Wasatch Computer Technology has released Wasatch SoftRIP version 6.1 featuring the industry's first full 16bit colour rendering pipeline. This innovation builds upon Wasatch's Precision Stochastic Screens halftoning method to bring high definition colour quality to the printing process.
16bit rendering improves image quality in much the same way as switching from a lossy file format like a jpeg to the data rich RAW format used by professional digital photographers. RIPs with 8bit rendering lose colour data in the printing process. SoftRIP v6.1 maintains the colour data to produce output that is truly faithful to the original source image.
SoftRIP will process files that are inherently 16bits deep through colour management and PSS halftoning with high fidelity color depth. Files that arrive to the RIP only 8bits deep will also show substantial benefit. They are promoted to 16bits of colour depth prior to entering color management and are maintained at this high definition through halftoning. The effects of this innovation will be particularly dynamic when working with vector gradients and printing with lower quality consumables.
Imaging Configurations (colour profiles) made with earlier versions of Wasatch SoftRIP can be used with SoftRIP 6.1. In many cases, older profiles will provide improved image quality just by being used with this new release. New 16bit Imaging Configurations are not backwards compatible.
"With SoftRIP's 16bit colour pipeline, colour accuracy is improved and tonal banding becomes a thing of the past," says Wasatch Vice President Jay Griffin. "Wasatch 6.1 will create a new definition of colour quality in the digital inkjet market."
Upgrade Details for Current Users
Wasatch users with valid service contracts as of January 24, 2007 are eligible for a free upgrade to version 6.1 as long as they request the upgrade before the end of their service contract.
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