Tektronix Phaser 300X User manual

User Manual Release Note
PhaserMatch ™
Copyright © Tektronix, Inc. Printed in the U.S.A. Unpublished rights reserved under the copyright
laws of the United States. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without
permission of Tektronix, Inc.
November 1996 Part Number 070-9270-82

User Manual Release Note 1
New features and updates
Installing the PhaserMatch application
Refer to the following table to locate the instructions in this release note for
installing and using your printer with the PhaserMatch application.
Other features
■
Hints and tips for using Calibration Curves
See page 10 in this release note for information on using the curve
editing feature.
■
Using the Send Profile command
This command has improved performance over the description in
the
PhaserMatch User Manual . See page 12 in this release note for
details.
■
Printing a densitometry test print
See page 13 in this release note for information on making a test print
on your target printing device.
■
Printing with custom profiles
See page 13 in this release note for instructions on printing custom
profiles you created in the PhaserMatch application.
Printer Macintosh
installation instructions Windows installation instructions Using the PhaserMatch application
Phaser 480X page 2 page 3 page 8
Phaser 450 page 2 page 3 page 8 and page 9
Phaser 300X page 2 page 3 page 8
Phaser 600 page 2 page 7 page 8

2 PhaserMatch
Installing the PhaserMatch application: Macintosh
Phaser 480X, Phaser 450, Phaser 300X, and Phaser 600 printers
The PhaserMatch application for Macintosh is compatible with Apple
Macintosh II computers, or later, including PowerPCs.
Refer to the instructions in your printer’s
manuals for installation
instructions.
■
Phaser 480X printers
The installer program for the PhaserMatch application is on the
printer’s CD-ROM. Refer to the
PhaserMatch User Manual for more
information.
■
Phaser 450 printers
The installer program for the PhaserMatch application is on the
printer’s CD-ROM. Refer to the
Phaser 450 Drivers and Utilities
Printing Reference
manual for more information.
■
Phaser 300X printers
The installer program for the PhaserMatch application is on the
printer’s CD-ROM for the extended features option. Refer to the
Phaser 300X Drivers and Utilities Printing Reference manual for more
information.
■ Phaser 600 printers
The installer program on the printer’s CD-ROM installs the
PhaserMatch application. Refer to the
Phaser 600 Color Printer
User Manual
for more information.
The files created by the PhaserMatch application are stored in the following
locations:
■ A PhaserMatch folder inside a PhaserTools folder created by the
installer application.
■ A PhaserMatch folder in the Preferences folder, in the Extensions
folder, inside the
System Folder on your hard disk.

User Manual Release Note 3
Installing the PhaserMatch application: Windows
Phaser 480X, Phaser 450, and Phaser 300X printers
Use the following instructions to install PhaserMatch for Windows for these
printers:
■
Phaser 480X printers
■
Phaser 300X printers
■
Phaser 450 printers
Note If you have an older version of the PhaserMatch application
installed on your computer, you should delete its icon from the
existing Phaser Tools Group, then delete the Phaser Tools Group.
Any saved calibrations or profiles will be available for use in the
new version of PhaserMatch in the new PhaserTools Group after
installation.
1. Start Windows.
2. Insert the appropriate printer’s CD-ROM into your computer’s
CD-ROM drive.
3. From the File Manager , select the drive the CD-ROM is in,
followed by the
PHSRMTCH directory.
4. Locate the SETUP.EXE file; double-click the file to start the
installer.
5. At the Start Installation dialog box, click Yes to install now.

4 PhaserMatch
6. In the Select Installation Drive dialog box, select the drive to
install the software to, then click
OK .
7. In the Setup dialog box, select the directory to install the software
in. Use the default
C:\PHSRMTCH , or type a new path name.
Then click
OK .

User Manual Release Note 5
8.
In the Icon Installation dialog box, click one of the buttons to
determine the group where you want the PhaserMatch application
to reside. You can change your mind and return to this dialog box.
■
Click the Use Existing Group button to use an existing group. The
Installer looks for an existing
PhaserTool s group. Select a group
from the list, then click
OK . Or, click Go Back to return to the
Icon Installation dialog box.
■ Click the Create New Group button to use either the default
PhaserTools group name or type a new group name.
Then click
OK . Or, click Go Back to return to the Icon Installation
dialog box.

6 PhaserMatch
9. At the Installation Complete message, click Yes to exit the
installation program
and open a README document about this
procedure; click
No to exit the installation program.
The
PhaserMatch application is available in the group you
specified.
The files created by the PhaserMatch application are stored in the following
locations:
■ Windows 95: PhaserMatch files are stored in the
WIN95/PHSRMTCH directory.
■ Windows 3.1: PhaserMatch files are stored in the
WINDOWS/PHSRMTCH directory.

User Manual Release Note 7
Installing the PhaserMatch application: Windows
Phaser 600 printers
Use the following instructions to install PhaserMatch for Windows for
Phaser 600 printers.
The PhaserMatch application for Windows is compatible with Windows 3.1
and Windows 95.
The installer program on the Phaser 600 printer’s CD-ROM installs the
PhaserMatch application. Refer to the instructions in the
Phaser 600 Color
Printer User Manual
for installation instructions.
The files created by the PhaserMatch application are stored in the following
locations:
■
Windows 95: PhaserMatch files are stored in the
WIN95/PHSRMTCH directory.
■
Windows 3.1: PhaserMatch files are stored in the
WINDOWS/PHSRMTCH directory.

8 PhaserMatch
Using the PhaserMatch application
Using PhaserMatch calibration options
You can use the calibration options in the PhaserMatch application with the
following printers:
■
Phaser 480X
■ Phaser 450
Refer to Chapter 3, “Calibrating the Printer,” in the
PhaserMatch User Manual
for instructions. Substitute your printer’s name where ever the manual
refers to a Phaser 480X printer.
Using PhaserMatch custom profiles
You can use the custom profile options in the PhaserMatch application with
the following printers:
■ Phaser 480X
■
Phaser 450
■ Phaser 300X
■
Phaser 600
Refer to Chapter 4, “Editing Profiles,” in the
PhaserMatch User Manual for
instructions. Substitute your printer’s name where ever the manual refers to
a Phaser 480X printer. For instructions on printing with custom profiles
from printer drivers, refer to your printer’s manuals.
Special notes for Phaser 300X and Phaser 600 printers
The Paper Color command in the Profile menu is not available (grayed-out)
for Phaser 300X and Phaser 600 printers; all other
Profile menu commands
are available.
All of the calibration commands in the
File menu and in the Calibrate menu
are grayed-out. Also, in the User Mode dialog box, available under
Preferences in the File menu, the calibration options are grayed out.

User Manual Release Note 9
Special notes for Phaser 450 printers
The PhaserMatch application offers different features depending on the
version of the printer you have.
■Phaser 450: standard version of the printer
With the standard version of the printer, you can use only the
calibration options with the PhaserMatch application.
Refer to Chapter 3, “Calibrating the Printer,” in the PhaserMatch
User Manual for instructions on calibrating the printer to adjust the
gray balance and gray linearity values in the printer for individual
transfer rolls to ensure consistency in your printed images.
■Phaser 450: Extended Features option
Note If you upgraded your Phaser 450 printer to the Extended Features
option, you need to reinstall the PhaserMatch application from
the printer’s CD-ROM for Extended Features.
With the printer’s Extended Features option, you can use both the
calibration and the profile options with the PhaserMatch
application.
Refer to Chapter 3, “Calibrating the Printer,” in the PhaserMatch
User Manual for instructions on calibrating the printer to adjust the
gray balance and gray linearity values in the printer for individual
transfer rolls to ensure consistency in your printed images.
Chapter 4, “Editing Profiles,” in the PhaserMatch User Manual for
instructions on creating custom profiles to improve color matching
between the printer and another output device, such as a specific
printing press.

10 PhaserMatch
Hints and tips for using Calibration Curves
Note The Calibration Curves command is available with the
PhaserMatch application for Phaser 480X and Phaser 450
printers only.
Modifying Calibration Curves is an expert feature. For most users, the
Easy Calibration mode is sufficient and easier to use.
The Calibration Curves feature is not a profile editor. Use the options in the
Profile menu to adjust the printer’s colors to match a specific printing press.
Use the Calibration Curves feature to perform a more complete calibration
on the printer than available with the Easy Calibration mode, to produce a
neutral gray and linear gray.
For best results, adjust Calibration Curves in the following order:
1. Adjust the CMYK curves together to set the overall tone
reproduction level.
2. Adjust the strongest individual color to adjust for a color cast in a
neutral gray.
3. Make fine adjustments to other colors as needed.
Things to keep in mind:
■When you first open the Calibration Curves dialog box, there are
no visible control points on the curves. Once a point has been
added or set on a curve, it appears as a small black dot.
■You can add or set points on a curve by clicking on the curve or by
adjusting the value in an edit box.
■The curves and the numbers in the edit boxes represent the same
values. You can adjust either the curves or the numbers; changing
one changes the other.

User Manual Release Note 11
■To change the position of a point along a curve, delete an existing
point and add a new one.
■Macintosh: Select the point so it turns black, then press the
Delete key.
■Windows: Click on the point with the right mouse button.
■It is possible to select any point on a curve at 5 percent intervals: 5,
10, 15, and so on. Not all percentages are visible in the edit boxes,
but all percentages are adjustable on the curves.
■There are limits to the amount of change available at any given
control point. A point is not allowed to be higher than the next
highest point, or lower than the next lowest point. For example, if
a curve has control points at 5, 25, and 50 percent, you cannot drag
the 25 percent point higher than the 50 percent point, or lower
than the 5 percent point.
■When editing CMY or CMYK, several curves are being adjusted at
the same time. It is best to change them all by the same amount so
the individual curves all have the same control points (or that all
curves have no control points).
If you have made adjustments to individual curves, and then need
to adjust all of the curves together, first click OK to save the
adjustments on the individual curves. Then, reopen the
Calibration Curves dialog box and select CMY or CMYK to adjust
all curves together.

12 PhaserMatch
Using the Send Profile command
Note The Send Profile command is available only in the
Expert Calibration user mode. This command is available for
all supported printers.
Use the Send Profile dialog box to send a profile to the printer to change the
printer’s default color profile.
1. For Phaser 480X, Phaser 450, and Phaser 300X printers:
Make sure DIP Switches 8 and 9 on the printer’s rear panel are in
the up position. (This step is not necessary for Phaser 600
printers.)
2. Select Send Profile from the File menu.
3. From the list, select the profile you want sent to the printer.
4. Click OK to send the selected profile to the printer.
When a standard profile, such as SWOP Press or Commercial Press, is sent to
the printer, it remains in the printer’s memory as the printer’s default color
profile until it is replaced with another standard profile. The standard
profile remains in the printer’s memory even if the printer is turned off.
However, a user-modified profile remains in the printer’s memory as the
printer’s default color profile only while the printer is turned on. If the
printer is turned off, then on again, the default profile in the printer is the
standard or “based-on” profile that was used for the user-modified profile;
the user-modified information is lost. For example, if a user-modified profile
that started with Commercial Press as the “based-on” profile, is sent to the
printer, only the Commercial Press information is left in the printer’s
memory after the printer is turned off. Your original user-modified profile is
still intact and available for use, but it must be sent to the printer again.
This downloading procedure does not affect a profile you may be editing in
PhaserMatch.

User Manual Release Note 13
Printing a densitometry test print
Densitometry Test EPS (Macintosh) and TESTPRNT.EPS (PC) are EPS files for
use in making a test print on the target output device, such as a printing
press. The files are located with the PhaserMatch software on your printer’s
CD-ROM.
To use the test prints, import the EPS file into an application that can make
prints on your target output device.
Refer to the PhaserMatch User Manual for instructions on making
densitometry measurements and using the Densitometry dialog box.
Printing with custom profiles
Custom profiles you create in the PhaserMatch application are available in
the Color Corrections list in the printer drivers shipped with your printer.
However, to use these profiles, PhaserMatch software cannot be running.
Quit the PhaserMatch application before opening a driver to print with a
custom profile.

User Manual
PhaserMatch
™
First printing June 1995
070-9270-00

Copyright © 1995 by Tektronix, Inc., Wilsonville, Oregon. Printed in the United States of America.
All rights reserved. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission of
Tektronix, Inc.
This instrument, in whole or in part, may be protected by one or more U.S. or foreign patents or patent
applications. Information provided upon request from Tektronix, Inc., P.O. Box 1000, Wilsonville, Oregon
97070-1000.
If acquired subject to FAR or DFARS, the following shall apply:
■
Unpublished — rights reserved under the copyright laws of the United States.
■ Restricted Rights Legend — Use, duplication or disclosure by the government is subject to restrictions as set
forth in subparagraph (c) (1) (ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software at DFARS
252.227-7013, or in subparagraph (c) (2) of the Commercial Computer Software – Restricted Rights clause at
FAR 52.227-19, as applicable. Tektronix, Inc., P.O. Box 1000, Wilsonville, Oregon 97070-1000.
Tektronix
®
and Phaser
®
are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc. TekColor™ and PhaserMatch™ are
trademarks of Tektronix, Inc.
Adobe™, PostScript™ are trademarks of Adobe Systems, Incorporated which may be registered in certain
jurisdictions.
Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
The printer contains an implementation of the LZW algorithm licensed under U.S. Patent 4,558,302.
Portions copyright Sequel Imaging, 1995.
Other marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of the companies with which they are associated.

User Manual
iii
Contents
1 Introduction to PhaserMatch™
Calibration 1-1
Profiles 1-2
Learning to use PhaserMatch 1-3
Tutorial on Phaser 480X CD-ROM 1-3
2 Getting Started
PhaserMatch for the Macintosh 2-1
Locating the software 2-1
System requirements 2-1
Installing the software 2-2
Starting the application 2-3
Using the application 2-4
PhaserMatch for Windows 2-5
Locating the software 2-5
System requirements 2-5
Installing the software 2-6
Starting the application 2-7
Using the application 2-8
Selecting a user mode 2-9
PhaserMatch at a glance 2-11

iv
PhaserMatch
3 Calibrating the Printer
Overview 3-1
When to use PhaserMatch 3-1
How to use PhaserMatch 3-2
Setting Gray Balance values 3-3
Setting Gray Linearity values 3-10
Adjusting calibration curves 3-15
How values are displayed 3-16
Adjusting the curve settings 3-18
Controlling calibration files 3-21
Loading existing calibration settings 3-21
Saving calibration settings 3-22
Sending calibration settings to the printer 3-23
Deleting existing calibration settings 3-24
Exporting calibration settings 3-25
Importing calibration settings 3-26
Selecting calibration preferences 3-27

User Manual
v
4 Editing Profiles
Overview 4-1
Deciding which Profile menu command to use 4-2
Adjusting for Dot Gain 4-4
Editing profile curves 4-8
Making densitometry measurements 4-12
Specifying paper or background color 4-15
Using edited profiles 4-22
Controlling profiles 4-23
Loading existing profiles 4-23
Saving a profile 4-24
Sending a profile to the printer 4-25
Deleting existing profiles 4-26
Exporting profile settings 4-27
Importing profile settings 4-28
Selecting profile preferences 4-29

vi
PhaserMatch
5 Technical Notes
If you get an error when making a test print 5-1
If some users cannot use the CD-ROM 5-2
Software files 5-3
Values for IT8.7-3 Basic Color Target test pattern 5-4
Values for IT8.7-3 Color Standard Chart test pattern 5-7
Index