?? Frame->PS->PDF->PS Distiller 300 dpi limit??

[Jay Smith <jay@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings,

Question: What is the real or imagined impact of "printing" to a PS file
using Distiller assistant, which SUPPOSEDLY limits dpi to 300?

Situation: When you "print" from Frame to a PS file using the Distiller
Assistant 3.01 [I know I need to upgrade it!], the "Printer Properties"
for Distiller Assistant seemingly indicate that the only/maximum
graphics dpi is 300. However, the printed images do appear to look as
good as when printed straight from FM to a 1200 dpi laser.

What exactly does this "300 dpi" refer to?

MORE DETAILS:  We are testing a new laser printer which uses a
postscript clone.  (Sorry, Dov, but when you can point me to a genuine
Adobe Postscript laser that is a duplexing llx17 30+ page per minute
laser for less than $5000 fully equipped, that can be honestly be
operated at ONE CENT per page including ALL service AND consumables
except paper & the original purchase price, I will buy a couple.)

The problem is that this "sorry" clone (there IS only ONE genuine
Postscript) completely bogs down when it prints files containing
EPS-format images.  The clone maker needs to clean up their rip engine. 
It does not matter if I print the file directly from FM 556 (Win95) or
if I "print" it to a PS file (using the proper driver for that printer)
and then use a network lpr command to throw it at the printer.  Our
books are heavy in EPS-format images (95% are NOT vector images; we use
EPS for other reasons).  Thus this 36-page-per-minute machine slows to 5
ppm!  Absurd!

I then "printed" a typical book to a PS file (using Distiller Assistant
3.01) and Distilled it to PDF.  I then printed the PDF from Acrobat
Exchange 3.x on Win95.  It printed at the full rated speed of the
printer -- a jump from 5 to 36 ppm.

That was great.  But what concerns me is: what was the effect on images
(perhaps only certain types of images?) when Distiller limits the
graphics output resolution to 300 dpi?  Is it really limiting it? 
(Again, the bitmap images looked good.)

Next twist:  I then "printed" the same from Acrobat to a PS file.  Using
the lpr command on our linux server, I threw that PS file at the printer
and again it printed at about 36 ppm.  Great!  [Our books are printed,
using postscript files, from our network; once in production, we do not
print from the creating application.]

So... two questions:

1) What is the deal with the 300 dpi limit in Distiller Assistant
"driver"? 

1a) What kind of images does this affect? 

1b) Does it affect EPS-format images ("bitmap content"; grayscales and
bitmaps created/edited in Photoshop)?

2) What is the deal with FRAMEMAKER's postscript and printing EPS
images?  If the same file content is printed from FM at 5 ppm or from
Acrobat at 36 ppm, there is obviously something different going on.  

Any ideas?  Thanks!

Jay

-- 
Jay Smith

e-mail: Jay@JaySmith.com

Jay Smith & Associates
P.O. Box 650
Snow Camp, NC  27349  USA

Phone: Int+US+336-376-9991
Toll-Free Phone in US & Canada:
	1-800-447-8267
Fax: Int+US+336-376-6750

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