"THE INKSIDER"
_______________________________________

December 2002
Newsletter #15-1204
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Hi <<ename>>,

This newsletter only goes to people who subscribe to it.
Unsubscribe instructions are at the bottom of the newsletter.

This newsletter is brought to you by Atlascopy.com.

Company Goal: Offer you, the consumer, a cost savings alter-
native to expensive OEM cartridges.

We accept articles for publication in this newsletter. If
you have an article or just wish to express your opinion
please write to ATLAS@DVOL.COM.

===========================================

This month's edition features the following:

    Look for the 10% off coupon

    1. News from the InkJet Industry

	New Epson Stylus C82 printer
	
    2. Solutions to common printing problems
 
    3. New Products at Atlascopy.com
       HP PRIMER - A godsend for HP C6578 refillers
       Bulk Ink for HP C6656AN and C6657AN cartridges

    4. General Tips on Getting the Most for Your Money

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Editorial

We are closer to a resolution for the Epson problem that we
talked about in the last newsletter. Epson changed their
chip information on the T026201, T027201, T028201and
T029201 cartridges which rendered our chip resetters
useless on OEM cartridges. 

We are told that a universal chip will be available that
never needs to be reset. Just refill the cartridge and forget
about resetting it. The chip should outlast many cartridges.
There is a separate chip for the color and black but you
only need those two and there are no batteries to deal with.
I'll have more information about the availability and cost
very soon. Watch the web site for updates on these chips.

We just ordered replacement chips for all the Epson
cartridges that work with our resetters. We will be putting 
them on our web site very soon. We plan to sell them
for around $5.00 each. 

On another note I am happy to announce that we have
introduced a tool for those people refilling HP color
cartridges, particularly the C6578, C1823 and the C6625.

These cartridges have been the cause of much frustration
for those who have tried refilling it. (And lots of nasty
grams to myself). 

These cartridges seem to self destruct as soon as they run
out of ink and many people can't successfully refill them
no matter what process they use. I agree, they are nasty.

But, we have been testing a device that works with
amazing success. We call it the "HP PRIMER" and for
$9.95 you can end many of your refilling problems if
you are refilling these "cartridges from hell". 

Look at the bottom of our accessories page at:
http://atlascopy.com/Atlas_kits/atlas_accessories.htm

We are working on a PRIMER for the Lexmark color
cartridges too so look for news on that soon.

Because of the length of this issue we are only running
one printer review.

Happy Holidays.

Barry Shultz

************************************
|
|                 10%   C  O  U  P  O  N
|                    Happy Holidays!
|
|  Good towards anything on either web site
|
|                http://atlascopy.com
|           http://shop.atlascopy.com 
|
|  Use coupon code "holiday" in the coupon
|          field of our shopping cart.
|
| 
************************************

1. News from the InkJet Industry

EPSON New Product Release
NEW EPSON STYLUS C82 ALL-PURPOSE, PHOTO
QUALITY INK JET PRINTER CREATES LIGHT 
RESISTANT, WATER PROOF OUTPUT FOR $149

LONG BEACH, Calif., August 26, 2002 - Advancing off 
the platforms of one of its most successful and popular 
products to date, Epson America is launching a new ink 
jet printer that provides even greater performance and 
value for home and small office customers. The new 
EPSON Stylus C82 takes the throne as Epson's new 
flagship, all-purpose ink jet printer, selling for $149 and 
offering customers several new technical advancements 
including improved formulas of Epson's long-lasting 
DuraBrite(tm) inks.

The Stylus C82 replaces the Stylus C80 and is Epson's 
fastest four-color desktop printer ever made, using a new 
high-speed Micro Piezo print head that delivers up to 22 
pages per minute (ppm) in black and up to 11 ppm in color. 
This printer also takes advantage of a unique and highly 
advanced imaging technology known as Resolution 
Performance Management(tm) (RPM(tm)). This feature 
enables the Stylus C82 to place up to six different ink
droplet sizes as small as three picoliters at resolution 
levels as high as 5,760 x 1,440 optimized dpi for sharper 
text, greater detail and brighter colors.

Enhanced DuraBrite Inks -Water-Resistant Prints that Last 
up to 80 Years. Epson has engineered a more advanced 
formula of DuraBrite inks - made exclusively for the Stylus 
C82. These pigment-based inks are designed to not only 
produce durable, detailed output on a variety of media, 
but also offer richer colors and even greater highlight
and shadow detail than the previous formula used with 
the Stylus C80. Unlike prints from traditional dye-based 
inks, output from DuraBrite color and black inks can be 
submerged in water without the ink coming off the page. 
This feature is designed to give creators of fliers, menus, 
signs, postcards and almost any other printed output 
the ability to produce documents and images that will 
withstand damage caused by moisture-based threats 
such as rain, spills or people with wet hands. DuraBrite 
inks also have a light-resistance rating of up to 80 years 
on certain specialty media and an unmatched 70-year 
rating on plain paper, making it possible to safely place
prints in areas where light would normally cause images 
to fade quickly. 

The EPSON Stylus C82 includes four separate "snap-in/
snap-out" ink cartridges to maximize ink yield - one extra-
large black ink cartridge and three color ink cartridges 
(cyan, yellow and magenta). Since these individual color 
inks can be replaced at any time, efficiency is maximized, 
lowering the total cost of ownership. Each cartridge also 
contains a chip that relays ink level information on screen 
to the user via the printer driver, while self-sealing valves 
preserve the inks up to six months once removed from 
the printer. Therefore, reinserted cartridges that haven't 
been fully depleted can be reinserted for later use.

Easy to Set Up and Use
Epson has also increased its focus on setup/installation 
and ease of use on its latest four-color ink jet printers. 
Once a printer has been taken out of the box, a new plug-
and-play installation feature enables Windows users to 
simply attach their computer and printer using a USB 
cable, follow a few basic onscreen instructions and in a 
few minutes begin printing.

Users printing photographs taken from digital cameras 
will also find it easier to print great-looking photos on a 
variety of photographic papers (including borderless 
4" x 6" photos) using the new EXIF Print feature. EXIF 
is an international standard and acronym (Exchangeable 
Image File format) that enables the printer to automatically 
compensate for advanced digital image parameters such 
as color space, noise reduction, white balance and more.

The EPSON Stylus C82 is capable of large-quantity 
printing when needed. The printer's paper input tray holds 
up to 150 sheets of 20-pound paper at a time, reducing the
number of times a user will need to refill the tray during a 
large print job. It also has the capacity to print as many 
as 5,000 sheets per month. Additionally, the Stylus C82 
offers both USB and parallel connectivity for simultaneous 
use of either Macintosh or Windows platforms.

The EPSON Stylus C82 is currently shipping to computer 
superstores and specialty retail stores nationwide and 
can also be purchased through mail order, PC manu-
facturers, the Internet and Epson's own site 
www.epsonstore.com. 

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2. Solutions to common printing problems.

Horizontal banding
Try one or more of these solutions: 


Make sure that the printable side of the paper is face up 
in the sheet feeder. Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear 
any clogged ink nozzles. 

Clear all settings, and select Automatic as the Mode 
setting on your printer software's Main menu (Windows) 
or in the Print dialog box (Macintosh). 

Check the  error light. If the light is flashing, replace the 
appropriate ink cartridge. See Replacing an Ink Cartridge 
in your printer manual for details. 

Make sure that Maximum is not selected as the Printable 
Area setting in your printer software. When this setting 
is selected, banding may occur in the expanded area. 

Make sure that the Media Type selected in the printer 
software is appropriate for the type of media loaded in 
the printer. 




Vertical misalignment or banding
Try one or more of these solutions: 


Make sure that the printable side of the paper is face up 
in the sheet feeder. 

Run the Print Head Alignment utility. 

Clear the High Speed check box in the Advanced dialog 
box of your printer software's Advanced dialog box. 

Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink 
nozzles. 

Make sure that the Media Type setting selected in the 
printer software is appropriate for the type of media 
loaded in the printer. 

Make sure that the position of the adjust lever is 
appropriate for the media type. When printing on media 
of normal thickness, set the adjust lever to the "-" 
position. When printing on envelopes or thick media, 
set the position to "+" . 




Color gaps
Try one or more of these solutions: 


Make sure that your paper is not damaged, dirty, or too 
old. Also, make sure that the printable side of the paper 
is face up in the sheet feeder. 

Run the Head Cleaning utility to clear any clogged ink 
nozzles. 

Check the  error light. If the light is flashing, replace the 
appropriate ink cartridge. See Replacing an Ink Cartridge. 

Adjust the color settings in your application or in your 
printer software's Advanced dialog box. For instructions, 
see Making the Advanced settings for Windows or 
Making the Advanced settings for Macintosh in your
printer manual. 

Clear all settings, and select Automatic as the Mode 
setting on your printer software's Main menu (Windows) 
or in the Print dialog box (Macintosh). 

Make sure that the Media Type setting selected in the 
printer software is appropriate for the type of media that 
is loaded in the printer. 



Incorrect or missing colors
Try one or more of these solutions: 

Change the Ink setting in your printer software to Color. 
For instructions, see Using the Automatic mode for 
Windows or Using the Automatic mode for Macintosh
in your printer manual. 

Adjust the color settings in your application or in your 
printer software's Advanced dialog box. 

Run the Head Cleaning utility.  If colors are still incorrect 
or missing, replace the color ink cartridge. If the problem 
persists, replace the black ink cartridge.

Make sure that you are not using an ink cartridge with 
an expired date printed on the cartridge carton. Also, if 
you have not used the printer for a long time, replace 
with new ink cartridges.



Blurry or smeared printout
Try one or more of these solutions: 


Make sure that the printer is on a flat, stable surface that 
extends beyond the printer base in all directions. The 
printer will not operate properly if it is tilted. 

Make sure that your paper is dry and that the printable 
side is facing up. Also, make sure that you are using an 
acceptable paper type. 

Clear all settings, and select Automatic as the Mode 
setting on your printer software's Main menu (Windows) 
or in the Print dialog box (Macintosh). 

If the paper is curled toward the printable side, flatten it 
or curl it slightly toward the opposite side. 

Set the adjust lever to the "+" position, and make sure 
the Media Type setting in your printer driver is correct. 

Remove each sheet from the output tray as it is printed, 
especially if you are using transparencies. 

If you are printing on glossy media or transparencies, 
place a support sheet (or a sheet of plain paper) beneath 
the stack. Or, load only one sheet at a time. 

When printing on thick media, set the adjust lever to the 
"+" position. 

Run the Head Cleaning utility. Windows Me, 98 or 95 
users can start the Head Cleaning Utility.. 

Run the Print Head Alignment utility. 

Load and eject dry paper several times. If the problem 
persists, ink may have leaked inside the printer, so wipe 
the inside of the printer with a soft, clean cloth. 

 
===========================================
3.  New Products at Atlascopy.com

We have a few brand new OEM cartridges that are
unadvertised specials. 

They are ONLY available at this price at 
http://shop.atlascopy.com.

Look for the specials link on the left side of the page.

They are in date and we are selling them at below cost.

Epson T017 (4 left) Retail $27.95 Special price $23.95
Epson T018 (1 left) Retail $25.95 Special price $20.95
HP C6625AN (1 left) Retail $36.99 Special price $26.95

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Bulk Ink for HP DJ 5550 AND P100, 
7150/7350 PHOTO PRINTERS
For the C6656AN and C6657AN cartridges.
http://atlascopy.com/refills/bulkhp.htm

Refill kits for this series coming soon.

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If you are looking for Greeting Card stock or Photo Glossy
paper, then check out our Media and Paper section. Our
films and papers are designed to perform equally well with
Repeat-O-Type Brand inks and those offered by the printer
manufacturers.


http://atlascopy.com/media.htm


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4.  General Tips on Getting the Most for Your Money

Epson Tip

One persistent problem with Epson printers is ink drying 
on the printhead. This happens usually when the printer 
is not being used very often - 3 to 5 or more days without 
use or when you remove the cartridge from the printer for 
even as little as 5 minutes. Whenever you have not used 
your printer for 3 days or more, you should run the head 
cleaning operation at least three times before attempting 
to print. When not using your printer for brief periods, 
cover it with a plastic or vinyl cover and place a couple 
damp paper towels inside the cover to provide humidity. 

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Lexmark / Compaq Tip

If you  have gaps at the top and bottom of a test print, 
you should "wick" the cartridges by doing the following: 

1. Select Install color/black cartridge and remove the 
cartridge from the printer. 
2. Get a damp paper towel. 
3. Set the ink cartridge right side up on the damp paper 
towel so that the ink nozzles are touching and hold the 
cartridge in this position for about 15 seconds. 
4. Now wipe the print head (on the bottom where the ink 
comes out) across in one direction only (left to right) 
until it looks clean. 
5. Next dab the cartridge on the towel to make sure that 
the ink is flowing. 
6. Turn the cartridge over so that you can see the bar 
code sticker on the back. 
7. While using a clean pencil eraser, clean the contact 
points on the copper strip (only the little squares just 
below the bar code). Do not use the eraser on the print 
head or you could damage the cartridge). 
8. Now while using a clean part of your dry paper towel, 
wipe the eraser dust off the contacts, ensure that they 
are dry, snap cartridge back into the printer. 
9. On your computer select Old Cartridge install. 
10. Repeat the Clean Nozzle Procedure listed above. 

===========================================

Canon tip

The printed output is broken up and/or has white streaks 
running thru it. What's up?

The print head nozzles may be clogged. Perform a head 
cleaning and print a test print. If there are gaps in the dot 
pattern, continue with another cycle. Perform up to 6 
cycles if necessary.

To prevent drying and possibly clogging of the printhead, 
it is recommended you print something in color once 
a week. Try this if the color print is 'light' or missing in 
spots:

Unplug the printer from the computer. Then locate the
 'resume' button which is the button on the top right, 
push it until you hear 1 beep, do that 6-10 times, this 
shoots out some ink to clear the 'clogs'. Then plug the 
printer back up and try the print again.

===========================================

HP tip

Refilling the C6657 & C6656 cartridges.
Remove the label on top of the cartridge. 
Locate 5 holes. The fill hole is the one 
by itself, not in a pair. ie.

  * <-- Fill Here
*     *
*     *

Use about 15cc black ink and 6cc of color 
ink in each chamber. You don't have to 
re-seal the fill holes.

Look for the kits on the web site after Thanksgiving.

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BFILL?

We may have the Epson refiller owners' most useful tool,
and the best part is it only costs 50 cents! I'm talking
about the BFILL tool. 

The BFILL attaches to any injector and can suck the foam
from a cartridge faster than a vacuum cleaner on steroids!
Foam is the main reason why Epson cartridges stop printing.
It's easy to use and you will be surprised how much foam a
small cartridge can hold.

We have a nice little primer complete with pictures for this
useful little tool. Check it out here:
http://www.atlascopy.com/BFILLinstructions.htm  

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If you have a tip you would like to contribute you can e-mail 
it to atlas@dvol.com.

===========================================

If you would like to advertise in this newsletter please see
our rate card at: http://www.atlascopy.com/ezines/index.htm

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Special note: Some of you are confused by our offering of
two different web sites. Essentially, they both offer the
same products but the difference is in the shopping cart
area. Many of you asked for a shopping cart that retains
the user information.
 
The new site does that. Others complained when they were
required to set up an account in order to purchase
anything. So we are keeping both sites active to make
everybody happy.


The other difference is the new site has the ability to
process credit cards in real time. The security is much
higher and people get frustrated when their credit card is
declined. If you want to order from the new site you MUST
use the correct billing address, which is the address where
your credit card statement is sent to. Also, the new site
will not accept any International credit cards.


If you are having problems with your credit card on the new
site then you should use the old site. The old site does
NOT have real time processing, we will run your credit card
manually which means you won't get rejected, unless of
course you deserve it. :-)


The new site is at:
http://shop.atlascopy.com


The old site is at:
http://atlascopy.com

===========================================

See ya next time!
Barry Shultz
Editor
bshultz@atlascopy.com