Help with banding on P9500

[StuartR]

Hello all,
I was wondering if you could offer some advice. I have been struggling to print a job which is quite demanding. It is basically a solid color with text over it, but it is for a fine art gallery and the pieces are being sold for several thousand dollars, so there is no room for any flexibility in the quality. I have been struggling to fully tune out some slight banding. I am using Fuji Photo Paper Satin 270 (which the client wanted), and I also trying with Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta. In both, I have made custom media settings based off of a caliper reading for their thickness, so it should be correct. I did a paper feed adjustment and bi-directional alignment with the Fuji paper. All the nozzles are clear, the platen gap is set to auto (I have not been getting headstrikes) and the platen gap offset is at standard.
In terms of the printing settings, I am printing at 2400dpi with high speed unchecked on both, and no BEO. I tried changing the print feed offset for both to be .5 and -.5 for the fuji, and both settings were worse than the standard. With the Fuji I also tried printing with 15% more ink density. The banding is barely there, but it is there. I have not been able to fully tune it out. I am very near the point of returning the printer (it is still fairly new), as it just does not seem to be as precise as the P9000. I would certainly have issues with banding on the P9000, but I could eventually get them to go away.

Are there any other things you all can think of? I will ask the technician, but we tried his 9500 at his offices, and it was even worse than mine. This is a new printer for the tech as well, so I don't think I am going to get much more help from him. He is escalating the issue, but I was wondering if anyone had any other thoughts. Based on the performance of the printer so far, it just seems to not be particularly well-suited for the most demanding fine art printing...at least with photo black papers. It seems to do well with matte.

[arobinson7547]

Any way to verify the "high speed unchecked" is sticking?

Like Printing with it checked and the results should be 'worse'.

If high speed (using only one printhead) can be selected in the Physical Printer,
maybe you can do your alignment/feed AFTER turning it off; if it could
be further optimized for single head use.

I am aware of a Customer, who had to return a P10000, because it could not print accurately, enough.

[StuartR]

I am not sure. I think it is printing unidirectionally, but using both heads. Perhaps that is incorrect? The print does seem to take twice as long. But I am now also going to select "optimize media edge quality" to see if that makes a difference. I think that is the setting that will make it use only one head, right?

[StuartR]

So choosing optimize media edge quality takes the print from 15 to 30 minutes. The print is a 61x81cm on a 91cm (36") roll.

[Panagiotis]

So choosing optimize media edge quality takes the print from 15 to 30 minutes. The print is a 61x81cm on a 91cm (36") roll.

You could try also the Hahnemuhle recommendation for PRB: drying time per pass: + 3.0 seconds.

[JRSmit]

Can you give more details on the Banding?
Perhaps some pictures?
Could you send the file via WeTransfer, so i can check if it is not the file?

[deanwork]

Would you please report back what happens?

I keep thinking these issues are temporary but if random micro-banding is unavoidably something that comes and goes, I just don’t think I can go there. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to buy a blazing fast printer if you have to slow it down for the primary papers you need to use.

Can you give more details on the Banding?
Perhaps some pictures?
Could you send the file via WeTransfer, so i can check if it is not the file?

[StuartR]

Ok, so far the banding seems to go away when using "optimize media edge quality". It seems like it might be the mismatch between the two parts of the head. It does not seem to matter if it is high speed or slow speed as long as optimize media edge quality is selected. I have now printed five images and they are ok, but they are all different colors. I have not reprinted the original, most finicky photo yet. I will let you know how to goes. I will try to photograph it, but I am not sure how well it will show up, as it is nearly invisible...it shows up more in glare and reflections than straight on.

[StuartR]

My normal camera is not here, so this is just a terrible phone shot, only for illustrative purposes. You might be able to pick out the faint darker and lighter areas. It is subtle, but it is visible, especially when viewing the image from certain angles. It is not in the file, as the file is a simple vector based color fill...a pantone color.

[deanwork]

“ optimize media edge quality” :- / ?  That stops it?

What in the world will Epson come up with next? I’m sorry but I just can’t think of a situation where I wouldn’t want media edge quality optimized. Is this some kind of noise filter or something added to reduce the banding tendencies of these new heads.

I’m confused  ). So is it correct that people are experiencing more of these damn media transport and micro-banding issues on the 9570s and P 10ks than the P20000s even though they have the same heads.

Ok, so far the banding seems to go away when using "optimize media edge quality". It seems like it might be the mismatch between the two parts of the head. It does not seem to matter if it is high speed or slow speed as long as optimize media edge quality is selected. I have now printed five images and they are ok, but they are all different colors. I have not reprinted the original, most finicky photo yet. I will let you know how to goes. I will try to photograph it, but I am not sure how well it will show up, as it is nearly invisible...it shows up more in glare and reflections than straight on.

[arobinson7547]

StuartR,

"optimize media edge quality" = Using one head ONLY

Unidirectional is helpful but the Banding is from using Both Heads and get the FAST speed; It's the COST of that speed.

(Don't get me started [again]; a wrote a BIG right-up about my disappointment with this, Edge S*it). It started back when the P10000 first came out and that same head is in the P9500)

[deanwork]

I got it. Only Epson would give dual head tech a name like that.  What we’ve got is a race for who’s print comes out fastest between HP, Epson, and Canon, for what that’s worth. I assume it’s all the same on the P20K you just don’t hear that much about it. It really doesn’t sound to me like image quality is any better, and maybe worse  than the p9000 with it  using bi-directional, which doesn’t give you banding if your head is aligned properly.

When the expensive P 10k came out I expected to hear everyone who bought one raving about how great they were, an extra light gray and all that speed, etc. I don’t remember anyone raving about it. Maybe I missed something.

It seems to me that if people were cranking out commercial design all day they would be using latex and eco solvent machines.

StuartR,

"optimize media edge quality" = Using one head ONLY

Unidirectional is helpful but the Banding is from using Both Heads and get the FAST speed; It's the COST of that speed.

(Don't get me started [again]; a wrote a BIG right-up about my disappointment with this, Edge S*it). It started back when the P10000 first came out and that same head is in the P9500)

[jm_pov_studio]

We've run into this on a number of occasions with the 9570... on various baryta papers, gloss, and luster papers as well. Solution that has worked 99% of the time for us has been to print at 2400, no BEO, and Paper Edge Quality ~ select Half Speed Printing. Also, uncheck high speed and check Finest Detail. Hope that helps!

Hello all,
I was wondering if you could offer some advice. I have been struggling to print a job which is quite demanding. It is basically a solid color with text over it, but it is for a fine art gallery and the pieces are being sold for several thousand dollars, so there is no room for any flexibility in the quality. I have been struggling to fully tune out some slight banding. I am using Fuji Photo Paper Satin 270 (which the client wanted), and I also trying with Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta. In both, I have made custom media settings based off of a caliper reading for their thickness, so it should be correct. I did a paper feed adjustment and bi-directional alignment with the Fuji paper. All the nozzles are clear, the platen gap is set to auto (I have not been getting headstrikes) and the platen gap offset is at standard.
In terms of the printing settings, I am printing at 2400dpi with high speed unchecked on both, and no BEO. I tried changing the print feed offset for both to be .5 and -.5 for the fuji, and both settings were worse than the standard. With the Fuji I also tried printing with 15% more ink density. The banding is barely there, but it is there. I have not been able to fully tune it out. I am very near the point of returning the printer (it is still fairly new), as it just does not seem to be as precise as the P9000. I would certainly have issues with banding on the P9000, but I could eventually get them to go away.

Are there any other things you all can think of? I will ask the technician, but we tried his 9500 at his offices, and it was even worse than mine. This is a new printer for the tech as well, so I don't think I am going to get much more help from him. He is escalating the issue, but I was wondering if anyone had any other thoughts. Based on the performance of the printer so far, it just seems to not be particularly well-suited for the most demanding fine art printing...at least with photo black papers. It seems to do well with matte.

[JRSmit]

Is the size of the print in the feed direction same as you specified ? For exsample 200mm is 200mm +/- 0.2mm?
The Banding looks like your feed is too much, thus in the feed direction the print size is larger than f.i. 200mm.

[David Sutton]

The cause of banding is a headache to locate. On one print run on my Canon printer it was eliminated by lowering the printhead height (at the risk of headstrike).