RE: OT: PDF drawings: greytones greyed out on Xerox Docutech 135 PS

[Dov Isaacs <isaacs@xxxxxxxxx>]

Verner,

The problem is not how you produce the PDF file nor the PDF file
itself. The problem IS your “printshop” and the Docutech 135.

The Docutech 135 is based on Xerox copier technology from the 1980's,
albeit updated a bit since then.

Unfortunately, the Docutech 135, like analog copiers of its day, is
based on “write white” technology as opposed to “write black” technology
used in typical desktop and more recent high-speed laser printing engines.
The difference is that for “write black” the laser is on for pixels that
are supposed to be marked in black (or color for color printers) on the
page and for “write white” the laser is on for pixels that will have no
toner. To prevent a gray cast on the paper, with “write white” technology,
the width of the laser beam is significantly wider than the printer's
resolution, i.e., wider than 1/600 of an inch. The side effect of the
“write white” technology is that single pixel lines and light grayscale
areas tend to disappear. The Docutech printers with “write white” do
have sophisticated software to attempt to compensate for this problem,
but the printer must be adjusted often by Xerox service personnel to
keep it properly calibrated. Obviously your printshop's Docutech is
due for re-calibration or, quite frankly, they really don't understand
the technology and the needs of the device they use.

I personally try to stay away from printing to such “write white”
devices because of all the problems that you get with them.
Remember ... “Write white is never quite right” ...

        - Dov 



At 2/26/2003 04:01 AM, Andersen, Verner wrote:
>Hi framers
>
>I use Framemaker 7 and Adobe Acrobat Distiller 5.05. OS: Windows 2000.
>Distiller printer driver 5.2 Adist 5 PPD version 1.0.
>
>The light greyytones on all our printouts from the printshop are almost
>white. We have no problems with full black colors, only greytones.
>We have tried various Distiller job options but cannot find out where the
>problem is. 
>
>Do you have any idea how I solve the problem?
>
>Verner Andersen
>Documentation Manager
>> Scientific-Atlanta Denmark A/S
>Tel +45 39 17 08 85
>Fax +45 39 17 00 10
>Mailto:verner.andersen@sciatl.com
>http://www.scientificatlanta.com


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