Color managment upgrades.

[optofonik]

I recently moved and decided to upgrade my "digital darkroom" by purchasing an additional display to do softproofing and editing for print output. Since I was working out the new layout for my workstation it seemed like a good time so I've purchased a NEC Spectraview II P221W. I still have two Acer X193W+BD displays that I'll now use for program menus but would also like to use them with Firefox for web output proofing to get a sense of what the average display will produce (for those of you who know about recording studios the Acers would be analogous to Auratone speakers). Even though most average displays are not calibrated I would like to profile the Acers for an "all things being equal" approach. Since the NEC puck is calibrated to the P221W it is "right out" for use with the Acers.


My Acers have been away for warranty work which has halted my progress for a couple of weeks. I seem to have developed upgrade fever since I shipped them out and have begun considering more substantial changes:


1) Another NEC monitor that is Spectraview compatible but is an IPS panel, the LCD2690WUXi2, to compliment the P221W's PVA panel which would give me a total of four monitors: two for editing and printer softproofing and two for program menus and web proofing. Both the NECs would be run from the same dual head card and the Acers will have their own dual head card (till now each Acer had its own dual head card).


2) A second profiling solution for the Acer displays.


3) Printer calibrating hardware and software for profiling various papers




Since I'm going to spend the time to set up a new space I may as well do a substantial upgrade so I'm not reconfiguring ergonomics and trying to fit things into the space at a later date. My questions are:


1) Am I just in the grips of upgrade fever and considering something ridiculously complicated


2) Will the puck and software for the P221W work with a second "Spectraview compatible" display or is it dedicated (or locked) to the single P221W


3) Would the Spider3Studio bundle be adequate for profiling the Acers and my printer or should I consider the X-Rite Xtreme (I've looked at the ColorMunki and I want software with more control over the process which the Spyder3Studio and Xtreme both have). Seems there could be a point of diminishing returns when one considers the price difference and both require a similarly high level of attention to detail when creating profiles



There you have it. A textbook case of upgrade fever on display for all to see (and comment on)


Did I mention that the Epson 3880 has also caught my eye


Thanks

[ravncat]

I think there are other softwares out there that work with the color munki - i forget what they are - I need to look for them myself as I recently got a color munki. - it's nice in that it will do the print patch reading too. When I did research for it, I came across others talking about using different software for much more control.

The consensus seemed to be - the munki was better out of the box hardware, the spyder pro stuff had better out of the box software - but if you were only dealing with one monitor, the difference wasn't that important - things apparently get complicated in profiling and matching a second display. - though i've no experience with the color spyder - and i've no second display - yet.

The profiling process was pretty simple - I too want to get an epson 3880... (though id really like the 7980

[optofonik]

The 3880 would be a huge jump in IQ from my R800 and the $300.00 rebate is tempting because the printer has to be purchased before October 31st.