

I got both the 1280 and the MediaStreet Niagara CIS as factory reburished units so together they were about the cost of a new 1280 and I get pigment ink - the stock 1280 uses dye ink and 5 colors in one cartridge. Just make sure that any ink feed bottles have a nipple fixed into the top of the ink supply bottle. Some systems just drill a hole and slip the ink feed tube in. Then the ink feed tube can get too high and the system will get an air lock.

Nigel