Product

Generations inks (full title: GENERATIONS Micro-Bright Pigment Ink) are manufactured by MediaStreet.Com [site].  They are widely used by people looking for more print permanence than is available with the standard inkjet printer manufacturers' inks.  Testing of these inks is currently underway at Wilhelm Research [site] but MediaStreet.Com's web site estimates their life as around 75 years.  Compared with OEM ink lifetimes in the 1 to 2 year range, this is obviously an attractive claim.

Two black inks are available in the Generations range: the original black and the "beta black".  The latter is newer (hence, "beta", as in "still being tested") and also, well, blacker; its downside is that it is more prone to fading and prints made with the "beta black" should not be expected to have the same lifetime as prints made with the "original" black.  There have been several types of yellow ink used in this product, the later ones being longer lasting than the earlier ones.

Generations inks are available in Epson compatible cartridges (when they are somewhat more expensive than the original cartridges) or as bulk inks for refilling or use with an inking system (when they are considerably cheaper).

MediaStreet.Com's web site warns that Generations inks do not work as well on some papers as on others.  Glossy "photo" papers seem to be a particular issue.  With some media, a 100% waterproof print is claimed (again, see their [site] for details).

Dealers

UK Dealers

• MWORDS Limited [site]

US Dealers

• MediaStreet.Com [site]