Digital BW, The Print

--- Tyler Boley <tyler@...> wrote:

> Not sure what experiences you have had that suggest
> IPs dither better
> than SPs either. I'd be interested in more info.

Tyler, thanks for your very helpful ideas.  Regarding
dither, here is what I have seen in comparing IP and
SP (I have both):  IP's dither is more stochastic. 
When you look at the prints with a loop, the ink dots
look like little amoebas swimming around; there are no
linear patterns.  SP's dither looks very rectilinear
under the loop.  The guys at Ergosoft (very nice and
helpful guys, by the way) mentioned something about a
new dither for version 11 that for some reason has
been cancelled by headquarters in Europe.  So in
version 11 there is a menu choice to select version 11
dither, but it isn't really available and you have to
use version 10 dither.  A linear dither such as SP
v.10 with only four colors in use is going to reveal
the slightest micro-clogging very quickly.  I have
lots of SP-Cone proof prints sitting around that look
great at first glance, but on close inspection reveal
very feint banding in certain tonal passages (usually
lower-middle tones).  With IP and UC inks I have never
ever had a banded print, even when using IP's "gray
pigment" profiles, which are nothing but duotones with
a little color thrown for smoothness and cooling.

I have heard that SP v.11 allows 6 color hextone B&W
printing to help overcome the banding problem.  If
anyone has specific knowledge about this, please post.
 My understanding is that it is not true hextone, but
merely makes redundant use of two positions repeating
two of the colors.

> I would suggest a higher humidity then Larry
> suggested as well, and I
> usually clean and soak the capping station a few
> times a week. Also, I
> found wiping the bottom of the head over windexed
> paper towel was
> needed more often than I anticipated.
 
I have tried some of these techniques at times, but
your point (and Hogarth's) about maintaining overall
moisture is well taken.  I am curious to know what
part of the country you (and also Hogarth) live in.  I
am guessing you live in the East, Midwest or South,
where humidity is higher.  I am in Central California,
which is fairly dry, though not as dry as Arizona or
New Mexico.