Digital BW, The Print

Hello group,
As you have seen from a previous posting some days ago I am testing 
the IProof PowerRip 2000 to get B&W prints without the metarism as we 
get from the Epson drivers. The Gray balancer makes it even worse. 
Since I had some questions and some problems ( who has non?) I 
contacted the service folks from IProof systems. Since I wanted to 
spend several hundred $$ I wanted to make an informed decision. I 
fist contacted the dealer in the Netherlands but they did not want to 
give any support because I had not bought the software with them! For 
support on demo versions I should go to the supplier in the US. Wich 
I did. Send an e-mail with all my questions and pointed out that I 
wanted to use the software purly for a B&W print as an end product 
not a printproof. I was supprised with their answer:

5 weeks ago I purchased the Epson 2100/2200 ( said to be the B&W 
printer) and since then tried to print B&W using the grey balancer. 
And not very successful because when I have a print nearly neutral, 
under different lighting I get either an olive colorcast or magenta. 
So in all cases worthless!

On the internet Yahoo group DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint" I followed 
a posting on experience with your PowerRip 2000 for the Epson 
2100/2200 as being the cure to the metarism problem. I downloaded you 
software and did some testing. As I posted on the internet my first 
impression is that it looks as if it has much less metarism but has a 
yellow cast which I can't get rit off! After studying your manual I 
came to the conclusion that the variables are that many it is hard to 
get to results with some success. I therefore have some questions to 
you and I hope with your help to make an informed decision to buy the 
RIP software.

My configuration:\
PC with Win 2000 prof. Pentium 4; 2 Ghz processor.
Internal mem. 1 Gb; HD 120 Gb. Photoshop 7.0.1
For your information the B&W photo is my end product. No print proof!

 
1)      Do you have experience in B&W photography as an end product 
using your RIP software?

If you are doing only black & white images then I am not sure that 
PowerRIP 2000 is the answer. PowerRIP 2000 is a software rip that 
prints color images. Though you can print black & white images you 
have two options and that is creating your black using composite 
color which would probably not meet your needs or using  generate 
pure black which means the black comes straight out of  the black in 
cartridge.  But more important is the  256 shades of gray  that you 
will probably  need. This is hard to accomplish on an inkjet printer.

2)      Do you have an instruction to use the media profiles with PS 
7.01? Your PS 5.5 PDF is really out of date! If not could you give me 
some guidance. I am used to use ICM's in PS, but are not sure that I 
have to put your ICM's in the same place: printer space profile.

PowerRIP 2000 comes standard with ICM's/ICC's for all the printers 
papers and resolutions that are supported by  that printer.

3)      Is it possible to remove the colour cast Yellowish? And where 
should I start to correct? Your watermark is not neutral grey but a 
bit "gold". In general how come that I get a colour cast, even the 
smallest, even when I convert my picture from RGB to greyscale and 
print in CYMK

Again PowerRIP 2000 was created to output high quality  C,M,Y,K 
images. The only thing you  can try is generate pure  black.

4)      My settings are: in PS I have a 300 dpi picture in RGB mode 
and made grey neutral with Convert to B&W pro from the imaging 
factory but stil in RGB mode. In the print with preview I select 
colour management: PostScript colour management / Perceptual. In the 
printer set-up I choose Colour and advance. In the advance I have the 
following settings: 1440 dpi; full colour CMYK; output profile: use 
current settings printer; Paper: Archival Matte + Matte ink; 
Printer : unidirectional. All other settings standard.

See answer to  question 3.

5)      I test with a A5 picture. This picture only gets partial 
printed on the paper. PowerRip leaves a rather blank strip of 2 1/2 
inch on the upper site of the picture, hence the bottom part will not 
be printed. Where can I correct this?

There is a non printble margin on all four sides of the page but it 
is very  small. The page will print as you have layed it out in the 
application.  What application are you using?

I there anybody out there who could give me some better answers. I 
wonder what support you get when you have apyed your $$$

Henk