#HP Designjet 650c
12 messages in this thread
Has anyone seen a 3D Studio rendering on the new HP DesignJet 650c color
plotter. I would like to know if there are 3DS drivers for it/exit
.. along the same topic output to the HP Design Jet 600 (greyscale)
thanks MP
No 3d Studio drivers for either the 600 or 660 color. However I would imagine
that if HP makes a windows driver, you might be able to print to it using a
Windows utility such as paint shop pro, or wingif. Both are available in the
graphdev forum.
Yann Bertaud – I.D.L. Autodesk.
One customer was writing to the DesignJet in the way that Yann suggested, using
Micrografx Designer.
It's a good one for the Wishlist.
Nik
Actually HP makes very nice windows drivers for the 650C they ship with the
printer. As far as I have seen the best way to print images is from Micro Grafx
Designer. It is about the only prgram that will support printing to anything
larger than B-size. Corel Draw will allow you to print to 30×30 but that's it.
You could actually use TIFFIN or PCXIN in AutoCAD and just plot it. Works great
except you need to fool with the pen settings as AutoCAD will plot the bitmap
with the same color scheme it uses for plots. Black as white and white as
black. I tried reversing the pen/color settings but that doesn't work <g>.
Dave Mennenoh
David,
What is the difference between the HP 550c and 650c?
Steve Ormonde
PMJI – but I think HP just announced the HP 1200c – 300dpi $1,695 — FWIW.
Eli.
>>What is the difference between the HP 550c and 650c?
Steve, About $8000 and 200lbs <G>. The 550c is an A-size (8 1/2 x 11) color ink
jet printer. It is pretty nice really. The 650c is a large format color ink jet
plotter. It will print up to E-size (36 x 48) sheet media and 36 x 50 feet or
something with roll media. It is a very nice plotter for doing bitmap work or
for AutoCAD. The ink cartrideges are also a lot different between the two. HP
is going to go after the DTP world with this one. I think they may sell a lot
of them for DTP type work. We have one on our show room and it really is sweet.
Very fast full color output. And it has pretty nice windows drivers. They seem
to work well but we have been having a slight problem with how it handles paper
sizes. Anyway that's the diff…
Dave Mennenoh
HP came by and dropped a DesignJet 650c off in Product Support! Their
presentation was directed towards the AutoCADders, but I said we'd like to see
it with 3DS. They said that they had some questions about that, that it should
work. A couple of us tried using their RHPADI and it rebooted 3DS and our
computers no problem. We're encouraging there belief that there are 3DS-ers
who would be very interested! They've done some nice plots with Instant
Artist, as well as EPS files.
Nik
How's that DesignJet 650c working? We're very close to ordering one but the
sales rep's are hedging (or simply don't know) about some basic issues. I was
hoping that you, or any one else in-the-know reading this thread, could
answer a couple of questions:
How Fast does it do Color? HP is claiming 6-7 min. for monochrome but
does mean 4 passes=24-28 min. for a color plot?
Do the Drivers for Windows, or the RHPADI, support raster image printing
(TIF/TGA) or does one have to buy the PostScript add-on fo another $1500?
What Resolution(s) does it support for Raster Files Plots?
Has anyone tried plotting color on Non-HP color paper?
Has Anyone Compared this model to the NovaJet?
Thanks-in-Advance for any info on what seems like a great plotter for
reasonable cash.
– Phil
Phil,
I have some of the answers at work, but not all the answers.
"How Fast does it do Color? HP is claiming 6-7 min. for monochrome but
does mean 4 passes=24-28 min. for a color plot?" No, it's not that long —
I've a list of times for the different size plots. It does not do 4 passes, by
the way. I am pretty sure that the inks, which are in adjacent cartridges,
require only one pass.
"Do the Drivers for Windows, or the RHPADI, support raster image printing
(TIF/TGA) or does one have to buy the PostScript add-on for another $1500?"
Don't know. We have the add-on though.
"What Resolution(s) does it support for Raster Files Plots?" I think 300 dpi
color, 600 mono.
"Has anyone tried plotting color on Non-HP color paper?" I was told by an HP
rep that black plots should be on non-HP Paper. Color plots are a little
duller on regular paper.
"Has Anyone Compared this model to the NovaJet?" Don't know.
Nik (I'll get more info later, unless someone else leaps in).
Here are some answers – It will do a color E-size plot in under 10 minutes. I
have verified this. The drivers for windows support whatever your program will
output. You don't need the postscript simm unless you want to print postscript.
I have plotted some very nice TGA's at C-size and they turn out great. You can
plot at any resolution your program supports – it seems the best program to do
large scale bitmaps is Micro Grafx designer though. As far as non HP paper is
concerned – only use it for monochrome. Although I have not yet tried it – HP
says color turns out poorly on non-HP paper. It blows away the NovaJet – both
in speed and quality. If your are seriously considering a great color plotter
don't look at the NovaJet. Overall, I highly recommend this plotter it is very
fast – quiet – and the color is nothing sort of spectacular.
Dave Mennenoh