I have never mastered profile settings, however have use qimage successfully for years with only an occasional color problem. Usually people, where it matters but I don't do a lot of that.  Tonight I HAD to get it right and can't.  I've printed 19 test prints with every setting I can think of. I've even printed from CS5 with the same result so now I'm suspecting it's not a qimage setting but a monitor thing.. but how can that be?

I have a file from a lab that is used to match the 8x10 I got from them. So I should be able to print that file and get a matching print pretty much right?  It has a macbeth color block, people ..a variety of stuff. Ok, Everything looks good EXCEPT the neutral gray areas have a slight green tint and what should be a very very slight blue hue gray is much more blue.  I have printed it using both adobe and srgb color spaces (I converted one so I could try both)

So.. windows xp. Epson R1800 printer.
In Qimage on the front page I have monitor ICC: OFF  and Prtr ICC with the selected Epson profile, tried premium luster and semigloss both.
INSIDE settings for the printer setup I have the ICM chosen, and the ICC set to OFF.   and in the color settings I am using the Perceptual .

Should I be able to ever get a perfect match for that print? The image I'm trying to print is greenish too.  Should I just give up and somehow try to add magenta or something?  Am I doing something wrong somewhere and just not getting it?  I'm about ready to scream, turn this print into a b/w and go stuff myself with junk food.  help appreciated!! 

Laryl

I'm really struggling understanding what each of the setting places is doing. Very much appreciate the reply so quickly but can you/someone tell me exactly what to change where?
 
In the printer properties setup box I have ICM set to OFF.. is that not where you mean for where to set the printer driver?  Not sure where to go.

Good Morning and thanks for being here Fred.

Yes, selected the matching epson paper type.  Yes, Epson inks.  Yes, I already did a couple cleaning cycles to be sure the print nozzles were all printing perfectly.
Ok.. good.. yes ICM checked and No Color Adj is checked OFF.

The image appears perfectly on my monitor, if I hold up the print it matches exactly. There are areas that should be neutral gray and then an area like a backdrop that has a pattern and it registers a tiny bit blue but at first glance you would think it was a much more neutral area. So that slightly colored area on the print and monitor both don't look like they have hardly any tint at all.. but the prints are showing that area definately blue tinted.  So my print is more blue and green than it should be (shows up very well in areas that shouldn't be so saturated)

I have lcd Samsung monitors and have calibrated them with the Huey Pro calibrator.  When I view online sites that show the management charts, I have very good results, can see both ends (it's a struggle to see the darkest block) and colors look great.  What really gets me is since the test print matches my monitor so perfectly I feel like the monitor isn't the problem.  YET when I printed straight from CS5 I get the same hue shifts.

I had just updated the video driver by the way.. wonder if there is a better/new print driver for the R1800 that might help?

Since I'm not happy with the results right now anyway, maybe it would be a good time to try and learn how to use and setup ProPhoto as my color space? I have seen a few statements lately about it being great (kelby training video even talked about it).  I'd really need someone to handhold all the questions that would bring up though.  Just so frustrated!

ok.. makes sense to stay on track.. thank you, will email it

OK Laryl.
I received your image, albeit a test image, and made two prints.
I used Epson Ultra Prem Luster 5* and one on Premium Luster without the Ultra designator.
I was not sure which you had.

Mind you, I did this because there are two different printer profiles for the Luster as well as the Premium glossy.
Please use the ones dated 2005. 04/13/2005
You can download them from Epson. They replace the 2004 profiles.
The 2004 profiles will cause a slight green shift.
All that aside, I made two perfect prints without any green, nor any other aberration.

Since you have covered all the rest of the probabilities, may I suggest one more with no offense intended?
Is it possible that you are viewing your prints under a poor indoor light source causing you to see the wrong colors?
Take the print outdoors, or use a neutral type of OTT light source that approaches a daylight temperature.

Otherwise, I am out of suggestions.
I would say put your monitor profile back on so you might not see green on screen, but that will not affect the print either.

The image you sent to me has an embedded RGB color space which is fine.
Looks good, smells good, and prints good
Using the 2005 printer profiles will cure the green if you were using the 2004 profiles..

Fred

If the print is perfect here on the same model printer, then it has to be the same at your house.
Fiddling and tweaking is not the answer for a greenish cast.
Have to find the problem.
Either the paper is mis marked, or wrong profile, wrong driver, clogged nozzles, pr some physical property.
Change to the 2005 profile det. That should fix it.

Fred

Hi Fred,

If you download the free software from here - http://www.ssclg.com/epsone.shtml  I believe it has better head cleaning/testing than Epson's, for some models. I used to use it when using my r1800. If the cartridges have been standing for a while, then they probably need replacing. Over time the pigments tend to settle out, and as you mention if they get towards empty, then the heads may be sucking foam, not liquid ink. The r1800, if not kept in a humid atmosphere or not frequently used, tends to misbehave. If it is printing too green/blue, then it is most likely a magenta that is blocked or air-locked. With patience, and the correct window cleaning liquid - I think in USA you have 'Windex' - then nozzles can be unblocked - there is info. on the web explaining the method. I've done it twice - after leaving the printer unused for nine or ten months at a time, or you can, afaik, buy cleaning cartridges. However, many folk do not have the patience to do this - it can take a week or so - every day soaking, test prints, etc.

It may be OK to change the cartridges for new, run a couple of cleaning cycles, then leave it for, say, ten hours, then do the nozzle check. The nozzle check is more visible (wrt yellow) if you print onto high gloss paper, and hold at an angle to the light, and use a magnifying glass 
 
As an example, the original firmware for the pro 4000, it's cleaning cycle was defective, but the later firmware release more or less fixed that, so sometimes Epson get the firmware wrong. I'm not sure if they did the same for the r1800.

It is probably not worth sending it in for servicing, but that is the owner's decision, of course.

hth

Best wishes,

Ray

The Epson nozzle check pattern is not always the best way to tell whether color is being applied evenly.  It is useful to print one of the "purge patterns" available (or make your own with vertical bars of 50% gray, black, pure cyan, magenta, yellow, red, green and blue) using "Plain Paper" and "Normal" settings (with ICC turned off in Qimage and Epson driver).  I turn on "Gloss" (to "Full" rather than "Auto") just to make sure there is no contamination or color contribution from the gloss optimizer.  You should get solid bands of uniform color; if a nozzle is misbehaving it's readily apparant by the narrow "lines" that appear in some of the colors.

The "Blue" ink is actually a shade of purple (to my eye at least) so don't worry about that one.