Xitron, an independent developer of RIP and workflow products for commercial, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing has begun shipping Navigator RIP and Raster Blaster TIFF catcher kits for Trendsetter CTP units operating through SCSI cards installed in their RIP or Print Console.
Xitron’s breakthrough development of the USB-SCSI interface grants new life to hundreds of computer-to-plate devices being rendered unusable due to outdated and unsupported technology. SCSI cards, which are unavailable or incompatible with current Windows operating systems are obsolete, putting Trendsetter owners’ investment at risk and their prepress production in jeopardy.
This unique Xitron replacement interface (Patent Pending) allows Trendsetter owners to move their systems off of PCs running un-safe operating systems like Windows XP, Windows 2000, and Windows 2003 Server, giving them secure, continued use of their expensive computer-to-plate systems.
The USB-SCSI interface is expected to save hundreds of thousands of dollars among Trendsetter users whose systems are at risk of failure. ‘Buying a new platesetter can cost a printer a minimum of $50,000,’ said Karen Crews, president of Xitron. ‘We recognised that replacing a serviceable Trendsetter just because the SCSI card failed or couldn’t be supported was a serious concern for Trendsetter owners. Because of this development, they now have an economical alternative.’
Xitron engineers are now working on other SCSI-based systems such as Agfa’s popular Palladio and Fuji’s Vx series of platesetters. Announcements confirming support for these systems are expected in the coming weeks. ‘What’s important for people to know and understand,’ continued Crews, ‘is that adopters of this inexpensive solution are not required to purchase an entirely new RIP or workflow in order to integrate it with their Trendsetter.’
Xitron has an installed base of over 30,000 Navigator RIPs and workflows and nearly 5,000 Raster Blaster TIFF Catchers worldwide. Driving CTP devices from Agfa, ECRM, Creo, Kodak, Presstek, Heidelberg, Fuji, and Screen, they provide prepress independence to customers who want to maximize their investments by extending the life of their prepress systems.
