Digital BW, The Print

Roy Harrington wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg" <dfaprinting@...> wrote:
>> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "dlruckus" 
>> <dlruckus@> wrote:
>> It is my understanding that the 7/9000 series machines do have a 
>> variable drop, but nothing with hard proof, there is nothing in the 
>> service manuals about this. My RIP lists normal and micro drop sizes, 
>> but I have never tried to compare the two drops. I always run it as 
>> micro dot. The 1520 was also in that unclear realm, and I know I saw a 
>> big difference between regular driver prints, and the cheapo Epson RIP, 
>> not sure if that was drop size or just a better dither.
>>
>> The biggest problem with those older machines was the dot gain. 
>> Changing to some of the modern inks make a huge difference in the dot 
>> size on most papers. Too bad UV cure technology doesn't work with these 
>> print heads. Current drop sizes for the UV cure machines are much 
>> larger than even those old Epson printers, and running at around a high 
>> of 600dpi.

BTW, I actually think that one of the UV curing Mutoh models 
still uses the Epson heads as it was based on the low solvent 
model that also uses Epson heads. The solvent models are based 
on Xaar or Spectra heads.

> Virtually all the printers can produce multiple drop sizes, but not on the same print.
> The variable dot printers refer to selecting 1 of 3 dot sizes on each and every dot.
> Simply whether you send 1 bit or 2 bits per dot determines the variable capability.
> The 7000 ... 9500 documentation pretty explicitly states one dot size at a time.
> (not that docs are perfect, but there are multiple references that all agree).
> 
> One interesting thing though is that the "micro dot" reference that was in the x000
> docs was removed on the x500 printer docs.
> 
> Greg, if you have a RIP that allows selecting either "micro" or "normal" it would be
> nice to know if that makes any difference on your 7000.
> 
> Thanks,
> Roy

The Wasatch SoftRip 9000/9500 driver menu gives  the following 
"Dot" volumes for 720 DPI: Default, Micro, Normal, Double,  in 
1440 DPI those choices are no longer available and Default is 
selected. The same for 360 DPI.

The 7000/7500 is like the 9000/9500 driver.

The 3000 driver has Default, Normal, Micro, that is for a 
slightly older  9000 type head.

More interesting is the 5000 driver for the same heads the 
9000 uses: 5 choices at all 1440, 720, 360 DPI settings: 
Default, Super Micro, Micro, Normal, Double.

The 5500 driver however follows the conventions of the 
9000/9500 driver but has one special 1440 x 720 DPI selection 
with Variable Dot volumes. But the 5500 has the same 96 nozzle 
count per color the 9600 has and not the 64 nozzles of the 
9000 heads.

The 10000 driver at 720 DPI is like the 9000 but Default is 
replaced by Variable, the 1440 DPI setting gives: Variable, 
Micro, Normal, but no Double. The 720 x 360 DPI gives the same 
choices 1440 DPI has. But 360 DPI gives 4 choices again.

The 10600 driver is like the 10000 driver.

The 9600 driver has only Variable Dot at 2880 x 1440 DPI but 
4 choices at 1440 x 720 DPI and for all the DPI settings below 
that + they also have a Light and Dark density setting on top 
of that which the 2880 DPI setting doesn't have. It must be 
related to dot volume as there are many other ways to change 
ink limits, curves etc if more or less ink is needed.

Choices of passes vary but the number of passes goes down with 
the lower resolutions chosen. Which is understandable when 
speed prevails quality.

Hope this helps a bit. The menu structures per driver vary so 
it is hard to see a consistent relation between the Dot Volume 
(Droplet Size ?) and the menu choices.



Ernst


                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


www.pigment-print.com
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