Digital BW, The Print

----- Original Message -----
From: "Robert Morrison" <rmorrison@...>
To: <DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Monday, August 19, 2002 10:45 AM
Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Imageprint


> On 8/19/02 9:18 AM, "Martin Wesley" <mwesley250@...> wrote:
>
> > Are you personally using the desktop version?
>
> Yes
>
> > If so, are you satisfied that
> > it equals the performance of the large format version?
>
> Yes
>
> > I hear lots of
> > wonderful things about the IP4 and the 7000 but nothing good about the
> > desktop version. Will they really do profiles for the desktop version if
you
> > send them targets or is that service for the wide format printers only?
>
> Yes

Robert,

I appreciate the clarification. Your answers make it seem more attractive
for the desktop users.
>
> > I am rather confused since they list support for Lyson, PiezoBW, MIS-FS
and
> > MIS-VM but if you go to their download section only MIS-FS for 7 papers
are
> > listed for the 1270. 1280 and 1290 Epson's. This does not seem like a
good
> > buy for $500. They have been promising support for all the quads but so
far
> > it seems like hype and no delivery.
>
> I believe that support for VM was hijacked by the new epson printer.
> Personally, I wouldn't use VM now that the ultracromes are out for toning.
> You can get from cool to sepia in a single ink set that you can also use
for
> color.

Well the quality with the 2200 seems to be better that I initially thought
but due to print life it is not something I would consider for my own work.
The VM and Sepia-VM offer some color complexity to the prints that I really
like and the solutions with the 2200 seem to give infinite choice in overall
hue but do not appear to allow you to vary it with density within a single
print.

This leads me to ask if this RIP gives you full channel access. In other
words can you use it like a standard RIP to print your own custom CMYK
separation curves?
>
> There aren't a lot of profile made already...but they will make whatever
you
> need...that's the key to imageprint.

Well that part is a very good deal. Given that the PT profiles are in the
works, what is your impression of the PT inks with IP4's Piezo profiles with
the PT? Can you compare the results with the PT and the Piezo driver vs. PT
with IP4 and it's Piezo profiles?
>
> > Then there is also this paragraph:
> >
> > "IMAGEPRINT is purchased on a per printer basis rather than per
computer.
> > Once the printer has been licensed, you can print to it from as many
> > different computers as you'd like using one copy of IMAGEPRINT. Printers
can
> > be added at any time and no additional hardware is required. The same
dongle
> > can be used to unlock an unlimited number of printers. To add a new
printer,
> > simply purchase the additional license, and we'll provide you with a new
> > encryption key that will unlock IMAGEPRINT."
> >
> > So I would need to spend $1000 for my two 1280's which is not very
> > attractive. They are making a mistake trying to sell to the desktop
market
> > using the same marketing model they use to sell to service bureaus.
Their
> > interest in the desktop printers seems pretty weak which also makes me
> > reluctant to get involved.
> >
> No, the license is not nearly as much for the second printer.  Just speak
> with them directly...my guess is that you might be able to get a second
> desktop printer thrown in for free...but I'm not them.  I have three
> licenses that allow me to run two desktop printers and my 7000 at the same
> time...with good performance.

That makes more sense if the additional licenses are at a reduced cost.
Silverfast does this with their scanning software.

I guess the question comes down to quality vs. cost. I am very willing to
pay for additional quality if it is there. So the issue is how much of a
quality gain is there in going from the Piezo plugin at $125 - $150 for an
unlimited number of printers compared to IP4 at $500 for a single printer?
Personally my interests for the near future are Selenium PT and MIS-Sepia VM
on the 1280. If I can get smoother tonality, better Dmax and less banding
then I might go for it. I suspect though that the price differential will
deter most people.

One more question, some of the early IP4 prints I saw had some window screen
pattern visible on close inspection. I have heard that this has been
corrected. Has this been your experience?

Thanks,
Martin Wesley