RIP Software

[David Rowland]

what would it work with?

Currently use Shiraz by Appled Image Technolgy, we choose this as it printed very acurate to the original, it was the nearest to continous tone output we was demonstrated on our JV3. The support is good and they profile medias for you in London on their test machines, the results are stunning. Shiraz is just really a print station, it has no designer but has an inteligent batch printing side, we was looking in Dec 2003 and the other RIP’s now produce similar results (so we hear)

[Chris Hooper]

Flexisign 7.5 Photoshop? Illustrator and PDF file mainly to Encad Novajet 750 mainly

THanks

Chris

[David Rowland]

Just visited the FTP of Shiraz, I cannot see any profiles for your printer, but I maybe wrong.

I understand the FlexiSign group of software is RIP & Editor, so you get the best of both worlds in one package. Never used it, so cannot comment.

[Chris Hooper]

It has – but with limitations.

[Shane Drew]

Chris I have only used 2… Smartrip (really basic) and colorrip by wastach(?) .

I am really happy with the colorrip, mainly because the guys I purchased it from did not leave my building until the profiles were right for the products I use.

Would like the green/orange ink option available, but it is not in the pipeline yet, because roland don’t run those colours as a standard, but techink do.

PosterMaker RIP is supposed to be the bees knees, but pretty expensive here, and I can not justify the cost.

Why do you ask?

[Barry]

My vote would go out for Wasatch SoftRip.

[RobGF]

I have both Wasatch SoftRIP and Onyx PosterMaker here. Both are RIP systems only do not really offer any designer features. The idea then is that you use whichever program you want to create your images (Corel, Illustrator, Photoshop, etc.) and you send those complete files to the RIP system either by printing, sending a PostScript file, PDF, EPS, TIF, etc.

Both programs do all of the ICC stuff and come with lots of profiles (I make my own because it makes me feel all manly). Each system will also allow you to use an ICC work-flow where you can profile your printer and media and then have everything transform to match another ICC profile. For example, with this you could set up a system (once media was profiled) to match a graphics print standard such as SWOP or a proof standard (Fuji ColourArt, DuPont Waterproof, 3M, etc.) We’ve had great success running colour this way.

Both RIPs will also do all sorts of tiling, media saving, and support contour cutting (might be an option). Each also supports more than one device delivery. Wasatch can do variable data to large format too.

Wasatch SoftRIP is a faster performing RIP than Onyx but Onyx has a nicer looking user interface. At the end of the day, they’re both pretty much equal.

I cannot comment about the Flexi type RIP’s or Shiraz as I’ve not used either system. In North America Wasatch and Onyx own the market for dedicated large format RIPs and I can’t help to wonder if there is a reason for this.

Hope that helps.

Rob

[Chris Hooper]

Hi SHane

was asking because we are doing more work on pop ups and banners – flexi rip is kinda ok however it takes an age to rip the big files, and its getting a tad “buggy”. Getting the “colour right” is and issue and we seem to be doing more “test slices” and wasting material and ink.

Not sure if its us or not, however was interested in finding out what everyone else is using as a conversation with Dave indicated that this could be a solution.

Rob – Thanks for the advice – I have visited the wasatch site and this has proved useful.