HELP! Saving files for print

[JoeBoomer]

I need help saving files for print properly. In turn, I need help choosing the appropriate settings in Onyx RIP.


Here is my typical setup:

Onyx Postershop 10.2
Illustrator CS6
HP L26500 Printer
Media: 3M 180C-10 ControlTac

The only color calibration that has been done, is from the on board i1 on my printer.

I need some insight on saving PDF's correctly. It seems like I need to be saving files w/ "Press Quality" preset in illustrator. I need to know what I should set my "Output" settings to in the PDF save menu.



Scenario 1.) CMYK Illustrator file w/ SPOT colors, CMYK colors, 1 Placed image w/ sRGB2.1 profile embedded


Scenario 2.) Same as #1, but with multiple placed images all with different profiles.

Scenario 3.) RGB Illustrator file w/ SPOT colors, RGB colors, placed images w/embedded profiles (Adobe RGB, sRGB, GRACol, etc.)

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QUESTION 1 - In the "Output" setting in Illustrator, what settings can I use so that my spot colors don't change, and my images come out nice and vibrant (See image 1)

QUESTION 2 - In Onyx, what "Color Management" settings should I choose? (See images 3 & 4)

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've been blindly guessing for years now and I'm sick of half-assing it. We've been saving everything as "Illustrator Default", and have noticed how placed images are washed out. Also, the RIP times are crazy long on files with both raster and vector art in them.

Thanks team!

 

[JoeBoomer]

Anyone.....?

 

[J Hill Designs]

I absolutely cant help, as I just save everything as RGB jpg for print, but consider it a free bump

 

[danno]

Here's the way we do it.

All files created in Illustrator in CMYK

Images brought in and placed in their original native format (cmyk or rgb)

file saved as an .eps

ONYX

we open all files in preflight.

If there are images in with artwork, we use the change profiles button to get the following results :

CMYK image = SWOP v2
CMYK vector = all icc off
RGB image = Srgb iec61966_21.icm
RGB vector = all icc off

It may not be correct, but we get predictable and pleasing colour results.

 

[Bly]

Save as Illustrator Default PDF.
No colour changed and no jpeg compression.

 

[klmiller611]

Save as Illustrator Default PDF.
No colour changed and no jpeg compression.

I'd second that, our color is consistent and repeatable. Only place that you might run into an issue is a file with special effects, i.e. drop shadows, glows, etc. For those, the only way I get them to rip properly is open them in photoshop at 240 dpi, save as an uncompressed jpeg.