any one had any experience on a harlequin rip version 7.1? We're considering buying a used ctp and that's the rip that comes with it. I've heard others say that the only rip that makes sense for the future is one based on the Adobe print engine.
Any help appreciated.
What are you going to send to it? And is it an actual RIP that will be doing the screening or is it just a tiff catcher?
it's the actual rip, trapping screening etc.
Supposed to replace our old Apogee X system.
more of the money available at this time is going to a small 4 color litho press that's all digital. Not getting a new ctp unfortunately. The platesetter is a SCREEN about 5 years old. I guess it's refirbushed.
8.3 appears to be the latest version so as usual, newer file formats could pose a problem. Their web site does state though that:
QuoteThe Harlequin RIP has processed PostScript files natively since 1988 and PDF files natively since 1997, including rendering of live PDF transparency since 2002. It also processes XPS, the print and document format from Microsoft natively.
You are in Toronto and I believe Unisource is the vendor of record for Harlequin. I know of another printer in TO with very poor comments about the service from Unisource - basically they do not want to do it unless you bought the software from them. RIP runs fine but the whole Heidy / Harlequin / CTP (Screen) thing is "sorta" working. Scancorp is my choice for a CTP solution - solid when I needed them (years ago).
that's funny, thats who they bought it from. Just signed the papers.
I mean Scancorp, not Unisource
Quote from: Joe on April 18, 2011, 11:12:13 AM8.3 appears to be the latest version so as usual, newer file formats could pose a problem. Their web site does state though that:
QuoteThe Harlequin RIP has processed PostScript files natively since 1988 and PDF files natively since 1997, including rendering of live PDF transparency since 2002. It also processes XPS, the print and document format from Microsoft natively.
Sounds good..... I wonder why not a lot of people seem to be using this rip. I did notice however, that it's the rip they sell with the Presstek digital-offset presses. (which we may be purchasing after the ctp gets running).
i ran similar - mine was a xitron rip - running a screen 8000II ctp. rip was iffy - we had a few transparency issues and had to do workrounds - i cant remember specifics since we were doing all manner of sports, metallics and process mixes i'm sure it was some of that.
strangely enough one of the guys who actually designed the harlequin rip system lives and works about 20 miles from me here in the good ol' U of K - small world huh?
I think most systems these days are not just rip based but workflow based - inclusive of rip - like prinergy and fuji stuff etc so the harlequin is fighting against closed loop proprietary systems and workflows. xitron in fairness do have some nifty stuff but ri found their service to be.....nil. wasnt impressed
the screen 8000II was awesome. never stopped running, never broke down, never needed feeding and didn't need a work permit. plate slip sheets misfeeding was a pain tho
Quote from: beermonster on April 19, 2011, 09:08:54 AMi ran similar - mine was a xitron rip - running a screen 8000II ctp. rip was iffy - we had a few transparency issues and had to do workrounds - i cant remember specifics since we were doing all manner of sports, metallics and process mixes i'm sure it was some of that.
strangely enough one of the guys who actually designed the harlequin rip system lives and works about 20 miles from me here in the good ol' U of K - small world huh?
I think most systems these days are not just rip based but workflow based - inclusive of rip - like prinergy and fuji stuff etc so the harlequin is fighting against closed loop proprietary systems and workflows. xitron in fairness do have some nifty stuff but ri found their service to be.....nil. wasnt impressed
the screen 8000II was awesome. never stopped running, never broke down, never needed feeding and didn't need a work permit. plate slip sheets misfeeding was a pain tho
I ran a xitron for a couple years before we got our lotem, we had an interface card to output to our dolev800, only grief I ever had was the occasional moire pattern that we couldn't seem to shake.
I Know y'all extoll the virtues of going ctp.... but as we unfold here into installation, training, working around the clients who want rush jobs and having no film, contact frame etc. and without the ability to make a plate.... I and many others are freaking out! Just cleaning all the gunk left behind in the plateroom was an ordeal! We're about half way there to making a plate but hell, this is a brand new rip to learn and stuff.
Any encouraging words from anyone who had gone through this ? I'm thinking some of y'all planned better but there must be some that fly by the seat of your pants like us.
it's like getting a cold... you'll be all better when you clear out the stuffiness.
Read, read some more, and when you get trained, learn fast.
Quote from: david on May 19, 2011, 08:42:28 AMit's like getting a cold... you'll be all better when you clear out the stuffiness.
Read, read some more, and when you get trained, learn fast.
That makes sense, but right now it feels like pneumonia! Learn fast: wow, theres even a face here for that!
Sorry, it was the "whip me" emotcian up there I can see it but it didnt come in the message!!!
We are the Kings of "Fly by the seat of your pants". Just don't panic. It's just printing.
Might as well go for a soda...Nobody drowns and nobody dies
soda ain't gonna cut it!!!!!!!!!
apparently this rip does not have the beloved pilots we had on apogee... where we could open up previews on 5 different computers, mac or pc.
So's the guy tells me that we can use a "remote desktop" on the pc upstairs to access the preview or the one downstairs that's attached to the ctp. It'd be great to work on both but something tells me you can't do this simultaneously.
Plates are coming out (bout 30 so far), trapping is good pressmen like the Azura's rip seems stable Navigator 8, though kind of bare bones.
Epson 7600 setup should be done today but it's going through "color-burst" software not the Harlequin. Tech guy says they haven't had any issues with this setup (not a one rip system anymore) but we may have to switch gears at a later time. BUT THE PRESSES ARE RUNNING WHICH IS KIND OF AMAZING TO ME.
Boss wants me to look into Preps 6 on the Mac to tie together the front end. Downloaded the demo and it looks scary. Told him it may involve a lot of training. We have been using preps 5.x on the pc 9 (when it was installed someone said it sucked on the Mac). I'm sure it's good once you get the hang of it and I really like the fact that you can export pdfs. (rather then printing postscript and distilling on the pc).
Anyway, too much information running around in this pea-brain with no time to lose!
Definitely go for the Preps 6 training.
Hammil Road Software has a network viewer for the Harlequin page buffers. Andy Cave was one of the original Harlequin RIP developers. I know there are several versions available from them and it should be very easy to drop in.
you can use preps with Harlequin?
my boss is looking into this along with others
it's been rough gettin him to upgrade
Yes, you send down an imposed flat.
Thanks! I thought you couldn't
Absolutely. It's just an imposition program. You don't even need a RIP to use it. You can impose in Preps and print from Preps to a Doc 240 if you wanted. You could even just export imposed documents without a RIP.
Integration of Preps with Prinergy, TrueFlow, Apogee, etc. is one thing where you want to send down a .pjtf or some other file to tell the RIP to impose according to a particular imposition template. But Preps can be used completely stand alone. We used to send out trapped and imposed flats to another service provider to image when our recorder was down.
you think the online training is good enough?
Not sure...I haven't tried it yet. But no training sucks. I know that from experience.
Online is good, as long as you get a chance to try it soon after watching. Otherwise, you tend to forget. If you can "watch" and "do" at the same time, even better.
Perhaps video recording the online session would be a good refresher later.
well we're "whacking out" the plates pretty good now, got about 40 under our belt... the color proofer is slowing being tweaked into shape so overall it's going very well. I'm not used to such a "bare bones" rip but it's trapping well, and the bosses want to spend the money to make things easier. Preps 6? In rip inposition? Not sure yet but like y'all said many times..... this CTP thing is kinda amazing once you get through all the pain.
This thing was purchased due to a bankruptcy from another company. I Guess we are a bit like vultures picking up the road kill. But that's the way she goes as they say. I think the whole setup came in around 50 grand (with construction, wiring, etc) and if we had set this up even 2 years ago, I'm sure it'd be a lot, lot, more.
The feedback from the pressmen has been positive on the Azura TS plates. Hell, they even painted the new CTP room on friday (were'nt too busy) so we's one big happy family here! Wonder how long this will last!!
There are a lot of plug-ins that you can purchase for the RIP. If you get an upgrade you can even use multiple CPU's. It's a fabulous RIP that allows you to piece together your workflow. If you need something less "barebones" you can look to someone like Xitron or Compose who wrap many other features/functions around the RIP.
Quote from: pspdfppdfx on May 30, 2011, 03:42:01 PM..... this CTP thing is kinda amazing once you get through all the pain.
Isn't it what! :laugh:
We've got over 150 plates through the SCREEN/Harlequin setup with only one glitch.
It was a 2 color job, pantone and black, the rip dropped a box out and the job got printed missing a box. The artist had used transparency (like 70 percent transparent) instead of tinting the box.
Back with the old apogee rip we had to flatten everything before ripping. So this is what I've been doing with the Harlequin. Strange thing is that when I save pdf's with the highest verision (1.7) it rips fine. (so far). I think the safest bet is to export the pdf's with transparency..that's what the harlequin people say too.
It seems to be pretty advanced with the way it handles transparency (version 8) so we'll carry on this way and check every job, especially the spot color ones.
Quote from: mattbeals on May 30, 2011, 04:32:10 PMThere are a lot of plug-ins that you can purchase for the RIP. If you get an upgrade you can even use multiple CPU's. It's a fabulous RIP that allows you to piece together your workflow. If you need something less "barebones" you can look to someone like Xitron or Compose who wrap many other features/functions around the RIP.
High praise from an expert for sure!