I am told that Flexi Sign allows you to RIP and print. However, I have serious concerns about Flexi's ability to color manage, both CMYK and Pantone. Along with it's interpretation of raster images. Is anyone out there using Flexi as their primary RIP and print application, and if so what are your thoughts. I love the idea of printing and contour cutting out of one software package. But like I said, I’m an Adobe guy and Flexi seems like it has some serious drawbacks. Can Flexi be a true stand alone application or do I need to look at a RIP such as ONYX.
Thanks for the input; however, Signlab is not an option. We're running flexi 7.6 on 10 different machines and it's either use Flexi as a RIP and Print or ONYX. I'm curious to see if anyone is using Flexi and how its working for them. We have a lot of national clients who are very color concious.
Thanks
go with the onyx.... I can't imagine that a sign software, life flexi or signlab, would have a rip that is so adjustable, with so many different variables, as Onyx does.... However, 7.0 is coming out within the month, and it will include automatic bleeding, which should work out very well for flatbed printing... Illustrator cs2, photoshop cs2 and onyx postershop should be able to print anything....
Jamin:
The proof is always in the pudding. Onyx does an excellent job of color management. Perhaps you should consider getting a trial package of Onyx from your Onyx dealer along with a trial package of Flexi and benchmark both RIPs on your printer. Several of our clients swear by ErgoSoft and maintain it has the best color management. You might want to look closely at it as well.
Bob Gruner
I've been digitally printing with FLEXI for FOUR years now. I would never think of anything else. Don't even attempt to use RGB, I convert EVERY piece of art to CMYK thru photoshop and turn off flexi's color correction. I too print mostly national logo's and NEVER have a problem.
I own colorchoice and waasatch, and they don't compare to the ease of FLEXI
I use both flexi and signlab. Onyx treated me poorly when I was in the market to upgrade my existing Onyx package so I just dumped 'em. Flexi and Signlab are both very good rip and print packages. Signlab is more user friendly.imho
How about both?
We're designing in Flexi and sending to Onyx. Rip & print works pretty slick but Onxy wins in the color & mgnt. ease dept. Our printer & cutters are seperate anyway so the learning leap is not significant.
I would find it hard to walk away from the financial & learning investment in 10 stations. Design software should simply be a way to send color info to a rip (who's ever). With stand alone Onyx you get to keep your Flexi & add CS to the mix without import export hassle and expand your design software choices or needs.
He said....
I can't imagine that a sign software, life flexi or signlab, would have a rip that is so adjustable, with so many different variables, as Onyx does...
This is opinion. He asked for facts.
thank you
I've been using Flexi for print and cut duties for a couple of years and have no complaints. The color management dealing with printing has little to do with the far more primitive color management for cutting vinyl.
Every RIP has it's coven of mindless fanatics but if you know what you're about you should be able to use any of them to good effect. The problem seems to be that most people don't have a real good grasp of just what they're doing, including and especially one of the previous correspondents who touts converting everything to CMYK and turning off color correction. This one in particular doesn't appear to know its ass from a hot biscuit.
Did you enjoy this article? Click here to subscribe to the magazine.