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 p.2 #17 · Epson 4000 Report - First Impressions | |
SUCCESS, and thanks to Epson Tech Support for hanging in there with me on my Status Monitor installation issue. They spent over six hours on the phone with me over three days, we tried a dozen ideas, and we interchanged maybe 25 emails, they sent me a new CD by UPS, and eventually we solved it together. Patience is a virtue, as my English grandmother used to tell me.
Everything is now apparently working great and I can set the various functions using the new Epson Utility and check the ink levels, as needed. The install is complete, as planned. Now I can really set to testing it and answering my questions and yours, as they come up. Please post them and I will do my best to respond, as I continue to play and test this lovely monster. I have labelled the printer "Grey Monster" on my printer list, in honor of its color and size -- my very own Japanese video game character.
The problem was that somewhere during the installation on Monday my system or the Internet glitched and when I told it to install the Status Monitor, it tried to do so, but encountered an error, as it indicated it did. Once this happend, all subseqent attempts.to correct it failed, even though I had deleted virtually every file that Epson had on my system, including the drivers for the R800 and the 2200.
What I did, as suggested by the Epson Tech Manager, was go to the System Tools in XP Pro and told it to restore the system registry to March 25, about a week ago, long before I had even downloaded the new driver and other Epson files. Once this was done, I searched and found that there were still about eight Epson files scattered over my system disk, all of which I deleted.
Then I carefully reinstalled the 4000 driver from the replacement disk Epson sent me Wednesday, checked that it was OK; reinstalled the Status Monitor 3, checked that it worked, and finally reinstalled the new Epson 4000 Utilities program which allows you to set a numer of things on the printer and to get the reports that I described in an earlier message here. Then I checked to see that everything worked and that the reports were available and that I could reset various functions, as I wished. I now have the newest firmware installed, which is different than that shipped in the printer.
Those of you who hate the Adobe activation scheme will be unhappy to know that this resulted in my having to reactivate my copy of PS CS. I did so, but it ticks me off, since I did not change the hardware of my machine, only restored to a different Registry date.
Away, it all works now, and now I start some serious testing - starting with the roll paper. By the way this is what the Tech Manager told me about how to cut papers that are too thick to use the internal cutter on the 4000:
"There are two different workflow issues surrounding roll cutting when it has to be done manually--
#1 Just want to print one image
#2 Printing multiple Images
The solutions involve use of the front panel controls to advance the paper and perform a manual external cut (not using the printers blade) at the appropriate time. The printer can draw a cut line on the print to aid if attempting to use a manual scissor cut method. You never want to release the paper and wind it back through the printer as that is bad for the print (scuffs and scratches) as well as the mechanism.
The difference for multiple images is you would typically let them go till the final one then cut and trim from the printer. Once removed the separating cuts would be made. The Larger format printers have optional auto-take up reels to wind the images as they are spooled to improve this type of workflow and protect the prints from being scratched by the floor. Maximum durability is achieved within about 24 hours although the prints are relatively instant dry."
Even though this is a pain, at least you have a cut line, which he tells me can be set up to print automatically when you ask the printer to print on roll paper.
More later. Thanks to all of you who indicated your support with my installation saga, and thanks again to Epson Tech Support for the continued efforts at support until we resolved it.
-Gerry
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Look forward to hearing more about your expirience with the 4000.... not to try to find room for it in my office :}