QTR-Quadtone RIP

"jsservices2001" <jnschum@...> wrote:

> Paul 
> 
> If I understand correctly there are 5 (?) popular methods of printing black and white that might benefit from the Spyder3print device.
> 
> 1. I am using QTR with the stock Epson inks on an older 2200 printer  which produces very good results with or without using the Spyder3print device.
> 
> 2. Spyder3print documentation recommends creating ICCs to print with the stock inks through the Epson driver.  They report good results with modern 3 blacks ink printers but not so good results with older 2 black ink printers.

The one LK midtone gray is marginal for B&W.  I doubt the limitation is the spectro. I think the comments about the K2 printers with OEM inks usually is addressing the smoothness and large amount of color used by the Epson driver.  K2 printers make very good dedicated B&W (K7) printers, however.

 
> 3. Using the Spyder3print to create ICCs to print with QTR with aftermarket all gray inks produces very good results.

> 
> 4. Using the Spyder3print to create ICCs to print with aftermarket all gray inks through the Epson driver which produces very good results.  It is this method that you are currently using.


ICC + Epson driver and QTR are my normal workflows.  I prefer to have inksets be Epson driver compatible so that any application can get at least a decent print if needed.  I most often use QTR for my fine art, however.


> 5. There is also the Epson ABW which can use created ICCs somehow that I am not familiar with.


You can linearize the ABW mode workflow with an ICC.

With QTR, the spectro is used for both determining the toner amounts and linearization.

I think the Spyder3 spectro is a good deal.  You can use a flatbed scanner to linearize, but it's not as accurate.  Using a flatbed to get the tones right if you're using QTR with toners is definitely not recommended. 

I actually have not use the new strip reader yet, but this is a full color profiling setup.

By the way, I loaded the new software and updated my brief PDF on this at http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Spectro.pdf  

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com