Better PDF file interpretation and colour reproduction are just two of the improvements to be found in Shiraz RIP V6.6 according to AIT International, the London based software RIP developer. "Version 6.6 is a major new release with many new enhancements and drivers", claims Business Development Director, Ramin Shahbazi, "including a complete rewrite for handling of transparencies and blends, a much requested feature that will please a lot of users". Previous versions can handle spot colours, typically white ink, but V6.6 is fully multi-channel (HiFi) and supports an unlimited number of additional print colours, like orange and green as required for Hexachrome(TM), and is becoming an essential feature of a RIP as print manufacturers adopt a wider range of ink colours. The accuracy of colour reproduction has been further enhanced with the inclusion of 'Lab' colour based linearization. "It is difficult to explain but colour professionals will see, quite literally, the relevance and importance of this development", continues Shahbazi. Server printer polling, whereby information from the printer like ink levels, media type and job status is fed back to the RIP, has been updated to include all models which support this feature. There is also a new clustered halftone mode to support high speed printers, such as KIP, and a large format TIFF handler so that Shiraz can be easily interfaced with grand format machines. Finally, as expected in any new release, there is a comprehensive list of new printer drivers.
The new printer drivers include the Epson Stylus Pro 7900/9900, Epson Stylus Pro GS6000, Grapo Manta, HP DesignJet L65500, HP DesignJet Z3200 (for which Shiraz has been HP certified), KIP KC80, Mimaki CJV Series, Mutoh Viper Series, Seiko ColorPainter H-74S & H-104S with updates to drivers for the Epson Stylus Pro 4880/7880/9880/11880 to include RGB Contone path (Mac/Win), Epson Stylus Pro 4450/7450/9450 (Win), an HP Z-Series Professional Pantone Emulation, Mutoh RJ900 & RJ900Pro and TIFF reader/writer. There is also support for new colour instruments; the Barbieri Spectro Swing and Spectro LFP RT with Mac OSX.
The new drivers are available with a comprehensive portfolio of dedicated media profiles and complement the existing multi-platform drivers already available for the Epson, Grapo, HP, Kodak, Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland printers.
First launched by AIT International in 1995, Shiraz has been transformed over the years from being primarily a solution for one-user, one-printer environments to cater for multiple clients and multiple servers on a network. As a result, it has become the most popular RIP in the UK among print-and-pay large-format print bureaux, exhibition and display graphic producers, signmakers and photographers and has a worldwide install base.
In its latest release, Shiraz V6.6, is available intwo versions; Server and Server Plus. Each offers the same basic functionality but has different features to meet varying user requirements.
Shiraz Server is designed for small to medium-size sign and copy shops which require features of the RIP, such as batching and nesting, to optimize their media usage and allow them to run their system unattended.
Shiraz Server Plus is specifically for print for pay bureaux and big sign shops with very demanding production requirements running multiple printers. As well as enabling multiple operators to send jobs to the server, this also allows more advanced users to create their own colour profile tables and spot colours.
Other Shiraz products include Shiraz Signature and Shiraz Focus. Shiraz Signature is targeted at users such as small sign shops running just one printer with low volume production but who still require a PostScript compatible interpreter. Shiraz Focus is aimed at commercial photographers and is designed for processing images (like digital photos) that contain no PostScript elements but require a range of templates for job layout.
Shiraz is available in six European languages and is supplied in the first instance on a DVD which incorporates a training video giving easy step-by-step instructions on setting up and operating the software. More information available on the AIT website
www.applied-image.comFurther information from Roger Ward at AIT Shiraz on 01732 875000;
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Issued on behalf of AIT International by Roger Ward, AIT Shiraz, 30 Churchill Square, Kings Hill, West Malling, Kent, ME19 4YU. Tel 01732 875000 email roger@applied-image.com