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Need Help A different RIP discussion

Brands Imaging

Brands Imaging

New Member
I have exhausted the onyx vs caldera discussions and read through everything. I just want to get an opinion on what you guys/girls think is best for ME.

So we use flexi right now (current version) and have been having crazy color issues recently. HP tech has been out 3 x's and we're actually having some slight color issues with our solvent machine too.

In an effort to eliminate another weak link in the process we're changing the RIP. We do ZERO management of color. We use all canned profiles and really use the same profile for all vinyls. We only change for textile and banner. So I know that any of these will be a come up but I was just curious of your thoughts.

Also rep is suggesting Mac mini over iMac - thoughts?!?


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dypinc

dypinc

New Member
Invest in color management. If you don't you have the same issues with whatever RIP you run.
 
Brands Imaging

Brands Imaging

New Member
I honestly just have a bad taste about flexi and I know Caldera and Onyx are MADE for ripping. I just feel that flexi is so bootleg and unstable. I'm not just having simple flat or inconsistent colors issues - its actually changing from day to day,
 
dypinc

dypinc

New Member
Brands Imaging said:
I honestly just have a bad taste about flexi and I know Caldera and Onyx are MADE for ripping. I just feel that flexi is so bootleg and unstable. I'm not just having simple flat or inconsistent colors issues - its actually changing from day to day,
Click to expand...

I share your feelings about Flexi and I am not sure Windows OS isn't also problematic, so Caldera might just be to best for you.
 
dypinc

dypinc

New Member
Hopefully you'll get some feed back here on Linux or on a Mac. I know a lot of people run it on a Mac-Mini. I guess if I was going Caldera I would try a Linux box first.
 
Brands Imaging

Brands Imaging

New Member
I'm good at trouble shooting and I can google fixes just like the rest of them but I'd rather spend the money up front and not have to worry about it
 
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nate

New Member
Caldera is brilliant. We've had Onyx and Wasatch as well... I would never go back to them. The mac mini is a fine idea or use the Linux Distro Caldera recommends and go from there.

Caldera is very resource savvy. You don't need a ton of machine to get great results. A while ago I had a project that we ran off of 12 HP L25500 units-- all from the same computer. That's twelve rip-and-print threads happening at once all from a HP computer we bought at Costco and loaded Linux/Caldera on. It ran that whole thing, plus our other machines without any incident.
 
Pauly

Pauly

Printrade.com.au
Canned profiles will never get you the best colours.

If you're running Mac, caldera is for mac..
iMac over a Mac mini.

If you care a lot about colour. Onyx. But need pic for onyx or boot camp or the other program that runs windows on Mac.
 
Stella_FB700

Stella_FB700

New Member
I use caldera RIP software - its great and i am able to control all ICC profiles by a simple click.
Of course most profiles on caldera aren't available but building your own is easy using this software.

I only use FLEXI for cutting on the Graphtec and SUMMA
Thats all thats it.
 
P

ProPDF

New Member
First off the imac is better than the mac mini hands down specs wise. Yes you can get them all to work on a mac mini but your rep is wrong. Second off....get a used X-rite device off ebay...you can pick the slightly older ones up for $300 ish. Sit down with a few rolls and learn how to make profiles. We have used Caldera and Flexi 12....Yes Flexi is funky for sure but a lot of times we have found if we read the manual flexi provides it was an error on our end. The best thing about the Imac is you can run everything on it....windows and mac applications either by Parallels or bootcamp. Personally we like using bootcamp with windows 10...it's extremely stable with 32gb of ram with flexi 12. Our next suggestion is don't skimp out on ram....the imac holds 32gb max the new mac mini is soldered and you can't upgrade it anymore after the original purchase. If you want we have newer Xrite kit we can sell just pm us....as we bought the chart reader version.
 
A

Andy_warp

New Member
A rip and spectro alone may not get the consistency you are looking for.
Environmental issues and a lack of process control can be just as damning.

I like Onyx and Caldera. Onyx has more control, which I like.
Caldera just feels a little weird to me in the the way the tabs and windows progress.
Sometimes feels like I'm working backwards. Solid though, and consistent.

I like the way Onyx previews and handle transparency better. Also just the general workflow.

Both are only as good as your pre press processes.

I built a solid profile about 5 years ago, and it's saved me a hundred hours of color fiddling, if I were to guess.
It just really is that much better.

Best of luck!
 
J

joelthomas

New Member
Brands Imaging said:
Well, you're a girl, and that'll happen from time to time.

This machine is not used for color sensitive projects. But thanks for your "CONCERN"


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Click to expand...
I'm sorry but WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?

Asking for help and then making sexist comments is certainly unprofessional at best.

If color sensitive projects are of no concern then why did you post in the first place.

I for one completely agree with Stella. Using canned profiles will rarely give you good consistent results.

The Rip itself will not solve your issues. You will need to "maintain" your profiles. This involves regularly recalibrating them, easy process (even for a man, sorry I couldn't resist). If your HP is a latex, All rips that run the Latex printers can do this (HP mandates it). You can also build custom profiles directly in the printer, and recalibrate directly in the printer.

Now to the nuts and bolts of the issue. Caldera does not come standard with profiling software, but you can recalibrate. You have to pay more for the full Easy Media module. Caldera is also a bit short on "canned" profiles so you should be aware of that. If your printer is a Latex then you have no worries because the printer itself comes w profiles.

Onyx now includes the profiling software starting with PosterShop.

My company sells and installs Flexi, Caldera, Onyx and Wasatch.

Personally I like the Onyx Workflow best. To me caldera has to many pop up windows. If you go with Caldera I would definitely recommend dual monitors to keep Workflow clean.

If you want consistent color you need to recalibrate monthly. If you want accurate color you need to build your own profiles.
 
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