Factual
information on Roland HiFi wide format inkjet printers. Whenever
we get a series of indications of problems or headaches with
a particular printer we do our best to find out whether these
are coincidental or endemic. It's hard of course when we don't
have the printer to test ourselves, but since we do our testing
in Guatemala we understand that not every printer company
is willing to send their equipment so far away. Thus we visit
Roland users worldwide and ask they what they like about their
printers as well as what glitches have their experienced.
So
here is a series of readers' reports. In some cases we know
the authors from previous correspondence. In other cases it
seems that the writers are either allied with Roland or are
otherwise upset that their favorite printer did not get top
ratings. What Roland loyalists don't realize, is simply because
out of 100 users, enough reported glitches that we unfurl
the yellow flag.
Our
goal is first to be fair to the end user, so he or she does
not get stuck with an unreliable printer. We also feel that
a review should be fair to the manufacturer as well (unless
the company engages in systematic exaggerated claims in their
woefully unrealistic ads). Roland is a reputable company and
their ads have not yet triggered any complaints.
Here
is a report from Roger, who we know via e-mail, so this is
an actual report of a real situation. This is verbatim and
not edited. The questions are from the FLAAR editor; the answers
are from Roger.
I
get so many mixed reviews of the Roland from end users. Some
love them and are upset that I don't praise them to the sky,
yet others have banding and find the color gamut limiting
in the pigmented inks.
I find that on canvas there can be banding if it is not done
at the 1440 dpi as far as the colors, I don't really have
anything to compare to except some Giclee prints in a gallery
done with a Iris by experts and the colors were superior to
what I have done so far.
I am also curious about learning curve (printer and RIP),
whether you had banding, and how you handle the
speed vs dpi?
I learned the software in two days as to print what I was
seeing on the monitor, you have to match the media type profile
to the media, and set the dpi higher for canvas than others.
As for speed again I have nothing to compare
to. At 1440 it is slow in my opinion, but it is awesome so
I have no problem with it. I have a Camm Jet not a Hi Fi so
I have a 540 dpi setting that is fast and does a good job
too, it could be used easily for many projects including prints
on film or photo paper.
Are you willing to wait the time it takes a 1440 print to
go?
Yes
There is a nice ink available for the Roland, may have better
gamut, such as DicoJet and Staedtler inks. Have you tried
them?
I have checked out the ink from your site, it is very interesting,
but I still have some ink so I am not in the market yet ,
but will be soon. I have found a machine (infrared dryer/Color
Lock System) that uses a special vinyl to lock in the color
from a inkjet printer. I will be using this vinyl and machine
to do my signs and decals etc.....
I hope this helps a little. All in all, I would agree with
the people who say why don't you praise the Roland more, I
don't have much experience but I know a good machine when
I see one, and my Camm Jet is one hell of a machine that amazes
me every time I use it!
It
is, however, worth reporting that one year later this Roland
user is rather disappointed.
Another
story from another incoming e-mail:
"Are
there any serious setbacks that you know of to the Roland
machines. We also have an office in San Francisco that already
has one and they told me about a time when they let it run
over night only to find in the morning that it had run out
of paper but continued to print."
For
additional information and for help making your decision,
ask for the "FLAAR report on signs, posters, banners"
(specify whether for indoor signs or outdoor signs in the
rain and sun) or for the FLAAR report on "Piezo vs
Thermal printheads, fact vs fiction, pros and cons of each
kind of inkjet printhead." You can also ask for the
report on "Media and Inks for Photo-Realistic and Fine
Art Giclee," or "Media and Inks for Sign Printing
with Large Format Inkjet."
If
this will be your first printer, then we have a special
report that holds your hand and leads you through all the
basic questions that will assist a first-time buyer of a
large format printer. Purchase
the FLAAR report on "RIP + Help." This explains
what RIP software is, why this is useful, and includes tips,
warnings, information, and help for a wide range of matters
for a newbie. Here you will really appreciate that FLAAR
is based at a university; Professor Hellmuth has plenty
of experience writing in a manner that explains what you
need, and why.
Additional updates from winter 2005 onward are also being put into the FLAAR Report Series in PDF format and are available on www.wide-format-printers.NET.
