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hi everyone, i am considering buying rip software and i am unsure which to buy, which is the best software that works with photoshop illustrator vista and epson 1400. your advice is greatly appreciated!!!! also any advice on bulk systems for this would be fantastic, i am also interested in heat transfer and sub would i need seperate printers for each transfer, sub, general and positives?? many thanks!!
In the U.S., the main bulk refill CIS system that is sold with sublimation ink are the ones from Sawgrass (otherwise, Sawgrass will not provide tech support on them). So this is the same system that you will see in the movie linked below for setting up the hybrid 1400 printer. Since the printer is a 6-color system, you will run two channels (LcLm) of black film positive ink and four channels (CMYK) of sublimation ink.
It was my understanding that AccuRIP is a film positive only RIP just like PowerRIP, FastRIP and the others. This means that the decorator will need to have at least two different 1400 printers, possibly two CIS systems (if they are not running cartridges) and two sets of 6-channels of ink to run both sublimation and film positive printing. Is this correct?
Making a statement that one is cheaper than the other is relative as to what each software does. One software might come with one profile for a media that is not available in a specific location and will require the user to manipulate the curves. Other software might have multiple media already included and allow the user to do more things that can save them more money. Just some things to consider.
Mark-
Yes Accurip is for printing out positives. It is also one of the least expensive Rip's for what i does. As far as the other inquiry he had, You can print film positives without needing to run a different bulk system to do so. I would use accurip with the sublimation ink carts and tell it to pull just from the black carts for positives.
Take the 4880 for example. You can have both sublimation and chromoblast carts installed and still print out positives by using Accurip and pulling from the chromoblast black ink cart. It gives a very dark positive and allows you to have all the other systems still in place.
Multirip may be what he needs and I am not knocking it. I'm just saying that there are alternatives. And yes it does depend on what the software is capable of and its function to compare its price. Thank you for allowing me to clarify a bit.
If this still isn't clear let me know and I will try to be more succinct.
I agree with you. Different software programs will match different business models. I am also a fan of the 4880 as a hybrid as it will do everything (film positives, sublimation and inkjet transfers) if the decorator can afford to pay over six times the amount for the printer (1400 MSRP is $300 and the 4880 MSRP is $2000). Not having to run a bulk feed CIS system removes a lot of the maintenance issues. I have my own preference for a different ink than ChromaBlast for both colored cotton shirts and film positive printing (i.e. price / cost per print, non-weedable paper,...), but it is an option.
Switching out the ink black ink cartridge from sublimation to film positive is not a smart business move in my opinion. The cost per a print on sublimation ink cartridge is very high and have to run a head cleaning (wasting ink on the other 5 channels of sublimation ink) to get the new cartridge ready for use, is just not economical in my perspective. Just one of those things that can be done, but I would never recommend that.
Hope the weather is getting better there for you. Tell Ryan and the rest of the gang that I said hello. Happy Holidays.
best rip software epson 1400 vista 
also any advice on bulk systems for this would be fantastic, i am also interested in heat transfer and sub would i need seperate printers for each transfer, sub, general and positives?? many thanks!!
