I recently picked up an Epsen 2400 and am wondering what the benefit of using a RIP such as Quadtone is. I am totally new at digital printing and have a whole lot to learn.

I recently picked up an Epsen 2400 and am wondering what the benefit of using a RIP such as Quadtone is. I am totally new at digital printing and have a whole lot to learn.
I'm sure you may receive quite a few answers but for monochrome printing QTR provides the user with a lot of flexibility and options, especially when one can use a regular color inkset. And for $50 it is a great bargain.

Don Bryant

I am totally new at digital printing and have a whole lot to learn.

I suggest no even looking at this until you are comfortable with every aspect of what the Epson driver offers you. And comfortable with using a color mangaed workflow. QTR won't be going away anytime soon, it will be there (and probably better) when you are ready.

I suggest no even looking at this until you are comfortable with every aspect of what the Epson driver offers you. And comfortable with using a color mangaed workflow. QTR won't be going away anytime soon, it will be there (and probably better) when you are ready.

I agree with Greg's advice. The Epson ABW can produce pretty good results and you will want to learn how to use it.

BTW, Atlantic Exchange has the best prices for Epson replacement carts. Unfortunately the 2400 loves to guzzle ink with head cleanings. You will get better ink usage by printing several images during a session rather than 1 offs.

Don Bryant

I would agree that you should become familiar with the Epson driver first. It has great capabilities and is easy to use.
You can make custom curves with QTR. I'm not sure they are any better then what using the Epson driver. If a paper you are using doesn't respond well to the available settings in the Epson, QTR might help.
Because the adjustments in QTR from warm to cool tone are linear (using a slider in the gui) it may be more intuitive then the "dart board" approach of ABW.
QTR offers the ablilty to split tone.
QTR also offers the ability to make ICC profiles for B&W. You can make these for the ABW workflow as well.

With all this said, I frequently go back to the Epson driver using ABW. I do use the QTR ICC profiles.

Peter