Digital BW, The Print

Troy wrote:

>Sorry if these questions are too "newbie":
>
> - What is the primary reason for using a RIP Server?
>
> - At what point in a workflow does one become necessary?
>
>We are finally thinking about shutting down our darkroom and considering purchase 
>of an Epson R-2400 or R-1800. For now, the printer would be attached to one 
>primary work station (PowerMac G4 dual processor) 99.9% of our work is color and 
>printed on lustre papers.
>
>I could see potential in the future for a separate print server, especially if we eventully 
>get a wide format printer. For now, I feel a software RIP may not be needed - am I 
>wrong in my thinking?
>
>Thanks in advance...
>
>  
>
You are right in your thinking.

I would suggest to get Qimage and run it on a PC. There's no Mac 
equivalent in price and performance. That's more in line with replacing 
a darkroom than most RIPs will do. You could run it on the Mac in 
emulation but it will not be worth the trouble. Qimage uses the Epson 
drivers but makes better prints with it than PS. Qimage can also be used 
with QTR for B&W printing.

www.ddisoftware.com

RIPs have lost much of their appeal but for proof printing in the 
graphic arts, postscript interpreting jobs, special substrates, printing 
silkscreen raster lithos. None of that is happening in a normal 
darkroom. There are some hybrids between Postscript RIPs and printer 
drivers, with and without Postscript interpretation and some will do the 
job like Qimage does but at a higher price and often with less features.

Getting good color management software and hardware for profile creation 
and monitor calibration may be a wiser decision if money has to roll.


Ernst