Datacolor User to User Support Group.

C. David Tobie
Global Product Technology Manager
Digital Imaging & Home Theater
Datacolor
CDTobie@...
www.datacolor.com/Spyder3

David - Thanks for the advice. I will try decreasing the margins - it can only 
help.

When I mentioned turning the paper sideways I meant physically turn it sideways 
when measuring the patches. I did print the patches in landscape mode as the 
software suggests.

Pat

--- In datacolor_group@yahoogroups.com, David Miller  wrote:
>
> 
> On Jun 21, 2009, at 10:56 PM, a1ncsky2 wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> > OK, I installed the PB version of Spyder3 Print and, finally,  
> > profiled the Epson Velvet Fine Art paper. A bit more comment about  
> > the "finally" below. Results - outstanding! By that I mean the print  
> > is about as close as you could hope for between hard copy and the  
> > monitor. My monitor, as I mentioned a day or so ago, I profiled with  
> > the Spyder3 Elite. Really, the system works, at least with this  
> > (difficult in the past) paper, just great.
> >
> > On the "finally" part what I can offer is just patch measuring  
> > learnings by a newbie with the Spectro.
> >
> > First, after I screwed up 2 or three patch measurement series, and  
> > the profiles that went with them, I started to pay attention. Always  
> > a last resort - I know. A few observations for those just starting  
> > with the equipment.
> >
> > 1. The recommendation in the dialog to turn the paper sideways is a  
> > good one. It just helps with the movement of the Spectro from patch  
> > to patch.
> >
> >
> Not only that, but you'll get larger patches. It's more than a  
> recommendation, it's a serious
> recommendation..:-) The target images are created with a rectangular  
> shape so that they'll
> better fit the expected orientation of the printed target page (which  
> is landscape, or: the
> long way). If you print them in Portrait mode, you'll get very small  
> patches that will be
> difficult or impossible to read.
> 
> You should never print any of these targets in Portrait mode. They're  
> designed to be
> printed in Landscape.
> 
> > 2. You have to have the Spectro "snout" aligned better than I at  
> > least first thought.
> >
> >
> 
> It also helps to print the patches larger. If you're running a Mac,  
> this isn't a problem, because
> the Mac printer drivers default to margins that are reasonable  
> (around .25"); so you get larger
> patches and less white border.
> 
> Windows is a different story. The default for margins is 1", which  
> produces smaller patches and
> more white border.
> 
> We will use your margin settings, and remember them, but we can't  
> change them for you; the
> Page Setup dialog that you're presented with comes from the operating  
> system, not from us,
> and we can't override the default values and put something in there  
> for you.
> 
> So: if you're using Windows: in Page Setup, change your margins to . 
> 25", reprint your targets,
> and you should end up with larger patches that will be much easier to  
> read.
> > 3. A good way to make sure you are aligned properly is to use the  
> > supplied "Print Guide Rule" even though, evidently, experienced  
> > users don't need it - or maybe they just say they don't?.
> >
> > When you use it you will be perfectly aligned on the patch row and  
> > only need to pay attention to the patch to patch alignment within  
> > the row. I finally got the patch to patch alignment right by looking  
> > at the "snout" on the paper and after moving it past the nearest  
> > white divider between patches then moving it back slightly in past  
> > the divider onto the patch, then maybe a little more.
> >
> > In other words, cover up the nearest white divider of the new patch  
> > with the snout and then move back in slightly just past the white  
> > divider. It's easy to see that way. Then click the Spectro or hit  
> > return as is your preference. I find clicking the Spectro is easier  
> > for me.
> >
> >
> 
> That's a different idea; I've never tried that. But I suspect that if  
> you print the patches
> larger, as suggested above, that you won't need to do this.
> > 3. On occasion, after clicking the Spectro, or hitting return, you  
> > will get only one audio "click" from the computer, rather than two.  
> > I don't know why. In that case with the arrow keys I move the red  
> > triangle back and "reshoot" that patch. Maybe unnecessary but who  
> > want to take a chance. This happens to me only now and then.
> >
> >
> 
> > 4. So far, for me, I have settled on the "measured" view of the  
> > patches during measurement. After coming upon the system described  
> > in (2) above I find looking at the measured patches, not the split,  
> > and after finishing each row comparing it to the hard copy being  
> > measured, tells me if I have shot a good row. On occasion, maybe 3  
> > or 4 of the 225 patches I use I will see one that despite your best  
> > efforts needs to be tried again. In my very much limited experience  
> > it's easier to spot those if you review after each row rather that  
> > at the end of the whole thing looking at the whole array of patches.
> >
> >
> 
> That's correct. Using "Measured" mode is better, even though the  
> software comes up in Split.
> > 5. In reviewing the measured patches as in (4) above, pay little or  
> > no attention to the brightness or completely exact color. Often it  
> > won't be exactly the same. It's just that if the comparison shows a  
> > nonsense measurement you can see it. I think a nonsense read is  
> > because of slopping over onto the white divider between patches -  
> > but who knows?
> >
> >
> 
> (see notes about larger patches...:-)
> 
> > Happy as a clam so far with the Spyder3 Studio. My next step is to  
> > redo the Epson Premium Luster profile I did. Did that yesterday in  
> > hurry just after installation. The print was ok - acceptable -  
> > compared to the display. But this was before I had major issues with  
> > my first attempts with the Velvet Fine Art today, then started  
> > paying attention with the patch measurements, etc.
> >
> > I'm sure when I redo the profile for the Premium Luster it'll be  
> > even better. It may sound like my little newbie patch reading system  
> > is too much but it probably takes maybe 30% more time than doing a  
> > sloppy job - which with color profiling is a job not worth doing - no?
> >
> > Moving right along and happy with the new equipment. And I thought  
> > the Spyder2Express was good. It was, but little did I know.
> >
> >
> 
> Glad this is working out so well!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> David Miller
> Senior Software Developer, Digital Color Solutions
> Datacolor
>




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