True Black

T
Posted By
twodays
Apr 25, 2005
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395
Replies
5
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Closed
I am attempting to print a desaturated RGB image (it appears to be greyscale but is RBG) on an HP 4000 imageplotter. No matter what adjustments I make, it appears reddish…more like a strong sepia tone. When I print the exact same image on my Epson 2200, it is a terrific print with rich blacks and a full range of grey tones. Anyone else experienced this problem? Did you find a work-around?

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RB
Robert_Barnett
Apr 25, 2005
Sounds to me like your HP is mixing the colors to make the black and not using the black cartridge only. A lot of inkjets do this for some reason. Since the 2200 was designed with printing black and white in mind it probably doesn’t do that. I don’t think there is much you can do. If the printer won’t use the black ink only then your out of luck. You can see if the printer driver has a monochrome or black in only setting. Some do but this too doesn’t always guarantee that only black ink will be used.

Robert
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Apr 26, 2005
I haven’t used that printer, but other HP printers I have used allow one to adjust the color balance in the printer driver, or even to use only black ink. Have you explored the options available on the advanced pages of the printer driver dialog? Also, are you accurately telling the printer driver what kind of media you are printing to? If you tell it you are printing to, for example, HP Premium Plus Glossy, and actually use another paper, you may need to make color adjustments, due to differing ink absorption, etc.

P.S. I hate HP printer drivers.
LH
Larry Heath
Apr 26, 2005
wrote in message
I am attempting to print a desaturated RGB image (it appears to be greyscale but is RBG) on an HP 4000 imageplotter. No matter what adjustments I make, it appears reddish…more like a strong sepia tone. When I print the exact same image on my Epson 2200, it is a terrific print with rich blacks and a full range of grey tones. Anyone else experienced this problem? Did you find a work-around?

Hello,

While I can’t say for sure, what an HP 4000 does as far as printing black-and-white. I do know that the Epson’s use all four colors plus blacks to produce a black-and-white image, will in the case of my 4000, all six colors and two shades of black.

I don’t know whether you have your workflow set up with various ICC profiles for each printer, paper and ink that you use, in combinations there of. But you do need them. I fought with my Epson Stylus Pro 4000 for awhile trying to get a decent black-and-white print on the thing. Once I profiled my scanner, my monitor, my papers that I use, I mean the whole nine yards. I started getting some very decent black-and-white prints.

So I would guess that you need to get some sort of profiling software and profile the whole system, including each combination of paper and ink crossed all your printers. Printing colors on most printers is relatively easy printing black-and-white is much more difficult to do without getting color casts. Until I profiled my whole system I tended to get green color casts. When printing black-and-white pictures.

So that’s what I have for you in the for what it’s worth column.

Later Larry
ML
Mike_Logan
Apr 26, 2005
Both the above.. when my black is running out, my dear old HP printer reverts to putting the other colours to work. I end up with blue mostly.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Apr 27, 2005
Sounds like it may be time for a new printer.

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