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educate me - Postscript or not


buz

Question

Seems in a discussion I had 'somewhere' it was recommended that i use a ps printer with VWA (9.5).

So I have finally afforded a large format (13x19) HP printer (cs1700ps) and have had considerable difficulty getting their software RIP to work properly. At this point it seems that OSX's custom paper sizes are out and I can print to only those sizes offered in the File>Page Set Up dialog.

Their latest OSX RIP for this printer is a version 2. Through tech support discussions with HP one of their trouble shooting options was to download and try the 'non ps' driver for this printer (ver 2.3.1)

Experimenting I find first that the non ps printer produces much better color (closer to what's on sceen), secondly it's faster and thirdly it works with fewer steps in the print process.

Any feedback, thoughts, opinions greatly appreciated.

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Non-PS is generally faster than PS. WIth PS, you get quality. Quality takes longer to process and print.

Going back to your original problem with not being able to print a custom page size.

When you go to File>Print and the Print dialog box appears, what printer is selected?

Does it say generic or the CP1700?

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Katie

In the 'Print' dialog I have a choice of prnters. As hardware goes - I have two printers. An Apple Laserwriter 4/600PS and now the HP CP1700ps.

In discussions with HP tech support I had been asked to download the non ps driver for this printer. We (tech support and I) never got around to installing it as a troubleshooting means.

Last night I decided to install the non ps driver and 'compare' the output between the ps and non ps drivers.

To answer your question, my Print dialog box has three options:

1. The Laserwriter

2. localhost (the ps driver for the CP1700)

3. CP1700 (the non ps driver for the 1700)

I guess my real question is - "Why do I want a PS printer"?

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PS printers are a plus, depending on what you want

VW allows you to print to any printer supported by the OS, since we do not make our own print drivers, and it gives you the flexibility to choose.

PS printers are better than non ps printers because of quality.

They print with a round pen where non ps printers use a square pen.

On diagonal lines, the lines are more accurate and smooth. WIth a non-ps printer, you end up with jagged edges, angled lines, poor color.

PS printers usually allow for higher DPI printing resolutions, giving you more dots per inch - which produces better color quality. The colors are more true and vivid.

PS printers are slower than non-ps printers, because the acuracy levels they use to print however, they are not drastically slower.

You can run into memory related problems with PS printers because PS file sizes are much larger than non-ps, but that all goes back to quality quality quality.

If you have a printer that doen't have alot of onboard memory, you may run into scenario's where the drawing doesn't print. Usually, this is with older models and/or extremely large drawing files.

With that said, the same problem occurs in non-ps printers.

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PS printers are better than non ps printers because of quality. They print with a round pen where non ps printers use a square pen.

On diagonal lines, the lines are more accurate and smooth. WIth a non-ps printer, you end up with jagged edges, angled lines, poor color.

Katie - You have refreshed my memory on the argument re ps and non ps printers.

Unfortunately, I don't know what have doen to get the cp1700ps to start printing 'properly' to my 19x13 paper ...... but whatever it was ..... it worked.

If only a person had the time to write down each and very troubleshooting step ...... the software world would be an easier place. :-)

Thank you

[ 01-17-2004, 01:09 PM: Message edited by: buz ]

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