tiff/it anyone?

[tequillajane]

I have a client that is placing an ad in a magazine, that is requesting that I resupply them my pdf as a tiff/it file, anyone know how to or what the heck this is...

[nlynx76]

I Googled for "tiff/it format" and found: http://www.prepressure.com/formats/t...fileformat.htm

here's the gist of it:
"TIFF/IT is a standard for the exchange of digital adverts and complete pages. TIFF/IT files only contain bitmap data, no vector data. The files are not rasterized (although they could be) but they contain 256 graylevels per channel. TIFF/IT is the abbreviation of Tagged Image File Format/Image Technology.

As the name indicates, TIFF/IT is based on the well known TIFF standard. Because the TIFF/IT standard is very flexible, a subset of the standard was devised that is called TIFF/IT P1. P1 is limited to CMYK jobs. It does not support spot colours. When most people talk about TIFF/IT, they refer to the P1 version. A P2 version is worked on right now.

TIFF/IT has only been successfull in some market like the exchange of adds for newspapers or magazines and the exchange of pages for magazine printers.

A number of companies selling TIFF/IT related products have announced products in which TIFF/IT data are ecapsulated in PDF files. This merging of these two formats, with PDF offering wide industry support and TIFF/IT's proven track record of reliability, is one of the more interesting evolutions in prepress today"

of course, another online source said it stood for "Transport Independent File Format for Image Technology"...

And I just spent three minutes Googling for how to save as a TIFF/IT but I'm not getting any good results...

[sqezins]

I think you are going to have to find a tradeshop that can do the conversion for you. It is a bit more complex than just doing a plug-in and then a "save as".

Though any research will probably take you to the free photoshop plug-in that will allow you to read tiff/it files, the ability to write them requires similar technolgy that is imbedded into RIP's (i.e. Harlequin, Scitex and others).

As mentioned in one of the earlier posts, your "job" must be in the CMYK color space (no spot colors). In addition, the resolution of the CT and the Linework should be specified (usually 12 pixels p/mm for the CT and 100 pixels p/mm for the Linework).

THe file is presumed to be trapped already (but doesn't have to be) and if it is heavy with "special effects" (i.e. object blends, vignettes or transparent drop shadows) it may resist or refuse even to be converted without some wizardry.

If you intend on doing this often the purchase of a software product for this task might be in order. If it's just for a one-off, buy the conversion out.

-
Greg

[Joe]

One of the best products out there for creating Tiff-It files is ShiraRIP?:

ShiraRIP?

Be warned though...it's not cheap but you can buy only the specific modules you are going to be using.

ShiraRIP?
The automatic RIP workflow system
Today?s razor thin profit margins and tight production schedules require streamlined prepress operations. ShiraRIP enables you to maximize output capacity, allowing your proofing, imagesetting, and platesetting systems?as well as digital presses?to run at full speed. Since ShiraRIP generates predictable, industry standard ?flat? files, there are no last-minute surprises to delay critical pressroom schedules. Using ShiraRIP, ROOM?RIP Once, Output Many workflows are a reality, not an acronym.

Increase your operation?s flexibility and throughput by separating the RIPing step from the imaging one. When ShiraRIP is online with a desktop publishing workstation, it will eliminate time-consuming preflighting altogether. You can view RIPed files on screen immediately to see problems before you waste proofing and imaging resources. With support for Scitex APR and Color Central OPI, ShiraRIP supplies both the proofing and final output systems with single pages in a variety of standard formats, including TIFF/IT, TIFF/IT-P1, Shira Extended TIFF/IT, and Scitex CT/LW.

By using these predictable, flat files to drive final output, you can maximize throughput on all your imaging systems, as the front end need only apply screening. For the same reason, ShiraRIP extends the useful life of older RIPs and imaging systems.

ShiraRIP increases your operation?s versatility, too. Recombine separated PostScript into composite CT/LW files or split composite PostScript files into separations?CT/LW files? for maximum compatibility with different proofing and imaging systems?all on the fly using scripted hot folders. And, ShiraRIP?s special anti-aliasing algorithm maximizes your output quality.

? Accepts composite or preseparated PostScript, PDF, and EPS files
? Produces predictable TIFF/IT, TIFF/IT-P1, Shira Extended TIFF/IT, and Scitex/CreoScitex/ Creo CT/LW files
? Maximize capacity on every output system
? Split composite PostScript into separations
? Recombine separated PostScript into composite CT/LW
? Preview RIPed files
? Interactive softproofing in full detail
? Shira Extended TIFF/IT supports spot colors and more than 256 LW colors

[tequillajane]

thanks for your help, I too couldn't make too much sense from googling it.
Thanks again

[mattbeals]

Rorke Data's Page Composer will make a TIFF/IT-P1, for about $20,000. Apago has Pheon for $999 that will. Just becareful which resolutions you use. You must match the output conditions to avoid imaging problems.

[PissedOffPrepressGuy]

Scitex brisque will get you tiff/it files quite easy, been doing it for the last two years for a magazine without a hitch.

[mattbeals]

Yeah, for a $5,000 license on top of the $20,000 Brisque.

[Sparky]

Might want to check this one out

http://www.creativepro.com/story/news/18266.html

Platforms, Availability and Pricing
Piktor 3.0 for advertising, prepress and print production is priced at $2,500. Piktor 3.0 CEPS is priced at $3,500 with the optional RIP module selling for $1,000. Each version of Piktor 3.0 runs on Windows NT4, 2000 and XP and requires at least 128MB of RAM.

[dougbrn]

Does anyone know if Piktor works on a Brisque ICF workflow?