I did get USB 2.X working, finally.  And I think, though I can't say for sure, that I was using it all along.  Print speed is the same.  Between 7 ~ 8 minutes for a 5 x 7.  However -- I realized that there is one crucial factor we've left out in our discussions (there are a lot of e-mails flying back and forth)  about printer speed: print driver, otherwise known as paper or media.

The colorlife driver is just slow and puts down a lot of ink.  I think it is similar to printing with glossy film setting. I will experiment with a few other print paper settings just to make sure that's it.

- - -

9:31:50 PM    

Hi Dave 
> I cannot open the print store or the latest pictures section..I am getting a
> message that my browser does not support Iframes yet I have the latest
> version of Explorer installed.  I have not had this problem before.  Any
> suggestions?  Thanks in advance.
>
> C. A. Texas

Anyone have any ideas?  I don't have the faintest idea what would cause that.

7:04:39 PM    

I can't wait to have the time to print them and get them into the "prints for sale" section.

An interesting note from r.g. (using an epson 1280 (nee 1270) fitted with a continuous ink system  (inkjetart.com, nomorecarts, about $200), with archival MIS VM ink  (inksupply.com, $70 lasts about 200 8x10s), printed on ilford gallerie. In  sunlight for several years so far without fading, or tint-changing, it is
 said to last at least 80-100 yrs. No one has ever complained about prints

"Are you sure you have USB2 on your PC rather than 1.1? A complex 10x8 takes
me about 10-11 minutes to print, 1440dpi with high speed off on the 1280.
When I had an older set of USB ports, it did take 15 minutes."

Answer:

that is an excellent question that i don't have an answer for yet... :)

i have a cheap 2.0 usb card w/ 2.0 cable and i discovered that the cable was
plugged into what i believe is a 1.1 port (though I'm not sure about that).

at any rate -- when the printer is plugged into 2.x card -- the operating
system freezes on bootup -- (win2k) with all the latest fixes etc. and
latest flash bios etc.

but i suspect the USB DRIVERS for the card are old...  and i'm trying to
find the latest ones... if not, will buy another 2.0 card and try again.

if i can cut the time in half, and go for the same setup you have with the
CIS -- and get what is supposidly archival -- then that's the way i will go.
i have seen a lot of 2200 b&w stuff now and i don't care for the pigment
look.

the stuff i'm getting out of the 1280 with Epson inks -- not really archival
on colorlife -- is beautiful -- and the stuff on some of the Red River Gloss
paper is even better.  i'm really very close now to moving into digital
printing for everything but the 16 x 20's.

- - -

Off to shoot publicity photos for a new play.  I have about an hour to do it.  I feel sort of foolish since I'm bringing a lot of stuff (at least for me) -- flash, all lenses, b&w and color film, and the heavy tripod.  I cannot imagine that I will use the tripod, but would rather have it in case I try to do something with the long zoom which is pretty slow (f4).  There should be some theatrical lighting, but I am bringing my little gizmo for triggering off-camera flash just in case.

1:08:39 PM    

"Dave - One thing I'm curious about is whether or not you've assessed the b/w inkjets you're making with your "new" formula under different kinds  of lighting. "

Excellent question.  Answer.  Hmmm, I've been looking at it under tungsten lighting -- tomorrow I'll take one or two prints outside and walk around with them, and then go into various stores looking at them.

One other interesting (at least to me) item is that according to the Red River longevity tests, you can substantially increase the lifespan with Krylon anti-U.V. spray...

Another interesting note, is that on the Epson site, when they talk about those long archival times, they are talking, I believe, about the fading of the inks, and not the change in the color, i.e. yellowing of the paper, and they are talking about the print being under glass. 

I got some print speeds from H. who is using the 2200 to compare to my print speeds with the 1280 and there you have a substantial difference:

2200 doing a 5 x 7 print at 1440 = 4 minutes

2200 doing an an 8 x 11.4 print at 1440, high speed turned off takes 8 minutes 12 seconds.

At 1440 It takes me 15 minutes plus, to do an 8 x 12 on the 1280 (high speed off).

And about 7.5 minutes to do a 5 x 7 (high speed off).

So what you are telling me is that the 2200 is about twice as fast.  That is scary.

- - -

The prints I've done on the Colorlife and the Red River Glossy paper look BETTER in daylight, that is the blacks look even blacker and the overall look is richer.

4:48:29 AM