That’s the question.

I'm looking into getting a large format printer. 42” across. The Z6100

Here’s a link for the more interested:
http://h10010.www1.hp.com/wwpc/us/en/ga/WF25a/18972-18972-3328061-12600-3328080-3338748.html#

HP offers some great technologies. One of the decision points is on the use of Postscript compared to PCL. I've looked but can’t find a definitive statement that says that Postscript can do x where PCL can’t. I've gotten a couple of fuzzy answers but none that are useful. There is a roughly $2500 price point difference.

Anyone know the differences?

Using a postscript rip, you can have more control over color correction and even set up drag and drop hot folders for color correction based on file origin, substrate and ink set.

If you don't need consistent color accuracy across substrates or say print one today and print a color accurate copy a year from now, it doesn't matter.

Postscript rips allow faster processing too.

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I don't like having printers without PS support, but fortunately CUPS with ghostscript does a very good job on supported systems with non-PS printers.

That said, the last printer that I bought does support PS (it's also H-P). As one who has written code that generates PS for printing, I always prefer to have the option.

You might also wish to consider the possibility of using a software RIP from a third party. That's something you could purchase at a later date if and when you were to decide you needed it. Some folks prefer a good software RIP to on-board PostScript capability anyway. You might do some research first to see what you software RIP options would be for that particular model of printer.

If you took a "wait and see" approach, and it turned out that you were comfortably doing everything you needed to without PostScript, then you'd be money ahead by not having bought the embedded PostScript capability.

Our DesignJet 500PS doesn't have embedded PostScript, but instead, came supplied with a "baby" software RIP (at a $500 premium compared to the non-PS version of the printer). I imagine that the 500 couldn't hold a candle to HP's newer stuff, but for our purposes, it has been (and continues to be) an absolutely dynamite piece of equipment.

Thanks for the replies.

I'm no expert on this topic, but from what I've read color control is equal for pcl and postscript. One of the features of the printer is that it has a colorimeter built in and that serves the purpose of aiding consistent and accurate results.

This source provides a partial explanation of the difference between PCL and postscript:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=bpo00141&lc=en&cc=dk&dlc=d&product=61497

A key distinction is “Some graphics may not print as well as a PCL image as they do as a PostScript image.” But I couldn’t find any examples.

Some further reading has pinned down the difference! I think. Accordingly when you mix text and other graphics, with PCL the text will be jagged. The solutions are 1) rasterize the text or 2) use Postscript.

I've also heard arguments on both sides of the postscript is faster debate. Some say that the image files are much larger than a PCL file and others say that they process faster. Perhaps both are true?

Also on the topic of color accuracy I read of an issue called “metamerism.” Accordingly this is a problem mostly existing on technology more than about 3 years old. Has anyone encountered it?

There was a steal yesterday on a Z6100 60” printer on ebay. It was new in it’s shipping box and going for less than half retail. I found out that the ink cartridges were $2400 and that gave me pause. The printer is the state of the art in its class and would be excellent for production, however. Of course it is about 8’ by 4’ and finding a place to put it would be difficult.