Epson 7800 - Do I need a RIP?

Hi I am goign to buy the new 7800. I have a canon s9000 now and I am printing directly from Photoshop.

I have not Idea what a RIP does but someone told me I need one for my new EPSON.

Do I need one and why?

Any help appreciated.

Thanks

A RIP is a Raster Image Processor. It can be software residing on your PC or a dedicated hardware add-on between your PC and the printer. It translates vector graphics to printers that don't understand PostScript.

I don't see anything in the 7800's specs that says it requires a RIP. I think most of us are printing just fine to inkjets directly from Photoshop.

(about 12-15 years ago I used a Linotype RIP between our Macs and our imagesetter. the RIP had a slower processor than our Macs )

Cool I am glad to hear that.
What do others have to say? Do you guys agree that printing directly from PS will be fine?

Tnx!

rips generally make your image better by different printing algorithms, ink size droplets, patterns and what not, that your printer cant do on its own.. it also allows you to tile multiple images, and it processes large files with ease compared to your printer drivers alone.

edit: i use onyx postershop for my mutoh 63 inch printer.. wouldnt dare print using the drivers from epson

What is the price of the onyx RIP? I couldn't find any pricing on their site.

Tnx

I use an Epson 2200. For anything larger then 8x10, I use Qimage from www.ddisoftware.com . It has proprietary resizing and sharpening algorythms that I think outdoes PS CS. It makes no permanent changes to your actual file.

Thanks scott, I will look into that.

Scott, one thing I can't figure out is how to have multiple printer setups for the different pages in queue. Is this possible?
Are there any other programs like Qimage around?
Tnx!

1. I've never tried that.
2. Genuine Fractals
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/​fractals.shtml

I have just gotten a 7800 (still in box) and have Qimage (still in box) and will try to remember to report to this thread when I get it running!

DwightMcCann wrote:
I have just gotten a 7800 (still in box) and have Qimage (still in box) and will try to remember to report to this thread when I get it running!

Since it is still in the box ship over here and I'll let you know how well it is printing my pictures!!! HeHeHe

Darn, Lost, I just opened the box and peeked inside so now I can't ship it! But I will let you know whatever I learn about it.

Oh shucks!!!! And I thought early Xmas for me!!!

Your Christmas will be finding out whatever I find out about this printer! I really did open to look inside and it is a monstor ... I imagine that the print engine is the same for their "twice as wide paper" 9800. And those 220 ml ink cartridges ($85 at my local store) are as big a big paperback books!

Well, I got the printer assembled, charged with ink, new firmware, new drivers, new monitors, firewire to my server and a quick test print. Now I'm in trouble. I want to print a 24" x 36" print using 24" wide roll paper, but the selections for paper size in the driver don't have any such options. I have just sent an email inquiry to Epson but if someone knows how to do this I would love to get clued in. I tried to use Qimage but it also takes the paper size from the driver setting, sigh.