Linotronic 300 Gradient problems

[budedwards]

firstly what a great forum, cant believe i never found it before!

I have recently started work at a small printers and they have a persistent problem

All gradients do not output properly, the dots do not merge smoothly

They can only output to the rip via Adobe Pagemaker using PDF's, everything else returns a PS error

Its postscript 1 by the way which i imagine is the problem

Any help at all is very very gratefully appreciated

I can give anyone more details if they need them

 

[budedwards]

Anyone?

 

[RickLee]

when you say that the dots do not merge smoothly, do you mean that there is banding?

most of the software is migrating up to PS level 3 these days. In illustrator you would have to save to a legacy format going back to about version 8.

you could also try sending it to Acrobat distiller and have it create the older version PDF that should be more compatible. If you use hot folders you could automate the process and breath new life into the rip.

as for the banding there are numerous threads about the optimal DPI vs LPI to get perfect screening.

hope this helps.

 

[budedwards]

when you say that the dots do not merge smoothly, do you mean that there is banding?

most of the software is migrating up to PS level 3 these days. In illustrator you would have to save to a legacy format going back to about version 8.

you could also try sending it to Acrobat distiller and have it create the older version PDF that should be more compatible. If you use hot folders you could automate the process and breath new life into the rip.

as for the banding there are numerous threads about the optimal DPI vs LPI to get perfect screening.

hope this helps.

Yes i did mean banding, sorry i'm not completely familiar with all the terminology

I'll try what you suggested though thanks

 

[gordo]

Something to keep in mind is that if you are looking at negative film the "banding" visibility will be exaggerated and my not actually show up in presswork.

Banding, shade stepping, tone stepping, tone contouring, contouring are all terms that are used to describe the same problem. Instead of a smooth gradient as at top:

You get a gradient that has steps in it as below.

Is that what you're seeing?

best, gordon p

 

[budedwards]

Something to keep in mind is that if you are looking at negative film the "banding" visibility will be exaggerated and my not actually show up in presswork.

Banding, shade stepping, tone stepping, tone contouring, contouring are all terms that are used to describe the same problem. Instead of a smooth gradient as at top:

You get a gradient that has steps in it as below.

Is that what you're seeing?

best, gordon p

Yes kind of

I will post up an example on Tuesday

 

[budedwards]

Hi Gordon

Yes your example above is exactly what we are getting

I tried to scan in film but it didn't show what we are experiencing.

Our problem is that the banding does show in press work

For some reason we are only able to output via Pagemaker and must use either PDF's or a file created in Pagemaker itself

 

[arkay_desai]

Hi budedwards,

Which version you are using? Is this gradient is printed in press?

Arkay

 

[budedwards]

Hi budedwards,

Which version you are using? Is this gradient is printed in press?

Arkay

Actually i've sorted it mate

well the banding problem at least

When you import you get the option to "output at 300/600/1200/2400 dpi"

I figured 300 would be sufficient but it obviously was not

I selected 600 Dpi and it got rid of all the banding problems