Calibrating a printer to achieve the "right" colors.
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# I found something that works with my HP PSC 750,
but also with another printer (the 940C) and a whole
bunch of printers you can find at
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3
# It will work with mac os x 10.2 and higher (you need
the CUPS printing system, probably can be installed
in 10.1, if you have the developer tools, CUPS became
standard as of 10.2 ...)
# What can you do with this package ??
You can install a printer and calibrate its colors, so
that a printout really looks like what you see on your
computer screen. This is very important for people
that are in the printing business, but this is at least
a good exercise for students etc...
I must say I do not know if printers from the
supported list at
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3
are really used for production, but I suppose some
people use them for eg birthday or other wish cards ...
I must say I did not see a page that describes the kind
of color calibration that you can do with these (cheap)
printers.
A page where you'll see what can be calibrated can be
found on
http://home.tele2.be/madpride2004/hp940c.html
# Let's install a printer ...
Let's take the HP940C. It is a USB printer.
In /Applications/Utilities open the application
"Printer Setup Utility". Be sure your printer is
connected and ON. Now click "Add printer".
In the upper popup menu select USB (since
the 940C is a USB printer).
Now you'll see a list of printers where the 940C is
listed. You select the the line "Deskjet 940C HP".
Now look out: in the lower popup you see a line
"hp inkjet 2.3.1". Just ignore this line, it is the
standard driver by HP, and it doesn't allow color
calibration. Now click on this popup menu
and select "HP" in the list of manufacturers.
Now you see a list of supported printers (for HP it is a
long list). You now need to scroll until you see
"Deskjet 900 Series, CUPS + GIMP ..."
Select it, and click "Add printer".
Your printer is now installed, the GimpPrint/Cups
way.
# Let's calibrate colors.
In your webbrowser, go to
http://127.0.0.1:631/
This is the CUPS webserver address to manage printers,
printer tasks etc.
(if you're asked for a password, you'll need the
the administration password).
The 127.0.0.1 address is that of your local machine,
it is secure, you may disconnect the network ...
http://localhost:631/ might work also.
You can click on "Help" to find some info, or
http://127.0.0.1:631/documentation.html
Now click on "Manage Printers".
You'll find back your printer that you just installed.
Now click on "Configure printer". You'll see
a page where you can choose a lot
of things, color calibration included.
You can find this page on:
http://home.tele2.be/madpride2004/hp940c.html
Some of the parameters are:
Media Size:
Basic settings
Media Type:
Resolution:
Image Type:
Dither Algorithm:
Expert settings
Output Mode:
Brightness:
Contrast:
Gamma:
Density:
Saturation:
Cyan:
Magenta:
Yellow:
Banners
Starting Banner:
Ending Banner:
For people that like experimenting with color
calibration, this must be interesting....
I redefined the printer color calibration and
eg lightened the yellow, it worked. I did the same
and "calibrated" into black& white ...
I printed a page form the IE application.
Strange enough, it did not work with all
applications. Also, when you print a document,
and the apply color calibration via the web page,
you need to close the app, before printing again,
or the app will NOT make a new to-print-document
and the colors remain the same.
# What do I expect from you?
I'm disabled. I lost my confidence in Apple
when I bought a B&W 400Mhz
last summer. It was not able to run 10.3 ...
(not even linux)
Now I already found a Yikes motherboard,
but eg need a ZIF processor...
Let's say this is postcardware, or donationware,
don't feel obliged ...
# What I might find useful:
- A G4 ZIF Processor that fits the Yikes motherboard.
- An external box to put in a CDROM/DVDrom/RW,
with usb1.1/2.0 or maybe with firewire.
- A DVDRW (may be a slow one ;-)
- RAM modules for a Beige G3/266 or a Yikes mobo.
(PC100 SDRAM, not higher than 1 inch = 2,9cm)
(preferably 128Mb/256Mb)
- I once saw an external dvdrom that had connections for
TV as well. (It was USB 1.1 and was at 120 euros on sale)
If it does JPEG foto's it would be nice to show my photo's
to my old guys.)
- A Mac Mini ;-)
- A DRM radio ;-)
- A cheaper rent ...
- I don't really want a G5. They say aluminium kitchenware
gives you dementia...
- A nice postcard is welcome too ....
- Don't send the bills for your printer cartridges ...
# My coordinates:
Marc Coevoet
Diksmuidsestraat 35
B-8900 Ieper
Belgium
markov at tele2.be
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