Digital Imaging Technology Center

The digital imaging research center in Guatemala makes it possible for archaeologists, students, and photographers to learn about advances in digital printing (as well as scanning, large format digital photography, etc.). The digital imaging technology program in Guatemala is designed by Dr. Nicholas M. Hellmuth and coordinated through university's Vice-Rector, Max Holzheu.

So much new digital imaging software, RIPs, and printers have arrived in the FLAAR office in Germany that considerable new information is posted every week. We have opened several German language web sites including www.large-format-printer.de and www.Gross-Format-Drucker.de

The test, evaluation, and reviews of the Digital Imaging Technology Center are coordinated with the research of the FLAAR Photo Archive. Being nonprofit FLAAR utilizes its facilities to assist in the public education programs of museums in Guatemala and Honduras.

Here, a printer provided for evaluation by Encad three years ago is still going strong (and still helping archaeological projects). Some companies naturally prefer to send an evaluation unit only for a 30-day test.

But people who buy the wide format printer want to be reassured that their costly printer will last longer than 30 days.

The best way to demonstrate the quality and capabilities of a wide format printer is to use it over the years. This Encad printer clearly demonstrates that an Encad printer is solidly made for longtime use.

It was clever for Encad to provide this printer outright because otherwise we could not have documented how long the ink lasts (how little ink it uses), how long the equipment holds up (seldom needed an outside service call). Besides, when manufacturers provide just a 30 day demo unit, the magazines just review it for a single issue, namely only 30 days.

We review equipment for as long as we have it, in this case, ongoing three years. Of course now it is time to upgrade to 600 dpi and to a newer current model. Same with the EFI Fiery RIP (the blue print server on the table at the right), provided by Electronics for Imaging and the Macintosh 9600, provided three years ago by Apple Computer.

All this equipment is still at work but will gradually be replaced. Heidelberg is sending one of their new scanners to our Guatemala test center; the HP DesignJet 1055CM sent by Hewlett-Packard just arrived in Central America. Why work in Latin America? Check out www.maya-archaeology.org and you will see why. We do our testing in association wsith the museums there, so we have access to beautiful images which reveal all the capabilities of the printers we evaluate. Shortly the new 1200 dpi HP 5000 will be arriving, six colors and fast.

Last updated : Feb. 4, 2003
Previous updates: Oct. 20, 2001.