🚀 go-pugleaf

tony@online.tmx.com.au (Tony Cook) wrote:

>You may want to use one of the other dithering options available in
>pgmtopbm - AFAIK the default Floyd-Steinberg dithering algorithm can
>produce moire patterns, which make the output lower quality.

>FS and other error diffusion algorithms aren't good for a simple
>laser like the HP laser jet (is the output darker than you expect?).
>You probably need to use one of the clustered dots dithers.

Thanks for the advice; I haven't experimented with the various
dithering options, but I shall do so as soon as I can.

Regarding my query for alternative image-to-laser programs
(particularly programs that will recognise later models, like
the HP laserjet 4) a few people have mailed me with suggestions
that I use pnmtops and pipe the output to ghostscript, using its
'ljet4' output device.  I've only played briefly with this option to
date, but have found that the quality of images does not appear to be
any better.  I'll run further tests, however.

I guess I have two basic questions:

1.  Does the laserjet 4 (say) have a much greater potential
     for image quality than something produced for a 'laserjet'?
     I.e. does a laserjet have only black/white, while a ljet4 has
     grayscale?

2.  Any other suggestions for DOS/Unix programs which can
     be used - preferably in an "automatic pipeline" - to produce
     laserjet 4 output from graphics files?

Thanks,

Brad
brad@pinerivers.qld.gov.au