Re: Epson Photo printers - 16 bit?
Re: Epson Photo printers - 16 bit?
- Subject: Re: Epson Photo printers - 16 bit?
- From: "Steve Lawrence" <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2003 17:36:07 +0100
- Thread-topic: Epson Photo printers - 16 bit?
>
Typically, users send 8-bit per channel RGB files (24-bit
>
total) to Epson printers (2200/7600/9600). It *is* possible
>
to send high-bit files (16-bit per channel, 48-bit total) and
>
they print very well. The question is this: Does anyone know
>
if the high-bit files are massaged down to 8-bit files by
>
either the Epson printers or the Epson drivers? (or vice
>
versa?)
Well C. David Tobie managed to give me a push before the distraction of
work allowed me to complete my reply <G>.
I can't speak about the specifics of individual Epson OS printer
drivers, but I can answer your question by talking about operating
system (OS) level printer drivers in general.
Basically an OS printer driver receives draw commands through the OS's
printer driver programming interfaces. Putting this in context in
Windows, apps draw to the printer by calling OS graphics device
interface (GDI) application programming interface (API) calls. The OS
then translates these into device driver interface (DDI) calls which it
makes to the printer driver. The Mac is basically the same at a high
level, except of course the Mac OS's Quickdraw graphics engine is used.
It is these printer driver programming interfaces that provide the
boundaries of how and what information the driver receives and
processes.
To return to your specific question, under Windows (3.x, 9x, Me, NT, XP,
2K) the colour information for draw objects is limited to a maximum of
8-bits per channel. I am almost certain that it is the same under the
Mac, classic OS at least. I'll endeavour to ask one of our Mac driver
engineers about OS X... or perhaps one of the Apple print team would be
able to make a definitive statement. Of course this is when printing
"normally". Any draw command is allowed if the OS is bypassed and there
is a proprietary link between app and printer driver.
Best Wishes,
Steve Lawrence
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