Digital BW, The Print

Steve Kale wrote:

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>>Remember that your 4800 has been linearized at the factory, so you
>>should have it's nice linear output. That also measn there must be a
>>way for the "normal" to re-linearize the new pro printers (sorry the
>>2400 may not be included).
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>Who knows but if it is linear already then I need not bother.  It is my
>understanding that printers are actually very stable devices (as opposed to
>displays) and so they don't really need relinearizing/recalibrating.  A
>profile is good enough.
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>So I only need to linearize if I use a driver/RIP other than the one Epson
>intended and this RIP will likely have a linearization feature - eg, QTR.
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The latest range of pro models 4800 and up may qualify for the term 
stable devices. Not only is the head code set in the firmware but a 
linearisation code is added too. That wasn't so on the 9600 etc but they 
were already better than the 9000 pro which has never been stable in 
time and from printer to printer. Time will tell how stable the new 
range actually is.

One of the advertised advantages of RIPs with linearisation has always 
been that you didn't have to make new profiles every month but you could 
linearise a printer every week and keep the old profiles running :-)  
Linearising usually takes less time and will support many profiles, the 
other way around doesn't exist.

Ernst