Developers - Looking for Basic Options

[irwinhh]

Guys,
I have always used HC110 because it is stable and consistent.
I have used it in dilution 20ML concentrate/420ML water at 68 degrees for 4 8x10 sheets HP5Plus shot at ASA200 for more sheets at once I just gross up the volumes in the same ratio.
My development times run from 5 min. to 9 min depending on contrast of the scene.
I get the feeling that this developer is not ideal for this type of work. It seems that the highest zones can really block up with HC110.
Can anyone with experience here can give me a starting point on what developer options /dilutions/times I should consider. Looking for basic alternatives here using readily available developers.

Andy

[Toyon]

Kodak XTol was the last developer developed by a team of black and white scientists at a major research facility. It offers excellent speed, grain and sharpness. I use it 1:1 and it is very reliable, provided I don't keep the solution more than a couple of months.

[Ron Marshall]

Are you tray developing? When I used HC-110 for inversion it worked well. When I swithched to rotary it built contrast too quickly.

Xtol is a good alternative, as are many other developers.