QTR-Quadtone RIP

The Windows printing program Qimage has spawned a Windows and Mac program called Qimage One.
It is a simplified, re-thought version of Windows Qimage.
The original Qimage was Windows only, and had/has a quirky interface and an expanding set of features.

I mention this here because it provides another way of avoiding operating system color management.


NOTABLE FEATURES:

1) Qimage One can be used to print profiling tests (i.e. no hidden profiles applied), and it appears to support QTR'ed printers.

2) It appears to do its own up- or down-rezzing to match the printer, rather than leave it to the printer. Aside from choosing the resolution sent to the printer (360 or 720 for Epson, for example), the user has no options.

3) It does on-the-fly sharpening. You choose a level of sharpening from zero to twenty. There are no further sharpening controls. The help screen describes this as "Deep Focus Sharpening", but does not further describe it. However, that is the name given to the Windows Qimage (Ultimate) sharpening process that is designed to reduce sharpening halos.

4) The interface is mercifully streamlined and intuitive (in comparison with the classic Qimage).

5) It integrates with PS and Lightroom via plugins. It also works with any program that can 'share' an image.

6) It simplifies making multiple prints on a singe or multiple pages. It offers buttons for centering, arranging for minimum cuts, and 'intelligent spacing' (not sure what that is). You can also click and drag the images around the page.

7) Initial cost is $59.95, which gets the program along with support and upgrades for a year. Subsequent years cost $19.95. If you don't pay for a new subscription your old version continues to work (or that is what I would conclude from the website wording and my experience with earlier versions of Qimage for Windows.)   There is a two-week demo.

ANOTHER PRINTING ALTERNATIVE FOR MAC:  Bluecubit's "ImageNest". It describes itself as "A Postscript Level III RIP for OSX". It is more expensive than Qimage One, and like the original Qimage it seems to be a one-person operation. I purchased it for its up-rezzing and on-the-fly sharpening several years ago. It has had technical problems numerous times over the years, and fixes often take months to appear. The current version (V4 - v1302) works well with macOS 10.13.3.

Myron (Gochnauer)