1st print problems with z3100

[andyheb]

How does this unit deal with the deposits one usually sees from evaporation units, or does it work in such a way that this is not a problem?

I can't tell you now for shure since I bought mine today after reading about your paper problems with dry air ;-)

But cause this unit has no heating, it should not be such a problem.
Besides this, you have to add a fluid to the water, it's the "Venta Water Treatment Additive" which will also help to prevent deposits.

Quote from their FAQ at
http://www.venta-airwasher.com/html/customer_service.html
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Is it necessary to use the Venta Water Treatment Additive?
Yes. The Water Treatment Additive keeps the mineral deposits from becoming hard and difficult to remove – any sediment can be easily rinsed out. In addition, the Water Treatment Additive improves the efficiency of the unit by making the water sheet on the disk stacks, instead of "beading up" – allowing for maximum use of every square inch of the disk stacks. The Water Treatment Additive also prevents odors.
-------------------------

I'd like to hear about your experiences with the Z3100 and the HM-FAP when you are back.

Andy

[marty m]

I posted additional information on the 3100, as well as two questions in the thread on first new user report.  I would greatly appreciate any responses.

Thanks very much!

[mcbroomf]

After the last posts in this string I stopped using HM FAP and switched to HP Pro Satin as the FAP could give me head stikes even in the high printing position.  I also bought a humidifier, the one Andy suggested, and could get the humidity up to ~30% when the baseline was ~20%, better but still a little out of spec for the paper.  In any case the HP Pro Satin is so good that I had no reason to go back to FAP although I reasoned that I would some time in spring when humidity hit 40% or more.

Recently however as I mentioned in one of the gamut posts, HP sent me a custom paper file for HM FAP.  It's an OMS file that is uploaded to the printer and it included an ICC profile.  I installed it last week after installing the new firmware and the new suite of profiles and this weekend I thought I'd give it a try.  Humidity was 35%.  In spec for this paper but at the low end.

After calibration I printed 3 images, one from Antelope Canyon, a new one taken over the weekend, and a black and white taken many years ago.  All on 24" wide roll paper.

While I didn't print any images with strong, pure reds the colour that I was getting looked excellent.  The antelope canyon print looked as good on FAP as the copy I made on Pro Satin and it has deep purples and orange colours.  The new image matched my screen well.  Neither showed an out of gamut areas and proofed very well.  However while printing I could see that the paper was still bucking significantly, and while the 1st 2 prints came out OK, the 3rd print, the b&w, had a single 6-7" long head strike pattern close to the centre of the print.

So...back to Pro Satin.

Cheers,

Mike

[neil snape]

It must be that the media is cockling after the ink load is on the paper. When it loads it isn't buckled or wavey is it?
I wonder if the advanced set up of speed could help.

[mcbroomf]

Hi Neil,
Yes, it's quite flat coming through the feeder to the heads, it gets buckled due to the ink load I'm sure.  I loaded a couple of photos taken looking through the front of the machine a few pages back.  You can see the effect with some backlighting I set up.  This is the same problem, I just hoped that the new pofile would fix it.  When I had a conference call with HP in Barcelona at the time this was 1st discussed they talked (within themselves) about adjusting ink to GE mix (I print in Econo mode on FAP).  I've been able to create the zebra stripes in both normal and high head mode (although less in high mode), and I'm confident that this profile has the heads in high mode.  My printer was checked by a service technician so that we know it is in proper adjustment for head height.  
Incidentally HP told me that HP Pro Satin prints in normal mode.  It prints perfectly flat looking through the front.

Mike

[neil snape]

Okay thanks. It's as I thought. When I tested FAP , I thought there to be a gelatinous layer as the inks are coalescing if printed too fast. The coating then is letting water go past the white layer and making the actual backing buckle. The head height will help but there will be a limit.
Anyway, I really like th Pro Satin. I liked it from the moment I say it. It is great and works very well too.

[dkeyes]

Hi Neil,
Yes, it's quite flat coming through the feeder to the heads, it gets buckled due to the ink load I'm sure.  I loaded a couple of photos taken looking through the front of the machine a few pages back.  You can see the effect with some backlighting I set up.  This is the same problem, I just hoped that the new pofile would fix it.  When I had a conference call with HP in Barcelona at the time this was 1st discussed they talked (within themselves) about adjusting ink to GE mix (I print in Econo mode on FAP).  I've been able to create the zebra stripes in both normal and high head mode (although less in high mode), and I'm confident that this profile has the heads in high mode.  My printer was checked by a service technician so that we know it is in proper adjustment for head height. 
Incidentally HP told me that HP Pro Satin prints in normal mode.  It prints perfectly flat looking through the front.

Mike
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As I mentioned to Mike offline,
I've had great success with the new profile that Mike sent me and no buckling. Reds seem on target, bottom third of shadows (to black) are darker but still have separation.
I live in Seattle and print in my basement studio. Humidity is a constant 45-50% which seems ideal, so far, for printing on any paper. Printing the second run of gloss only (after drying a day) also looked great. Blackest blacks I've seen on FAP, but made the paper much more glossy.
- Doug

[mcbroomf]

Hi Doug,
Hmmm .... there's a thought.  Move to Seattle....or move to my basement  

Mike

[Christopher]

Ok, after some testing, with some beta paper settings from HP gives me the conclusion, that HM Photo Rag is unusable with this printer... Just a peak of softproof. The print looks pretty much as bad as the proof. Both printres (R2400, and Z3100) were profiled with 3000 patches and an i1 system.

Can anyone send me a good profile of the HP Smoth fine art paper ? I really want to know if it is so much better as many say.

It would be really helpful.

email: ch@dp3.cc

P.S. I don't think after that statement, that I have to say which printer is on which side...

[attachment=2159:attachment]

[chris anderson]

have you actually tried printing it???

[Christopher]

Yes I tried printing it and it looks awufl compared to the R2400, yes a little better than the softproof bur nearly as bad. Just kind of sad.