Re: CMI and/or DocuSP for iGen 3
> {quote:title=tim_perrett wrote:}{quote}
>
> Im not so sure thats the case to be honest. All the machines are much of a muchness now (iGen, Nexpress, Indigo), and the real differentiator is front end functionality/performance (no doubt someone will pull me up on such a comment, but broadly speaking its true; whilst they all have established market sectors with slight printing preferences)
Mmmm, not sure about that either. iGen uses toner whereas Indigo a liquid ink, don't know about the Nexpress except the bumpf mentions a "Wax-based dry ink materials"
>Whilst thats only true to the point of having good files to put into any given workflow (i.e. junk in junk out)
Agreed
>RIPing at 600dpi on the DSP was a significant improvement on my test files (where corporate branding was so so important), and running on the creo (on the same lab press), both tone and graduation were much better than the creo, even when spire was running with 'high-quality' settings. I then got talking to the techies in the labs at welwyn, who would only comment on the creo's poor performance as being "a feature"!! Its something to do with an internal lossy compression that spire uses in-rip.
Generally I don't find playing with the RIPs buttons helps much. More a case of your previous point.
> When you talk about being "forced to use optimized PS", is that the case as darwin can only output VPS and PS due to creo being the vendor?
No, it'll spit out VIPP too but you have to buy a software licence for that! Site says it'll handle PPML too but blowed if I can find anything even mentioning it in the manual or in the app itself.
>Darwin does give you on screen pre-views your right, but it is unfortunately a windows only product, and wont ever be ported to mac - which i find a bit bizarre, as the graphic arts industry has grown up with macintosh and a lot of houses are heavily into apple gear so you would have thought they would try to remain platform neutral.
Very wrong there my old china cos we're running Darwin on Macs and have been for 5 years (v.mac biased me
)
http://graphics1.kodak.com/uk/produ...e_management/variable_data/darwin/default.htm
&
http://www.creopod.com/data/Products/On-Demand Applications/Darwin VI authoring tool/pro.aspx
> Not that im going to push my own services on this forum as thats not really what its for, but here goes anyway: W2P is something ive been involved in for a long time and if you were interested in having a chat about it some time I would be delighted too
Granted, just said it came to our attention when investigating a Web2Print solution. We currently use iWay (now Freeflow Web Services) and are considering upgrading or even switching to a different product. I'll be asking the question v.soon on the Web-enabled section of this here site so we can 'chat' about it there, eh?
> Color management is like IT in someways, people know they need it, but there not 100% sure why! I used to work for a very large graphic printer where we did a lot of fine art work and high-end premium work, and, whilst CM does have a bit of a rep for being a load of old boots, having solid profiling and press calibration made a world of difference to the final output. It really is fascinating stuff (for geeks like me)!
I'll take your word for it.
> Mainly I use XMPie. I have been using it for a long time now and done some very nice things with it. We were building systems 3.5 years ago with xmpie that would still give the most 'cutting edge' things a run for their money. To clarify, I dont work for xmpie, and am in no way affiliated to them; they just have a blindingly good product on there hands
I tend to use it as a backend tool and build very bespoke front ends and with tight system/workflow integration.
Nice, but expensive....?
> PS: Thanks for making this a stimulating thread of conversation
Pleasure.