Prepressforums.com - Help_2 hours to decide whether to spend $15,000

rande · #1 (**permalink**) 12-28-2006, 10:35 AM

Hi need some options quick if possible.
Boss just came in and has given me about 2 hours to decide on mixing up our whole proofing system.

We run Proactive PC/Dupont ChromaPro with a10,600 epson printer.
We're looking into buying another printer.
EFI Competitive Upgrade w/Epson Stylus Pro SP9800

He wants to get rid of the chromaPro put the EFI on one machine running both printers. The printers will only be able to run one at a time.
Any opinions on this configuration or on EFI compared to ChromaPro.

I'm not seeing a big speed advantage.

thanks

Joe · #2 (**permalink**) 12-28-2006, 04:32 PM

The EFI can drive multiple printers at the same time. Printers, in reality are quite slow, and a modern PC should not have any problem feeding multiple printers at the same time.

jim_t · #3 (**permalink**) 12-29-2006, 10:58 PM

Hmmmmmm I'd be more concerned with why it must be decided in the next 2 hrs.............

rande · #4 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 05:27 AM

I needed some opinions in a couple hours before I got off work; and I had Friday off: they wanted to get it on the books by the end of the year.
It should work fine. I takes PDF instead of 8 bit tiffs. The 1 bit tiff option was $2700, so we save there. It'll run as fast as the epson 10600 it looks like.
I was hoping to hear from someone that is running one to find out all the hidden problems. I know that was short notice but thought I'd give it a shot.

thanks

jim_t · #5 (**permalink**) 01-02-2007, 05:50 PM

Ah now that clears up the fog.... I'd check on the speeds though as the 9800 is about 40% slower than the 106. In Epson's infinite wisdom they produce a better printer and then slow it down big time. I guess they figure that's the trade off for the 2nd black.

spoocobra · #6 (**permalink**) 01-03-2007, 05:18 PM

As jim_t said when we first got our 9800 compared to our 10600 and 10000 speeds it was WAY slower, we can run a backed up dylux in about 10 minutes with the 10600's. On the 9800 with the same settings its between 15-20 minutes. When we first got the 9800 it took literally an hour to back up a 16page impo. It was so slow we let it sit for about 2-3 months till Enovation/Fuji and EFI figured out everything to get it faster, after the latest EFI XF Color software upgrade it is faster but still not as fast as the 10600's. Also each of our machine is running off of their own RIP. Hope that helps ya.

rande · #7 (**permalink**) 01-05-2007, 05:24 AM

How are you getting that kind of speed on your 10.6. It takes us 30" for us to backup a dylux. I gained some speed going to 360 from 720dpi.
We run Dupont CromaProXP 5.5.1
on a Proative Technologies PC
Windows 2000 pk4/cpu 2.66 GHz/1 mill. k ram
It doesn't take PDFs very well so we use 8 bit tiffs.