Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!husc6!harvard!adelie!munsell!klm
From: klm@munsell.UUCP (Kevin McBride)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics,comp.periphs
Subject: Re: Survey of color hardcopy devices
Message-ID: <1084@knopfler.munsell.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 23-Jun-87 13:40:01 EDT
Article-I.D.: knopfler.1084
Posted: Tue Jun 23 13:40:01 1987
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Jun-87 04:08:22 EDT
References: <306@msunix.UUCP>
Reply-To: klm@knopfler.UUCP (Kevin McBride)
Organization: Eikonix Corp., Bedford, MA
Lines: 47
Keywords: color printers
Xref: mnetor comp.graphics:835 comp.periphs:427

In article <306@msunix.UUCP> jon@msunix.UUCP (Jonathan Hue) writes:
>
>
>It seems that every couple months someone asks for advice on color hardcopy
>devices, so here is my $0.02 (and that's about all this is worth...)
>...
>...
>2) IRIS Inkjet Printer - price unknown.  This is another big inkjet printer,
>it'll print stuff bigger than a square meter.  They say it takes any type
>of media, including fabric.  Hey, I could make T-shirts on it!  The literature
>I have says it's 240dpi, but my manager says the one he saw was 400dpi.  I
>think I have the Eikonix-Kodak Ektachrome picture on an IRIS print, and it
>looks pretty good, greater than 240dpi, so my manager must be right.  The
>company is in Boston.  My guess is it is at least $30K.

Yes, you can print cloth with it!  But you can't do T-Shirts, sorry.
The head to drum clearance is not sufficient to pass rolled over seams in
the material, I checked. :-)  Also, Iris' inks are water-based, the first
time you wash the fabric, the design is gone.
	(YOW! Have we discovered erasable plotting media?? :-)

You may indeed have our picture on an Iris print.  Both we and Iris were
giving them out at Graph-Expo East last fall.  We had an Iris at our "booth."

We have an Iris ink jet printer (a couple actually).  The model we have will
handle paper up to "E" size.  Price tag is around $125K.  A smaller model
that prints up to 24" x 24" is still up there around $80K.  Not Cheap.
The device is extremely finicky and needs constant attention to keep it
running.  When it works (which, unfortunately, isn't often enough), the
results are beautiful.  We have calibrated our design system to their inks
and have been using it as a quick and dirty proofer.  Not too accurate color
wise, mind you, but certainly good enough to be able to distinguish a picture
from line noise. :-)  My relationship with Iris is as a user, and it's a
Love/Hate relationship; some days I love it, others I hate it.

Iris is aware of the reliability problems and seems to be trying hard to
correct them.

>4) Seiko 5312 - $9995.  I hate this printer.  I've got one of these and the
>Versatec in my office.  Guess which one we never use.

Ditto.  Can you say "Sucks"?  I thought you could.
-- 
Kevin McBride         |Disclaimer:  These   | harvard -\
Eikonix - A Kodak Co. |  opinions are mine, | ll-xn ---adelie-----> munsell!klm
23 Crosby Dr.         |  not my employer's, | decvax -v  talcott -v  |
Bedford, MA 01730     |  So There!          | allegra ------------encore