April 7, 1997

Scitex boosts Spontane: faster CPU, offline RIP

Hardware compression also added

Scitex has enhanced its Spontane digital color press in two major ways to boost its productivity and its attractiveness in this competitive market: a faster front-end CPU and an inexpensive offline RIP. They are part of a new version of the system called Spontane V (for velocity), which Scitex claims is 250%-340% faster than the earlier model, based on operating in normal quality mode.

The faster CPU, which addresses a frequent criticism by early users, is built around an IBM E30 computer running a 166-MHz PowerPC 604 chip with 96 MB of RAM. (The former front end used a 100-MHz Motorola chip.) It also includes a 2-GB system disk, 4 GB of user disk storage and 4 GB of printer storage. The printer disks are used to store ready-to-print raster files.

In addition, the system now includes a hardware compression board that makes it possible to move data much faster and perform compression and decompression on the fly.

Also new is a modification to the engine to enlarge slightly its print format.

New software. As part of the speed increase and to improve quality, Scitex has released a new version of system software, called version 1.5. It includes new color lookup tables to enhance color output for certain applications, including photographs and presentations. The RIP also incorporates new UCR and GCR schemes based on the characteristics of toner.

Version 1.5 still runs an Adobe Level 2 interpreter. Scitex said it is working on implementing Level 3, but it doesn't expect to have a product ready for the market until the end of this year or early next year.

Status. The new machine will become the standard offering in the product line. Scitex will offer existing users a partial no-cost upgrade including version 1.5 of the software, a hardware compression board and the larger-format engine capability. The new CPU will not be offered free to these users.

Scitex said the base price of the machine will not rise on account of the new enhancements.

Ignite. The Ignite offline RIP runs on a Mac or Power Mac with at least 96 MB of RAM and uses the same Adobe CPSI PostScript interpreter and similar software as the Spontane V. The RIP enables distributed and concurrent RIP processing and will deliver — either over a network or via a disk — print-ready files for output by the print engine. Print-ready files can be dropped straight into a hot folder that sends them immediately into the queue for output.

Ignite's approach is similar to that used by Indigo in its E-RIP for enhancing throughput with additional RIPs. The difference is that Scitex will sell the Ignite capability for a much lower price-in the neighborhood of $6,000, we were told. One use for it, Scitex says, will be for Spontane owners to supply their customers with Ignite workstations so they can send their jobs in print-ready format from remote locations for printing on the Spontane.

Marketing. Scitex reported that it has shipped more than 400 of its front-end controllers, including both those being used with Spontane systems and those sold by Xerox as front ends to its DocuColor 40. We believe that about half have gone to Scitex's own customers and half to Xerox customers.

Xerox also has the rights to sell Ignite stations to its DocuColor 40 customers that purchase Scitex front ends.

Scitex also said that Fuji Xerox, which makes the Spontane engine, has signed a deal to sell the Scitex front end as the DocuColor Press Server with the DocuColor engine in its territories.

In perspective. Aside from addressing the needs of early users, which is always a good idea, the improvements in Spontane V should make Scitex a much more formidable competitor to Xerox in this tough market, at a critical time in the product's short history. With Xerox threatening to run away with the market, Scitex now has a much better chance both to sell its own complete systems and to gain more sales of front ends to go with engines that Xerox sells.

Perhaps just as important as the faster front end is the inexpensive offline RIP, which should fit nicely into nearly everyone's workflow.

Scitex opens Brisque. In another announcement, Scitex disclosed the signing of an agreement with Think Laboratories in Japan involving gravure engraving. Think has an automated gravure chemical etching system that is driven by Scitex's Whisper workstation. Under the new deal, Think will offer Scitex's Brisque RIP technology with Scitex's Turbo screening to drive the engraving unit.

Think Laboratories will sell the system in Japan, with system sales in the rest of the world still under consideration.

This is the first incidence of another vendor interfacing the Brisque controller to its output device.

New appointment. In other Scitex news, the company announced the appointment of Joseph Pargola as national sales manager for the Indirect sales Channel. Pargola will be responsible for all third-party sales in North America. Pargola joined Scitex in 1993, where he most recently served as sales manager of distributor sales.

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Also in this issue:

Highlights from Cebit. Agfa launched new versions of its Chromapress digital printer. Heidelberg and Linotype-Hell made digital camera and Delta announcements and Scangraphic introduced its Futuro imagesetter.

Indigo's outlook brightens.

Heidelberg reveals digital plans.

ColorQuartet adds ICC profiles.

Cover stories:

"Barbarians" invade Documation '97
Intranet Vendors Shake Up the Market

Report from PMA '97
Digital Photography Continues to Bloom