Are you referring to the difference between true postscript or clone postscript? I am currently only looking at printers that claim they understand the postscript 3 printing language.
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Digital Mayhem Screen Printing
DigitalMayhemInc.com
Many printers have Postscript ability, but usually that means they can translate Postscript output from graphic programs and out put them. This very often means the final output is 85 line halftones at 45 degrees and you can't adjust the options. Beware.
I'm not sure which printer you are talking about, but in the postscript language definition, any frequency and angle are allowed, but the actual value used will be the nearest mathematically allowable number.
In the print dialog box in a program such as illustrator, it may only show a single option for the LPI and angle. The number displayed in the print dialog box are controlled by a editable file know as a PPD. Printers create PPD's to describe the ideal numbers to be used for the printer to produce it's best possible output results. Since ideal for screen printing is different, the PPD could be edited to a default to other settings.
Within programs like illustrator, the values shown for LPI and angle can be edited in the file dialog box. While only 85lpi at 45 degrees is displayed, that value can be changed to 45 lpi at 15 degrees.
The exception i was referring to was high end color inkjet which is capable of near continuous tone. The postscript rip bundles with the printer can not produce a lined screen at all. Not at 85, not at 45, not at any number. Instead the rip is likely calculating stochastic screens using random diffusion dithering.
If a postscript printer can print any line screen, is should be able to print any line screen
I'm not sure which printer you are talking about, but in the postscript language definition, any frequency and angle are allowed, but the actual value used will be the nearest mathematically allowable number.
I was warning, just like you warned about the color management RIPS that can't shape halftones, (ColorBurst for instance), that there are plenty of laser printers I have run into that CAN print Postscript, you just can't modify the LPI commands.
"The firmware of the HP Color LaserJet 1500 and 2500 series printers will not permit custom LPI or halftone commands; therefore, these products will not recognize or accept custom LPI or halftone settings. HP feels this constraint provides the best possible print quality in a multitude of printing scenarios."
Alas, not for screen printing positives.
- this is the only manual or reference I can find right now.
Just beware. All anyone has to do is ask for a test print with a low LPI and odd angle to prove an printer designed for office output can accept halftone commands and deposit enough tone to stop UV-A energy.
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How are you measuring? Ulano Technical Product Manager - NYC
I just purchased an "antique" phaser 560 with genuine postscript 2. It came with 3 extra black toners and 1 cyan, 2 magenta, and 1 extra yellow. There is still 75% in the toners in the machine. I also recieved 500 transparencies, and extra fuser, all for $100. I can't carry it by myself, so I will let you guys know if it works later. Will postscript 2 work?
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Last edited by DigitalMayhem; February 1st, 2008 at 06:21 AM.
I just purchased an "antique" phaser 560 with genuine postscript 2. It came with 3 extra black toners and 1 cyan, 2 magenta, and 1 extra yellow. There is still 75% in the toners in the machine. I also recieved 500 transparencies, and extra fuser, all for $100. I can't carry it by myself, so I will let you guys know if it works later. Will postscript 2 work?
Yes, postscript 2 is fine. The only drawback to the 560 is speed and page size, but for $100 you can't loose! I remember back to when that printer was new and thinking how cool and fast it was.
Just one warning, graduated screens are a killer for those old printers. I can remember some drawing taking 30 minutes to an hour to print.
The other great speed killer is scanned graphic resolution. For that printer, 150 DPI scanned graphics is more than ample. If you send a graphic at high resolution, it will take significantly longer to print, but not give you any increase in output quality.
A device like the 560 is great for making marketing materials for direct mail.
I got the phaser working. No big problems, broken door hinge, fan was a little noise at start, I will make sure to monitor that... fans are cheap. I took a picture of the first prints I tried. Not bad for a 10 year old machine. But shoot, I picked it up in my 17 year old mustang. http://www.digitalmayheminc.com/phaser560test.jpg
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Digital Mayhem Screen Printing
DigitalMayhemInc.com
does what richard said apply to my printer? I can't seem to change the halftones no matter what I send to it.
The print driver "is supposed" to have the ability to force "black only" "fax friendly" setting. Color printers like to mix some cyan, magenta and yellow into the black. The would say it is to make the black "richer", i say it is to make the printer maker richer by using more toner.
coreldraw x3, I change the frequency, angle, and halftone type and see no differences in the print. it did fail to print anything when i set the frequency below 5
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Digital Mayhem Screen Printing
DigitalMayhemInc.com
coreldraw x3, I change the frequency, angle, and halftone type and see no differences in the print. it did fail to print anything when i set the frequency below 5
I probably should have asked which printer you were using. The B&W fax friendly options are under the operating systems "Properties" dialog. Any option that says "enchanced" would also probably need unchecking. These enhanced options override the programs settings.
Postscript printers allow options under the printers PPD. if the printer has other PPD options other than the default? If so, do these settings have any effect?
I'm using the phaser 560. The ppd does not really do much. I can change the print quality. I don't see the settings you speak of in the properties either. Maybe it is an antique? Like I said coreldraw DOES let me change the advanced settings, and recognizes the postscript 2.
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Digital Mayhem Screen Printing
DigitalMayhemInc.com
Re: Which Laser Printer?? Money is NO OBJECT 
phaser 560 with genuine postscript 2. It came with 3 extra black toners and 1 cyan, 2 magenta, and 1 extra yellow. There is still 75% in the toners in the machine. I also recieved 500 transparencies, and extra fuser, all for $100. I can't carry it by myself, so I will let you guys know if it works later. Will postscript 2 work?
