Comparison of Printer Drivers for Epson Stylus Pro x900 Printers
If you want to use custom media and create your own printer calibrations, you can in some cases also use the printer driver of the printer manufacturer as an alternative to GMG Driver. GMG Driver and manufacturer drivers may require different calibration file formats and processing steps. For example, multicolor printers with additional inks may require an MXC calibration file format. MXC calibrations are not supported in GMG ProfileEditor so that you need to create a calibration with the driver of the printer manufacturer instead.
DotProof is supported only for GMG Driver.
GMG Driver using MXC calibration data
Please note that GMG ProfileEditor does not support MXC calibration files. It is not possible to create custom printer calibrations for this combination of printer type and driver.
Color management process using GMG Driver and MXC printer calibration file.
Following the main color management step, an MXC printer calibration file is used to reseparate the CMYK color data to the multicolor space of the printer with additional inks such as RGB or OG. To ensure a consistent print quality and repeatability, a printer linearization file is part of this reseparation, adjusting the input-output behavior of the additional non-CMYK inks according to a predefined printer status. Data is optimized for the color space of the printer-medium combination and processed further by the printer driver.
Spot colors are processed separately and are merged with the process color channels in the driver. The printer driver then processes all color data and directly controls the printer, defining at which places each nozzle releases ink onto the print medium.
The MXC calibration file also includes the full gamut data of the printer. Therefore, no separate full gamut file is provided for this printer calibration type and you cannot view the full gamut in GMG GamutViewer.
Epson Driver using MX4 calibration data
Color management process using a driver from the printer manufacturer and an MX4 printer calibration file.
To ensure control of the K channel, a four-dimensional MX4 printer calibration file needs to be used with the manufacturer driver.
The MX4 printer calibration file adjusts the CMYK data according to a predefined printer status and hands it to the printer driver. The driver then reseparates the CMYK color data to the multicolor space of the printer with additional inks such as RGB or OG.
Spot colors are converted to CMYK by the corresponding spot color profile from the spot color database (db3) and are merged with the process color channels before the color channels enter the MX4 printer calibration file.
The MX4 file format offers advanced profile parameters such as Dot Gain or Missing Dots, which can be used in proof profiles. Profiles with advanced profile parameters cannot be used as printer calibrations.