Topic: 3800 Plain Paper (Read 3999 times)

Jim-St · « **on:** December 16, 2009, 08:08:00 am »

Hi-

I need to run off some stuff on plain paper from LR through my Epson 3800, using the sheet feeder. problem is when I go into the print settings dialogue the only paper types available for MK are Enhanced and Archival Mattes - all the rest are greyed out.

Am I missing something here? I've set the Page Setup to 3800 + Sheet Feeder Borderless (Retain Size), which is the correct path for plain paper. so can't see why it's not available in Print Settings

Any ideas welcomed...

TIA

Jim

digitaldog · « **Reply #1 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:00:12 am »

Switch inks.

Jim-St · « **Reply #2 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:50:55 am »

Quote from: digitaldog

Switch inks.

Sorry Andrew - I'm not sure what I'm understandinging. I'm running on MK, and I have never switched inks manually. Are you saying plain paper needs PK? Anyway, Plain paper is greyed in both sections of the menu...

Robert Moore · « **Reply #3 on:** December 16, 2009, 10:58:16 am »

Quote from: Jim-St

Sorry Andrew - I'm not sure what I'm understandinging. I'm running on MK, and I have never switched inks manually. Are you saying plain paper needs PK?

I think that is correct...nothing to switch manually if you select the inkset in the driver the printer automatically switches inks in about 90 seconds...you
lose around 1.2 - 1.5 ml of the previous black ink when the printer purges it from the line...nothing like the 4800.

Bob

Eric Myrvaagnes · « **Reply #4 on:** December 16, 2009, 11:39:40 am »

If you're using plain paper, presumably the color isn't important. I would simply select "Enhanced" and go ahead and print. The printer won't know you're lying to it.

Jim-St · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2009, 11:50:35 am »

Quote from: EricM

If you're using plain paper, presumably the color isn't important. I would simply select "Enhanced" and go ahead and print. The printer won't know you're lying to it.

Thanks Eric- I think that's what I'll have to do.

My concern, though, is not so much with colour management as with getting the printer to apply the appropriate volume of ink, so as not to mush up the paper under pictures etc

digitaldog · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2009, 11:59:26 am »

In the capture above, it shows Plain Paper in the PK list. If you’re in that or if you switched, did you delete and reinstall the driver from within Printer and Fax?

The media setting is kind of important to pick in terms of total ink coverage. You don’t have to use it however, something closer may work. As pointed out, its plain paper which the printer doesn’t use that well. Enhanced Matt might be fine.

keithrsmith · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2009, 12:36:09 pm »

on my 3800 selecting plain paper allows me to choose between PK and MK black
[attachment=18702:screen.jpg]

Jim-St · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2009, 12:55:36 pm »

Quote from: digitaldog

In the capture above, it shows Plain Paper in the PK list. If you’re in that or if you switched, did you delete and reinstall the driver from within Printer and Fax?

There is "Plain Paper-Photo Black" in the top section and "Plain Paper - Matte Black" in the bottom section. Either one would do me, I guess, but both are greyed out.

The printer is currently "in" MK. It auto-switches back and forth between PK and MK depending on the paper specified in Print Settings sub-menu in the Print Settings menu (as I'm sure you're aware). So no, I've not deleted/reinstalled the driver. Never had any reason to do so - unless you think that might un-grey the other paper types?

Quote from: digitaldog

The media setting is kind of important to pick in terms of total ink coverage. You don’t have to use it however, something closer may work. As pointed out, its plain paper which the printer doesn’t use that well. Enhanced Matt might be fine.

Enhanced Matte setting is working ok-ish, a bit on the soggy side but not too bad. Guess I'll stick with that for now. Certainly won't rush out and buy Epson's Photo Quality Inkjet Paper, as that's greyed out too!

Jim-St · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2009, 01:25:57 pm »

Quote from: keithrsmith

on my 3800 selecting plain paper allows me to choose between PK and MK black
[attachment=18702:screen.jpg]

Keith -
Thanks for the suggestion, but the Epson drivers for Windows and Macs are very different beasts, in my experience. Don't recall seeing that choice anywhere in the Mac driver

na goodman · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:13:59 pm »

You don't have borderless checked, do you?

Jim-St · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:42:09 pm »

Quote from: na goodman

You don't have borderless checked, do you?

Yes I do - can that cause this? I'll check...

Jim-St · « **Reply #12 on:** December 16, 2009, 06:57:51 pm »

Quote from: na goodman

You don't have borderless checked, do you?

That's it! No idea why that should make a difference, and never knew it could! But sure thing - set Page Setup to "A4 Borderless (Retain size)" or to A4 Borderless (Auto Expand )" and the greying out is as in my attachment to my first post here, but go for plain "A4" or "A4 Manual Front" or "A4 Manual Rear" and it lets you access the full list of paper types, inc. Plain Paper and the Epson Photo Quality Inkjet paper!

So thanks very much na goodman for pointing this out to me. I've never tried using Plain Paper in the 3800 before, and may never need to do so again, but I've learnt something I'd never have guessed about the subtleties of the 3800's (and doubtless other Epsons') quirky way with borderless printing and the impact of Page Setup menu options on Print Settings menu parameters!

Author Topic: 3800 Plain Paper (Read 3999 times)