HP Designjet 5500mfp, Designjet 4200, 4200 Color Manual
hp cc800ps,
815mfp,
5500mfp,
4200 scanner
color accuracy
in a proofing
workflow
color
reproduction
Color Reproduction
for the HP Large Format Color Copier products family:
cc800ps, 815mfp, 5500mfp and 4200 scanner
Notes about the document
The settings and examples described in this document apply to the HP Large Format Color Copiers family
with HP DesignJet Scan software version 2.6.4 or later.
Please download the latest
Pantone tables from the
technical support section of:
http://www.designjet.hp.com
Color Reproduction for the HP Large Format Color Copiers family: cc800ps, 815mfp, 5500mfp and 4200 scanner 2/2
Contents
1. INTRODUCTION TO THE DOCUMENT................................................................... 4
2. COLOR COPYING GUIDELINES ............................................................................ 5
2.1 CHECKPOINTS BEFORE STARTING A JOB ......................................................................5
2.1.1 Scanner .....................................................................................................5
2.1.2 Printer........................................................................................................ 6
2.1.3 Touch Screen.............................................................................................. 7
2.2 TOUCH SCREEN SETTINGS DECISIONS ........................................................................7
2.3 RUNNING A JOB: OPERATOR SETTINGS..................................................................... 10
2.3.1 Scanning .................................................................................................11
2.3.1.1 Type of original (1.2).......................................................................... 12
2.3.1.2 Scan Resolution (1.4).......................................................................... 17
2.3.2 Printing....................................................................................................18
2.3.2.1 Printer and Media Profile (2.1 and 2.2)................................................ 18
2.3.2.2 Print Quality (2.3), Ink Printer Original (2.4), Enhance gray (2.5)........... 19
2.3.3 Additional operating recommendations ...................................................... 20
2.4 POST-JOB RECOMMENDATIONS AND TROUBLESHOOTING .............................................22
2.4.1 Post-job recommendations......................................................................... 22
2.4.2 Troubleshooting........................................................................................ 22
2.4.2.1 The colors of the copy are very different from the original...................... 23
2.4.2.2 Grays are wrong in a color copied image............................................24
2.4.2.3 The copy is not as shiny as the original ................................................ 24
2.4.2.4 There is a big difference between right and left sides of the copy............ 24
2.4.2.5 The background results colored when copying newspapers.................... 24
2.4.2.6 Vertical Bands appear in the copy .......................................................25
2.4.2.7 A B&W image appears greenish (or pinkish, or bluish) ......................... 25
3. ANNEX............................................................................................................. 26
3.1 COLOR REPRODUCTION: THEORY OF OPERATION ....................................................... 26
3.1.1 Original...................................................................................................27
3.1.2 Large Format Scanner ............................................................................... 29
3.1.2.1 Light Source....................................................................................... 30
3.1.2.2 Paper Movement and glass plate ......................................................... 30
3.1.2.3 Cameras............................................................................................30
3.1.2.4 Electronics .........................................................................................31
3.1.3 Touch Screen............................................................................................ 32
3.1.4 Large Format Printer..................................................................................33
3.1.5 Final Image .............................................................................................. 34
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3.1.6 Overall system..........................................................................................35
3.1.6.1 Color Management ............................................................................35
3.1.6.2 Image Enhancement ...........................................................................36
3.2 WHICH COLORS CAN BE REPRODUCED? ...................................................................37
3.3 GUIDELINES TO CREATE OR VALIDATE A MEDIA PROFILE .................................................41
3.3.1 How to create a new media profile............................................................. 41
3.3.2 How to validate an existing media profile ................................................... 45
3.4 CREATING A NEW TYPE OF ORIGINAL: COLOR ...........................................................47
3.4.1 Method.................................................................................................... 48
3.4.2 Lightness .................................................................................................. 48
3.4.3 Saturation ................................................................................................ 48
3.4.4 Color Balance...........................................................................................49
3.4.5 Black Enhancement ................................................................................... 52
3.4.6 Background cleaning ................................................................................ 52
3.4.7 Sharpen................................................................................................... 52
3.4.8 Blur .........................................................................................................53
3.5 CREATING A NEW TYPE OF ORIGINAL: B&W............................................................. 54
3.5.1 Method.................................................................................................... 54
3.5.2 Lightness .................................................................................................. 55
3.5.3 Sharpen................................................................................................... 55
3.5.4 Blur .........................................................................................................55
3.6 WORKING WITH THICK MEDIA............................................................................... 56
4. GLOSSARY........................................................................................................ 59
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1. INTRODUCTION TO THE DOCUMENT
The aim of this document is to provide customers with a simple guide to getting good
color reproduction when using the HP Large Format Color Copier products. By making
the process of scanning and printing easier to understand, we believe users will be able
to achieve the desired color reproduction results.
This document contains two parts:
• The first part provides a set of guidelines, checkpoints, settings and
troubleshooting cases that will help the owner of an HP Large Format Color
Copier system in the copying experience.
• The second part (Annex) provides an introduction to color copying concepts,
especially those related to the systems under discussion. In addition, the Annex
includes:
o an assessment of which colors can be reproduced,
o a set of guidelines to assist the user in creating or validating media
profiles,
o a set of guidelines to the creation of new types of originals,
o a set of guidelines for reproduction when using thick media originals.
Users who have a good understanding of color copying concepts can use the first part
of this document as a practical guide to perform a color reproduction job and as an aid
to problem solving.
Users who require more detailed information regarding color copying concepts or who
seek assistance for advanced configuration of the system, should instead refer to the
Annex.
This document does not include features that are not color related, such as: rotating,
scaling, nesting, accounting, paneling, tiling, mirroring and alignment. It neither
provides details about scanner and printer maintenance (please refer to the other guides
for questions related to these features).
We hope this document will be useful for you and will help you to succeed in your
business.
Best regards,
HP Designjet printers
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2. COLOR COPYING GUIDELINES
The HP Large Format Color Copiers allow an original image to be reproduced using a
scanner, a printer and a controller (called Touch Screen). The reproduction can be
done:
• as one step (a Copy process);
• in two steps (a Scan process followed by a Print process) with an intermediate
saving of the digitized data into a file.
In this document, we will not differentiate between the two cases: we will describe the
Scan process and the Print process separately. If you are performing a Copy, please
follow both processes consequently.
To reproduce an image accurately, the following steps should be followed:
• Checkpoints before starting a job: you should answer to these points
before starting the job;
• Touch Screen settings decisions: you should take these decisions before
setting up the Touch Screen;
• Running a job: you should configure the Touch Screen according to the
settings decided in the previous step;
• Post-job recommendations and Troubleshooting: you can make some
considerations when the job is finished and, in case the output is not as
expected, you can use this part as a guide to troubleshooting.
2.1 Checkpoints before starting a job
Before starting a color reproduction job, you should answer the following questions to
ensure you are in a correct state to proceed. If any of the answers are negative or
uncertain, please follow the recommended actions.
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Is the glass plate clean and free from dust? If not, or not sure, please
follow the scanner maintenance manual to clean it. Typically, vertical lines
appear in the copy if the glass plate is not clean enough.
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Is the white background element of the loading mechanism
clean? If not, the grays will show a color cast in the copy and the system will
behave erratically (some copies will be acceptable whilst some others won’t).
Has the scanner been on for more than 1 hour? If not the colors may
vary along the scanning.
Does the scanner need to run the scanner maintenance process?
If so, follow the scanner maintenance manual. If unsure, see section 3.1.2.2 of
the Annex. Typically, the scanner maintenance process should be run every
100 scans or once a month, but it depends widely on the type of originals you
are scanning. If you suspect that the scanner may have a problem (colors very
different from the original, grays not neutrals, broken leaned lines), then run
the scanner maintenance process.
Has the original dried-up? If the ink is still fresh, the original may be
damaged and the glass plate of the scanner may be dirtied.
Is the height setting in the loading mechanism adapted to the
thickness of the original? If the original is thicker than 2 mm., please
follow the guidelines in section 3.6 of the Annex and always remember to
handle the original with care.
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Is the media properly loaded and with the correct name
appearing in the front panel? If not, change the media name or reload a
new media, or otherwise you risk having a deteriorated Image Quality.
Did you run the Pen Alignment and Color Calibration for the
media loaded and the current set of pens? If not, execute a Pen
Alignment and a Color Calibration as described in section 3.1.4 of the Annex.
Is Color Calibration On? Follow the steps in section 3.1.4 of the Annex.
Has the printer been inactive for more than 6 hours? If so take into
account that the first swaths (ink dropping passes) may show a duller color
(less ink delivered) than the rest. To avoid this, run a small print test from the
printer front panel.
Is there enough ink for the job? You may look at the ink level indication
on the printer front panel. If necessary, replace any empty cartridges; there is
no need to do a Closed Loop Color or Printhead Alignment afterwards.
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Do you have a Media Profile adapted to the media currently
loaded into the printer? If not or not known, please follow section 3.3 in
the Annex on how to create or validate the Media Profile. If it is not correct,
the output image may have serious defects: too much ink (dark images,
smearing, bleeding), too little ink (washed out, low contrasted images), wrong
colors.
2.2 Touch Screen settings decisions
You should now decide what kind of scanning, printing or copying you would like to
perform. To do so, you will have to select amongst different options provided in the
Touch Screen.
This section can be used as a reference chart, where you can tick and select options
that later will be used to configure the Touch Screen. The terms in bold are the actual
options’ names that appear in the Touch Screen menus.
1. Scanning options
1.1 Color Mode:
do you want to process the image in Black&White or Color? (even if the
original is a color image the copy could be B&W)
Many settings depend on this decision.
B&W
Color
1.2 Type of content:
what is the content of the original? Select the type of content that matches best
among the followings. This decision will be related to the type of original
defined in the Touch Screen (see section 2.3.1.1). The type of original is
specified between parenthesis (), in black for B&W scanning mode and in
italics
for color scanning mode.
Pictorial (B&W Photo;
Color Photo
)
Cad Drawing with clean white background (Line;
Cad
)
Text or Line Art with clean white background (Line;
Cad
)
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Cad Drawing, Text or Line Art with a background that is difficult to
distinguish from the lines:
Blueprint (blue background) (Blueprint;
Cad
with advanced
settings)
Sepia background (Sepia;
Cad
with advanced settings)
Other …..
Document: mixed text (or lines) and pictures (Normal;
Brochure
)
Map (solid areas and lines) (Normal;
Map
)
Other: ……..
1.3 Definition of own type of original:
do you need some extra color management or image enhancement applied to
the image? If unsure refer to sections 3.4 and 3.5 of the Annex. Please
remember that if you change any of the predefined values for the settings
below, the final image may not be color consistent with the original or its
image quality could be compromised. The italic items are applicable only
when scanning in Color mode. Default values are 0.
Lightness (-3 to +6): ……..
Saturation
(-6 to +6): …….
Balance. Choose either RGB or CMY values (-6 to +6):
Red
: ………..
Cyan
: .….………
Green
: ……...
Magenta
: ………
Blue
: ……….
Yellow
: ...………
Background Cleaning
(0 to 255): ….
Black Enhancement
(0 to 255): ……
Blur (Color 0 to 12; B&W On/Off): ……..
Sharpen (0 to 6): ………
1.4 Scan Resolution:
Which scanning resolution do you need? High (or Best) gives higher
quality but produces bigger files and has lower throughput; Low (or Fast) gives
higher throughput and smaller files but lower quality. Normal is a compromise
between the previous two cases. If selecting another resolution, it is
recommended to choose a resolution that is a multiple, or sub-multiple, of
600dpi to avoid picture artifacts. See discussion in section 2.3.1.2.
Low (Scan) or Fast (Copy)
Normal
High (Scan) or Best (Copy)
Other: ………….
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2. Printing options
2.1
What is the Printer name in the Touch Screen?
…………………………..
2.2
Which Media Profile are you going to use? (For information see section
3.3 in the Annex)
…………………………..
2.3
Which Print Quality do you need? Best gives higher quality but lower
throughput; Fast gives higher throughput but lower quality. It is recommended
to select Fast for drafts, Normal for non-critical tasks and Best for final
presentations.
Best
Normal
Fast
2.4 Do you know which inking technology has been used to produce the original?
If not known select Non Inkjet:
Inkjet
Non Inkjet (Offset, Traditional Photography, Laser Printer, …)
2.5
(Optional) Do you think you need to enhance grays? If unsure, select No.
For further information, see section 2.3.2.2.
Yes
No
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2.3 Running a job: operator settings
The third step of the process, after having got through the checkpoints in section 2.1
and answered the questions in section 2.2, is to configure the Touch Screen.
Firstly, you should choose the tab corresponding to the action you are about to perform:
• Scan: scan the original and save the digitized image to a file on CD, hard disk,
flexible disk or networked disk. This file may be printed later. We will call this
option Scan to File.
• Print: perform a printout from a previously digitized image file. We will call this
option File to Print.
• Copy:
scan the original and print it immediately (no intermediate file created). In this
case, the settings are a combination of the Scan and Print settings1.
Please beware that different tabs may have settings in common (for example Lightness
in the Copy and Scan tab) and most of them keep their value when you move from one
1
If you select Copy you should follow the guidelines to Scan followed by the ones to Print.
Selected
action
Toolbar
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tab to another. However, all settings under the Settings button will change their value
when moving between tabs, even if their name is the same (such as Enhance gray,
existing in both Print and Copy settings).
Therefore, you should first select the tab, according to the action to be performed, and
then select the settings for that tab.
The settings selected in section 2.2 are herein referred to by their line number
appearing in brackets (e.g. (1.1) when setting the Color mode).
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Scanning is the digitization of the original image. It happens either when we are
Copying or Scanning to File (i.e. Copy or Scan tabs). Special attention should be paid
to this process where, besides the digitization, most of the image enhancement and part
of the color management take place.
It is recommended to preview the image after applying the settings, by pressing the
preview button (see figure below). You can also increase the details of the image by
selecting the Zoom buttons in the Preview pane.
Preview button
Zoom buttons
Color related
settings
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Before scanning, you will have to make three color-related selections from the main
menu:
• B&W or Color (1.1): defines whether the scanning result will have color
information or just grayscales.
• Type of original (1.2): is a template for image enhancement and color
management. Please refer to the following section for more details.
• Lightness (1.3): allows to increase or decrease the luminosity of the overall
image.
2.3.1.1 Type of original (1.2)
Since there are many settings to specify for image enhancement and color
management, a template (or group of settings) is provided to ease this task: the type
of original. It consists of the definition of archetypes of different originals to which
specific settings’ values have been associated. Depending on whether you are trying to
scan in B&W or Color, you may choose between different “type of original” templates:
• Color scanning
o Color Photo
o Brochure
o Map
o Cad
Lightness -3
Lightness 0
Lightness +6
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• B&W scanning
o Normal
o B&W Photo
o Blueprint
o Sepia
o Line
In most cases, choosing the correct type of original, as specified by point 1.2 in section
2.2, is enough to obtain a good scan and, subsequently, a good print.
A description of when each type of original should be used is provided in the following
tables.
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Color Mode
Color Photo
Should be used when copying color pictorial
images, characterized by having many colors,
transitions between colors or shadings. The main
intention is to have a copy as perceptually similar
to the original as possible, even though the colors
are not exactly the same.
Brochure
Should be used when there is a mix of text (sharp
and crisp contrast) and pictures. It is a
compromise between having good perceptual
reproduction of the pictures and crisp text.
Map
Should be used for maps, graphics and other
documents that have area fills: areas of one color
surrounded by areas of another color. The edges
between adjacent color areas are enhanced
(sharpened) and, assuming that the background
is white, a background cleaning feature is
applied.
Cad
Should be used for line drawings (architectural,
mechanical, electrical drawings) or text
document. Lines may be thin, and should be
copied as sharply as possible. The same image
enhancements of the Map type are applied.
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Black and White Mode
Normal
Should be used for line drawings, text and
shades of gray. It is similar to the Brochure
type seen before, but for black and white.
B&W Photo
Should be used for pictorial images that
have many shades of gray. In principle,
this is equivalent to the Color Photo type.
Blueprint
Should be used when the original has very
similar bluish background and foreground.
If you selected Normal or B&W Photo for
this type of original the output would be
very noisy and it would be hard to
distinguish the lines.
This type of original performs a cleaning
of the background in order to make the
output clearer.
Sepia
This option uses the same principles as
Blueprint but it is designed for sepia color
backgrounds.
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Line
Should be used for line drawings and pure
black text. It is not suitable for pictures and
it is the equivalent of the CAD type seen
before, but for black and white.
At this point, if you don’t like how the original appears on the preview pane, or if you
have already made a copy and the result is not what you expected, you can try to do
one of the followings:
• try a different pre-defined type of original;
• modify the current type of original;
• create your own type of original (same as before, but saving the new type of
original under a new name, thus preserving the pre-defined one).
To create your own new type of original, please refer to sections 3.4 and 3.5 of the
Annex.
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2.3.1.2 Scan Resolution (1.4)
You can specify the scanning resolution decided in point 1.4 of section 2.2 in the Scan
Resolution setting of the Scan tab (or in the Copy Quality setting under the Settings
button of the Copy tab).
If you select a scanning resolution other than the predefined ones, please make sure that
it is a multiple or sub-multiple of 600dpi, otherwise picture artifacts may appear in the
copy.
As a rule of thumb, the scanning resolution (for best print mode and large format
images) should be 150dpi x (Output Size/Input Size); therefore, if the original is not
enlarged (Output Size = Input Size), a 150dpi resolution is sufficient. If the original is
enlarged four times, a 600dpi resolution is needed.
If the image contains fine details (CAD drawings, fine art, maps), you may consider
scanning at a higher resolution.
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Printing is the materialization of the image and can be performed whether you are in
the Copy or Print tabs of the Touch Screen. Please remember that, besides the
formatting required to send the image to the printer, most of the color management
takes place in this phase.
With regard to color management you should define:
• which printer will be used (2.1);
• which media profile defines the media loaded in the printer (2.2);
• what print quality is required (2.3);
• whether the original image comes from an inkjet printer (2.4);
• (optionally) whether you prefer gray enhancement or not (2.5).
All these settings can be specified in the Touch Screen menu.
2.3.2.1 Printer and Media Profile (2.1 and 2.2)
Printer name and Media profile can be specified in the Setup tab, as shown in the
picture below.
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2.3.2.2 Print Quality (2.3), Ink Printer Original (2.4), Enhance gray (2.5)
The Print quality, the Ink printer original and the Enhance gray settings are
specified under the Settings button in the Copy or Print tab:
To get the best possible image quality and in order not to loose any of the reproducible
colors, you should choose Best print quality together with a good media such as
Photo Gloss. For all other cases, you should decide whether to favor image quality
(Best), print speed (Fast) or balance the two (Normal).
The Ink printer original setting should be specified when the original image comes
from an inkjet printer. If the original is a traditional silver-halide photo, or comes from
an offset press, a laser printer or some other printer rather than inkjet, then this option
should not be set.
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