Color profiling beginner questions (colormunky etc)

[Ink stained Fingers]

just a hint - some USB ports may not deliver enough power to the device and create some error messages, you may use another port in that case or an USB hub with its own external power supply. This is typically more of a problem on notebooks than on normal computer chassis.

 

[martin0reg]

there is some profiling software using a scanner and a target http://www.ddisoftware.com/prism/ but I don't know how good those profiles really get. (....)

Just to add:
besides this there is another software solution which uses a digital camera instead of a scanner:
https://colymp.com/
I have used this for quite a long time, before I decided to buy a colormunki. Which is certainly better regarding usage and results... but on the other hand colymp is far cheaper and the results are at least bettter than no profiling at all - if you are using 3rd party ink and paper.
There is a free unlimited trial which prints out with white stripes.

 

[apetitphoto]

Colymp looks like it might be worth checking out, but I don't read German, and it looks like windows only at this point...

 

[martin0reg]

Yes - I'm sorry, seems to be windows and german only..

 

[The Hat]

@apetitphoto, Does this help, Google Translate

Software for calibrating / profiling a printer using a digital camera
Removes all color errors in print, simple and fast
No additional tools required
Windows 10, 8.1, 8, 7 and Vista (macOS in development)
RAW and jpeg
ICC compatible
Additional, virtual printer that enables color management at every printout
Create an unlimited number of profiles with one license
Only € 69.-

Current:
May 20, 2017: The new Verison of colymp is now available. It offers numerous improvements: especially RAW format, embedded color profiles, Windows 10 new virtual printer ...

March 15, 2017: The new version of colymp is ready! Colymp 2.1 offers not only support for Windows 10 and 8.1, but also numerous improvements. It will be officially available from 20.5.2017.

July 21, 2013: New version (installation does not require a restart even with 64bit systems)

March 16, 2013: Test report in ColorFoto: "[...]" If you want to print cheaper with third-party ink, Lakebits Colymp gets the right tool to get clean images on paper. "[...]

3. Feb. 2013: test report about colymp in ColorFoto (03/2013, page 100): Farbsicher: The idea sounds just as easy as simple ...

21. Nov. 2012: test report about colymp in FotoHits (11/2012, Page 74): Calibration quite simple: With a simple and coherent concept colymp helps your own printer to correct colors ... the complete output is available in the FotoHits Shop

26th, 2012: test report about colymp in "Photoshop aktuell": [...] color profiling amazingly simple and surprisingly good [...], the complete report you can find here: PHOTOSHOP SERVICE ISSUE 17

19. Oct. 2012: Colymp now also under Windows 8: available here

Oct. 2, 2012: What do the media report? Color Photo / PC Magazine

Sep. 2012: New in the forum: How to get with Lightroom absolutely neutral images, without any contrast enhancement

 

[apetitphoto]

@The Hat , thanks, but my main issue is the lack of mac support as I ditched windows a decade ago after several decades of fighting it and Linux variants.

 

[te36]

i1 pro arrived on friday, ebay $300, had basic accessories. Actually, a 2005 GretagMacbeth. See i1 diagnostics at the end.

Label on devise says revision B, i1diagnostics reports A. No idea. But moving over the stripes works quite fast.. 5 secs per A4/letter stripe ?!

i1profiler of course would only let me calibrate display but not printer due to missing license. Have not yet tried to use the older gretag software. Not runninng much windows (should work there on win 7), and on MacOS i'd have to get some virtualized MacOS 10.6.

Tried to profile my MacBookPro display with DisplayCAL. Took eternities (45 mins, primarily i think because of timeouts for black patches). Not a lot of visible changes. Probably Ok.

Used ArgyllCMS to profile Kirkland Pro with PrecisionColor EV6 on XP-820/Epson MacOS driver. It did get rid of magenta'ish colors but didn't get good color match with the display yet. Still lots of question how to use all that software. Will do separate post later.

Instrument information
Instrument inspection: Successful
Serial number i1Pro: 08154711
Type: i1Pro
Revision: A
Firmware version: 302
CPLD version: 301
Dark measurement count: 30810
Lamp burning time: 13198.0 seconds
Spot measurement count: 1603
Scan measurement count: 2103
Factory calibration: 7/19/05

Instrument Licenses
Measurement Modes: [Reflectance Spot, Reflectance Scan, Emission, Ambient Light Spot, Ambient Light Scan]
Licensed functionality: [Has Ambient Light, Spectral values, Tristimulus, Density]
Licensed Modules:
i1Match Module "Scanner": licensed
i1Match Module "Monitor": licensed
i1Match Module "Printer": NOT licensed
i1Match Module "Printer RGB only": licensed
i1Match Module "Printer CMYK only": NOT licensed
i1Match Module "Beamer": licensed
i1Match Module "Printer Easy RGB": licensed
i1Match Module "Printer Easy CMYK": licensed
i1Match Module "Digicam": licensed
i1Match Module "Editor": licensed
i1Profiler Module "Display Profiling": NOT licensed
i1Profiler Module "RGB Printer Profiling": NOT licensed
i1Profiler Module "CMYK Printer Profiling": NOT licensed
i1Profiler Module "Printer QA": NOT licensed
i1Profiler Module "Advanced-Mode": NOT licensed
i1Profiler Module "Projector": NOT licensed

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

There is quite some info on the internet about the i1Pro and its variations
http://xritephoto.com/ph_product_overview.aspx?ID=754&Action=Support&SupportID=3566
https://chorizo.wikispaces.com/How+...esponseToken=766c022d884ed9bff4f6fedadf03bde8

Some i1 Match modules like 'Printer easy RGB and CMYK ' are apparently licensed and should work with resp. software. I1Profiler is the successor software for the i1Match version and not licensed. I don't know the differences between the 'Easy' and the regular printer profiling modules in i1Match. And I rather would believe the diags Rev A than a sticker.

You may use the spectro as well with ArgyllCMS without problem.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

the latest version of the i1Match software is available here
http://www.xrite.com/service-support/downloads/i/i1match_software-mac_v3_6_3
You have a module Printer RGB only Licensed, so that should do the profiling job, since all typical inkjet printers via a driver are to be considered as RGB printers.

 

[te36]

Yes, i1match should do printer profiling with the i1pro i have. But its a Mac PowerPC app so it will run (emulated) on an Intel Mac only up to MacOS 10.6.x and its quite difficult to put an old MacOS onto a new Mac into a VM.

i think my next step is rather getting Windows 7 into a VM on the mac. Would also help me to run some of the windows only software you mentioned in before. After all, just for printer profiling, Argyll should be fine. Its more a convenience to compare with the commercial alternative.