#Driver for DJ650c
16 messages in this thread
David – I don't know of a direct 3dS driver for the 650c, but there are several
alternative in the DOS / Windows world.
SuperPrint for Windows does a decent job of getting the data to an attached
plotter. I believe the suggested retail is somewhere around $595.
The PhotoScript board from Pisa Systems works in DOS or Windows, gives good
stochastic dithering, and gets your machine back to you ASAP. Once the image is
loaded into the board, it services the plotter, and turns your computer loose
to let you get back to work. Load it with 48Mb of DRAM.
Try the old AutoCAD Release 11 HPGL/2 drivers; if you're just trying to print
wireframe models.
If you're printing raster images, go buy Corel Draw 3 from EGGHEAD
(800-egghead) for about $69.00. It isn't a real great program (Corel Draw 5 is
a great program, but costs a whole lot mroe) but it will print to your 650C day
in and day out. And you have a lot of design features in Corel 3 also.
Just a thought!
Brad
Brad:
I noticed you suggested Corel for printing to the HP 650c and I have a question
for you. Have you been able to print an image larger than 30"x30"? I haven't
had any luck and I'm trying to narrow down exactly why I have this limit.
Could be printer RAM as there is only 12mb on board but I was wondering if it
is a Corel limit. Any ideas?
Bob
Bob,
It is a Corel limitation that I never quite understood…
You can "fool" the 650C by creating a plot file and then sending it to the
printer at a larger scale (if you have postscript). You can try to print at
larger scale directly from Corel, but for high-color, large images at 600 dpi,
12mb is not enough.
Invest in software called "ONYX" for postscript 650C's; it handles images very
well by using both printer RAM and PC RAM…we love it.
Brad
Brad:
Thanks (I think :-{ ) for confirming the Corel limitation. I spent some time
talking with my HP dealer and he suggested the same software, "Onyx". My
requirements would probably not warrant anything more substantial than what I
could get with Image Alchemy but it's nice to know that options exist. Our
650c is not outfitted with the Postscript option but this dealer suggested
another possible workaround. He suggested disabling the RAM buffer and let the
PC Printer/Server do all of the processing, swapping to disk if needed. This
sounded like a nifty way to get past the 12MB limitation but I just perused the
docs and found no mention of a way to disable the buffer. Demand around here
may pick up and I could warrant the Onyx/Postcript combo, we shall see. Thanks
again for you suggestions.
Bob
PMJI>>Robert, Here is a note on a couple of things you have been discussing.
There is a Postscript RIP that I have been testing for a few months and will do
the job quite well without any ram in the printer and using between 32 & 64
megs of ram on your CPU. The program is by Imageworx and its called Ripware for
Windows the list price is under $1500. As I said it's a Postscript RIP and it
scales vector and Postscript fonts along with bitmap images very well in large
image size output i.e. 36" x 48" on the 650c and the NovaJet III. Here is
Imageworx's number 508-256-8910.
I was on Image Alchemy's BBS and found a file for printing to the 650c and the
NovaJet III. It was great information because of all the command line switches
that are available get quite confusing. If you have not seen this file you
might want to take a look at it.
-Mike
Mike:
Thanks for all of the info! Ripware sounds like it is worth a look. And that
tip about Image Alchemy, thanks again.
Bob
We offer our clients three different price/performance options when it comes to
raser printing.
SuperPrint (I believe the SRP is around $595), the PhotoScript board from Pisa
Systems (download print/plot to board, returns system to user much faster), and
Onyx. All three have advantages depending on your needs.
SuperPrint is inexpensive, but doesn't have some of the more sophisitcated
color balancing features that the other packages have.
The PhotoScript board will work form DOS or Windows. Under Windows it will
return your application back to you much more quickly, and has color balancing
tables for specific printer/plotter/ink combinations. Pisa systems also
manufactures a network print server product.
Onyx software has some marvelous features, one of which is the ability to tile
a plot. You can take an image and plot it out in sections, creating a
mural-sized image.
So much for software and hardware – shall we start discussing inks also?
Dennis:
Thanks for the information on RIPs, I'm not looking for anything too
elaborate, Superprint sounds like a product to consider. I've been getting
great feedback, thanks again.
-Bob Ritger
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Bob:
I just downloaded the 2.0 driver for HP plotters (including the 650C — with
which I have the same 12Mb limiot problem), and it has a switch to set to
either "process in plotter" or "process in computer" — which they say can
overcome memory problems. As I say, I just got it yesterday afternoon, and
haven't tried it, but if it just sends a completed raster to the plotter, then
that should certainly solve things. It is slower, they say.
GO HPPERIPHER and download PL120MU.EXE from the plotters lib (17, I think).
Dave
Dave:
How are you, ya been a bit scarce lately. I fear you have been working too
hard. Vacation time, how about a trip to SIGGRAPH?
I thank you again for a great lead. I downloaded the new HP driver as you
suggested and put it to the test. The feature for disabling the RAM buffer is
going to help but the READ.ME file cited my problems as being known and
unchanged. Specifically the file mentions the 30"x30" Corel Draw limit and
qualified the Quark size limit at 26"x26". Sounds like I still need to team up
the plotter with a RIP to get larger plots from these two packages.
-Bob Ritger
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Bob:
Yeah, I was out of town (sans computer) on business for a week, followed by a
stiff week of trying to get a presentation ready AND catch up on my CIS
threads. In fact, I just got caught up on all my cyber-reading YESTERDAY!
I just found an ad for RIPware for $199.95 from Publisher's Toolbox
(800-390-0461). Yeah, I'm thinking I could use this too, especially in that
the 650c driver will only allow scaling in 100% increments (I too am sans the
$2k PS upgrade). The same catalog has Wacom refurbished (w/ 3yr warranty) for
$99.95 and a really cool-looking new plug-in filter (PhotoShop-type) from
Andromeda that will create engraving and mezzotint stuff! Imagine using that
w/ AAS to turn your 3DS animation into something that looks like the front page
of the Wall Street Journal come to life! Now if I could just "justify" it
somehow! "You know, boss, I've often heard clients remark that they really
wish they could see what there building would look like if it were rendered by
an engraver…."<g> (Also, they've got the new ArtPad II advertised w/ the new
Wacom UltraPen w/ the pressure sensitive eraser!)
As for SIGGRAPH, I just FINALLY got my answer this morning: YES!!! I'm staying
w/ a couple guys from Black&Veatch in KC. It looks like we probably won't be
getting a car, but if you want to get together for anything, just let me know
(other than the ASOFT party Sunday, GregP's office open house on Monday and the
3DS party Tuesday — I should no doubt be attending all those). I haven't got
my arrival/departure times yet, but it'll be Saturday (probably evening) and
leaving Wednesday.
Dave
Dave:
It'll be great to meet you at SIGGGRAPH this year! As for schedule I'm
currently scheduled to arrive Saturday night but I'm going to try to swap to
Friday so I can take in both 3DS classes. If you leave Wednesday you're gonna
miss the electronic theater won't you? Not to be missed.
I saw the same Wacom ad this week with the pressure sensitive erasure. I'm
sure they have plans in the works for one which leaves digital erasure shavings
<G>.
– Bob Ritger
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PMFJI, but could you give me more info on the 'ONYX' program you are refering
to? It sounds like something we need.
Doug
Doug, Check my message to Robert on this subject. Ripware is a great program
and it is less expensive than Oynx.
-Mike
Thanks Mike. I'll check out the message.
Doug