QTR-Quadtone RIP

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

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "davidkeasey" <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 the same unit but couldn't get past asking for a calibration strip.  I think you really 
need the calibartion strip to move ahead. Actually I asked on many lists last year for an extra 
strip but no replies. It doesn't pay to be cheap...buy one!

The are a couple of gray step tiffs in the files section for the DTP series. Maybe contact the 
person that placed the tiff files.

I'm sure the DTP32R will work fine for QTR...but in the end I found I didn't have the time to 
really mess with it and purchased ColorVision's PrintFIX PRO for under $450.00

But tell us how it goes...good luck!

davidkeasey wrote:


> 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?

With the printer you want to calibrate ?
Shouldn't the horse not be at the other side of the carriage ?
  If you know the data the patches should have (and keep for 
several years) you could make trial and error prints and 
measure them with a calibrated instrument that is twice as 
good as the one you have. Or make a collage of the best 
patches. But somewhere in universe you need an anchor point to 
measure from.

> 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

Would it not be enough to have some black and white ceramic
tiles ? You could ask a local printshop to measure them with
their calibrated densitometer/spectrometer. If stepping wedges
are needed then Kodak has several but I do not think that
would be a cheaper way to get what you need. 50 dollar gets
another color if you start to think of all the roundabouts you
have to take.

If you need separation stepwedges after you have the 
densitometer calibrated then you can make them with for 
example ColorPort by X-rite. It's free on their site.

Ernst


-- 

                    --
           Ernst Dinkla


www.pigment-print.com
(         unvollendet         )

Yes, a simple black/white/medium gray ceramic standard would be
nice...  Unfortunately, this little beastie is built for use by folks
with little knowledge in a production environment...  It only accepts
paper strips, and it's almost impossible to do spot readings with it.
 It auto-scans, measures density, and uses a few color filters to
approximate the Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow densities.  It's really only
good for linearization.

The calibration strip is just a sticker with a black and white pattern
on it, stuck onto a strip with a different pattern...  The
densitometer recognizes the pattern on the strip and knows a
calibration sticker will follow.  Then it reads the sticker.  I'm not
even sure that it measures the density/reflectance of anything other
than the unprinted parts of the autocalibration sticker.  

Bottom line, this densitometer is nearly useless for color profiling,
but works dandily for simple linearization.  

When the day comes that it says it needs calibration, I'll probably
need to buy the $50 sticker from X-Rite...  Unless I can find another
densitometer cheaper than that, or decide to go for an old
spectrophotometer, which can be used for color profiles.


DRK

DRK

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, Ernst Dinkla <E.Dinkla@...> wrote:
>
> davidkeasey wrote:
> 
> 
> > 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?
> 
> With the printer you want to calibrate ?
> Shouldn't the horse not be at the other side of the carriage ?
>   If you know the data the patches should have (and keep for 
> several years) you could make trial and error prints and 
> measure them with a calibrated instrument that is twice as 
> good as the one you have. Or make a collage of the best 
> patches. But somewhere in universe you need an anchor point to 
> measure from.
> ====

==== Snip ===

> 
> Would it not be enough to have some black and white ceramic
> tiles ? You could ask a local printshop to measure them with
> their calibrated densitometer/spectrometer. If stepping wedges
> are needed then Kodak has several but I do not think that
> would be a cheaper way to get what you need. 50 dollar gets
> another color if you start to think of all the roundabouts you
> have to take.
> 
> If you need separation stepwedges after you have the 
> densitometer calibrated then you can make them with for 
> example ColorPort by X-rite. It's free on their site.
> 
> Ernst
> 
> 
> -- 
> 
>                     --
>            Ernst Dinkla
> 
> 
> www.pigment-print.com
> (         unvollendet         )
>