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PROS & CONS OF BUYING A NEW EPSON STYLUS PHOTO 1270 OR 870

March 15, 2000

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From: Royce Bair royce@tssphoto.com
Date: Wed, 15 Mar 2000 13:48:20 -0700
To: Recipient List Suppressed:;
Subject: Inkjet NEWS & Tips - 15 Mar 00

 

Are you planning to get that new Epson 1270 or 870 printer when they come out on March 16 (tomorrow)? Here are few PROS and CONS you should consider:

Besides being loaded with the new Epson lightfast inks, the new cartridges for the 1270 / 870 printers will have some unique features:

(From the Epson UK web site, which already has these printers....) http://www.epson.co.uk/options/consum/lfast.htm

"The Intellidge (intelligent cartridge) cartridge offers improved print quality, flexibility and reliability with the EPSON Stylus Photo 870 and Stylus Photo 1270 ink jet printers. These cartridges offer enhanced features and provide significant benefits to the user."

1. PRO: "The cartridge can be removed or replaced even when not fully empty, allowing for example a new full cartridge to be installed before commencing a long print job. The original cartridge can be replaced when the job is completed." These new cartridges have a valve(s) that automatically closes each time the cartridge is removed, preventing air from entering (the #1 cause of Epson "clogging" problems).

2. PRO: "Ink levels are accurately measured and can inform through the Status Monitor how many pages are left based on previous usage."

3. PRO: "Misfiring is prevented as it is impossible to accidentally replace the cartridge with an empty one."This is also the #1 cause of damage to Epson print heads -- trying to print without any ink in the heads.

4. PRO: The flexibility of the Intellidge cartridge makes it very possible that in the future, Epson will offer larger capacity ink cartridges for the 1270 (in addition to the current cartridge size), for people who want to do volume printing. The microchip will let the printer and your computer know that it has a larger capacity ink cartridge loaded. (My speculation for this is based on the fact that in Japan, Epson is right now introducing "lower capacity" cartridges for the 1270 /870 printers for people who only use their printers
occasionally. I'm confident that Epson America executives will ask Epson to consider making higher capacity cartridges for USA customers.)

5. PRO: Because the lightfast ink in the new cartridges come from Epson, printing from these new inks should be pretty much "plug & play", as profiles are already be built into the print driver for several Epson papers. And the output I've seen from these new inks and printers looks just about as good as from the Epson standard ink.

 

NOW FOR THE "CONS"...

Ian Lyons, at his web site, makes this comment about the new cartridges:http://www.btinternet.com/%7Eian.lyons/epson1270/epson1270.htm

"The new Ink cartridges complete with a microchip are designed to ensure the driver is always reflecting the estimated ink levels. So unless you figure out a way of resetting (very doubtful) the microchip, refilling is History!!! Furthermore, "if" Epson have designed the print driver to only allow printing from a cartridge with a microchip, then alternative non-Epson pre-filled cartridges are equally doomed (unless someone wants to pay Epson a License fee). Apparently all future Epson printer models will be similarly configured."

Although Epson has produced some great features with their intelligent microchip, it could be that their main purpose is to keep more of the ink cartridge market (where the real profits are made) to themselves.

One of the things that has made the desktop Epson printers the printer of choice for photographers and other artists was its open architecture or adaptability. Because its cartridges did not have the head technology incorporated with the cartridge (like the HP), third-party ink manufacturers have offered pre-filled cartridges (made in China) with their archival ink.

For the most part, Epson has "looked the other way" as the 3rd-party "archival" ink companies have pre-filled these Chinese made cartridges with their lightfast inks. This is because Epson did not have an archival solution at the time. Now Epson does have a lightfast solution with their new inks for the 1270 and 870. Epson just might start getting tough if 3rd-party manufacturers try to start competing with inks made for the 1270 / 870 printers.

But can the 3rd-party ink companies make pre-filled 1270 and 870 cartridges now that the "microchip barrier" is here? (It is rumored that the new printers will not even function without the microchip.) Sources tell me that the Chinese are already at work making a "reverse engineered" microchip for these new 1270 /870 cartridges.

CONS: It's possible that Epson may make a legal challenge if and when these new Chinese cartridges enter the market. This could greatly limit the flexibility of the 1270 and 870 printers (having only the Epson ink option) if 3rd-party ink companies choose not to "butt heads" with Epson.

Will Epson eventually provide us with a lightfast "pigment" ink (much more archival than their current "lightfast" dye-based inkset) for the desktop (consumer) printers? How about "quadtone" inks for black & white printing? These are just some of the alternatives that 3rd-party ink companies offer.

It may be that you'll want to hold onto those 1200's, Photo EX's, 1160's, 1520's and 3000's (or even buy some more before they're gone) if you wish to have other ink choices.

But then again, don't expect Epson to just stand still. Sources tell me that some exciting WORLDWIDE announcements (none of these sneak-previews from the Japan web site) are in store for us from Epson come mid-June. I'd expect some major news from Epson at the "Photo+Expo West 2000" in Los Angeles (June 15-17).

 

Free paper samples of "OSPREY GICLÉE" fine art paper

While supplies last, be sure to get your FREE sample of this beautiful new coated water color paper from Hawk Mountain Art Papers. You can get 3 sheets totally free (no purchase required - and we'll ship it for free by U.S. First Class Mail -- sorry, no free shipping on orders outside of the U.S.A); or you can get 10 sheets FREE with any purchase. And don't forget -- if your purchase is over $20, the shipping is also FREE within the continental U.S.! To view the specs on the new Osprey paper, go to:

http://www.tssphoto.com/sp/dg/wc/osprey.htm

 


 

Data storage breakthrough

From: ppn@bjphoto.co.uk
Date: Fri, March, 10 2000 20:03:28 +0000
To: support@zonezero.com
Subject: PPN-2: 10 March 2000

Data storage breakthrough Collaborating scientists from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee and the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing have pioneered a new way of storing digital data which could lead to vastly increased capacities. The researchers have managed to reversibly alter the conductivity of minute areas, barely larger than molecules, in a thin film of material. They claim that this should allow data to be packed far more densely than will ever be possible with optical or magnetic media, leading to storage volumes up to a million times greater than those possible with CDs. The tiny size of the areas mean they can retain magnetism longer than magnetic domains representing individual bits in a magnetic disc.