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Question

Printing too dark in CS4

Forum|Forum|17 years ago
December 4, 2008
110 replies
49532 views

I have CS4 on Tiger 10.4.11 on a completely color managed system, Epson 4800 printer. Printing seems to be broken in the new version. Prints are very dark. I know to select "Photoshop Manages Color" in Color Handling, and "No Color Management" in the printer color management dropdown. The procedure works fine in CS3.

That something is up is suggested by this wrinkle. In this case I am printing using advanced b/w. If under color handling I choose "Printer Manages Color" and go into the b/w advanced setup, it's still too dark. If instead I choose "No color management", then make my choices in advanced b/w, it works fine.

One would first think that it's a double color management problem, but I'm turning it off anywhere I can see it in CS4, and still having problems. Is there a new secret handshake I haven't puzzled out yet?

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Dan_E_Boy

Participant

Found something interesting as far as this goes.. When I upgraded all my lab computers to CS4, that's when the dark printing/ no color management problem started. After a lot of trial and error, I decided to start from scratch, do a clean install of the OS, install CS3, and CS4, and document each step. What I found out was that a print accounting software that we use to charge for prints is the culprit. As soon as I uninstalled this software, all my prints done in CS4 were identical to the ones in CS3. This software activtes as soon as a print job is sent and somehow is interfering with the way CS4 is handling the default printer. Though this dosen't apply to most users here, thought I might share this information.

All computes are G4/G5 PPC Macs running Mac OSX Tiger 10.4.11

Printers are Epson 2400's and 3800's

The print accounting software is called Checkbox by X2 print accounting.

Was DYP

Inspiring

There has been a number people mention these issues and what printer was set as default. But I wonder if this is a 10.4.x issue and the 10.5.x issue is something different. I have also noted that sometime setting the default printer in "Printers and Faxes" does not take. In that case one can usually set

the default printer in the CUPS interface. http://127.0.0.1:631/printers

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Dan_E_Boy

Participant

I've tried a 10.5x configuration as well, with the same results. I also tried setting the printer in the CUPS interface but did not work. As soon as I uninstalled Checkbox, everything was fine. I'm going to test out another company's print accounting software and see if will work in CS4.

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Joseph_O_Hara

Participating Frequently

Well I just fired up my iMAC with OS X 10.5.6 and tried to print using ABW on an Epson 3800: Prints come out too dark. (This is on Epson paper using their profile for it.) After reading this thread, it sounds like (1) it is still an open issue and (2) Epson doesn't think it is their problem. Correct? Are Adobe and Epson still talking to each other about it?

Also, is it true that the "ColorSync utility workaround" can be used to sidestep this issue?

As somebody else on this thread said: This is way more aggravating than wet darkroom printing ever was!

Was DYP

Inspiring

In case you might have missed it, here is the post on working with ABW in the Epson driver.

http://forums.adobe.com/message/1537407#1537407

I am not sure the CU workaround works with ABW but it might be worth a try. It does certainly work with color.

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Joseph_O_Hara

Participating Frequently

I did see that one, and made a note to try it, but in that same post Eric says:

"However, the catch is that -- as noted in this thread -- there is currently a glitch, which we (Adobe + Apple + Epson) are investigating. One of the symptoms of that glitch is that the above suggested workflow does not work on Leopard."

So that makes me think it's not going to work on my setup.

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Neil_Keller

Known Participant

Avid,

Have you taken your concern directly to Epson? I'd be curious to know their response.

Neil

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

I just got off the phone with Jim at Epson. He was not too helpful. He says that Epson updated its drivers for Mac OS 10.5 and they are done. He thinks that the problem is with Adobe's software, because it only started happening after the new software was released. BTW, he says that it started with CS3, though that has not been my experience.

His best answer: An article from Shutterbug's December 2008 issue by David Brooks (which I can't seem to find yet). Apparently, you have to change the midpoint on the curves to about 40% and do some test prints and eyeball whether the prints match the monitor.

Frankly this is the most effed up thing I've ever heard. Why do I have to change my entire workflow because PS, LR and Mac OS were updated? That should not be the case. Instead, to be offered half-assed work-arounds for a problem that did not exist before spending money to upgrade to the latest version just tells me Epson does not give a damn. BTW, Jim helpfully told me that Epson tech support gets a ton of calls on this issue every day. WTF?

We are getting the run-around here and someone needs to own this problem and get it solved. I have a ton of money invested in Adobe software, Apple software and hardware, and Epson hardware. This is a pro-level issue -- we are the top of the market for these providers. This is ridiculous.

I'd really like to hear that Adobe's engineers are having a conference call with Apple's engineers and Epson's engineers to get this fixed.

grayscapes (fka aviduser)

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

I found a link: http://shutterbug.com/digital_help/0209digitalhelp/

Again, this does not seem like the right solution to this issue.

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

Any news on this front? Has Epson released updated drivers?

Was DYP

Inspiring

aviduser

You can always use the ColorSync Utility workaround discussed here and in the Lightroom forums. Good luck with getting older printers drivers updated.

Chris Cox

Legend

If the new driver follows the guidelines provided by Apple, then yes.

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

Eric:

Thanks for your response. I hope that someone gets on this fast. It is frustrating to say the least. I wasted a ton of paper & ink the other day messing with it. Wound up having to print in CS3.

I assume that a new driver will address the issue for both CS4 and LR2?

Thanks,

aviduser

MadManChan2000

Adobe Employee

aviduser, it is an issue we (Adobe) are currently pursuing with the print vendors. The hope is that they will release updated printer drivers that resolve the issue (however, as the ball is in their court it is not something we can ultimately control). Nearly all of the current printer models already have updated drivers; generally it's the older models whose drivers need a refresh.

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

MadMan:

Please see my posts from today. I spoke with Epson today and their TS guy claims that they are done releasing a driver for the Stylus Pro 3800 to address the OS 10.5 changes.

Can you call their engineers and speak with them directly?

Thanks,

grayscapes (fka aviduser)

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Lundberg02

Inspiring

this is a test post

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DickSj

Participating Frequently

For my studio - it looks more like and Epson and Apple issue.

Dick

http://www.wilderness-studio.com

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grayscapes

Participating Frequently

So where are we with this one? Is Adobe working on this?

Perhaps someone could let us all know. I assume it is an Adobe update that needs to happen . . .

aviduser

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