Digital BW, The Print

Roy, I was hoping you'd chime in, knowing more about the hardware than
I. It turns out I spoke too soon, I hope to be able to elaborate later.
Too many tests, too little life.
Tyler

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Roy Harrington"
<roy@h...> wrote:
> 
> I don't know StudioPrint but the 7600/9600 has several different
> dot configurations.  
> At 2880x1440 the recommended dot is a single size called 
> Ultra Micro Dot or UMD and it's about 4pl.
> At 1440x720 there are variable dots.  It should be VSD2 or
> variable size dot 2.  There are 3 sizes about 4, 9, 20pl.
> Since 2880 has 4 times as many dots positions, there is a max
> of about 16pl for the same area that the VSD2 gives you 20pl.
> In practice, I think most of the time you'd be limiting the ink so 
> this would not be an issue.
> 
> The "not available with light inks" seems like a strange restriction
> since it ought to be based on resolution.  Also the dot sizes always
> apply to all inks at the same time.
> 
> Antonis' 7500 is a pretty different beast.  It has only one dot size
> and I'd estimate it about 20pl and of course you don't get 2880.
> 
> Roy
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tyler Boley"
<tyler@t...> wrote:
> > I knew it couldn't be that easy, also knew there was some reason we
> > were all using the micro setting in StudioPrint.
> > When I tried to change to any of the variable dot settings in a quad
> > environment, I got an alert that those settings were not available
> > with a mode that uses "light" inks.
> > The previous test I did and posted about was just a quick straight
> > CMYK environment, so it let me do it.
> > So, this option is not something I can utilize so won't pursue. I will
> > try to do a quick test more like your own on a coated paper,
> > unlinearized, and pass them on to you at some point here anyway.
> > Tyler
> > 
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Antonis"
> > <antonisphoto@y...> wrote:
> > > Hi Tyler,
> > > 
> > > I like that discovery. It may explain differences between
> > > drivers. If you have a densitometer (I guess the EyeOne\
> > > could double as one) and can read some numbers 
> > > to compare to my chart, we can get to some scientifically
> > > valid data (!). 
> > > 
> > > As a reminder :  my numbers were the result of reading
> > > the darkest patch anywhere along an UNlinearized BO scale.
> > > 
> > > Glad you and Ernst are testing and contesting  <G>.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Antonis
> > > 
> > > 
> > > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Tyler Boley" 
> > > <tyler@t...> wrote:
> > > > Ernst and Antonis-
> > > > I think dot size is an issue. I just did a quick experiment on
some
> > > > uncoated Somerset scaps. In StudioPrint a user option is dot size.
> > > > I've always used the smallest out of habit. I selected one of the
> > > > variable options instead and did a quick test. I believe the
variable
> > > > options open up to the larger dot sizes at the highest
densities. By
> > > > making that change I got an increase in dmax in all channels
with no
> > > > apparent increase in dotiness in lower densities.
> > > > I need to test it further, but this may explain the differences
> > > > between printer models and other mysterys.
> > > > Also may be worthwhile with various drivers or RIPs, how they
address
> > > > the hardware with regard to this.
> > > > Tyler