››***********************************››COLOR PRINTING IS FOR EVERYONE!›by Ron Fetzer Member OL' HACKERS ATARI›USERS GROUP, Inc.››*************************************› You can print in full color with›any Dot Matrix printer, and the›pictures look great. There are 3›programs that are suitable for this›purpose. They are:›› BILLBOARD $10.00 Chris Wareham› 1215 west Jackson Spearfish,›SD 57783›› MAGNIPRINT II+ $24.95 + 3.00 SHIP.› Alpha Systems 1012 Skyland Dr.› Macedonia, OH 44056›› YEMACYB DELUXE $29.95 + 3.00 SHIP› Innovative Concepts 31172 Shawn›Dr. Warren, MI 48093›› You will also need colored›ribbons. There are 2 sources. Alpha›Systems sells you a ribbon pack for›most popular printers (Yellow, Cyan,›Magenta, Black) for $54.00. You can›also order individual colored ribbons›from:›› V-TECH 2223 Rebecca›Hatfield, PA 19440 Tel: 215›822-2989›› I own my own ribbon inker. I›ordered 4 blank ribbons and 4 colors›of ink, red, blue, green and yellow.›They will also sell you colored›ribbons at a reasonable cost. I use an›Epson FX 80+ printer. To print in›color you do a MULTI-PASS printing.›First you print the yellow image, then›you turn the paper back and change the›ribbon to green and print that image,›you then turn the paper back again,›change the ribbon and print the red›image. Finally you print either the›blue or black image in the same way as›before. BILLBOARD and MAGNIPRINT›II+ are similar. Magniprint is more›versatile. Both of these programs can›print either B&W or color pictures in›ANY size from normal to several feet›across. YEMACYB is a more›versatile program as far as color›printing is concerned, than the other›two but it is also quite complicated.›It prints the colors the way they are›on the screen. You also have many›utilities with it to manipulate the›picture and the colors. This program›is suitable if you want to become very›serious about color printing. The›documentation is quite extensive.››COLOR PRINTING›› I use BILLBOARD. BILLBOARD will›become your favorite printing utility›next to PRINT SHOP. It is easy to use›and the documentation is clear and›concise. Whatever I say about›BILLBOARD will also applie to›MAGNIPRINT II+ as far as color›printing is concerned. The old›BILLBOARD accepted only 62 sector›uncompressed pictures. If you have›that version you can change them with›ANTIC RAPID GRAPHIC CONVERTER (9/84)›or P.S. INTERFACE by EXLENT software,›to 62 sector graphics. The new version›of BILLBOARD accepts any graphic mode.› You load up your graphic picture›in GR 7+ mode. In this mode you can›manipulate the various shades of the›image. In the other modes you cannot›do this. Number keys 1,2,3,4 change›the shading of the image when you go›to the print function. You can press›each of these keys 5 times for a›different shade effect or for a total›of 20 shades. Put your yellow›ribbon into the printer, adjust your›shading for whatever is to be printed›yellow (Usually your background colors›should be light colors). IMPORTANT!!›Draw a line on the paper where the›paper bail of the printer is. This is›your color registration line. You have›to come back to this line to register›the 3 colors correctly. If you are not›accurately on this line then your›color registration on your picture›will be off. Use the following›parameters for your first picture:›› FORMAT: SIDEWAYS TYPE:›INV. DENSITY: 960 DPL. WIDTH:› DOUBLE HEIGHT: FOUR›POSITION: CENTER›› This will give you an 8 x 10›picture suitable for framing. As you›become more experienced, you can›change the size of the picture. I›always use INV.(Inverse) for the›'TYPE' because whatever shows on the›screen will be printed. After you›have printed the yellow image turn›your paper back to the reference line›which you made on the paper bail. Put›in the red ribbon. Go back to the›print function on the program and›adjust the shading for the red image›using the number keys from 1-4, and›then print this image. Repeat the same›procedure for all other colors.›Here are some hints that can be›helpful:›› 1. If you are using blue don't use›black 2. You should have either›black or blue as the dark shade.›3. Be careful to align your reference›line because this will affect your›color matching and blending. 4.›Always use the lightest shade ribbon›first. 5. Usually 3 colors are›sufficient. 6. Use a fresh blue or›black ribbon if at all posible. 7.›When you print LARGE pictures use the›SPACE BAR to stop the printing and let›the printhead cool off.›› Besides color printing BILLBOARD›will print the best B&W graphics›pictures you have ever seen. At the›end of the BILLBOARD documentation›there is a table for undistorted›pictures in each density. If you want›larger undistorted pictures multiply›each number by 2,3 etc.(giving you›multiples of these numbers). You›should also make a table for yourself,›of the parameters you used with each›picture and in particular how many›times each of the number shading keys›were pressed so you can repeat the›print at a later time, if you so›desire.›› Above is another great use for›this versatile 8 BIT micro - GAME›MACHINE? Me thinks not!›› Till›› Next›› Time,›› BYE!››*************************************›