Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "David B. Brooks"
<fotografx@m...> wrote:
> Steve,
snip...
> Ideally it is technically and theoretically possible to fully
utilize color
> management and profiles to control B&W printing with black inks.

This has been long known. I've made hacked profiles that not only
would soft proof but partition, as did Dan Culbertson way back when.
I'm sure there were and are others less vocal. Cone is doing it now,
no doubt much better than we did.

> What is
> missing for users are two software components. The first is a way to
drive
> the printer to reproduce a standard grayscale image that would output a
> print with a set of recordings resulting from that graysscale
reflecting the
> ink application performance for each printer ink channel.

Yes, but that can also be built into the profile if the driver/RIP has
no built in way of accomplishing it.

snip...

> Obviously a user B&W calibration and profiling capability will require a
> significant investment in R&D, as well as programming and marketing
to bring
> these utilities to market.

I'm sure Jon Cone would agree wholeheartedly <G>.

> That will happen when the potential market is
> adequately recognized in size potential by those in the industry who
have
> the capability to take the risks to undertake this challenge....

Well, see the above.
Tyler