Affordable color management and RIP options?

[artifacture]

We just installed a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX flatbed and I'm finding that Rasterlink 6 is not great. Our vendor made us a 600x600 calibrated profile that is good for most of our work, but I want to offer lower and higher resolution capabilities and right now, the color doesn't match. While I can probably get them out to make more profiles, I like to have control over my capabilities as we regularly push the limits of our tools. In Rasterlink, profiling requires a $3,000 software package, plus a meter. At that point, we may as well get a better RIP that supports profiling directly.

We're not currently in the position to spend much money on this, but I have a degree in printing management, am good at learning new skills, and have the patience to fiddle with things until they work. So I was looking at Onyx Go Plus for $100/mo, which would support 2 printers (our flatbed, and a OKI color+white toner printer), and 3 rip engines. I was looking at a used X-rite i1 Pro 2 Publish on Ebay, which I can buy for around $650. The Onyx website lists "Pro 2 version 2" but all I see in the photos is "rev E". In addition to printer profiling, I want the ability to calibrate the 2 external monitors I connect to my Mac. They don't match each other despite being the same model, nor do they match the screen on my Macbook Pro. The concern is that the Mac has an M2 processor and while X-rite supports that for some things, I can't find confirmation it would work in this case. Everything monitor related points to X-rite's CaliBrite now.

I know Pro 2 is the previous generation, but I hoped it would still support my needs. I can't really spend more than $1,000 on this project at the moment, so my options are limited. If it's just not possible and I need to wait until we're at a point when we can spend more, I'd rather know that before I spend any money. But if it's possible via a combination of 3rd party drivers or something, I'm willing to go down that path as long as I know it is possible.

Or maybe I buy a lower end colorimeter (any recommendations?) for Onyx (would run on a Win 10 PC), and buy the Calibrite tool for monitors. We print almost exclusively on acrylic which I know the colorimeter at Home Depot doesn't like, so I don't know if I need a specific meter to avoid problems with that.

 

[artifacture]

It looks like this open source solution might support monitor calibration with the i1 Pro 2

DisplayCAL—Display Calibration and Characterization powered by ArgyllCMS

Display calibration and profiling with a focus on accuracy and versatility

displaycal.net

 

[bteifeld]

Onyx go plus purportedly supports color management. I suggest you ask Onyx if this means you are able to create media configurations with profiles, and if they still support the i1pro2. You should not need i1pro2 publish, you only need the measurement device, assuming onyx go plus supports the i1 pro2- which means i1 basic pro 2.

 

[netsol]

We just installed a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX flatbed and I'm finding that Rasterlink 6 is not great. Our vendor made us a 600x600 calibrated profile that is good for most of our work, but I want to offer lower and higher resolution capabilities and right now, the color doesn't match. While I can probably get them out to make more profiles, I like to have control over my capabilities as we regularly push the limits of our tools. In Rasterlink, profiling requires a $3,000 software package, plus a meter. At that point, we may as well get a better RIP that supports profiling directly.

We're not currently in the position to spend much money on this, but I have a degree in printing management, am good at learning new skills, and have the patience to fiddle with things until they work. So I was looking at Onyx Go Plus for $100/mo, which would support 2 printers (our flatbed, and a OKI color+white toner printer), and 3 rip engines. I was looking at a used X-rite i1 Pro 2 Publish on Ebay, which I can buy for around $650. The Onyx website lists "Pro 2 version 2" but all I see in the photos is "rev E". In addition to printer profiling, I want the ability to calibrate the 2 external monitors I connect to my Mac. They don't match each other despite being the same model, nor do they match the screen on my Macbook Pro. The concern is that the Mac has an M2 processor and while X-rite supports that for some things, I can't find confirmation it would work in this case. Everything monitor related points to X-rite's CaliBrite now.

I know Pro 2 is the previous generation, but I hoped it would still support my needs. I can't really spend more than $1,000 on this project at the moment, so my options are limited. If it's just not possible and I need to wait until we're at a point when we can spend more, I'd rather know that before I spend any money. But if it's possible via a combination of 3rd party drivers or something, I'm willing to go down that path as long as I know it is possible.

Or maybe I buy a lower end colorimeter (any recommendations?) for Onyx (would run on a Win 10 PC), and buy the Calibrite tool for monitors. We print almost exclusively on acrylic which I know the colorimeter at Home Depot doesn't like, so I don't know if I need a specific meter to avoid problems with that.

where does one get a degree in printing management?
do you get an associate degree, a BS or what?
just curious

We just installed a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX flatbed and I'm finding that Rasterlink 6 is not great. Our vendor made us a 600x600 calibrated profile that is good for most of our work, but I want to offer lower and higher resolution capabilities and right now, the color doesn't match. While I can probably get them out to make more profiles, I like to have control over my capabilities as we regularly push the limits of our tools. In Rasterlink, profiling requires a $3,000 software package, plus a meter. At that point, we may as well get a better RIP that supports profiling directly.

We're not currently in the position to spend much money on this, but I have a degree in printing management, am good at learning new skills, and have the patience to fiddle with things until they work. So I was looking at Onyx Go Plus for $100/mo, which would support 2 printers (our flatbed, and a OKI color+white toner printer), and 3 rip engines. I was looking at a used X-rite i1 Pro 2 Publish on Ebay, which I can buy for around $650. The Onyx website lists "Pro 2 version 2" but all I see in the photos is "rev E". In addition to printer profiling, I want the ability to calibrate the 2 external monitors I connect to my Mac. They don't match each other despite being the same model, nor do they match the screen on my Macbook Pro. The concern is that the Mac has an M2 processor and while X-rite supports that for some things, I can't find confirmation it would work in this case. Everything monitor related points to X-rite's CaliBrite now.

I know Pro 2 is the previous generation, but I hoped it would still support my needs. I can't really spend more than $1,000 on this project at the moment, so my options are limited. If it's just not possible and I need to wait until we're at a point when we can spend more, I'd rather know that before I spend any money. But if it's possible via a combination of 3rd party drivers or something, I'm willing to go down that path as long as I know it is possible.

Or maybe I buy a lower end colorimeter (any recommendations?) for Onyx (would run on a Win 10 PC), and buy the Calibrite tool for monitors. We print almost exclusively on acrylic which I know the colorimeter at Home Depot doesn't like, so I don't know if I need a specific meter to avoid problems with that.

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

We just installed a Mimaki JFX200-2513EX flatbed and I'm finding that Rasterlink 6 is not great. Our vendor made us a 600x600 calibrated profile that is good for most of our work, but I want to offer lower and higher resolution capabilities and right now, the color doesn't match. While I can probably get them out to make more profiles, I like to have control over my capabilities as we regularly push the limits of our tools. In Rasterlink, profiling requires a $3,000 software package, plus a meter. At that point, we may as well get a better RIP that supports profiling directly.

We're not currently in the position to spend much money on this, but I have a degree in printing management, am good at learning new skills, and have the patience to fiddle with things until they work. So I was looking at Onyx Go Plus for $100/mo, which would support 2 printers (our flatbed, and a OKI color+white toner printer), and 3 rip engines. I was looking at a used X-rite i1 Pro 2 Publish on Ebay, which I can buy for around $650. The Onyx website lists "Pro 2 version 2" but all I see in the photos is "rev E". In addition to printer profiling, I want the ability to calibrate the 2 external monitors I connect to my Mac. They don't match each other despite being the same model, nor do they match the screen on my Macbook Pro. The concern is that the Mac has an M2 processor and while X-rite supports that for some things, I can't find confirmation it would work in this case. Everything monitor related points to X-rite's CaliBrite now.

I know Pro 2 is the previous generation, but I hoped it would still support my needs. I can't really spend more than $1,000 on this project at the moment, so my options are limited. If it's just not possible and I need to wait until we're at a point when we can spend more, I'd rather know that before I spend any money. But if it's possible via a combination of 3rd party drivers or something, I'm willing to go down that path as long as I know it is possible.

Or maybe I buy a lower end colorimeter (any recommendations?) for Onyx (would run on a Win 10 PC), and buy the Calibrite tool for monitors. We print almost exclusively on acrylic which I know the colorimeter at Home Depot doesn't like, so I don't know if I need a specific meter to avoid problems with that.

You need to get in touch with Mimaki directly. I’d ask where ever you purchased the printer from. Mimaki has many more profiles available. While RasterLink is not the best it will be fine for your 200. Trust me I’ve had a 2000 and the 200EX for 6+ years.

Went for the 200 to the 200EX. Selling my 200EX. Just put in a Vanguard.

 

[SGC]

Been playing around with this stuff as well, flexi complete would/should allow you to profile with from what it looks like all or most of the x-rites.

Have you downloaded any of the profiles from the Mimaki profile center before jumping into this extra expense rabbit hole?

Wouldn’t hurt to also ask your dealer if they have other profiles for your machine/ink type. The tech might have some from other machines saved on those higher / lower resolution settings.

 

[artifacture]

Have you downloaded any of the profiles from the Mimaki profile center before jumping into this extra expense rabbit hole?

Everywhere I've looked has no profiles for my press/ink set. I have LUS-150 inks, which isn't even an option here. Even with LUS-120, there are 2 profiles.

There are profiles in Rasterlink, but there is no guidance on what they mean. There are different version numbers, and some offer certain resolutions compared to others, but that's the only difference I see.

 

[artifacture]

where does one get a degree in printing management?
do you get an associate degree, a BS or what?
just curious

Rochester Institute of Technology, in NY. Apparently the only other printing school was/is in Arizona. We were the School of Printing Management and Sciences, but over the years, it's become something about digital. It was a BS, but they had an MS program as well. I remember one of the MS students was researching square shaped halftone dots to see if they were any better/worse than round ones. You could choose different areas of focus, but they had sheetfed, webfed, gravure, flexography, and newspaper presses you could take classes on. They did a lot of paper testing for companies. There was a lab that had an original Indigo (pre-HP) and Xeikon digital presses and they did certification testing on paper stocks, and found the optimal settings to go into profiles. There were classes in pre-press. This was back when the transition from film to digital was happening, so we learned about manual imposition on film, but there was also digital plate setters. And the digital press lab had an Heidelburg GTO-DI that used a laser to image plastic plates on-press. We also had a wonderful teacher for print finishing who taught everything about folding and binding. He had patented a binding system and had consulted for companies all over the world. He taught because he wanted to, and he had physical samples of every conceivable problem that could occur from his consulting jobs.

I graduated in 2000, when the web was just taking off and ended up being a web devloper for 10 years. I did work on the web interface for an on-demand printer for a few years. Now, I run a company making stuff for the wedding and events industry. While only some of that is printing, the things I learned about breaking projects down into steps with an eye towards efficient production process has been valuable.

 

[Todd Wigington]

where does one get a degree in printing management?
do you get an associate degree, a BS or what?
just curious

It’s called College of Hard Knocks! LOL
I have been in the printing industry for over 30 years.
I started out with a small software company to develope and help printers manage their businesses. “PrintSmith”
I then started a large format business in 2000 and have managed my businesses with different large format management software and different software for the RIP’s. If you like to get help and get some lessons I am now doing consulting to help businesses with new ideas and get your business under control.

 

[netsol]

yes, we built tv studios, in the 1980's for the storer family (now comcast) & george ring in the late 1970's (now optimum)
& maintained banks of 3/4" vcrs in the days when HBO mailed the movies to the cable companies.
then did a few years in the photo processing industry (used moto photo and KISS machines)
so i learned color management from the other end, calibrating ikegami cameras

 

[Solventinkjet]

Checkout this page for profiles - https://mimaki.com/product/inkjet/i-flat/jfx200-2531/download.html

Not sure why Mimaki hides it on people but there are many profiles you can try there.

Edit: Here's the page for your EX version - https://mimaki.com/product/inkjet/i-flat/jfx200-2513-ex/download.html

 

[artifacture]

Does Onyx support the 2.5D printing? Mimaki said we can print braille and that they have a letter saying it meets the appropriate requirements, but I've yet to get anyone to tell me how to actually do it I'm signed up for the advanced training class, but it's not until later this year in my area. In the sales process, they implied it was a function in their software, but maybe it's necessary to create the grayscale shapes myself? I know braille has abbreviations, so I'm not sure a font alone is sufficient.