Can my Harlequin serve two imagesetters?

[krandall]

Hi,

Can my new Harlequin serve my imagesetter and my CTP at the same time?

Kevin

 

[VladCanada]

You forget to place the smile , don't you?

 

[krandall]

Never mind. CTP uses a network connection and the imagesetter uses SCSI.

 

[VladCanada]

I see...
CTP with network connection - inkjet printer spitting on polyplates aka proofer?

 

[VladCanada]

Standalone RIP can't do it at the same time, I guess.
You neen some extra stuff for that, visit harlequin website for more info.

 

[zombie]

I don't see any reason why it cannot do it, IF you have both plugins (Imagesetter and CTP, with different page setups) installed on the same rip. But your main problem will be productivity for each machine.

 

[krandall]

CTP to aluminum. But yes, it spits. We print newspapers. We have a very old HQ serving a film imagesetter and just installed the CTP with a new HQ. The old HQ is running on a Mac OS9 machine and it's slowly dieing. Thanks for the info on where to look. If that doesn't help, I guess I'll break out the duct tape.

 

[zombie]

Well, maybe I was wrong. If you want that at 12:00 AM start the output with 1 rip on both machines, then the answer is NO. But 1 rip can drive 2 or more machines.

 

[VladCanada]

Yes, zombie!
Ripping job and outputting at one device at the same time - HQ can.
krandall - what's the version of you new HQ RIP?
Visit Xitron tread at this forum

 

[krandall]

Version 8.1 r0

I'll look at the Xitron thread also. I don't need them to output at 'exactly' the same time. It would be fine if I could send my plates to the platesetter, when they clear the rip send the next file to the imagesetter, etc.

 

[krandall]

Well, maybe I was wrong. If you want that at 12:00 AM start the output with 1 rip on both machines, then the answer is NO. But 1 rip can drive 2 or more machines.

I'm not sure what this means. Maybe I wasn't clear in my description. I'll try again. I have a CTP and an imagesetter. We use both. Can I use one HQ (with multiple page setups) to send files to both output machines? Sometimes we need film, sometimes we need just plates.

 

[zombie]

Then the answer is YES
You'll need both plugins in 8.1r0, different page setups with different calibrations, obviously.
8.1r0 you have is PC based? What's the imagesetter driven by the old HQ?

 

[VladCanada]

+1 to zombie
Clear Q gets clear A - YES

 

[krandall]

By 'plugins' do you mean drivers? Yes, the imagesetter is a ECRM Stingray 63, driven by HQ 5.3 on Mac OS9, copyright 2000. And is has SCSI interface. I'll have to figure out how to get around the SCSI. I wonder if the imagesetter as a network port inside it.

 

[zombie]

By "drivers" i mean what Global Graphics (Harlequin) are calling "plugin device drivers". I'm not talking about drivers for your SCSI card, which I think is an Adaptec 2940. Between any HQ rip and an imagesetter stands a so called Plugin Device Driver. It is used only by the rip, you OS have nothing to do with this. Those drivers are installed/located in SW/Devices folder, .i32 is their extension on PC machines. They are a communication link between rip and imagesetter/CTP.

 

[krandall]

Zombie. Thanks. I understand all of what you've said. It makes sense. Now I'll check to see if the imagesetter has a network connection or if I have to go SCSI. If SCSI, I'll have to get a card to fit the new PC. Then get the Stingray plugin. From there it should be smooth sailing.

 

[zombie]

You're welcome, I'm glad we could hep you. Check your connection options and give me a PM if you're in trouble with the Stingray plugin. Ohh, I fogot one thing ... make sure Vlad will get some beers from your side, otherwise your rip/ctp/imagesetter combination will not work I'm way too far from you for a beer

 

[VladCanada]

Not every SCSI card is good for ECRM imagesetters!
Read ECRM Manual before gettins search smthg.
SCSI or PellBox - no more choiсe

 

[maxon]

Ok krandall, most if not all HQ RIPs can drive two imaging devices i.e. an imagesetter and a CTP provided it has a onebit tiff interface. The stingray machine can ONLY be scsi connection, you need a suitable PCI adaptec card or similar having the right connector type for your cable, afaik it's a 68-pin HD high density that means AHA 2940 or like.
Your RIP must have the ECRM Stingray family output plugin installed and loaded, as well as the right MS Windows level AHA driver, check with ECRM on this. Use an ECRM RIP to stay on the safe side.
The CTP should be 1-bit tiff connection so the rip will send the sep tiffs over the network, no problems here regardless of the ctp type.
I've installed a RIPmate ver.8.0 in a similar setup, driving an old Mako46 high-speed /fast spinner via scsi and a Mako 8 ctp. RIP interpretation is like 15 to 30 seconds tops for a complex PDF job 8up high res (2540 at 175 lines) in CMYK no spot, live transparency. RIP 8.3 is multiprocessor aware and does benefit hugely from core2duo platforms not to mention xeons, be it pc or mac. It's blistering fast.
The only time consuming step is the actual output i.e. preparing and sending out the tiffs to the ctp on one hand, imagesetter imaging time on the other. It's going to be a trade-off. We usually send the ctp jobs first loading the ctserver (1-bit tiff catcher computer) with seps waiting to be imaged. Once the rip is free again we output jobs on film as needed.

 

[prepressing]

As another user mentioned you can certainly drive more than one device using a Harlequin RIP, but it will depend on the connection methods being used. TIFF output is usually fairly quick but it depends on the computer's speed and the network speed if pushing off to a network drive. When outputting to an imagesetter or platesetter directly through an interface card you will have to wait for it to finish imaging before it can output your TIFF files.