Luminous Landscape Forum

Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: oriwo on December 22, 2013, 10:56:58 am

Title: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: oriwo on December 22, 2013, 10:56:58 am
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nu4r3U_NhYI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

...new and interesting software for Epson LFPs from Silverfast.

Regards
oriwo
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 22, 2013, 11:02:37 am
Yes - know about it. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Eric Myrvaagnes on December 22, 2013, 02:21:26 pm
Yes - know about it. Stay tuned.
I'd love to see a review of it here. How about it, Mark?
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 22, 2013, 02:51:32 pm
It's on the work program.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: digitaldog on December 22, 2013, 03:43:44 pm
Got a copy but need to hammer on it. Initially the UI looks very nice. Mac only FWIW.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 22, 2013, 03:50:41 pm
Got a copy but need to hammer on it. Initially the UI looks very nice. Mac only FWIW.

And not backward compatible to Snow Leopard, nor will it be. Needs Lion onward.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Jason DiMichele on December 22, 2013, 03:56:59 pm
Wondering why there is no version to support my 11880. Are there technical reasons or just a business decision do you think? If they are going to tap into and compete in the 44" market, why not the 64" market as well. Perhaps they assume most owners of the 11880 would be using RIP software already...

Cheers!
Title: Re:
Post by: oriwo on December 24, 2013, 05:30:27 am
In the current German Finartprinter.de is to read, there will soon come a Windows version of printao8 :) .
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 24, 2013, 08:35:32 am
In the current German Finartprinter.de is to read, there will soon come a Windows version of printao8 :) .

PrinTao 8. Suitable subtitle could be "In der Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister".  Keep it that way, enough programs that become a Jack of all trades, .... Nice GUI. In features somewhere between Qimage (Windows) and Roy Harrington's Print Tool (OS-X). Priced above both though and at the moment with a severe Epson only limitation compared to Qimage. That will change I guess. Mac/Epson users should be happy now. Whether paper manufacturer's created media choices make the difference has to be seen, the .oms files for the HP Z's have a similar concept but do not satisfy all users. Of course the Z's have a spectrometer aboard. If Silverfast's marketing scheme is copied by Lasersoft we will see more PrinTao license types I guess. OS and printer driver types to separate them. The tools raise some questions in my mind but I will wait for reviewers with a Mac and Epson at hand. Not available in my shop.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 24, 2013, 08:46:07 am
PrinTao 8. Suitable subtitle could be "In der Beschränkung zeigt sich der Meister".  Keep it that way, enough programs that become a Jack of all trades, .... Nice GUI. In features somewhere between Qimage (Windows) and Roy Harrington's Print Tool (OS-X). Priced above both though and at the moment with a severe Epson only limitation compared to Qimage. That will change I guess. Mac/Epson users should be happy now. Whether paper manufacturer's created media choices make the difference has to be seen, the .oms files for the HP Z's have a similar concept but do not satisfy all users. Of course the Z's have a spectrometer aboard. If Silverfast's marketing scheme is copied by Lasersoft we will see more PrinTao license types I guess. OS and printer driver types to separate them. The tools raise some questions in my mind but I will wait for reviewers with a Mac and Epson at hand. Not available in my shop.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

The marketing scheme is very simple. There is one kind of license and the cost increases with the width of your printer. I do not believe this is going to change. My research work is well underway as I do have the tools needed to do it. Stay tuned.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 27, 2013, 07:12:35 am
Should we interpret the latest article on LuLa as a shot across the bows for PrinTao 8 ? It does not tell much that we did not know already and ends in blunt advertizing.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 27, 2013, 09:25:20 am
Should we interpret the latest article on LuLa as a shot across the bows for PrinTao 8 ? It does not tell much that we did not know already and ends in blunt advertizing.

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

What article are you talking about? I did a site search and didn't find anything.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 27, 2013, 09:29:24 am
Building a Better Profile – It's All In The Recipe

Which is not a tutorial as the title suggests. Read it and tell me what it is.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 27, 2013, 09:35:16 am
Building a Better Profile – It's All In The Recipe

Which is not a tutorial as the title suggests. Read it and tell me what it is.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

I did a quick visual scan - nothing whatsoever to do with PrinTao 8. ImagePrint and PrinTao 8 are different kinds of software that would cater to different market segments.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on December 27, 2013, 10:01:25 am
I did a quick visual scan - nothing whatsoever to do with PrinTao 8. ImagePrint and PrinTao 8 are different kinds of software that would cater to different market segments.
I'll look forward to the review.  I just did a scan of the PrinTao 8 website and it doesn't look like this is much more than a sophisticate print manager.  It doesn't do what Ernst was getting at (and the topic of the article on LuLa that talks about 'recipe mixing.'  There is a built in feature that automatically scans for updates to manufacturers profiles but how many of us use those?
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: digitaldog on December 27, 2013, 10:13:48 am
I just did a scan of the PrinTao 8 website and it doesn't look like this is much more than a sophisticate print manager. 
That's my take thus far. You have a mini LR Print Module so to speak and you bypass the Epson driver which over the years, on Mac has had issues with the OS. Which may or may not be an issue between this product and whatever Apple does to break it <g>. One would hope the Lasersoft people would react much faster than Epson who after all, has to deal with dual platfrom's too. It's supposed to make all the settings and work we have to do to make a print a bit easiler (again like the LR print module). I don't expect to see 'better' print quality etc but maybe.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 27, 2013, 10:31:02 am
Like Qimage is not eating into ImagePrint's market segment?

I know of at least two shops that abandoned more expensive RIPs than ImagePrint for Qimage. Count the users that faced an Imageprint upgrade and decided that Qimage would do as well. So should PrinTao 8, that runs on a Mac, aims at Epson printers like ImagePrint does. If PrinTao 8 has those features implemented well, the LightRoom etc image libraries, the paper manufacturers sanctioned media presets + profiles, it should be a winner on Macs. It could use some Qimage algorithms if that resolution sliding bar does not hide something of that already. I see Qimage could borrow something too.

I think a fast scan is enough for the content of that Imageprint article on LuLa. Reading between the lines is not wasted either there.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
July 2013, 500+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 27, 2013, 10:49:30 am
............how many of us use those?

There are numerous kinds of "us" out there Alan. And users aren't stuck with manufacturer's profiles.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Some Guy on December 27, 2013, 12:13:14 pm
Somehow I got a bad feeling with the canned profiles they will include as downloads.  Maybe just the ones they can get from the manufacturers that off them for free.  For those of us who use non-OEM inks then what?  Plus, there are a lot of sundry paper sellers out there that they will have to support (PremierArt, Inkpress, Canon (Canon, Canon II, Canon II N), retailer's brands like Freestyle's Artista and Calumet's house brand, and ones who change their paper types often, etc.).

Packaging the printer driver is good, although Qimage may be less troublesome should the printer company change the driver or printer firmware which would mean Printao 8 might have to alter theirs too.  Qimage could remain the same as the driver is independent.  I don't think Qimage is threatened other than this being for Mac, but if Qimage had a Mac version....  I do prefer Qimage's print-sharpening over Adobe's or some other RIPwares too.

SG
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Alan Goldhammer on December 27, 2013, 01:11:35 pm
There are numerous kinds of "us" out there Alan. And users aren't stuck with manufacturer's profiles.
I didn't say that they are.  I just find it questionable to market a product based on its ability to download Mfr's profiles.  From what I saw of the promotional stuff on the website most everything can be done within LR right now.  What they have cleverly done is to make things 'easier' to do.  As I noted I look forward to the review but given I'm on Windows and there is no ETA for a Windows version this will remain more of curiosity to me.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Kevin Raber on December 27, 2013, 03:17:18 pm
Both Mark and I are doing a review on this product.  Mark will focus on small format while I will look at the larger format printers.  I did make a number of large images (44 inch) last night with the program and was impressed by the user interface.  Totally one of the best I have seen in regards to the process of laying out a sheet of paper and making prints.  Seems to work fine.  I do want to do further tests on some tough images and see how they compare to output from ImagePrint, PS and LR.  Also, some interface things which I have already been in touch with LaserSoft about.  Give Mark and me a bit of time to get this done and we'll be back to everyone.

Kevin Raber
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: JakeD on December 30, 2013, 06:44:45 pm
Mark/Kevin,
The Florida helpline number for LaserSoft doesn't seem to be manned at all (or the switchboard for that matter). I use a 7900 and an iMAC. Can you say if this new software enables printing on roll paper to longer lengths than the Epson driver? Epson inform me that the only way to print longer than their driver permits is by using a RIP. ($$$$$). This would be a vote swinger for me if it did allow that.
And best wishes to you and everyone here for 2014.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 30, 2013, 08:08:59 pm
Mark/Kevin,
The Florida helpline number for LaserSoft doesn't seem to be manned at all (or the switchboard for that matter). I use a 7900 and an iMAC. Can you say if this new software enables printing on roll paper to longer lengths than the Epson driver? Epson inform me that the only way to print longer than their driver permits is by using a RIP. ($$$$$). This would be a vote swinger for me if it did allow that.
And best wishes to you and everyone here for 2014.

I have not tested this software with an iMac and a 7900 so I cannot give you a definitive answer. I know for sure it is tested to 5 feet on an Epson 4900. I believe PrinTao 8 is designed to allow long length printing on any of the supported printers because it bypasses the Epson driver altogether. You can very easily find out at no cost by going to the PrinTao website and downloading the free demo. Install it and see whether it prints your required length.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: digitaldog on December 30, 2013, 08:26:13 pm
It would be super great if this product could print longer than the Epson driver which I know is a limitation for some. It's longer under Windows but I'm not sure if that's due to the OS or just differences in how Epson coded their drivers. I know ImagePrint can print a longer image than the Epson driver. I know folks using it just for that task.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 31, 2013, 09:36:44 am
Any printer that knows a banner mode in the driver can print longer than the driver says if you use Qimage. See the solution in Qimage's Learn by Example 6a.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.

Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 31, 2013, 09:39:16 am
Any printer that knows a banner mode in the driver can print longer than the driver says if you use Qimage. See the solution in Qimage's Learn by Example 6a.


--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.



PrinTao is for the time being Mac only (though that will change); QImage is Windows only?
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on December 31, 2013, 09:55:41 am
PrinTao is for the time being Mac only (though that will change); QImage is Windows only?

Correct and it is unlikely that Qimage Ultimate will get an OS-X version. But there are ways to use Qimage on a Mac:
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/qimage/tips-for-qimage-users-switching-to-mac/

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.


Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Mark D Segal on December 31, 2013, 10:05:57 am
Correct and it is unlikely that Qimage Ultimate will get an OS-X version. But there are ways to use Qimage on a Mac:
http://ddisoftware.com/tech/qimage/tips-for-qimage-users-switching-to-mac/

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.




Yes I know about that - means going back to Windows. Not the end of life as we know it, but at least for me, not a preferred option just for the sake of a printing app.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: DarrenVena on January 14, 2014, 03:26:06 pm
We are in the process of supporting the 11880 and should have it shortly.

Darren at LaserSoft Imaging.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: DarrenVena on January 14, 2014, 03:27:29 pm
Regarding length limitations. PrinTao 8 doesn't have any and has been tested up to ten feet.

Darren
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Ernst Dinkla on January 14, 2014, 03:33:47 pm
It gets interesting above 20 feet, not to mention roll lengths.

BTW, Print Tool has been updated recently:
http://www.quadtonerip.com/html/QTRprinttool.html

--
Met vriendelijke groet, Ernst

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm
January 2014, 600+ inkjet media white spectral plots.
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: msbc on January 14, 2014, 06:30:07 pm
We are in the process of supporting the 11880 and should have it shortly.

Darren at LaserSoft Imaging.

Darren,

The 3800 needs some love too. Any hope?

Mark
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: DarrenVena on January 15, 2014, 09:02:41 am
Hi Mark.

Hope yes. Time frame? I wish I knew and had a better answer for you. We realize there are many older models still in operation but development for those requires a different approach. Like I said, I wish I had a better answer for you Mark.

Darren
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: Pat O'Connor on January 15, 2014, 05:08:53 pm
Am I too optimistic in thinking a 24" license will also cover smaller printers (e.g. 7890 license working on both a 7890 and 4880)
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: DarrenVena on January 16, 2014, 09:51:53 am
At this time, the 17 inch license supports the 3880, 4890 and the 4900, the 24 inch supports the 7890 and 7900 and the 44 inch supports the 9890 and 9900. The "Home Edition" supports the R2880 and R3000. New printers including some of the Canon series will be offered soon.

On a separate note, please forgive me if I don't respond to questions regarding PrinTao on a regular basis as things are very busy as you can all imagine. Kevin and Mark will have some great information that should be helpful in answering many of those questions since we are all working together on this. Thank you for your patience and continued support.

Darren
Title: Re: Printao8, new printing SW for Epson LFP
Post by: gerlo on March 02, 2014, 04:53:56 am
Over he last week i have been trying to get Printao to work on an Epson 7900.
On OSX 10.7.5, on 10.8.5 and last on 10.9.2
After the first run on roll paper with 2 images printed next each other, all kinds of warnings and errors (D17E) arise on the printer itself.
First run excellent. After the cut it is impossible to get a second printing.
Restarting the printer is the only way to go.
Now used 3 different Macs all with OSX 10.9.2 running. One system is brand new with only Photoshop and Printao installed.
Laser soft in Germany has no clue.
I'm going back to Lightroom for printing.
Anybody having the same problem with Printao?

Best, Gerlo