[scribus] How to use color management?

[Hal V. Engel]

On Sunday 31 August 2008 11:46:20 am dwain wrote:
> On 8/31/08, Lars O. Grobe <grobe at gmx.net> wrote:
> >  Still, your monitor seams to be uncalibrated.
>
> yes it is.  i guess i'm going to have to fork over the green stuff and
> get a calibrator.  any recommendations and where to purchase one?
> dwain

It depends on how much you want to spend and what features you need or want.  
But the options are fairly limited.

1. X-Rite Huey.  Low cost device with very good performance for the money.  It 
is missing the ability to get a color temperature measurement from an ambient 
reading.  Like all current devices it will handle CRTs and LCDs.

Vendor is neutral regarding open source and has not provided support for or 
hindered open source efforts.   

The bundled software works OK and is easy to use but is also crippled.  It is 
supported by ArgyllCMS and LProf (CVS) where you will have access to a full 
list of calibration and profiling features.  

You should be able to find a Huey for less than $50 plus shipping.  There is 
also a Huey Pro bundle that includes upgraded software that costs an 
additional $40.  If you are going to use open source software then there is no 
reason to get the Pro upgrade.  The Huey is a very good option for those with 
a limited budget.

2. X-Rite EyeOne Display 2 and LT.  These are the same hardware but the 
software bundled with the hardware askes the hardware which it is and provides 
a reduced feature set for the LT.  

Supported by ArgyllCMS and LProf (CVS).  

These are nice meters and the bundled software is OK with a (nearly, for the 
LT) full feature set but only runs on Windows and the Mac.  For most users the 
extra features of the 2 bundle will not be missed if they get an LT.  The 
available open source software has the same feature sets for both the 2 and 
the LT.   The bundled software is much nicer than the Huey bundle so part of 
the upcharge is for the better software but the hardware is somewhat better 
than a Huey as it has full support for ambient readings and has better dark 
measurement accuracy.

See #1 for comments about the vendor.   

LTs can be found on the net in the $120 to $130 range plus shipping but if you 
shop around you might find one for less (I found mine for $106 including 
shipping).  

3. X-Rite EyeOne Pro.  This is a full spectrohotometer (not just a color meter 
like #1, #2 and #5) that can do reflective as well as transmissive and 
emissive readings.  So this can be used to profile printers, transparancy 
devices and monitors.  

It is significantly more expensive than a monitor only solution and will 
likely run somewhere in the $500 region with the base software bundle.  Some 
of the software bundles can run as high as $2500 discounted.  

Supported by ArgyllCMS (both monitor and printer profiling) and Lprof (CVS - 
currently monitor only).  

See #1 for comments about the vendor. 

For non-Windows/Mac users this is the device to get for profiling printers and 
it will also do your monitors.  So it is an all in one solution.  ArgyllCMS 
has very good facilities for printer profiling and even for Windows/Mac users 
it will be more powerful than the base software bundle.

4. X-Rite ColorMunki.  Based on EyeOne Pro hardware but with UV cut only.  
Currently not supported by open source software.  I have seen this adverised 
for around $350 with the base software bundle (Windows and Mac only).  

May be a good option for Windows or Mac user wanting to profile printers.  But 
most CM experts do not like UV cut spectrophotometers since this results in 
the profiles ignoring paper whitening agents. 

See #1 for comments about the vendor.

5. ColorData Spyder2.  Base bundle is slightly more costly than the Huey.  

The least capable of any of these devices with poor dark reading accuracy and 
no ambient light measurement capabilities at all.  It is also very fussy about 
USB communications and will not work when connected to most hubs.  

The hardware vendor is openly hostile to to the open source community.  

Currently supported by ArgyllCMS and LProf (CVS).  The person who developed 
the open source driver has said that if he had known how hostile the vendor is 
that he would not have bothered.  Do not expect any support for other products 
from this vendor in open source software unless there is a change in policy by 
the vendor.

You will almost for sure not find these products locally unless you live in a 
very large city.   If you do find any locally expect to pay full retail.  
These products are all farily heavily discounted on the net so your best 
option is to shop around on the net to find the best deal.  Have a look on 
ebay as all of these are very common there but it is also a good idea to look 
for other sources because there is a good chance that some other source will 
have the best price for the hardware you want. 

Hal
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