Signs of the Times - February 2013 - (Page 34)

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW By Chris and Kathi Morrison Chris and Kathi Morrison own and operate The Image Specialists, a full-service graphics company based in Clements, CA. Chris is also a Microsoft-certified systems engineer. Caldera V9 RIP Software Enhancements Advances machine operations worldwide Key Information RIP software should enhance and refine a large-format printer’s inherent capabilities implanted by the developing engineers. Accordingly, Caldera, for the past 20 years, has continuously elevated its RIP competencies – color standards, workflow, speed, image quality and ease of use – to, in turn, advance the operations of its supported printers worldwide. Clearly, Caldera’s Linux or Macbased platforms allow you to streamline your resources because the processor and memory are optimized for applications and not consumed by the system. Thus, the RIP and print systems operate faster in a multi-task environment. Further, the RIP resides on one platform; thus processing is easier (and you purchase one update for all machines). Also, Caldera says the single-residence RIP platform reduces training time. Caldera’s recently introduced V9 RIP comprises the latest version of the Adobe print engine, APPE 2.5, which delivers such added productivity features and refinements as enhanced color options, improved transparency, faster preview functions and other practical additions. Our focus here, however, is on options that help you obtain shop efficiency, the best output and possibly a new profit center via fabric design and printing. In particular, we’re looking Caldera Software 1 Rue des Frères Lumière - BP 78002 Parc d’Activités d’Eckbolsheim 67038 Strasbourg Cedex - France +33 (0) 3 88 21 00 00 www.caldera.com Contact: Sebastien Hanssens, vice president marketing and communication +33 (0) 6 777 25 833, sebastien.hanssens@caldera.com at the InkPerformer™ (it optimizes ink consumption) and Easy Textile (for pattern generation) modules. InkPerformer InkPerformer, a new V9 option, spawned from a Caldera and Alwan Color Expertise collaboration. Alwan Color (Lyon, France) is a colormanagement and standardization firm. V9 reduces an inkjet printer’s ink use by 20 to 35%. Essentially, it calculates new blackink levels to reduce other inks’ use, while reproducing the original file hues and increasing black laydown. It also allows you to use professional judgment in situations where exceptional quality isn’t required, such as distantly viewed applications. EasyTextile Creating textile patterns and duplicate patterns from scratch can be pain- System Requirements: Caldera V9 RIP Software PC Operating System Processor RAM Hard Drive Monitor/videocard MAC Linux OS; Caldera Debian 1.1 OSX 10.5 to 10.7 Single or dual-core 2 Ghz Single or dual-core 2 Ghz Minimum 2 Gb, recommended 4 Gb Minimum 2 Gb, recommended 4 Gb 250 Gb 250 Gb 1280 x 1024 1280 x 1024 34 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / FEBRUARY 2013 / www.signweb.com staking. The EasyTextile™ (a plug-in for Adobe Photoshop ®) option seamlessly runs through Caldera’s RIP and allows you to focus on the wide-format, custom-print fabric market. It’s a strong route into the home-décor and textile market. Caldera’s Step-and-Repeat utility uses a shift pivot or invert function to help you create more graceful, tiled designs. And, Colorations, another feature, allows you to create color options (colorways) for repeattype designs. Other innovations Other upgrades comprise LiveSpooler™ module updates that allow you to verify parameters or modify settings; an XML exchange protocol that monitors print-environment offline devices; last-minute contrast, luminosity and colorbalance adjustments; on-demand Color Books swatch generation; an Easy-Media profiling module that smoothes color rendering and finetunes contrast and saturation; inkdensity reports; ICC profile resynchronization; plus, memory management, font and X objects support. Caldera’s RIP-module options alternative eases your initial investment. You can buy as you go. Remember also, Caldera, for years, has been recognized as a global RIP leader – its software is prevalent in many U.S. and European-based print machines. ■ http://www.caldera.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - February 2013

Signs of the Times - February 2013
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Electric
LED Update
Software Update
Technology Review
Technology Review
Sign Museum News
New Products
Dressed to Impress
Uniqlo’s In-store Digital Signage
Pursuing a Different Rout
Word on the Street Signs
Industry News
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - February 2013