Prints don't look right!

I am using ADT 2004 and the printer driver I use is for a 755cm printer. The
printing service I use prints my jobs on a "OCE" model TDS 800 using "Repro
Desk" software which handles my printing instructions by defaulting to the
instructions I provide them. My problem is, the large format (36x24) prints,
they produce, do not show the grayscale clearly like my ( 19x13) check plots
from my "hp cp 1700" do. The large format prints show the grays in a dot
format, with the dots spaced further apart as the grays get lighter. The
printing service says that their printer is a high speed printer and that if
I want their large format prints to look like my small format inkjet prints
I will have to spend $ 3.00 / sq. ft. for inkjet prints. The high speed
large format prints cost $ .50 / sq. ft. The print service also says that
their large clients use the high speed plotter and create a custom plot
style to get the large format prints to look the way they want them to. Not
having any experience with the OCE TDS 800 plotter it sounds like I could
spend a lot of time trying to figure out what custom plot style would work
for me. Is there an easy way to create this custom plot style? Where do I
go from here? - Bob

 

The HP driver is creating a device dependent file format, HPGL2/RTL. You
could try using the HPGLAuto pen set in the Repro Desk Client - also known
as Repro Desk Remote.

 

The dot patterns may be different, but gray is always simulated this way
(that is by dithering) with the current large size plot technologies; it's
done in the plotter (or in this case in Reprodesk) so you can not control it
in the plot style. We use the same Oce combination for plot services and get
no complaints whatsoever about grays. You could make a test plot with solids
of increasing screening percentage, e.g. 10, 20, 30, a.s.o., to know what
grays look best in your type of plots. The "chroma" sample drawing may also
be useful to learn how colors print as (dithered) grays.

Govert

 

Thank all of you for your responces. - Bob