Using the Tektronix 4693D color thermal printer

tek (imtekprint)

Description:

Specifications:

• Name: tek
• Print command: imtekprint
• Media: 8.5"x11" paper and transparencies, 8.5"x14" paper
• Print area: 8.1"x8.6" (on 8.5"x11" paper) or 8.1"x11.6" (on 8.5"x14" paper)
• Resolution: 300 dpi
• Maximum image size: 1536 pixels x 1152 pixels
• Number of colors: 4, dithers to 16.7 million
• Type of files: Raster image files
• Print schedule:
  • 8.5"x11" paper: Mon-Fri 9:00 A.M. to 12:00 noon, 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.
  • Transparencies and 8.5"x14" paper: Make special arrangements with the student graphics consultant at the Computer Graphics Lab.
• Cost:
  • 8.5"x11" or 8.5"x14" paper print $1.00
  • 8.5"x11" transparency $2.00

Making Prints and Transparencies using imtekprint:

The command to access the Tektronix 4693D color printer is imtekprint. This command will accept raster image file formats supported by the SDSC Image Tools. See man imformats for more information on any of the supported file formats. The maximum print area is 8.1"x8.6" (on 8.5"x11" paper) or 8.1"x11.6" (on 8.5"x14" paper). The printer will center and scale your raster image to fill the page and print in landscape layout. To print in portrait layout use the option -layout portrait. Imtekprint is available on all the SCV supported machines and some other machines around campus. If imtekprint is not installed on your system and you wish to have it, you should ask your systems administrator to contact us. The latest distribution files are located at Cautions, Hints and Situations to Avoid:

Since the printer only prints on the central 8.1"x8.6" portion of an 8.5"x11" sheet (or in the case of a 8.5"x14" sheet the central 8.1"x11.6" portion), leave a border of approximately 1.25" on the top and bottom of your sheet and approximately 0.25" on each side to prevent a portion of your image from being cropped off. Raster images are automatically centered and scaled to fit the page so you will generally not need to be concerned with this yourself but you should be aware of it.

All files that produce any type of error messages will not be printed. If you submit a file with errors you will receive email telling you that your file contained an error. To avoid mistakes, please preview your files before submitting them. You may use ximview (or imview on SGIs) to view raster image files.

Finally, be aware that the colors on the print will never exactly match the colors you see on the screen. Sample prints are available for you to look at; speak with the graphics consultant at the CGL.

Examples:

     cgl% imtekprint filename.rgb

Completed prints may be picked up from the student graphics consultant when the Graphics Lab is open - as posted on the Graphics Lab door. You can not directly access the printer at any time. Wait for the graphics consultant to get your printout from the printer and bring it to the consultants room in the Graphics Lab. Be warned, though, that even the graphics consultants can not access the printers except during the hours Mon.-Fri. 9AM-6PM. As such, if you send a file to the printer on Saturday, it will be printed but you will not be able to pick it up until Monday. However, if you were to print a file on Thursday, that file could be picked up over the weekend from the consultant.

Please be prepared to pay for your prints when you pick them up.

Prices: $1.00 for paper, $2.00 for transparency.

This printer is being phased out in favor of our new low-cost printer, the Phaser 540 Color Laser PostScript Printer so you should consider using that printer. Alternatively, if you want higher quality but more expensive color prints you should consider using the Phaser IISDX continuous tone, dye sublimation PostScript Printer. Both of those printers accept both raster image files and PostScript files.