Digital BW, The Print

Does anyone have some expertise with this densitometer?  I just manage
to acquire one, and though the operation manual was provided, it is
obvious that this instrument was primarily intended to be mostly a
"black-box" that was connected to some kind of profiling software.

I have managed to get the toolcrib and X-Key software running, and
even get data tables stuffed into an Excel spreadsheet (in spite of
woefully inadiquate instructions there, as well).

The information I am looking for is this:

1.  How can one obtain an auto-calibration strip without having to pop
for the $50 that X-Rite wants for this little puppy?  Since I only
want results that are internally consistent (that is, I don't need to
match outputs between different devices, or to something done by
somebody else), the "certified media" provided by x-rite seems to be
overkill.  Is it possible to simply define your own calibration strip
(in a program like Corel Draw, for example) then print off a batch of
them?

2.  What are the terminal interface commands that are accepted by the
DTP32, what are the outputs, and how can one work these into (say) an
excel macro that configures the machine and then reads a strip or set
of strips?

3.  Absent an auto-calibration strip, is it possible to calibrate the
instrument through the command line interface and a standard density
target set?


Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
Dave Keasey

Did you acquire it for free? Depends on what you are going to use it  
for, the $50 for the calibration strip is well worth it. You can do  
the "math way" of using your densitometer or get some profiling  
software and start making your own profiles. It will save you time  
and money on paper and ink in the long run.
Mark

On Mar 25, 2006, at 5:22 AM, davidkeasey wrote:

> Does anyone have some expertise with this densitometer?  I just manage
> to acquire one, and though the operation manual was provided, it is
> obvious that this instrument was primarily intended to be mostly a
> "black-box" that was connected to some kind of profiling software.
>
> I have managed to get the toolcrib and X-Key software running, and
> even get data tables stuffed into an Excel spreadsheet (in spite of
> woefully inadiquate instructions there, as well).
>
> The information I am looking for is this:
>
> 1.  How can one obtain an auto-calibration strip without having to pop
> for the $50 that X-Rite wants for this little puppy?  Since I only
> want results that are internally consistent (that is, I don't need to
> match outputs between different devices, or to something done by
> somebody else), the "certified media" provided by x-rite seems to be
> overkill.  Is it possible to simply define your own calibration strip
> (in a program like Corel Draw, for example) then print off a batch of
> them?
>
> 2.  What are the terminal interface commands that are accepted by the
> DTP32, what are the outputs, and how can one work these into (say) an
> excel macro that configures the machine and then reads a strip or set
> of strips?
>
> 3.  Absent an auto-calibration strip, is it possible to calibrate the
> instrument through the command line interface and a standard density
> target set?
>
>
> Any help with this would be greatly appreciated!
>
> Thanks!
> Dave Keasey
>
>
>
>
>
>
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Savoia" 
<mark@...> wrote:
>
> Did you acquire it for free? Depends on what you are going to use 
it  
> for, the $50 for the calibration strip is well worth it. You can 
do  
> the "math way" of using your densitometer or get some profiling  
> software and start making your own profiles. It will save you time  
> and money on paper and ink in the long run.
> Mark
> 

As far as I've found, the DTP32 will not make profiles with any 
modern software. I have one sitting here.

As far as commands, there used to be a guide from Xrite as to what 
commands to send to it to make it do things. Don't know if I still 
have that, or what it was called.

Well, I didn't get the DTP32 to do profiles, but just for linearizing
my ink curves for Quadtone RIP.  And since I won't be doing real
profiles, the <i>certified media</i> calibration strip just seems like
huge overkill.  And I've sent an inquiry to X-Rite about the command
set, but haven't heard back from them as yet.

Thanks,
Dave Keasey

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg"
<dfaprinting@...> wrote:

>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Savoia" 
> <mark@> wrote:
> >
> > Did you acquire it for free? Depends on what you are going to use 
> it  
> > for, the $50 for the calibration strip is well worth it. You can 
> do  
> > the "math way" of using your densitometer or get some profiling  
> > software and start making your own profiles. It will save you time  
> > and money on paper and ink in the long run.
> > Mark
> > 
> 
> As far as I've found, the DTP32 will not make profiles with any 
> modern software. I have one sitting here.
> 
> As far as commands, there used to be a guide from Xrite as to what 
> commands to send to it to make it do things. Don't know if I still 
> have that, or what it was called.
>

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey" 
<davidkeasey@...> wrote:
I would say to just order the cal strip, that way you know that the 
machine should be giving you what you need. Alternately you could 
keep checking ebay to see if any turn up in an auction. Note that 
they do expire as the materials age.

I guess if you really wanted to you could print your own, but it's 
accuracy might effect your readings. I don't really suggest this 
method! It's printed on a plastic sheet with a luster finish and then 
measured, there is a sticker placed on the plastic with a few other 
lines. I think this sticker tells the DTP32 what it should have read, 
and then calculates the correction factor. So that sticker could be 
important. I can scan mine on Monday for you, but again, this is not 
the method that I suggest! If you do this, make sure to print it on a 
paper that does not have any OBA, and is also thick enough to be 
really opaque.

I would appreciat a scan of the strip, especially if you can include a
good measurement reference in the same scan (to make sure I get the
dimensions right).  

I don't yet have to recalibrate the instrument, but that day will
come, I know.  Though I may have to break down and buy a certified
media copy from x-rite, I would be quite willing to try a "home-made"
calibration strip just to see if I can get results that are consistent
within my own workflow.  Since I won't be doing color-matching, it
really doesn't matter if the tones are off a bit.  And this is a lousy
instrument for doing color work (other than linearization) anyway.

Thanks and regards,
Dave Keasey

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg"
<dfaprinting@...> wrote:

>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey" 
> <davidkeasey@> wrote:
> I would say to just order the cal strip, that way you know that the 
> machine should be giving you what you need. Alternately you could 
> keep checking ebay to see if any turn up in an auction. Note that 
> they do expire as the materials age.
> 
> I guess if you really wanted to you could print your own, but it's 
> accuracy might effect your readings. I don't really suggest this 
> method! It's printed on a plastic sheet with a luster finish and then 
> measured, there is a sticker placed on the plastic with a few other 
> lines. I think this sticker tells the DTP32 what it should have read, 
> and then calculates the correction factor. So that sticker could be 
> important. I can scan mine on Monday for you, but again, this is not 
> the method that I suggest! If you do this, make sure to print it on a 
> paper that does not have any OBA, and is also thick enough to be 
> really opaque.
>

Try going on X-Rites web site and looking under the support/documents
section.There was a document called DTP20_COMMAND_INTERFACE there at
one time. It describes the RCI. Don't know if it's the same but I
doubt the methods would change too much.

Regards
Duane


--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey"
<davidkeasey@...> wrote:

>
> Well, I didn't get the DTP32 to do profiles, but just for linearizing
> my ink curves for Quadtone RIP.  And since I won't be doing real
> profiles, the <i>certified media</i> calibration strip just seems like
> huge overkill.  And I've sent an inquiry to X-Rite about the command
> set, but haven't heard back from them as yet.
> 
> Thanks,
> Dave Keasey
> 
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg"
> <dfaprinting@> wrote:
> >
> > --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Mark Savoia" 
> > <mark@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Did you acquire it for free? Depends on what you are going to use 
> > it  
> > > for, the $50 for the calibration strip is well worth it. You can 
> > do  
> > > the "math way" of using your densitometer or get some profiling  
> > > software and start making your own profiles. It will save you time  
> > > and money on paper and ink in the long run.
> > > Mark
> > > 
> > 
> > As far as I've found, the DTP32 will not make profiles with any 
> > modern software. I have one sitting here.
> > 
> > As far as commands, there used to be a guide from Xrite as to what 
> > commands to send to it to make it do things. Don't know if I still 
> > have that, or what it was called.
> >
>

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey" 
<davidkeasey@...> wrote:
>
> I would appreciat a scan of the strip, especially if you can 
include a
> good measurement reference in the same scan (to make sure I get the
> dimensions right).  


I sent you and email. In case it got filtered I'm posting notice here 
too.

I got it just fine!  Thanks!

Dave Keasey

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Greg"
<dfaprinting@...> wrote:

>
> --- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey" 
> <davidkeasey@> wrote:
> >
> > I would appreciat a scan of the strip, especially if you can 
> include a
> > good measurement reference in the same scan (to make sure I get the
> > dimensions right).  
> 
> 
> I sent you and email. In case it got filtered I'm posting notice here 
> too.
>