Windows XP / Epson 1160 printer driver

[David Hedley]

I have just upgraded my PC to Windows XP Professional, and had thought that everything had gone very smoothly (even getting my Agfa scanner to work), until I tried to print from Photoshop onto my Epson 1160.

I can install the Epson XP driver for the printer, and receive a confirmation message that it has been correctly installed. Within Photoshop, the dialogue with the printer driver appears normal, and follows the same process as before. However, printing fails, because of a "communication error". I think what is happening is that Windows XP wants to use its own "plug and play" driver, which will work, but not at the resolution that I am looking for (1400 dpi). Consequently I think I end up with a conflict between the Epson and the Windows driver, leading to an apparent communiction problem with the printer.

I do not know how to resolve this - can anyone help me?

Cheers

David

[Don Bryant]

David,

You need to install the Epson 1160 printer drivers for XP which you should download from Epson.com. The drivers shipped on the XP install disk are dumbed down and sometimes don't work properly.

I'm not sure why you posted your question here in the large format forum though.

Don Bryant

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

If Dan's suggestion does not help, put it on a tray with fixer...that oughta fix the problem.....

[Jeff_1630]

While I like both Dan and Jorge's answers, you need to go to Epson and download a driver. They may not have an XP driver for your printer, but if the have a win2000, that should work. I had to do the same thing for an Espon 1520 I had briefly.

Good luck,

[David Hedley]

Thanks for your responses - unfortunately it's still not working, despite multiple attempts to load the Epson XP driver.

Why am I posting this here? Because the output is integral to my LF photography, in the same way as others may view their silver prints, and I thought it was possible that someone may have experienced a similar problem and had a solution to hand.

[tim atherton]

David - are you running it off a printer port or USB?

Whichever one, try the other. Epson drivers up to around the time of the 1160 were pretty iffy with USB. Too long a cable for isntance, and it won't work.

I've run it win 98 and 2000 but not XP.

If none of that works, ask here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint/

still quite a few 1160 users doing quadtones there. You might get an answer (or search the archives.

My 1160 and my Epson 2200 are also both integral to my LF work...

tim

[David Hedley]

Tim,

I've tried both USB and parallel ports - same problem!

I'll try the forum you have listed - I wasn't aware of it before.

Thanks

David

[Rob Barker]

To answer Don's point, my feeling is that this thread will be useful to enough people here to justify letting it run. It may be best to delete it after a while though as I don't think that it needs to be preserved for posterity in the archives. If anyone has strong feelings feel free to email lfgroup@largeformatphotography.info

[Brian Ellis]

I don't understand Rob's response. Are you saying that digital printing questions are not supposed to be posted here? If they can be posted here then why wouldn't they be preserved in the archives? I thought the point of this forum was the film format used, not the method used to print it. If that's incorrect, and if the forum is restricted to "large format negatives printed in a traditional darkroom" I'll certainly follow that policy and not ask or respond to anything of a digital nature, but I'd appreciate it if Rob would say so publicly.

If that isn't the rule then I think those of us who scan and print our 4x5 and 8x10 negatives digitally would appreciate some guidance as to what types of digital printing questions are appropriate and which are not. In other words, was the problem something about this particular question as opposed to other digital questions that have been posted here without anyone objecting (see, e.g., the unsharp masking question a few messages up from this one) or are we just not supposed to say anything at all about digital printing?

[Rob Barker]

I'm ceratinly not saying that Brian - if the thread is felt to be useful it will certainly stay! My own feeling was that the subject is too computing-specific given the forum guidelines but I appreciate this is a subjective judgement.