former Brisque users?

[Mark]

Ok what have the former Brisque users switched to?
Kodak keeps sending us $55K+ proposals for Prinergy and the clock is ticking for a replacement. We need connection to our lotem 800 quantum, Matchprint inkjet, and a Creo front-ended KonicaMinolta 6500. Also need all the last min editing features that the brisque has. 90% of what we get are native files NOT pdf.
Whadya got and why is it as-good-as or better than the Brisque?
thanks,

 

[pmhapp]

We went with Prinergy.
Also, look at Rampage, Prinect, and Apogee.

 

[longlimb]

Same here. Prinergy Connect. You can still use native files. Just have to output a pdf instead of .ps to be able to avoid the CT RES issues when Brisque flattened transparencies.

 

[John Clifford]

If you're planning on using PDFs, then you might also want to check out Artworks. They have some of the best PDF editing tools around. They're the company that has Pitstop so they know what they're doing.

 

[gig0]

right here.

used Brisque 4.1 up until a year and a half ago and migrated to Prinergy 4. The difference is like going from Pagemaker 6.5 to InDesignCS. Kiss postscript goodbye and say hello to layered PDF files which gives you A LOT more flexibility in editing rather than stumbling through CT/LW FAF edits. We have a KM6501 that was easily integrated into the Prinergy workflow so you'll have no problem with your 6500. Prinergy is very flexible as far as output options. Trust me.

Oh, and if you think you can export your current CT/LW files flawlessly into a PDF workflow, think again. You'll feel much better exporting from the native app as a PDF. Just remember, presets are your friend. Don't worry, it's better in the long run *snork! snork!*


EDIT: BTW, if you have more than, lets say, 5 people preparing files in prepress and you get Prinergy, say goodbye to *at least* 2 of them within a year. In all honesty, an up-to-date true PDF workflow will increase productivity, unless marketing fills the gap. I'm speaking from experience

 

[zoran]

We went from Brisque to Heidelberg Printready.
Never looked back.

 

[John Clifford]

Totally agree with Zoran and Gig0. Prinergy, or any modern PDF workflow will increase your productivity immensely. Just make sure that it's either APPE or (in the case of Artworks systems) a RIP that can handle live transparency and RGB or ICC-based workflows. While you may not want to use those right now, that is where the future is headed.

 

[dgraves]

We went with Esko Backstage. Personally I think it is the best workflow out there for us. One of our operators used to be on Prinergy and he swears by Esko now. We are outputting 1-bits to a Kodak Xpose to our Lotem. We come out as rasterized pdf's to our EFI (Minolta 650's). Works great.
Esko is the best pdf editor (packedge). This is from the Barco days.

 

[Skinflint]

We went with Esko Backstage. Personally I think it is the best workflow out there for us. One of our operators used to be on Prinergy and he swears by Esko now. We are outputting 1-bits to a Kodak Xpose to our Lotem. We come out as rasterized pdf's to our EFI (Minolta 650's). Works great.
Esko is the best pdf editor (packedge). This is from the Barco days.

We also use ESKO, what version are you on? Have upgraded to Suite 7?
How do you rate Fast Impose to Preps?

 

[stargate]

I went with Rampage and I never looked back.

 

[couriergraphics]

Esko Graphics NEXUS PDF workflow. Has been great!