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 Following the recent release of 60 inches (152
cm) wide format inkjet printers from Canon and Hewlett-Packard, Epson
has now released a 64" model the
Epson Stylus Pro 11880 printer.
The
Epson 11880 is the first time Epson is releasing a printer wider
than their very successful 44" (112 cm) size, the Epson 9800, (and
previously Epson 9600, Epson 10000, and Epson 10600).
This is a benefit to those who prefer the quality and track record of
the Epson brand name, but need the extra width. The Canon and HP
printers are only 60" wide, the
Epson 11880 offers an additional four
inches (10 cm) in width which could prove to be a deciding factor in
consumer decision making. It makes sense is that if you can choose
between two relatively similar printers at the same price; why not
invest your money into a printer that offers larger capability.
The truth is that none of these wide format printers from Canon, HP,
and Epson are similar at all. Granted, the purpose of them and the
market they serve is similar, but the technical makeup and
capabilities of the printers vary quite drastically. The
Epson 11880
was specifically developed to address a few key technological voids
when compared to earlier printer model releases.
 First of all The
Stylus Pro 11880 includes the latest Micro print head for
higher printing performance and is optimized for pigment ink
technology call: the Piezo Thin Film Piezo (TFP). The new Micro Piezo
TFP™ print head fulfils all the requirements of a professional printer
– quality, durability and speed. The nozzle density has increased
from 180 to 360 dpi for each color; the world’s highest for an
inkjet print head using piezoelectric technology. Epson has doubled
the number of nozzles on the print head, while maintaining the same
size of ink droplet and accelerated print speeds. Despite the
microscopic size of its elements, this new generation Micro Piezo head
retains all the advantages of the current print head, including
Variable-sized Droplet Technology. Meniscus control helps to produce
perfectly spherical dots and manages the degree of droplet impact. It
also improves the speed of jetting, further enhancing the print speed.
 The
Stylus Pro 11880
incorporates nine 700ml high capacity individual ink cartridges,
with automatic switching between Photo & Matte Black inks, and also
ink status LED’s for each cartridge. First, it prints both matte
black ink and photo black ink at the same time, without needing to
swap out
Epson 11880 ink cartridges.
A new Vivid Magenta ink cartridge expands the color gamut and is a
real improvement in pigment chemistry. The full inkset includes: photo
black, matte black, light black, light light black, cyan, light cyan,
yellow, vivid magenta and vivid light magenta. The two magenta inks
use new high-density pigments that create more vibrant color,
especially blues and magenta, for example those found in seascapes or
landscapes. Both photo black and matte black cartridges are installed
at the same time so there is no need to exchange. The most suitable
black ink is automatically chosen depending on the media type used.
The UltraChrome K3 ink with Vivid Magenta enables superb grey balance
and precise color without any color cast. It also maintains the best
features of the UltraChrome K3 ink such as great color accuracy of
neutral and dark colors, excellent short-term color stability and
smooth tonal gradation from shadow to light. Metamerism is
virtually eliminated with this new inkset (Metamerism is when two
color samples with different spectral power distributions appears to
be the same color when viewed side by side). The permanent Epson Micro
Piezo print head also offers unrivalled consistency in each print.
Every print will be the same as the first, even if the artwork is
printed months apart, making it ideal for studios producing limited
edition print runs.
The
Epson 11880, as well
as its smaller width siblings which will be released shortly after,
the
Epson 9880 (44"),
Epson 7880 (24"),
Epson 4880 (17"), will allow
for a technician fitted internal spectrophotometer installation which
should cost around $1,500 USD. The
Stylus Pro 11880 is
compatible with a wide range of Epson media up to 1.5mm in thickness,
including glossy paper, matte paper, matte board, fine art paper and
plain paper. It features an automatic take-up reel to support
heavy-duty production for improved usability. It will also support
flexible paper handling for cut sheet printing from A3 up to 64”. The
optional paper basket stores prints cleanly and securely.
Next, the printing speed
is drastically improved. The
Epson Stylus Pro 11880 is expected to
more than double the speed of the
Epson 9800, therefore making it a
powerhouse within production environments. Given the high speed of the
Canon and HP printers, the
Epson 11880 will now attract the high
volume printing. The new Gigabit Ethernet interface delivers fast data
transfer speeds, up to 10 times faster than the previous 100 mps card,
coupled with the on-board data processing module. Epson also introduce
a new screening algorithm to further improve image tone and definition
call: Super Halftone technology. This combination of features and
inkset make the
Stylus Pro 11880 the most advanced digital large
format printer on the market.
Epson is banking on
features like these to propel the
Epson 11880 far past the recent wide
format printer releases from HP and Canon. Given the existing market
share and general adoration for the Epson brand due to its blatant
first-mover advantage into the giclee printing segment, most expect
the
Epson Stylus Pro 11880 to dominate the 60" printer segment.
Epson
Stylus Pro 11880 key features and schedule summary:
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Professional paper
handling up to 64” wide 162.50 centimeters.
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Consistent output with
Epson Micro Piezo TFP™ Print head Technology
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High-density Epson
UltraChrome K3™ with Vivid Magenta Ink Technology
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Standard USB 2.0, and
Gigabit Ethernet interface
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Flexible paper handling
with roll or cut-sheet media from A3 / tabloid up to 64”/162.5 cm
wide. BorderFree™ roll printing from 10” up to 64” wide
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Accepts media up to 1.5
mm thick poster board
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Productive printing
with built-in automatic media cutting system and take-up reel system
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Record information
about paper with media bar code tracking and identification system
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Superior image
processing with Epson Super Halftone Screening Technology
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Easy to use and
maintain with Auto Ink Droplet Detection System
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High-quality printing
with maximum resolution of 2880 x 1440 dpi
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Nine individual
high-capacity ink cartridges – 700 ml
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Automatic change from
photo black to matte black
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Pressurized ink
cartridge technology
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High-performance print
engine speeds
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Large 2.5” back lit LCD
control panel
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Ink status LED system
The following dates apply
to the Stylus Pro
4880,
7880,
9880 and
11880:
Scheduled Ship: October 2007
Ink
Cartridge Information:
- With the
introduction of the Stylus Pro
4880,
7880,
9880 and
11880, Epson
will consolidate product codes for efficiency. Other than the ink
formulation differences between Vivid Magenta/Vivid Light Magenta
and Magenta/Light Magenta, the other inks formulations are not
changed in any way, just the consolidation of product codes.
- All current ink
product codes for the Stylus Pro
4880,
7880 and
9880 will
transition to the new codes during the month of August as current
ink product inventory is depleted.
- The new Stylus
Pro
4880,
7880 and
9880 will only be compatible with the newly
introduced ink product codes.
- Magenta and Light
Magenta ink product codes will only be compatible with the Stylus
Pro
4880/7880/9880.
- Vivid Magenta and
Vivid Light Magenta ink product codes are only compatible with the
Stylus Pro
4880/7880/9880/11880.
For more information, see the
Ink Product Code Transition Matrix
Service Plan and
Accessory Information:
Service Plans and some accessories for the Stylus Pro
4880,
7880 and
9880 are compatible with the existing Stylus Pro
4800,
7800 and
9800
printer product codes, please see product setup sheets for a complete
list of service plans, accessories, ink and media for these products.
For more information, see the
4880 Setup Sheet,
7880 Setup Sheet,
9880 Setup Sheet and
11880 Setup Sheet
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