Signs of the Times - July 2012 - (Page 30)

TECHNOLOGY REVIEW By Chris and Kathi Morrison Chris and Kathi Morrison own and operate The Image Specialists, a full-service graphics company based in Clements, CA. Chris is also a Microsoft-certified systems engineer. Gerber’s 5.0 Omega Software Release Features Time and Work-Saving Enhancements Gerber’s Omega and print/cut software, a signmakers’ design package, assists you in all signmaking aspects – creative layout through production. The new, Omega 5.0 release is designed for both beginners and seasoned experts; it’s a time, and work saver with production optimization tools and other features that add quality and ease-of-use. Gerber incorporated a dashboard approach when building Omega 5.0; thus, it features more on-screen tools than past editions. Further, it comprises at least 10 new and/or improved tools or actions. Primary, we think, is its powerful tracing abilities and the live, on-screen Fill tools. The tracing (raster-to-vector conversion) engine is the most powerful we’ve seen. Via the on-screen sliders, you can transform irregular, low-dpi objects into tightedged, useable images. We saw little need for editing steps after the conversion. A new, Composer/Fill tool will fill any object or text in a linear or radial fashion. It’s a drag-and-drop tool action with stop points to add or tint colors. And, you’re not con- Key Information Gerber Scientific Products 24 Industrial Park Rd. Tolland, CT 06084 (860) 870-2844 www.gspinc.com Contact: Holly Matthews (860) 870-2867 holly.matthews@gspinc.com Original image Previous R2V Omega 5.0 R2V fined by pre-sets, so you have complete control of the finished look. The GSP Plot tool features a customizable tool bar. In addition, you can acquire – or review – changeable, onscreen-job images a layer at a time. The new GSP OMEGA 5.0 Computer Hardware and Software Requirements: • Microsoft Windows® XP SP3 (32-bit recommended), • Vista® (32-bit recommended), or • Windows 7® (32- or 64-bit, but the Edge and Edge 2 require a Gerber USB parallel-port adapter-cable option that can interface Edge and Edge 2 printers to 64-bit Windows 7). The applied operating system dictates minimum requirements Connection The EDGE FX uses an Ethernet port and doesn’t require additional adapters for 64-bit use. Intel Pentium IV™ (a higher-performance processor is recommended) 2 GB or more recommended Operating System CPU RAM Plot Weedlines dialog box offers many cutline options (which make vinyl weeding a breeze), and an on-screen preflight or print preview utility displays your final job as it will be sent to the various output devices. Other features include nesting of design files; export to hot folders for easier inkjet print/cut workflow, automatic print/cut alignment between the Gerber Edge and Envision 375 plotter; and, faster on-screen drawing. Gerber has an upgrade path for all levels, and you can check online for system updates. Primarily, Omega 5.0’s new tools and actions shout “time-saver,” and we can see why. Besides, who better than Gerber, a long-established manufacturer of vinyl cutters, thermal printers, CNC routers and flatbed finishing machines, to build an effective and time-saving software package? 30 SIGNS OF THE TIMES / JULY 2012 / www.signweb.com http://www.gspinc.com http://www.signweb.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Signs of the Times - July 2012

Signs of the Times - June 2012
Contents
ST Update
Technology Update
Vinyl Apps
Strictly Commercial
Lighting Techniques
The Moving Message
Technology Review
Technology Review
Vehicle Graphics Contest Extension
New Products
The American Sign Museum Opens!
An Electric-Sign Company Snapshot
By Print or by Paint
Extreme Installs
Lessons for the Boss
The Value of Signs
Advertising Index
Editorially Speaking

Signs of the Times - July 2012