FYI. I wanted to post a follow up. Two and a half years after purchasing my Epson 4900, it has officially stopped working. The heads are cracked. I am assuming mostly from excessive cleaning over the years. Honestly, the printer has never really worked to my satisfaction from the day the guys who drop ship for Epson ROLLED the box into my apartment. However, it was still a bit of an emotional blow.

I have decided to purchase an Epson 7900....while it is reputed to have the same issues as the 4900, I am going to move the printer to a more suitable place in the room (not next to the window and heater, where the 4900 was placed). I will also buy the extended warranty - which I strongly recommend to anyone buying one of these devices. Also, I will purchase a humidifier to make the room less dry.

Good luck to those with the 4900. It makes spectacular prints when it works. Hopefully, I will not be going from the frying pan back into the fire.

James