Digital BW, The Print

Hi All,

I'm new to digital printing and am researching options before buying
my first printer.

I think I would be interested in trying black-only printing along the
lines of what Clayton Jones describes.
http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn3b.htm

As a Linux user, I would be very interested in doing this with
Gutenprint. I've read the documentation, but as a newbie it's hard to
tell whether Gutenprint allows this type of control. Any other options
that might be useful for *nix computing systems?

Why fight it? Why not use a standard operating system, Windows or Mac?
Mark

On Sep 12, 2006, at 7:28 AM, crosslink770 wrote:

> Hi All,
>
> As a Linux user, I would be very interested in doing this with
> Gutenprint.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

Last time I checked Gutenprint had very good control over the inks. You
should be able to print black-only and choose between a variety of dithering
types. QuadToneRIP is based on some Gutenprint code. There used to be a
Linux compatible version of QTR, you might want to try that as well. I'm
sure you can get that version if you ask Roy. 

--
Daniel Staver
http://daniel.staver.no

> I'm new to digital printing and am researching options before 
> buying my first printer.
> 
> I think I would be interested in trying black-only printing 
> along the lines of what Clayton Jones describes.
> http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn3b.htm
> 
> As a Linux user, I would be very interested in doing this 
> with Gutenprint. I've read the documentation, but as a newbie 
> it's hard to tell whether Gutenprint allows this type of 
> control. Any other options that might be useful for *nix 
> computing systems?

Gutenprint is a PostScript thingy that is available for Windows and possibly
other OS. Linux is more standard than Windows, BTW.

gar

  -----Original Message-----
  From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Mark
Savoia
  Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 6:56 AM
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
  Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Gutenprint


  Why fight it? Why not use a standard operating system, Windows or Mac?
  Mark

  On Sep 12, 2006, at 7:28 AM, crosslink770 wrote:

  > Hi All,
  >
  > As a Linux user, I would be very interested in doing this with
  > Gutenprint.
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >
  >



  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Gary W. Weaver wrote:
> Gutenprint is a PostScript thingy that is available for Windows and possibly
> other OS. Linux is more standard than Windows, BTW.
> 
> gar

Gutenprint used to be called Gimp-Print in earlier versions, 
the last was also available in Mac OS-X versions as it was a 
substitute for the lacking OS-X printer drivers at that time. 
The new name was one of many changes in Gimp-print at that 
stage, at the same time 16 bit computations throughout were 
introduced, 32 or 64 channels can be addressed. In that sense 
it is more advanced than what the other OSses offer at this 
moment.

QTR is based on Gimp-print (8 bit mainly).

GutenPrint can be used in tandem with good old GhostScript 
which will do the Postscript rendering. GutenPrint on itself 
isn't Postscript compatible. GutenPrint isn't available for 
Windows but probably usable on Mac OS-X as that is yet another 
Unix offspring.

On BO use: If the 16 bit is available on the monochrome 
setting in the driver (black) then it might even be better 
than what is available in normal Windows and OS-X drivers. It 
will not have the control QTR offers though.

Ernst

-- 

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


www.pigment-print.com
(         unvollendet         )

>If the 16 bit is available on the monochrome 
> setting in the driver (black) then it might even be better 
> than what is available in normal Windows and OS-X drivers. It 
> will not have the control QTR offers though.
> 
> Ernst
> 
Ernst, would you mind explaining a bit. I would eventually see a 
theoretical advantage in a 16b dithering, but in practice I'm not sure 
this would translate into a better physical printing (I'm thinking dot 
gain, registration, bleeding...not to mention color conversion errors 
should we print colors, but that's valid for BW with QTR ICCs). What 
would look like an advantage could end up in just a requirement for 
more powerful systems to process the larger bit volumes. So far the new 
Canon has not (to my knowledge) proven superiority from the 16b driver, 
but I didn't dig deep into the matter. I just tend to assume the large 
number of inks available calls for hi-bit processing to adress them. 
What are your thoughts on it ? 

Olivier

Olivier wrote:
>> If the 16 bit is available on the monochrome 
>> setting in the driver (black) then it might even be better 
>> than what is available in normal Windows and OS-X drivers. It 
>> will not have the control QTR offers though.
>>
>> Ernst
>>
> Ernst, would you mind explaining a bit. I would eventually see a 
> theoretical advantage in a 16b dithering, but in practice I'm not sure 
> this would translate into a better physical printing (I'm thinking dot 
> gain, registration, bleeding...not to mention color conversion errors 
> should we print colors, but that's valid for BW with QTR ICCs). What 
> would look like an advantage could end up in just a requirement for 
> more powerful systems to process the larger bit volumes. So far the new 
> Canon has not (to my knowledge) proven superiority from the 16b driver, 
> but I didn't dig deep into the matter. I just tend to assume the large 
> number of inks available calls for hi-bit processing to adress them. 
> What are your thoughts on it ? 
> 
> Olivier

In practice it will not bring much quality difference with 
today's printers. But the verdict on the new Canon models 
isn't ready yet. Epson brings new archival dye (Claria) models 
with 6 inks, 5 droplet sizes, so it could be time there's more 
than only 16 bit tables in 8 bit printer drivers. HP will have 
new wide format models on the Photokina with head technology 
similar to Canon's new printers. A 16 bit driver doesn't make 
8 bit files unusable either. I got the impression that 
Gutenprint was not considered a serious alternative in the 
replies, I do not share that opinion.

Ernst


-- 

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


www.pigment-print.com
(         unvollendet         )

Well, I can insert foot into mouth pretty well.

When I was searching for a stylus rip replacement recently, I ran accross
Gutenprint but downloaded the Ghostscript instead.
I was too lazy to double check what I downloaded.

I'd use Gimp more if it had CYMK. It probably does by now.

gar

  -----Original Message-----
  From: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of Ernst
Dinkla
  Sent: Tuesday, September 12, 2006 9:29 AM
  To: DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com
  Subject: Re: [Digital BW] Gutenprint


  Gary W. Weaver wrote:
  > Gutenprint is a PostScript thingy that is available for Windows and
possibly
  > other OS. Linux is more standard than Windows, BTW.
  >
  > gar

  Gutenprint used to be called Gimp-Print in earlier versions,
  the last was also available in Mac OS-X versions as it was a
  substitute for the lacking OS-X printer drivers at that time.
  The new name was one of many changes in Gimp-print at that
  stage, at the same time 16 bit computations throughout were
  introduced, 32 or 64 channels can be addressed. In that sense
  it is more advanced than what the other OSses offer at this
  moment.

  QTR is based on Gimp-print (8 bit mainly).

  GutenPrint can be used in tandem with good old GhostScript
  which will do the Postscript rendering. GutenPrint on itself
  isn't Postscript compatible. GutenPrint isn't available for
  Windows but probably usable on Mac OS-X as that is yet another
  Unix offspring.

  On BO use: If the 16 bit is available on the monochrome
  setting in the driver (black) then it might even be better
  than what is available in normal Windows and OS-X drivers. It
  will not have the control QTR offers though.

  Ernst

  --

  --
  Ernst Dinkla

  www.pigment-print.com
  ( unvollendet )


  


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Ernst,
Thanks for your response. Please say more.

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, Ernst Dinkla
<E.Dinkla@...> wrote:

> On BO use: <snip> It [Gutenprint]
> will not have the control QTR offers though.
> 
> Ernst
>

crosslink770 wrote:


>> On BO use: <snip> It [Gutenprint]
>> will not have the control QTR offers though.
>>
>> Ernst

Gutenprint doesn't have the curve + linearise functions. Don't 
know how well the Gutenprint driver can be tweaked to get 
similar output, I guess a curve in the Gimp is then the only 
option. The use of QTR profiles with the Gimp (+ something 
like LCMS or Argyll) could be possible though but I doubt the 
profile creation of QTR runs on Linux right now.

www.quadtonerip.com is the place to look for what is Linux 
compatible.

Ernst


-- 

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


www.pigment-print.com
(         unvollendet         )

This news is very interesting. So far I've resisted buying the 2400
and stuck with my 2200 (loaded it with MIS Pro inks, especially PKN),
partly because of the cost of upgrading, but mostly because for the
last few months I've been reading more posts, especially on this list,
about how with the 2400 bronzing and gloss differential problems still
persist -- although markedly less than with the 2200 inkset -- and
people are having recourse (again) to Printshield and other means to
give their prints the final look they like. Perhaps the Claria inks
will be completely solve the bronzing and gloss differential problems.

Chris

> Epson brings new archival dye (Claria) models 
> with 6 inks, 5 droplet sizes, so it could be time there's more 
> than only 16 bit tables in 8 bit printer drivers. HP will have 
> new wide format models on the Photokina with head technology 
> similar to Canon's new printers. 
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
>                     --
>            Ernst Dinkla
> 
> 
> www.pigment-print.com
> (         unvollendet         )
>