QTR-Quadtone RIP

Hi,

I have an Epson R230/R220 printer, MIS eboni ink and QTR. I am using http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn3c.htm from CJ to try to print set up the printer using Clayton's 2KBO technique. 

I set up a curve as described in the article using the black and cyan ink positions and I have downloaded and configured CJ-2KBO-R200-Ordered.acv file. However, when I print an image where any areas are absolute black there is no ink coverage -- I just see white paper. When showing the curve I created the RH end of the curve has dropped to zero which is unlike CJ's example in the article.

(See https://picasaweb.google.com/drewt8/QTRTest for image of curve and my input/output images. but when I show the curve it looks different to the one in the article in that it (the curve) drops to zero at the right hand end. 

I have played with various parameters in the curve settings, I have printed the calibration chart without a problem which means that there is nothing wrong with a clogged head.

I am stumped... or am I stupid? Have I missed something obvious?

Thanks, 
Drew

I progressed somewhat. I removed CJ's curve and things started working.
I still have an issue with using more than just the one eboni ink. I
guess I just don't get it...
I was also getting weird results trying to print anything other than my
test image: any image save in Lightroom as JPEG refused to open QTRgui
and give a message "Unable to create JPREG Bitmap Buffer". Trying to
print any of my images resulted in them being cropped versions after
being Scaled and Placed. So I removed version 2.7 and installed v2.6
which doesn't do JPEGs but TIFFs instead (the user guide doesn't mention
this because it is based on v2.2). Now I don't have cropping issues and
I can print a correctly scaled version of my images albeit they are very
dark.
I am having mixed results using QTR: The sliders in Advanced Adjustments
say Lightest and Darkest which means nothing in the context. Does it
mean that pushing the slider to the left will lighten the ink
density(midtones) or gamma (shadows)?
Is there a later version of the UG anywhere or a tutorial with lots of
screen graps? Some of the explanations of how to start working with
curves I am sure make sense to someone in the business but it is very
confusing to me.
ANy help appreciated


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

The first thing that I notice is that the black curve doesn't go to 100%. Neither does the gray curve. The black stops at about 98%, and the grey goes a bit further. This would be consistent with the prints that you display. Have a look at the dark ends of the grey ramp. First the black stops and the grey continues a bit more but neither reach 100%. Check the curve setup and see what is happening there. I would guess that the black curve is not specified as 100% density.

Cheers
Greg Nixon

--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, "drewt8t" <drewt8@...> wrote:

>
> Hi,
> 
> I have an Epson R230/R220 printer, MIS eboni ink and QTR. I am using http://www.cjcom.net/articles/digiprn3c.htm from CJ to try to print set up the printer using Clayton's 2KBO technique. 
> 
> I set up a curve as described in the article using the black and cyan ink positions and I have downloaded and configured CJ-2KBO-R200-Ordered.acv file. However, when I print an image where any areas are absolute black there is no ink coverage -- I just see white paper. When showing the curve I created the RH end of the curve has dropped to zero which is unlike CJ's example in the article.
> 
> (See https://picasaweb.google.com/drewt8/QTRTest for image of curve and my input/output images. but when I show the curve it looks different to the one in the article in that it (the curve) drops to zero at the right hand end. 
> 
> I have played with various parameters in the curve settings, I have printed the calibration chart without a problem which means that there is nothing wrong with a clogged head.
> 
> I am stumped... or am I stupid? Have I missed something obvious?
> 
> Thanks, 
> Drew
>

Thanks for the info' Greg.

I have had some success using 1 black ink - two would be nice, but I don't
want use up all my ink trying to get what might be a very subjective
improvement.

It would be nice if the User Guide had a plain english section for the
non-cognoscenti.
For example, what does Lightest and Darkest refer to in the Advanced
Adjustments? What is the effect? Does it lighten and darken the shadows and
gamma of the image? Who knows...

Regards,
 D r e w



On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 12:15 AM, Greg <gregnixon@...> wrote:

> **
>
>
>
>
> The first thing that I notice is that the black curve doesn't go to 100%.
> Neither does the gray curve. The black stops at about 98%, and the grey goes
> a bit further. This would be consistent with the prints that you display.
> Have a look at the dark ends of the grey ramp. First the black stops and the
> grey continues a bit more but neither reach 100%. Check the curve setup and
> see what is happening there. I would guess that the black curve is not
> specified as 100% density.
>
> Cheers
> Greg Nixon
>


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

The best I can suggest is to read through the User Guide by Tom Moore, and to use the help screens.
Or ask on this forum.

Back to your problem, did you set the ink levels to 100%.

You should only need to print the calibration page, work out the densities of the gray inks, relative to each other, although in your case that does not apply.

The next is to print the 21 step wedge, to check what is happening. I did as one of the guides suggested and cut down the tiff to only include the bottom row. You can then print mutiple wedges on one page about an inch apart. Print one wedge, tweak, print the next one an inch further down the page. That will cut down on your ink and paper usage until you get it right.

Cheers


--- In QuadtoneRIP@yahoogroups.com, drewt8 <drewt8@...> wrote:

>
> Thanks for the info' Greg.
> 
> I have had some success using 1 black ink - two would be nice, but I don't
> want use up all my ink trying to get what might be a very subjective
> improvement.
> 
> It would be nice if the User Guide had a plain english section for the
> non-cognoscenti.
> For example, what does Lightest and Darkest refer to in the Advanced
> Adjustments? What is the effect? Does it lighten and darken the shadows and
> gamma of the image? Who knows...
> 
> Regards,
>  D r e w
> 
> 
> 
> On Tue, Oct 25, 2011 at 12:15 AM, Greg <gregnixon@...> wrote:
>