posted
does the 600x300 dpi vs the 300 dpi makes a real difference? Is it worth the $$$ ? also what about the plotters GSx vs GS15 which one will makes me a happy puppy?
thanks
É
-------------------- Élaine Beauchemin scrip Lettrage Scripsit inc. St-Hubert, Quebec, Canada www.scripsit.net Posts: 1096 | From: Saint-Hubert, Québec, Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
The Edge II higher resolution is a big plus for better looking prints which contain halftones. Also it allows you to get legible text at smaller sizes. Makes little difference with solid spot colors.
The print speed, to me, is the biggest plus. It's 3 times faster at 300 x 300 than the Edge I.
I have no experience with the GS series plotters. We use an Envision and are happy with it. I would expect the GS series would be a serious bottleneck in production if you get any good size orders.
You may want to post the same question at the new site for Edge owners:
posted
I have the edge 2 & agree with Fred on the speed being primary advantage. I often don't take advantage of the 600 x 300 dpi so I can realize that speed advantage, but I have & use the extra resolution when I need it.
As for asking on 4edgetalk, you could search the question & should find several threads where it came up. I can tell you the consensus was usually the same, though not unanimous. (I guess consensus is the wrong word...)
posted
GSx and GS 15 difference is mainly what you are planning on cutting. GSx has a tough time with LEXEDGE, and other specialty materials. I'm with Fred---if you can affored it, the enVision 375 is the way to go.
EDGE 2 vs EDGE??--most times it's the print speed that is the seller, up to 3 times faster. The res comes into it a little bit for small text, and for adding some fine definition to photo detail, but no, it's not a night and day difference! If you have enough work to keep an EDGE 1 going all day, consider an EDGE 2 right off the bat!
posted
From a dollars and cents point of view, an Edge II will run you about $75 to $100 more a month to own (depending on how you buy it and amortize it). If you run your Edge I an hour a day, the increased print speed of an Edge II will probably save you 20 minutes a day (there are other things involved like changing foil ribbons that will prevent more of a savings than that). That translates to about 7 hours a month to do other things.
One tends to look at an Edge initially as a separate, unintegrated tool in your business. One asks "do I think I can sell enough printed decals to pay for this thing?" But once you have it a while, you find that lots of things you do other ways now become easier and more practical and lots of $50 signs can be upsold to $75 signs. Those "new testament" signs with 100 words sized down to 1/4" heights are no longer a bottleneck or something you turn away. Those non-vectored files your clients bring in become easy to produce and artistic time isn't tied up handling that aspect of production.
From a real world point of view, and considering Gerber's history and technology cycles, the Edge I is a logical candidate to be discontinued. The older Edge I's are already being removed from being eligible for service agreements.
So I'd say look at an Edge II. If you can't afford or justify the expense of a new one, look for a used one or wait a bit for an attractive enough sale.
-------------------- Fred Weiss Allied Computer Graphics, Inc. 4620 Lake Worth Road Lake Worth, FL 33463 561 649-6300 allcompu@allcompu.com Posts: 427 | From: Lake Worth, Florida | Registered: Feb 2003
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posted
Hiya Elaine, Ask lots of questions before you make your purchase. I just received a fax from a local supplier that's selling the EdgeII for under $16,000. The last time I saw a so called deal like this is when Gerber upgraded their software and hardware. Needless to say we bought "new" old product. If we wanted to upgrade to the current version, it would have been more money.
Havin' fun,
Checkers
-------------------- a.k.a. Brian Born www.CheckersCustom.com Harrisburg, Pa Work Smart, Play Hard Posts: 3775 | From: Harrisburg, Pa. U.S.A. | Registered: Nov 1998
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