How does APS compare to other solutions?
In general, we distinguish a number of different profiling solutions for the HP
Designjet Z Photo printer series, which we will group into levels:
A.
In the box: Every HP Designjet Z Photo printer series comes with a complete
printer calibration and profiling solution in the box, known as the HP Easy
Profiling Solution (EPS). It is accessed via the Color Center or Printer Utility,
and it uses the Z printers’ built-in spectrophotometer. As the name indicates,
this solution is aimed at maximum ease of use, and hence provides no
profiling parameters beyond the profile name. EPS generates RGB printer
profiles only for the Z2100 and Z3100 series, and CMYK printer profiles
only for the Z6100 series.
B.
HP software accessory and/or bundle with some printer versions (region
dependent): The HP Advanced Profiling Solution powered by X-Rite is a
software and hardware bundle with a broader scope (monitor and printer
profiling, RGB and CMYK printer profiles, viewing condition measurement,
profile editing) and with more flexibility (different profiling charts, online
and offline flow, neutral axis style, etc.).
C.
Profiling software bundled with or integrated in third party Raster Image
Processor (RIP) solutions, using the Z series’ embedded spectrophotometer
(ESP). The functionality and features are solution dependent.
D.
Stand-alone profiling software packages such as GretagMacbeth (now X-
Rite) ProfileMaker, Monaco (now X-Rite) Profiler, Heidelberg PrintOpen, and
others. These packages may or may not work with the Z series’ embedded
spectrophotometer (ESP), but typically do support a variety of stand-alone
color measurement instruments. The functionality and features are solution
dependent, and range from very simple to very sophisticated.
Characterizing the performance of levels A and B is obviously easier than C and
D, mostly because the number of solutions in levels C and D are potentially quite
large. In what follows we will use just a few representative examples. The matrix
below summarizes the differences between EPS (level A) and APS (level B).