Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "zonepeter"
<zonepeter@a...> wrote:
> ...I wish I could match the higher d max of 
> Roark...but...
> Anyone have any suggestions?  

There are a number of issues that effect dmax. There are certain
hardware limitations that can not be changed, but different drivers
may address the hardware in slightly different ways that can effect
dmax. But the maximum individual ink density available from the
hardware can be had by them all, I'm told.
First of all, if you are using a supplied "profile" with QTR, make
sure it has not already been ink limited in the K channel. As has been
suggested, dmax can actually turn back on you with too much ink, but
you'll never know without unlimiting it first.
Another biggie is dot size, with  Roarke workflow this will be
determined by the driver settings- media, quality...
In QTR there may be settings effecting dot size, and other settings
that vary how the dots go down, which could also effect dmax. It may
not be immediately apparent from the settings what is actually going
on, I believe you want a variable dot setting, one that gives a larger
dot size at higher ink densities.
Pass or dither settings could effect how quickly dots go down on top
of each other, and how wet they remain when they do so. I don't know
if that will really be relevant, just throwing out ideas.
Are there still gimp media settings in QTR? If so that could certainly
be a factor, as in the Epson driver.

So ink may not be going down the same as with the Epson driver, or
with the most advantages dot size at highest densities. But since only
so much can be done with the hardware, they should be able to be
matched. There is no particular magic in the Epson driver pertaining
to the above.

Some time ago when I was testing QTR I could not get dmax performance,
and I believe I finally got there by carefully playing with all the
settings, and some good input from Roy.
I'm sure he would have something much more productive than the above
to offer on the subject, if any of it is relevant at all.
Tyler