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FlammableYurt · Oct 13, 2002, 02:46 PM

I have an EPSON Stylus Color 900G, but no drivers are out for it for OS X, so I use the EPSON Stylus Color 900 drivers instead. However, I just tried to print a photo, but in Adobe Photoshop it gave me an error saying that my "printer does not allow postscript" and that several features would be ignored. I tried printing as a jpeg and psd, from Preview and Photoshop, but regardless the quality is HORRIBLE. If I was bored enough I would tell you exactly how many pixels were printed without looking at the dimensions... I then restarted into OS 9 and the quality was phenominally better.

Is this a problem because I'm using a driver for a different printer? Is it just because I have some bad settings (Note: I have NO clue where to change dpi and such in photoshop.... I can't find it!)? Please help, this is pretty important, and I may have to switch back to OS 9 as a result.

Also, printing text documents, regardless from what program, works fine.

fulmer · Oct 13, 2002, 09:30 PM

my first guess would be that, yes, using drivers not specific to your printer will likely have a negative impact on image printing. using diesel fuel in an unleaded engine won't get you very far.

Cindy74 · Oct 14, 2002, 01:07 PM

Originally posted by fulmer:
my first guess would be that, yes, using drivers not specific to your printer will likely have a negative impact on image printing. using diesel fuel in an unleaded engine won't get you very far.

Go here: http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/

You will find your Epson drivers here. Be sure and read all you need to download

FlammableYurt · Oct 14, 2002, 02:09 PM

Thanks! I REALLY did not want to go back to OS 9

fulmer · Oct 14, 2002, 07:14 PM

those drivers are good. this is another advantage to using a UNIX-based OS.

FlammableYurt · Oct 19, 2002, 11:51 PM

Hmmm... I didn't have time to install the drivers in the past week, and now the site's downj

Does anyone know if it will come back up? Or if there is anywhere else I can find these drivers? I did some searches on google and didn't find anything. Thanks.

Cindy74 · Oct 20, 2002, 12:52 AM

Originally posted by FlammableYurt:
Hmmm... I didn't have time to install the drivers in the past week, and now the site's downj Does anyone know if it will come back up? Or if there is anywhere else I can find these drivers? I did some searches on google and didn't find anything. Thanks.

I just checked... It IS up

GORDYmac · Oct 21, 2002, 04:46 PM

There is no difference between the SC 900G and the SC 900. The former just comes in colors, just like the SC 740i and the SC 740. They use the same driver. Now, the Epson 900N differs because it is network capable, but the 900G is the same printer. I have one, in Graphite.

The problem appears to be that you're trying to print a PostScript file to a non-PostScript printer. You note an error that the driver gave you "printer does not allow postscript". That's the red flag you need to investigate, the driver file is fine.

AFAIK, Epson hasn't rewritten the PostScript RIP (?) for OS X yet, so you may have to use OS 9 if you need to print PostScript files.

HTH.

Deal · Oct 24, 2002, 12:37 AM

I think GORDYMac is right. They are one and the same. Call them if you want to be sure (800) 922-8911.

What is your file type? We print to 900N at work all the time. Works great. Make it a TIFF and try printing from more than one app. Photoshop should work fine, but try Preview (the application) to see what happens.

You should have dialog to change dpi (paper type, color choices, etc) both when you print and in page setup. If you don't, something really is foul.

memyselfandimac · Oct 27, 2002, 05:51 AM

You really need to be more descriptive in your posts. Is the color bad? Is the detail bad?

The message you get about missing some PS features is just Photoshops default message telling you are printing to a none PS printer, thats all it is.

If your printing is anything like my Epson 777, when you hit print , the first panel is the one from photoshop allowing you to set up printing, like what document color profile to use and what printer color profile to use, also scaling/position etc. The printer profile should be set to the one for your printer, the one for the document should probably be set to use the one that you are viewing on screen with.
As to which one that is depends on your Photoshop color settings and if the document has a embedded color profile. much to long of a discussion for this forum, but basically what ever profile your using to view it on screen should be the one you use to print if you want the color to match what your seeing on the monitor.

Then when you hit print you will be taken to the actual print dialogs, the 2 main ones you need to be concerned about are print settings and color management in the 3rd pull down menu. Under print settings, set your paper type then go into advanced mode, set your dpi (1440 is my pref), turn off High Speed (uncheck it, am assuming your printer has this feature), this will put it in the uni-directional mode rather than the bi-directional mode (fast, the default mode for most of epsons standard out of the box settings), slower printing but much smoother output with much better detail and sharpness.
Next go to color management menu and select ColorSync so it will use the profiles you defined in the Photoshop panel.

Once you find settings that work for you, go to the presets menu and do a Save as... give it a name that has meaning....ie. 1440_HQ_Matte_ColorSync

1440 = dpi
HQ = uni-directional
Matte = stock
ColorSync = ColorSync

This is what i do with my Epson and am totally floored with the photo output from my $69 printer.

Course if i want a bunch of Real photos they still go to the photolab, better looking pics with better shelf life at a better price, ink and photo paper is expensive.

bluehz · Oct 27, 2002, 07:40 AM

WOW! You actually got printing to work in OS X!!! I'm impressed...I gave up on printing to my supposedly "supported Epson printer" a long time ago. CUPS works fine - but do I REALLY need anything printed that bad. I think the engineers who created OS X basically look at printing as an optional perk! Maybe by OS XI we might be able to print - on the 3 newest printers of the day....hahahaha

memyselfandimac · Oct 27, 2002, 07:51 AM

Originally posted by bluehz:
WOW! You actually got printing to work in OS X!!! I'm impressed...I gave up on printing to my supposedly "supported Epson printer" a long time ago. CUPS works fine - but do I REALLY need anything printed that bad. I think the engineers who created OS X basically look at printing as an optional perk! Maybe by OS XI we might be able to print - on the 3 newest printers of the day....hahahaha

There always one of you guys in every crowd isn't there.......

X-Ray · Oct 27, 2002, 01:26 PM

I've used both a Canon S820 and an HP Photosmart 7150 in 10.2 with excellent results. The advice about using presets is good. My only quibble with OS X printing is that you have to do a page set up with each print - a bit of pain. I think Apple is working to correct this as it's appartently a Print Center problem . As far as print quality is concerned I'd hold up my prints to any coming out of non-custom lab any day in the week. I used to have a color lab set up at home and my digital stuff is easily as good. And, if you use a manufacturer's best quality paper the archival quality is better than a lab's with the exception of perhaps dye-sub prints. As far as the dialog box in Photoshop about Postscript is concerned, it's just information that you aren't getting some Postscript-only features and in no way affects the quality from a non-Postscript printer.