Epson SylusRIP Questions (Postscript Hell)

I have an Epson 1520 and when I print anything postscript from quark,
(yes I know, I have InDesign but my employer doesn't) it looks like
crap. If I send to to Acrobat distiller or convert it to InDesign and
THEN print it, the quality is better, but still not true postscript
quality. When I went to Epson's site they have StylusRIP software that
supposedly makes my epson a postscript printer, but cost $145. Has
anyone used this software, and if so is it really worth it? Are there
any other alternatives to this? Is it possible to automate a function
somehow to drop it to distiller and automatically print?

When I send this to the printhouse it comes out fine, but I need some
good quality comps to show my client and if I have to make one more trip
to sir speedy I could have bought the dump with as much money as I've
spent there! Any tips appreciated thanks!

"Vince" <> wrote in message
news:Xns9400755B347C31878797lagplanetcom@65.32.1.7 ...
| I have an Epson 1520 and when I print anything postscript from quark,
| (yes I know, I have InDesign but my employer doesn't) it looks like
| crap. If I send to to Acrobat distiller or convert it to InDesign and
| THEN print it, the quality is better, but still not true postscript
| quality. When I went to Epson's site they have StylusRIP software that
| supposedly makes my epson a postscript printer, but cost $145. Has
| anyone used this software, and if so is it really worth it? Are there
| any other alternatives to this? Is it possible to automate a function
| somehow to drop it to distiller and automatically print?
|
| When I send this to the printhouse it comes out fine, but I need some
| good quality comps to show my client and if I have to make one more trip
| to sir speedy I could have bought the dump with as much money as I've
| spent there! Any tips appreciated thanks!

Wondering if you are using the correct PPD file in quark for the particular
epson you have and trying alternative print set up settings using the PPD.
You might want to see if epson has a more current PPD, - lot of things could
be affecting how something looks like crap and may have nothing to do with
the epson.

"No One You Know - Yet" <NoOneYouKnow-> wrote in
news:0Hjcb.17859$:

>
> "Vince" <> wrote in message
> news:Xns9400755B347C31878797lagplanetcom@65.32.1.7 ...
>| I have an Epson 1520 and when I print anything postscript from quark,
>| (yes I know, I have InDesign but my employer doesn't) it looks like
>| crap. If I send to to Acrobat distiller or convert it to InDesign and
>| THEN print it, the quality is better, but still not true postscript
>| quality. When I went to Epson's site they have StylusRIP software that
>| supposedly makes my epson a postscript printer, but cost $145. Has
>| anyone used this software, and if so is it really worth it? Are there
>| any other alternatives to this? Is it possible to automate a function
>| somehow to drop it to distiller and automatically print?
>|
>| When I send this to the printhouse it comes out fine, but I need some
>| good quality comps to show my client and if I have to make one more trip
>| to sir speedy I could have bought the dump with as much money as I've
>| spent there! Any tips appreciated thanks!
>
> Wondering if you are using the correct PPD file in quark for the particular
> epson you have and trying alternative print set up settings using the PPD.
> You might want to see if epson has a more current PPD, - lot of things
could
> be affecting how something looks like crap and may have nothing to do with
> the epson.
>
>
>

The 1520 does not ship as a postscript printer. You have to buy the Rip and
postscript enabler from Epson. After that it works great. I have an older
version of the Stylus rip with my 1520, and I wouldn't print without it. You
can often find the older version RIP on Ebay for around $40USD. Well worth
it. With the RIP you will have better halftones from the printer. Epson's
little way of getting that extra dollar, or making you buy the more expensive
3000 or better. Again, I really like the output from the RIP and 1520 combo.
Before the RIP I was not very happy with the quality of the prints. I also
changed to pigment inks just after I bought the RIP, so some of that might be
from the inks.