How do I print to an Epson Stylus Photo EX PostScript printer in OS X?

luca

My mom is moving from OS 9 to OS X after getting a dual 500 MHz G4, and the only major thing holding her back is that she can't get her Epson Stylus Photo EX to print in OS X. It only works in OS 9.



Any open source drivers or something that will allow PostScript printing? The main programs she uses are Illustrator 6 and 8, and Photoshop 5. She does have Illustrator 10 and Photoshop 7, but most of her clients don't accept files created with those programs because they are too new to work with their multi-million dollar printing systems. Publishers tend to take a really long time to upgrade their software.

scottib

<a href="http://www.cups.org/"; target="_blank">http://www.cups.org/</a>;



There is very good article in February 2003's Macworld on installing and set-up.



I've used CUPS, Gimp-Print, and GhostScript to use my Photo EX with an Axis 1440 print server.



Only thing missing is Epson utilities (head cleaning, alignment) that do need to be run from OS9, afaik.



I'm not sure about PostScript. I don't think I've printed anything that needed it. <img src="graemlins/hmmm.gif" border="0" alt="[Hmmm]" />



[ 01-16-2003: Message edited by: scottiB ]</p>

neutrino23

I'm not familiar with this particular Epson printer. Do they not have a driver?



We've used several different large format Epson printers successfully on OS X. As stated above, some of the utilities are missing.



At MWSF we spoke with someone from Epson. They said that there were changes coming in 10.2.4 which will make it easier for Epson (and other printer companies) to make full featured drivers.

scottib

The Photo EX was a precursor to the 1200 series (1200, 1270, 1280) and a big brother to the Photo 700. It has only local-talk and parallel ports (I presume Luca, that your mother is using a USB&gt;parallel adapter?). It was discontinued in early 2000.

luca

Yes, she has a cord that's parallel at one end, USB at the other.



Actually, I haven't personally checked for official Epson drivers, but my brother (who is just as computer savvy as I am, possibly more so) says that there are no drivers out yet.

scottib

There aren't. Read the MacWorld article. You'll be up an running in 5 minutes. Easy.

luca

I don't have the article, no subscription to Macworld. Anyone care to possibly send me the article? Or is there an online resource where I could find something similar?

scottib

<a href="http://homepage.mac.com/scotti/.Public/mwCUPs1.pdf"; target="_blank">page 1</a>, <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/scotti/.Public/mwCUPs2.pdf"; target="_blank">page 2</a>



Post when you've retrieved them.



[ 01-18-2003: Message edited by: scottiB ]



[ 01-18-2003: Message edited by: scottiB ]</p>

luca

Done. Thanks very much.



Actually, it might not even be necessary anymore. Although there weren't any drivers for OS X for her printer, she just decided to try running the Stylus RIP utility in classic mode, and she printed an Illustrator document (also from classic mode, as it's an earlier version of Illustrator). It worked fine.



But thanks anyway. If the need ever arises, I'll be holding on to these.

burningwheel

[quote]Originally posted by scottiB:

<strong><a href="http://homepage.mac.com/scotti/.Public/mwCUPs1.pdf"; target="_blank">page 1</a>, <a href="http://homepage.mac.com/scotti/.Public/mwCUPs2.pdf"; target="_blank">page 2</a>



Post when you've retrieved them.



[ 01-18-2003: Message edited by: scottiB ]



[ 01-18-2003: Message edited by: scottiB ]</strong><hr></blockquote>





scott can you put them back up. i'd like to see it. or is it on the their website?

scottib

Done.

burningwheel

thanks Scott . i got them. cheers