

|
![]() Note that all driver and application software is for Windows 98, Me, 2000 and XP, there is no Macintosh OS support at this time.
Page one of the print driver has options for selecting the media type, setting the
orientation, printing 2-inch ID photos, number of copies, enabling the Preview function
and optionally adding a visible watermark (Magic coating) over the picture.
![]()
Page two lets you calibrate the printer, set a specific skin tone (Yellow, White or
Black), enable Windows color management or disable color preferences altogether.
![]()
Page three displays the printer's firmware version, serial number and release date.
It also has a hyperlink for visiting HiTi's web site for newer firmware or
printer drivers.
![]()
This is the Preview screen, if you check the "Run Preview" box on the first page of the
driver then this screen comes up before each picture is printed. (In unattended
mode you would NOT want to use the preview option for obvious reasons.) From here you see
"visually" exactly how your picture is going to look when printed. You can alter the
brightness, contrast or sharpness as well as change the scaling and then re-center the
picture.
![]()
Clicking on the "Mirabella" button from the Preview screen will bring up this quick
selection window. You are shown 9 variations of your picture, each has a
slightly different color or contrast - just pick the one that looks best and
that's how your print will come out. Doesn't get any easier than that.
Application Programs
![]() PhotoDesiree Mini-Lab Edition delivers professional quality results with an easy to use User Interface. It allows you to track your customer's job and its costs, queue photos for unattended printing and create personalized calendars and greeting cards. With creative color toning buttons; options for adjusting saturation, contrast, sharpness, brightness, hues. Using PhotoDesiree is as simple as: Select desired image files, number of prints, output media, adjust colors/rotate/resize (if needed) and then drag to the Print Queue. |

|
![]()
Image Enhancer lets you adjust the image's color, brightness, contrast,
sharpness and gamma. You can scale the image up or down as desired and even
color tone the entire image with the preset buttons. And as you can see from this
frame, it's easy to add one of the pre-defined photo borders.
![]()
It's easy to add a calendar or text anywhere in the image desired. Shown here is
the text entry window with all of its size, font and color options.
![]()
Here's a 4x6" print using one of the special borders. Along the right break-off tab
you can print the customer's name, photo number and job ID number to keep
track of the customer's prints or batch jobs across several printers.
![]()
This is an actual 4x6" borderless print, the two end tabs are ready to be easily
removed, just bend them twice and they seperate cleanly. Even though this is a good
scan it still doesn't do it justice, these prints are just as colorful as the
best film print you ever had made. The paper is thick, not flimsy and it feels like a
"photo" with a nice glossy surface and comes out completely dry.
![]()
This is the 4x2x4 sticker paper. All of these small photos peel off and have a self-
adhesive backing to let you stick them wherever you want. Kids love them for school
notebooks and such. They're also perfect for ID badges too.
Steve's ConclusionOctober 2003 update: Hi-Ti has now made available Mac OS 10.2 drivers for download from their website
Many photo shops are looking to get into the digital photo printing business and this is an economical way to achieve that goal. The HiTi 640DL sells for $799.99 which is a fraction of the price of other commercial mini-lab printers. An extremely reasonable consumable cost brings the per print price down to just below $0.36. The D2T2 printing process requires only the dye transfer ribbon cartridge and the special photo paper. There's no messy or expensive chemicals to buy or mix, this is a completely dry process that uses only heat, pressure and a little electricity. The prints come out of the 640DL at the rate of one every 60 seconds and they are dry to the touch and ready to hand to your customers.
Besides providing you with the printer, HiTi includes a complete suite of programs
to get you up and going in no time. The main application Photo Desiree handles most of
the workflow for normal printing tasks and can manage from one to eight 640DL printers.
If your customer's pictures need adjustment, rotation, cropping or special enhancements
before printing then you'll find that just a mouse click away in the PhotoEnhancer
program. The time spent in special editing can be automaticall added to the total
cost of the customer's job. It doesn't get much easier that that so don't put it off,
buy that new printer for your mini-lab today, the HiTi 640DL is a winner.
For more information or purchase please contact Hi-Touch Imaging Technologies at their web site, call them at 323-728-9900, email them at info@hitouchimaging.com
|
802,085,680
Note: All photographs and page content
Copyright © 2002 Steve's Digicam Online, Inc.
Nothing on this page may be used, distributed or
copied without the author's prior permission.