Designjet Z3100ps GP Photo Printer from HP

Hewlett-Packard has expanded its Designjet Z Photo Printer series, introducing the Designjet Z3100ps GP Photo Printer, which not only includes the Z Series embedded spectrophotometer and other standard Z features, but also adds an embedded PS3/PDF RIP and Web server, as well as HP’s new DreamColor Technologies (see below). The RIP is designed to allow print shops, designers, and publishers to eliminate the need for a dedicated computer for RIP software and compressing files. The printer’s Web server provides for job submission and queue management, allowing multiple users to print jobs; it also features increased storage (256 MB queue and 10 GB memory), allowing for permanent storage of files. The printer comes standard with the HP Advanced Profiling Solution, letting users create customized RGB and CMYK profiles for any media. An HP ProPrint Plug-in for Adobe Photoshop automatically synchronizes application and driver settings for a single user interface. Image quality: 2400 x 1200 dpi in Best mode; 600 x 600 dpi in Normal and Draft modes. The 12-color Designjet Z3100ps GP is available in 24- and 44-in. versions. Estimated street price: $5095, 24-in. model; $7495, 44-in. model.

HP also has announced:

* It has launched its DreamColor Technologies (www.hpdreamcolor.com), an integrated system intended to deliver digital color consistency across a series of devices. The company-wide initiative will first be made available on select HP printers and will eventually be implemented across other HP product lines. DreamColor, reports the company, “is a step toward a solution in which all devices involved in the capture, design, editing, and printing process use sensor-based, closed-loop control systems for definitive color reproduction. [It] will provide our customers with the confidence that their artistic intent will be preserved as they move from device to device in the workflow.” The system came about following HP’s collaboration with DreamWorks Animation on the movie Shrek.

* It is introducing a line of products for its HP Indigo presses specifically designed for the photo-specialty market. The new suite of products includes: a new HP Indigo Enhancement Server, which automatically performs a series of image-enhancement actions (sharpening, smoothing, improved contrast, etc.); an HP Indigo Scalable RIP Solution, enabling users to centrally process and feed jobs in parallel to multiple Indigo presses at maximum press speeds; the addition of light cyan and light magenta inks, providing smoother images and tone transition.

HP
www.hp.com