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keywest · Apr 23, 2003, 03:57 PM

Can anyone help me with personal experience with inkjet printer?

Currently looking to replace an Epson Stylus Photo EX, which has been a good printer.

Looking for at least 11 x 17 output, ability to handle a variety of media, including card stock (60-80lb if possible).

Anyone care to chime in with an opinion or personal experience.

Thanks.

bousozoku · Apr 24, 2003, 06:58 PM

I've been looking at a couple of tabloid-sized printers: HP DesignJet 10PS and Canon i9100/S9000.

The price difference is certainly big enough. The HP is almost twice as much money but has a PostScript RIP as a part of it. The Canon i9100 just seems the best overall printer of its size.

designbc · Apr 24, 2003, 10:19 PM

I'm using HP C1700PS. I think it does pretty goood. It has Postscript RIP, but only for OS 9. Just in case you wanted to check it.

ultra-V · Apr 25, 2003, 09:35 AM

I've had the HP 10ps for a few months now. As a designer, I need something with a PostScript RIP. The print quality is amazing. It's supposed to be able to handle card stock and the like (it has a rear feed that goes straight through so as not to have to bend the paper) but I haven't tested it out.

The main problem is the implementation of the RIP is a bit complicated. You have to print each document to a .ps file in a hot folder, which it monitors to print. Can be a bit of a pain. And it currently doesn't work in 10.2.5 (they say it's apple's fault, something changed from 10.2.4). Also, if you're looking for something archival for digital photos, stick with Epson's photo printers, the 2200 is supposed to be great.

lgodbey · Apr 30, 2003, 01:25 PM

Look at the Epson 5000 or 5500. I work in graphics all day and had an Epson 3000, it got too tempramental with the paper feeding though. I bought a refurbished Epson 5000 with a hardware Fiery RIP for $2,900. It works nice and you can output long sheets 13" wide through the manual feed.

Corys · Apr 30, 2003, 03:33 PM

I also have a 5000 and currently use the Birmy Powerrip with it (fiery ended up dying on us)
good printer with good quality)

anymore tho, I don't print through the RIP (power rip is too slow). I just make a PDF and print that directly, works great for printing the vector images

veryniceguy2002 · May 14, 2003, 07:04 AM

Originally posted by ultra-V:

The main problem is the implementation of the RIP is a bit complicated. You have to print each document to a .ps file in a hot folder, which it monitors to print. Can be a bit of a pain. And it currently doesn't work in 10.2.5 (they say it's apple's fault, something changed from 10.2.4). Also, if you're looking for something archival for digital photos, stick with Epson's photo printers, the 2200 is supposed to be great.

If the HP 10ps PostScript printing is so complicated, wouldn't be better off convert the file to PDF, and then print it out using the "normal" driver.

Putting PostScript issues aside, would you say HP 10ps has a better or worse quality than Epson photo 2100/2200?

ultra-V · May 14, 2003, 05:03 PM

If the HP 10ps PostScript printing is so complicated, wouldn't be better off convert the file to PDF, and then print it out using the "normal" driver.

As far as i know, it doesn't have a "normal" driver to bypass the RIP. To send from any program, including Acrobat, you have to save PostScript. It's not particularly difficult, you just choose Save as File from the Print dialog box. It just smacks of workaround. It is just a software RIP, after all.

Putting PostScript issues aside, would you say HP 10ps has a better or worse quality than Epson photo 2100/2200?

For pure photos, the Epson 2200 seems a bit better quality (though I've only seen a couple prints from one). But the HP is almost as good, and I think the text quality and color correction options are better on the HP.