QTR-Quadtone RIP

Hi Oliver,

I haven't used the standard PiezoBW ICC workflow or the iQuads so
I can't comment directly to those.

QTR has always worked by making "curves" or "QTR profiles" that tell
exactly how much of each ink is used for each of the 256 possible gray values.
These are completely different from ICC profiles.  They are just internal to
QTR -- not connected to the color management system.  These QTR profiles
have always been linearized to a straightline in Lab (L*) units.   

Over the last two releases I've introduced methods to take advantage of
the color management system to connect the embedded profile space 
of the data file with the "standardized" QTR linearization.  This has improved
the screen to print matching considerably.

The 2.2 release has two generic ICC print profiles for matte paper and photo
paper.  While they are generic since the QTR linearization is standardized
they work quite well in most cases.  The latest release 2.3 which is still
listed as beta has gone one step further to allow you to create a custom
grayscale ICC print profile.  This is exactly like the color profiling systems
-- print out a target without CMS, read the target data, make a profile to
be used for printing.

The K7 information you see on inkjetmall is mainly providing the QTR profiles
to give a standard linearized grayscale output with their inks.  
The ICC profile stuff is part of the QTR package -- you would get to decide
how customized you want to go.

Roy


--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "odesmais" <odesmais@y...> wrote:
> Hi Roy, 
> 
> I know we had that discussion on private mails. I was just 
> mentionning that oppositely to what the Piezo site claims PiezoBW ICC 
> is not "perfect" at all out of the box. iQuads might offer a better 
> option, but personally I'd rather make my own profile, test them, 
> edit them if necessary... This is what I do for color printing and 
> they are goods enough to have me produce satisfactory results. Toned 
> BW prints I'm not interested which explained why I went for Piezo : 
> pure monochrome prints with no metamerism with smooth transistions. 
> The last expectation is not met. Working on PC and being used to 
> produce with a (quite) simple color managed worklow I was expected a 
> lot from the BW ICC. 
> 
> I'll test the BW ICC editing (testing also the softproofing once the 
> profile is edited) and if this fails QTR will be my only left option. 
> I've never use it but I'll learn...
> 
> BTW, I have read the K7 presentation page on Inkjet Mall, but it 
> seems there's no mention about "real" profiles. They suggest to use 
> QTR and some sort of profiles but the recommendation of using QTR 
> makes me feel they do not provide actual output profiles.
> 
> Thanks for having created this great software.
> 
> Olivier
> 
> --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Roy Harrington" <roy@h...> wrote:
> > 
> > The piezoICC profiles are pretty special and at this point creating 
> custom
> > version of them is dependent on proprietary software.  I imagine 
> that's
> > what you get with iQuads.
> > 
> > Using QTR is a totally different approach -- different printer 
> driver,
> > different profiles and different workflow.  This would however allow
> > lots of custom control that you could use the Eye-One for.
> > 
> > Roy
> > 
> > 
> > --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "odesmais" <odesmais@y...> 
> wrote:
> > > I work on a 1280.
> > > I do have a spectro.
> > > If YOU know how do produce real BW profiles comparable to the 
> Piezo 
> > > ones which are RVB but output grayscale with a quadtone printer 
> > > without any RIP straight out of PS on a PC, please share it with 
> > > those of us who are also trying this way to produce BW prints.
> > > 
> > > --- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "Richard Corbett" 
> <richard@r...> 
> > > wrote:
> > > > ---- Original Message ----- 
> > > > From: "odesmais" <odesmais@y...>
> > > > To: <QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com>
> > > > Sent: Friday, July 22, 2005 4:57 PM
> > > > Subject: [QuadtoneRIP] Re: Piezography
> > > > 
> > > > > Because, and this is the purpose of QTR, the profiles shipped 
> with
> > > > > PiezoBW ICC are generic. You have the possibility to ask 
> (pay) for
> > > > > custom made one that will then bring out the same results. I 
> have 
> > > not
> > > > > tested this service, but having PiezoBW ICC, the output with 
> the
> > > > > generic profile is really, but really poor. Well, like canned 
> > > color
> > > > > profiles are out of the box. The grayscale is not smooth at 
> all.
> > > > 
> > > > What printer are you using then?
> > > > 
> > > > > The use of ICC IMHO in a great thing under windows, all in 
> done in
> > > > > PS. But again you have to get custom made profiles that add 
> $150 
> > > for
> > > > > 3 of them. I don't like this idea : 1) because the kit is 
> already
> > > > > well priced, 2) because if you want more than 3 papers you 
> add 
> > > again
> > > > > $150 3)because when you do quadtone printing you often do 
> also 
> > > color
> > > > > prints and usely have some profiler available you would like 
> to be
> > > > > able to use to get the most out of your equipment.
> > > > 
> > > > If you don't have custom made profiles how on earth do you 
> expect 
> > > to get the 
> > > > best out of any printer/ink combination
> > > > 
> > > > These inks are going to be for those among us who wish to 
> produce 
> > > the very 
> > > > best best, which by definition means profiling one's own 
> particular 
> > > printer.
> > > > If you can't or won't equip yourself with a spectrophotometer 
> and a 
> > > > linearisation capable RIP then you cannot be a serious B&W man.
> > > > 
> > > > Richard 
> > > > 
> > > > ---
> > > > [This E-mail has been scanned for viruses but it is your 
> > > responsibility 
> > > > to maintain up to date anti virus software on the device that 
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> > > > currently using to read this email. ]