Films not lining up on the T3270

[blue moon]

FilmMaker XL works I have it with t3270, just print all films same direction. Minimizes problems.
Shane

In the FM you can adjust the feed to make it the same in both directions. It's in the queue properties under printer properties and then feed adjust.
we mix both directions when using films without any problems.

pierre

[ZooCity]

Not to rain on the parade but I doubt a different rip or feed length adjustment will resolve this.  The printer has no issue imaging correct image lengths when it prints every "line/pass" of the media.

I think these issues are as described- they're related to inaccuracies in the non imaging areas of the film that are fed by the printer.  Sounds more like hardware/firmware to me although a rip could be set to instruct the printer not to feed which would resolve the issue in the same way that printing a line on the sides of all films would.  All of these are workarounds for poor hardware/firmware/software/media that is not qualified to do the job at hand.

Jamisun- keep on epson, they will buy the unit back.  It'll take a lot of repetitive conversations ad nauseum but they know all about the fact that some of these units cannot do the job they are being sold specifically to do.  As you suspect, the comment that no other epson printer will be able to print same length films is a bald faced lie.  Even if it were true then what the hell are they doing selling it as a printer package for films?  Just escalate it up and someone will get it taken care of. 

[blue moon]

Not to rain on the parade but I doubt a different rip or feed length adjustment will resolve this.  The printer has no issue imaging correct image lengths when it prints every "line/pass" of the media.

I think these issues are as described- they're related to inaccuracies in the non imaging areas of the film that are fed by the printer.  Sounds more like hardware/firmware to me although a rip could be set to instruct the printer not to feed which would resolve the issue in the same way that printing a line on the sides of all films would.  All of these are workarounds for poor hardware/firmware/software/media that is not qualified to do the job at hand.

Jamisun- keep on epson, they will buy the unit back.  It'll take a lot of repetitive conversations ad nauseum but they know all about the fact that some of these units cannot do the job they are being sold specifically to do.  As you suspect, the comment that no other epson printer will be able to print same length films is a bald faced lie.  Even if it were true then what the hell are they doing selling it as a printer package for films?  Just escalate it up and someone will get it taken care of.

my thinking is the with FM, the RIP is actually doing the feeding rather than the printer. If this is the case, it would eliminate the issues.

pierre

[Jamisun]

"Not to rain on the parade but I doubt a different rip or feed length adjustment will resolve this.  The printer has no issue imaging correct image lengths when it prints every "line/pass" of the media.

I think these issues are as described- they're related to inaccuracies in the non imaging areas of the film that are fed by the printer.  Sounds more like hardware/firmware to me although a rip could be set to instruct the printer not to feed which would resolve the issue in the same way that printing a line on the sides of all films would.  All of these are workarounds for poor hardware/firmware/software/media that is not qualified to do the job at hand.

Jamisun- keep on epson, they will buy the unit back.  It'll take a lot of repetitive conversations ad nauseum but they know all about the fact that some of these units cannot do the job they are being sold specifically to do.  As you suspect, the comment that no other epson printer will be able to print same length films is a bald faced lie.  Even if it were true then what the hell are they doing selling it as a printer package for films?  Just escalate it up and someone will get it taken care of. "

Zoo City- Thank you. Speaking to a supervisor now- and will go up the EPSON Chain further if needed. They are talking about buying back the printer... which doesn't really necessarily help me. I need a reliable printer for out putting film- I thought that would be EPSON. We are in the market for a new printer regardless because our shop is growing and we would like to have two for out putting film- which is why the t-3270 had so much appeal- it could output film and work as a really nice large format color printer. Is there a printer that you would recommend?

[Jamisun]

"my thinking is the with FM, the RIP is actually doing the feeding rather than the printer. If this is the case, it would eliminate the issues.

pierre"


Pierre- Thank you. I recreated the problem using only the Epson driver - that eliminated AR as the culprit. We use all Apple in our art department- but I am taking a look at Film Maker. I appreciate any and all suggestions.

[ZooCity]

I was in the exact same spot you are in Jamisun and having no satisfactory solution for film printing I went ahead an moved us to CTS.  It's a huge jump in cost from film printing and I didn't really want to do it but after that experience with the T3270 it was time to move to something industry specific.  Shame because the T3270 could and should be a workhorse printer for film. 

[blue moon]

"my thinking is the with FM, the RIP is actually doing the feeding rather than the printer. If this is the case, it would eliminate the issues.

pierre"


Pierre- Thank you. I recreated the problem using only the Epson driver - that eliminated AR as the culprit. We use all Apple in our art department- but I am taking a look at Film Maker. I appreciate any and all suggestions.

Hey Jamisun, actually no, that would confirm the AR issue as AR uses the EPSON driver. AR does not work unless the driver for the printer is installed. FM will work without the EPSON driver. That tells me that FM is using their own drivers and AR is using EPSON.

pierre

[Jamisun]

Pierre, Thank you- I did not realize the AR used the Epson driver- but wouldn't that just point at the Epson driver- since it is used in both situations with the same results? I am certainly by no means familiar with all of the technical aspects. I know that in dealing with EPSON in the past I was always incredibly happy with the results. But this issue at first seemed like there were too many variables and it took me forever to figure out what consistently triggered the problem... and as I said- this only happens where there is an area in the channel where the design has a particular space where the printer feeds- so if the AR or even the EPSON driver is directing the printer to feed at a different rate than the printer prints- that could be the problem. I just thought that when I didn't use the AR and just used the EPSOn driver- I had ruled out the AR. Our print technician that came here for EPSON seemed to think so.

[blue moon]

Pierre, Thank you- I did not realize the AR used the Epson driver- but wouldn't that just point at the Epson driver- since it is used in both situations with the same results? I am certainly by no means familiar with all of the technical aspects. I know that in dealing with EPSON in the past I was always incredibly happy with the results. But this issue at first seemed like there were too many variables and it took me forever to figure out what consistently triggered the problem... and as I said- this only happens where there is an area in the channel where the design has a particular space where the printer feeds- so if the AR or even the EPSON driver is directing the printer to feed at a different rate than the printer prints- that could be the problem. I just thought that when I didn't use the AR and just used the EPSOn driver- I had ruled out the AR. Our print technician that came here for EPSON seemed to think so.

well, in a way, yes it is EPSON's fault. AR is not causing it, but by being tied to the defective EPSON driver it is a defective solution. EPSON would have to rewrite their drivers and fix the issues. Until then, AR will do what it's doing.
My suggestion would be to find somebody who has the same printer and then go through every single line of settings to make sure you match them. You'll have to check the firmware versions, OS and so on. In theory, you should be able to copy their configuration line for line and then not have the problem. I've had to do that with FM for some ppl when they could not get it to work. It did fix the problems in my case.

FM might be the solution. It would not be a waste of money as it is a better RIP so you could consider it an upgrade. Wasatch probably uses their own driver too, but you would have to check that out.
Scott Fresner (runs a banner on top) is an expert on this stuff. You could reach out to him for help and if everything works buy the RIP from him.

pierre

[Jamisun]

I was in the exact same spot you are in Jamisun and having no satisfactory solution for film printing I went ahead an moved us to CTS.  It's a huge jump in cost from film printing and I didn't really want to do it but after that experience with the T3270 it was time to move to something industry specific.  Shame because the T3270 could and should be a workhorse printer for film.

Thank you ZooCity- I really appreciate it. I talked with my boss about that and he has considered it- but a couple things about the CTS solution are not looking as favorable as film. We do a large volume of reorders and he likes having the film handy for reorders- and also when a screen blows out on press- you have to reprint a whole new one... I like the idea of it after this whole ordeal- but we'll just have to see. It looks awesome to me really. Are you very happy with CTS?
The T-3270 still makes gorgeous full color prints- everything done full color on that printer has been what I expect from EPSON- I don't think this printer is made for screen printers.

[ZooCity]

I was in the exact same spot you are in Jamisun and having no satisfactory solution for film printing I went ahead an moved us to CTS.  It's a huge jump in cost from film printing and I didn't really want to do it but after that experience with the T3270 it was time to move to something industry specific.  Shame because the T3270 could and should be a workhorse printer for film.

Thank you ZooCity- I really appreciate it. I talked with my boss about that and he has considered it- but a couple things about the CTS solution are not looking as favorable as film. We do a large volume of reorders and he likes having the film handy for reorders- and also when a screen blows out on press- you have to reprint a whole new one... I like the idea of it after this whole ordeal- but we'll just have to see. It looks awesome to me really. Are you very happy with CTS?
The T-3270 still makes gorgeous full color prints- everything done full color on that printer has been what I expect from EPSON- I don't think this printer is made for screen printers.

Very happy with CTS.  They image fast enough, even at the slow uni-d settings we run at that re-imaging a screen should take a similar amount of time as film and you will be exposing faster with no glass.  We do a good grip of re-orders as well and I still like it better than film.

That said, CTS needs to make sense for your shop.  It's a quality of life upgrade for anyone but it may not have the right roi for everyone v. film.