Digital BW, The Print

Nick H. Nugent wrote:
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg"
> <dfaprinting@...> wrote:
>> Well, what I learned about the Wasatch softrip kept me
>> from buying it. When I contacted them, they said it could
>> not change the point where the light ink mixes with the
>> full ink, and that you could not chage how much light ink
>> was used to mix with the full ink. And also that you could
>> not take a 6 (or more) ink printer, and change the
>> configuration to make something like a multi grey plus CMY
>> inkset. They said it had something to do with the way the
>> dither was designed. What this means is that you are
>> limited to inks that offer a similar performance to the
>> OEM inks for that printer.
> 
> All correct. I did ask them something about why they treat
> my 6-ink printer like a 4-ink printer and I think I got
> the same answer. But at that time my concern was more
> about color printing than black and white so I went for
> it anyway.
> 
> But is there a full RIP out there that works like QTR?
> For color I think Wasatch works great if one knows how to
> use it.
> 
> Out of curiosity I took a look at the PowerRIP at iproofsystems and
> it looks like PowerRIP X or 2000 may fit the bill at a much lower
> price.
> 
> --nick

Greg, Nick,

The transfer  points for the LC>C and LM>M and on the 9600 etc 
LK>K can be shifted, that has been available before I got the 
Wasatch SoftRip 5 years ago. The amount of light ink where it 
should switch to the full ink could be based on the 
linearisation curve of the C,M,K channels + the extra 
correction curves, but that is a trial and error system. 
Wasatch very much expects a harmonic inkset. Strange enough it 
could have been added to the separation rules engine where 
there are other tools to correct mismatches in the inkset 
(like the CMY shift possible at the bottom of the separation 
rules page).

The main limitation has been that it is very much a 4 channel 
CMYK RIP for the printers that WasatchInc considers CMYK or 
CcMmYK or CcMmYK(kk). So linearisation is done over the 4 
channels which could mean 2 or 3 inks are linearised  in one 
channel, Kkk for example, For CMYK(O)R(G)B printers etc they 
have separate drivers with linearisation per channel but you 
can't drive an Epson  that got CMYKOG inks instead of CcMmYK 
with it. Nor Quad inks though I was able to get a 9000 running 
UT inks with the Wasatch SoftRip and some weird thinking about 
ink positions, greyscale files disguised as CMYK, correction 
curves and linearisation curves. I was happy though when QTR 
became available.

I have asked WasatchInc to look for some additions to drive 
quad inks several years ago and put that request again when I 
upgraded to version 4.5 (the one that got the separation rules 
engine + the 3d profile viewer). They are not interested in 
odd inksets for CMYKetc printers. I also believe that they do 
not see photography as their core market. All the developments 
have been towards sign, textile, prepress film for silkscreen 
printing, data transfer through the internet, etc. To be 
honest I do not understand that, a much larger market is in 
photography and few additions would put good B&W printing on 
the menu too. That said the Epson K3 models should make it 
more easy to achieve that with the RIP as it has at least the 
Kkk linearisation.

My guess is that with many RIPs you will see similar 
limitations. There's a strong believe in the use of good 
profiling to get neutral prints, in their view good enough for 
B&W printing. Along with that all greyscale files will go 
through the K channel so become BO prints. When the K3 
printers were announced I asked on the Colorsync list whether 
there would be an extra possibility added to the RIPs to send 
a greyscale file through the Kkk lines and add some toning for 
hue or neutrality. Like the Epson K3 driver has. It was 
totally ignored or I got the "you want good profiling" replies.

Ernst
-- 

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


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