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Computers and Software => RIPs => Topic started by: Appstro on January 13, 2014, 09:55:06 PM
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I downloaded the Accurip Trial and it seems like great software, but $500!!!???
Is there something cheaper perhaps for people starting out that wanna do half tones?
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Ghostrip is a free one if it is still out there. I used it years ago, but it is probably still around. I imagine someone that knows more than me week chime in with the details.
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Can't get any more affordable than free.
You'll need two separate downloaded components.
Ghostscript (http://www.ghostscript.com/download/gsdnld.html) just runs in the back ground while Ghostview (http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/gsview/get50.htm)is the interface in which you actually do things.
Somewhere we have some good fairly simple instructions from a member, screenxpress.
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I downloaded them, hopefully I will be able to work through getting them installed. I hope they work with the epson 1430 i just bought. Thanks for your help. If you guys have linkage to a tutorial here on installing the software and working with it that would be SWEET!
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Okay, here goes - I did install this one but have not printed yet and it seemed to work as well, or better than my older version. Much easier to install. No guarantees, but it's real close. A lot closer than trying to dig it out from the university sites, etc.
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GHOSTVIEW / GHOSTGUM INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS -
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- Ghost can be downloaded from several sites.
There are two parts to install - Ghostscript and Ghostview (also referred to as Ghostgum)
Ghostscript - http://www.ghostscript.com/download/ (http://www.ghostscript.com/download/)
-Click Ghostscript 9.10
-select the platform - and click that General Public License Link
- At the Download File Info popup, point the "SAVE AS" to where you can find the download and click Start Download
- Find the GPL Ghostscript and double click
- Next
- I agree
- Install
- Finish
- That's Ghostscript
=================================
But you still need the viewer
GhostView - http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/ (http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~ghost/)
GSview 5.0 is on that link
Select the right one for your operating system
Find where you saved it and double click - It's a self extracting zip file
- Setup
- Next
- Next
- Next
- Next
- Next - to create Ghostgum folder
- Finish
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You now have Ghost Installed on your PC
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You will never directly use GHOSTSCRIPT again.
You will use GSVIEW (called GHOSTGUM) to view and print which needs GHOSTSCRIPT to run so it is necessary to
install both parts.
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You now have everything in place now to create and print Postscript (.ps) files from your Graphic Software.
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CREATE POSTSCRIPT FILES - Skip this if you're only printing from .ps files and not creating a .ps file
- You will create a .PS file from your graphic software such as Illy, Corel or Photoshop.
The most critical part is that when you do the print step, you must direct it to a POSTSCRIPT DRIVER,
NOT a physical printer. This write-up uses the HP DesignJet 5500 Postscript driver. When using Ghost
software, you do not reference a physical Printer when outputting from the Graphic Software. Instead
you reference a Postscript Driver to write to a file. That output file is what goes to GhostView (Ghostgum)
to print.
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PHOTOSHOP
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- Photoshop - finish any separations for halftones to where you have the channels ready to go
Click File - Print Options - SCREEN and set the lpi, angle, and shape for each color channel
Note for CS2 this is found in Print with Preview - If you don't see these setting, be
sure your setting is for "Output", NOT "Color Management"
Select PAGE SETUP to point to HP DesignJet 5500 and click OK
Select one channel to print and click PRINT. If a message pops up that clipping might occur, just
Click PROCEED. If a message pops up for resolution higher than 2.5 times the frequency, just click PROCEED.
Click the box for PRINT TO FILE and click OK. The PRINT TO FILE box should open wanting an Output
File Name. I have a folder on my C drive named "GHOST", so what I put in the box is -
C:\GHOST\xxxxxxx_yyyy.ps where xxxxxxx is my file or customer namd and yyyy is the color plate. Name
it something like C:\GHOST\Cust_Image_Color.ps and click OK. Note those are "back slashes" (above the
Enter Key), not "forward slashes". The channel will output to where you referenced. It may take 20 - 45
seconds to output and Postscript files can be quite large.
- Repeat the steps above for each channel
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PS-CS4 and CS5 - Download the Wilflex Free RIP for CS4 at
http://www.wilflexeasyart.com/downloads.htm. (http://www.wilflexeasyart.com/downloads.htm.)
Once you have the .atn file, open the "Actions" window in PS and select Load Actions and find/load the downloaded Wilflex Rip.
Now select the channel desired to print and Click on the desired LPI from the Wilflex Action list. Wilflex will actually RIP
the image in a new copy in Photoshop. You then just print it directly to the printer and it will be halftones. If you don't
want to print from Photoshop, just do a 'save as' using the copy image Wilflex created as a .eps file. Then open that in
Ghost and print directly from Ghost or send the .eps file to someone, as needed.
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CORELDRAW
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- Coreldraw - Click on Print -
General Tab - Select Device Independent Postscrip File (this allows changes to LPI and Angle)
Separations Tab - Click on Print Separations box - Click on Color to be printed
Advanced Button - then click on Color in the new window and change Frequency (lpi) and Angle -
Set Halftone Type to DEFAULT - Click OK
Check only the ONE color to be printed (print films one color at a time) and click Print
Print to File - Create a Folder (if you don't already have one) and Name your file (type=Postscript)
This setting will save as a .ps file type
Click Save to output the file
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ILLUSTRATOR
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- Illustrator - Click on Print
General -
Printer - Adobe Postscript File
PPD - Design Jet 5500PS (my HP5500PS Postscript Driver)
Output -
Mode - Separations (Host Based) - Turn on printer for one Pantone Color
Set Freq/Angle/Dot
Save (button near bottom) - will open window to direct output to a Postscript file
Set location and name as xxxxxxxx.ps where xxxxxxxx is the name of your file
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LPI
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"Rule of Thumb".
Always set your LPI dependent on your screen mesh. Use 4.5 (although 5 is ever better to reduce the chance of
Moire pattern) time the LPI. Example. Setting LPI of 45 requires a mesh of 203 (45 * 4.5 = 202.5), but 230
is even better (45 * 5 = 225)
Dot Shape
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Elipse is a best choice for color gradient transitions, BUT for COREL, you have to use the DEFAULT.
Angle
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22.5 is the most recommended angle that most use, even for CMYK
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PRINT STEPS USING GHOSTGUM -
Click Start/Programs - Find GHOSTGUM and click on to open it up. Or you can just find your .ps file and
"Open With" gsview
Click OK - It's just a notice for registration and is ignored
Note that Ghost will open many other file type extensions if needed). It's a very useful utility to have and
can print spot colors just as nicely as halftones.
The image should appear on the canvas
If image does not fit properly, you may have the wrong canvas selected. Click "MEDIA" and change the canvas setting.
Try 11x17. When correct, the image will appear in the center of the canvas for printing. (Note: I have had some
issues in Corel output getting it to center and have had to adjust the location in Corel when outputting).
Click PRINT and change printer settings for your printer
If the print comes out as code text lines and not an image, when the Print Box appears, check PRINT METHOD settings
and select "Windows GDI printer", not PostScript Printer.
NOTE: - the ORIENTATION selection in Ghost refers to HOW THE PAPER IS IN THE PRINTER, NOT the way you're seeing the
image on the screen.
Click OK to print
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WOW!! You are the man!! THANK YOU!
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Accurip or FilmMaker are the most affordable RIPS that you can buy I believe.
If the ghostrip doesn't do it for you, you can always bitmap to your preferred halftones and place back in Illustrator for output. I did this for years and it's laborious but gets it done.
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FilmMaker +1.
Before we got it we setup RedMon (redirection monitor) to redirect a dummy printer to Ghostscript, removing the need
for using Ghostview and setting page sizes in it.
But FilmMaker is like $300 and so much more tuned to what screen printers need.
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T-RIP, FilmMaker, SimpleSeps, PR ScreenPrint are best RIP for S.P
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T-RIP, FilmMaker, SimpleSeps, PR ScreenPrint are best RIP for S.P
Just for the sake of accuracy, SimpleSeps isn't a true RIP. More of a workaround.
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$500 really isn't much for RIP, and we've been using AccuRIP for a few years with no problems, especially since we printed out the test, had the films read and input the numbers... Ghostscript is good if you can get it running, plenty of folks here have used it; I found myself spending hours with no luck and finally just bought a product that worked. Don't go cheap on your tools...
Steve
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If I had Photoshop on windows I get Filmmaker V4 for sure because of all the functions they provide.
But I am leaning towards Accurip due to easy installation and I can't get "hot folder" to work with my mac.
Give Mraph(Alan@techsupportsps.com) a buzz, because filmmaker on his site is going for $395 while I have seen it for $495.
store.techsupportsps.com/collections/software (http://store.techsupportsps.com/collections/software)
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Ghostscript works great for free software, but...
The workflow of it will make you want to stab someone to death with an ink knife.
Get a real RIP. You will forget about the $500 on down the line when Accurip just keeps working and working and working.
The real expensive pain in the ass is all of the Epson printer equipment and supply you will go through...the RIP will only be a one time purchase.
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Oh and by the way, Accurip is ACCURATE.
Ghostscript is a Postcript interpreter. It will take the ps files and flips them into a printable bitmap for the inkjet. Simple.
Accurip is much more. It's an interpreter AND a revised printer driver that operates on top of (and controls) the existing stock Epson driver. It provides better media handling and more accurate separations. Something the Ghostscript/Epson driver combo can't do.
When I ran comparisons Accurip printed films with much, MUCH better registration than the stock Epson driver. I even printed a large template grid for my light table and Accurip nailed it. Every line was exact from top to bottom. In comparison, the Epson driver was out by almost 1/4" over a 20" print! And this is a random issue - the stock driver was never intended to print films that register to each other, so it does not drive the media handling as accurately. Accurip deals with this.
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Since not all of us are on Epson, what can you share for HP?
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I don't think we can print to film without a RIP anymore with the new Epson or any brand drivers.
I printed directly from my new 1100 while the lid was open and discovered that it was not laying down pure black. So I did some searching on the internet, it says that most new drivers will lay down other colours even though you are printing a gray scale. They say this will prevent the other colour print heads from drying
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HP9800 does the same thing. With a Black and a Multi-color cartridge, it still uses some of the Multi-color even printing just black.
I guess the solution would be to get a printer you can change out to all black cartridges and it won't matter. Don't think the HP can do that, but I think the Epson, at least some, can be done that way.