Backlits on adhesive vinyl on HP 260 latex

[dasigndr]

We have a hp 260 latex printer and are printing on an adhesive back (backlit) vinyl and I am wondering how do I get more vibrant/ popping colours and how do I keep the look of the graphic to be relatively the same when it is not lit as when it is backlit. And how do I get my black to be opaque black?

We are using ONYX and I set the saturation to max and the brightness to as dark as I can. This helps a little but does not give me the popping colours I desire nor is the black opaque!!

Help anybody!! need answers quick so I can get this job out.

We also run an HP45500 UV printer and I can get the colours to pop but I can not laminate the UV prints and there is a joint / overlap because the graphic is over 6ft high.

 

[BigfishDM]

We have a hp 260 latex printer and are printing on an adhesive back (backlit) vinyl and I am wondering how do I get more vibrant/ popping colours and how do I keep the look of the graphic to be relatively the same when it is not lit as when it is backlit. And how do I get my black to be opaque black?

We are using ONYX and I set the saturation to max and the brightness to as dark as I can. This helps a little but does not give me the popping colours I desire nor is the black opaque!!

Help anybody!! need answers quick so I can get this job out.

We also run an HP45500 UV printer and I can get the colours to pop but I can not laminate the UV prints and there is a joint / overlap because the graphic is over 6ft high.

What pass mode are you using?

 

[dasigndr]

print mode is = CMYKcm

 

[BigfishDM]

print mode is = CMYKcm

Not the print mode, how many pass's are you doing? You should be running at 16 pass or higher.

 

[dasigndr]

the pass count is usually where the print mode is shown on the image. I think because I am using a different media. If I use HP then I have the option of choosing the pass count.
The media profile I am using is for Oracle because I was told to use this icc profile for the backlit media I am using which is a RiteMedia product.
Rite Media Translucent Vinyl, 54in x 75ft
Product code : RM-TV-54075

The backlit profile in HP menu does not work for this "Rite" vinyl.

 

[BigfishDM]

the pass count is usually where the print mode is shown on the image. I think because I am using a different media. If I use HP then I have the option of choosing the pass count.
The media profile I am using is for Oracle because I was told to use this icc profile for the backlit media I am using which is a RiteMedia product.
Rite Media Translucent Vinyl, 54in x 75ft
Product code : RM-TV-54075

The backlit profile in HP menu does not work for this "Rite" vinyl.

Ok try going onto the Lexjet/BMG/S.One website or the HP Media Locator website and download a canvas profile which should put the pass mode at maximum. Or you can try some of the other backlit profiles HP has loaded on their site.

http://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c04678827

 

[papabud]

here is what i have learned with dealing with saturation levels and my hp latex.
for my normal vinyl hp has limited the saturation level to 110 at 10 pass. but if i use the generic backlit setting i can change that level to 260 at 20 pass.
so for me to get something to really pop, i load my material and just tell the machine its generic backlit. it runs awesome like that. i did have to create a custom profile to control the heat and vacuum.
these limits are software set by hp. so if you dont like one thing just lie to your machine and make it do what you need it to do.

 

[AF]

here is what i have learned with dealing with saturation levels and my hp latex.
for my normal vinyl hp has limited the saturation level to 110 at 10 pass. but if i use the generic backlit setting i can change that level to 260 at 20 pass.
so for me to get something to really pop, i load my material and just tell the machine its generic backlit. it runs awesome like that. i did have to create a custom profile to control the heat and vacuum.
these limits are software set by hp. so if you dont like one thing just lie to your machine and make it do what you need it to do.

Good workaround and the limit for generic backlit is very close to the true saturation limit on vinyl using the L260. Although you can get almost 260 limit at 8 pass with enough heat and airflow. Makes you wonder how they came up with 110?

 

[Correct Color]

We have a hp 260 latex printer and are printing on an adhesive back (backlit) vinyl and I am wondering how do I get more vibrant/ popping colours and how do I keep the look of the graphic to be relatively the same when it is not lit as when it is backlit.

The only way to accurately get to what you're after is to use a true backlit profile. That is, a profile made from readings done with a transmissive spectrophotometer.

And what that means is that the profile was made by shining light through the profiling patches, as opposed to reflecting light off of them. Done this way, the final backlit result can be pretty breathtaking.

Any profile that's specifically called a "backlit" profile should have been made that way. Of course any you find may or may not be good profiles, but that's the place to start.

However, as noted in your question, there is the issue with these types of profiles that they can be much too dark when frontlit. They work great for images that are seen backlit at all times, like airport ads, but they do have the too-dark-when frontlit issue. What I have done over the years on occasion is to make profiles for clients of mine who have clients who are very concerned about this by taking transmissive readings, and then reflective readings, and then averaging them together to make a profile. It works surprisingly well, and can even make differing intensities by doing them, say 2 trans and one reflective, or the other way around, but it's still kind of neither fish nor foul, so to speak. One or the other viewing condition is always going to give.

Of course, the best way to print backlit/frontlit these days is anything that winds up being color/white/color. Whether it's a sandwich, or two-sided on translucent, or done in one pass on a flatbed, the results are truly the best of both worlds.

And how do I get my black to be opaque black?

It's going to take a true backlit profile, and a really good one at that, or color/white/color to do that. May as well just explain that to the client.