Specifications and best practices for X-Rite devices

This article reviews the specifications of the X-Rite devices that Caldera supports, as well as recommendations for their use and solutions to possible unexpected behaviors that may occur.

 

Specifications

X-rite manufactures color measurement products like spectrophotometers, that are used for the calibration and profiling of printers. These devices are operated by Caldera software-integrated drivers.

The measurement of a color chart consists of three steps which are performed automatically by Caldera drivers:

1. Calibration: This must be performed before any measurement to have relevant measurement data.
2. Scanning: This is the action of reading a chart, or a part of a chart (eg. a single patch or a complete row).
3. Positioning: This is the action of locating a chart. It must also be performed before any measurement, with two special cases:
   • The step is mandatory when using an automatic spectrophotometer table (like the i1 iO3).
   • The step is ignored when using a hand-held device (like i1 Pro3 or i1 Pro3 Plus), as these do not require the positioning of the chart.

 

Types of unexpected behavior

Usually troubleshooting sections like X-Rite's already have a solution for you in case your device has a problem. However, when you don't know what to look for or can't find a solution, you should know what kind of behavior is causing the problem before contacting support:

• Critical issues, for example when trying to measure a color chart with the wrong head installed, will stop any operation attempted with the device, causing an error message and/or software crash. In this case, we suggest you contact support
• Recoverable issues, for example in the scanning step, will prompt you to retry the last measurement. Read on for recommendations on how to avoid such issues, based on the device you are using.

 

X-Rite i1iO2

Known issue with CalderaRIP V14 on Debian

If there is a problem with chart positioning, your device will not be able to recognize the iO table, which results in an error message.

This can be solved by installing this patch version. After downloading the file, double-click to install.

The patch will help fix the chart's position.

 

X-Rite i1 Pro

Known issue on macOS

If your X-Rite i1Pro is not recognized on macOS, you will get the following messages:

• In the Spot Color module: “No color device detected”.
• In the EasyMedia module: “A USB communication error occurred, try to disconnect and reconnect the device”.

In these cases, you must uninstall X-Rite 1Profiler (which seems to be the cause of this unexpected behavior).

 

X-Rite i1 Pro 2

For better handling, please refer to the following datasheet. This will help you understand the features and accessories of your device:

📎 Spectro Sheet.pdf

(300 KB)

Known issue on the patch reading mode of EasyMedia

If the strip mode does not allow accurate measurements, try the patch mode (readings of single patches). Please refer to this article to see the full steps. 

Once you are done, and if the measurement is successful, the device will briefly light up with a green light.

 

i1Pro 3 and i1Pro 3 Plus

As mentioned above, for better handling it is necessary to understand the features and accessories of your device. Click on each model to learn more.

You can find a detailed explanation of these features in the following videos:

 

X-Rite i1 Pro 3 Plus (+ iO table)

Known issue while reading target aperture

If you get a reading error, please remember that the i1Pro3 Plus only handles large aperture targets. To facilitate the operation of the users of these devices, in CalderaRIP V15.1 the driver was separated into two:

• For users of Caldera RIP V15.1 or after: You will find that the X-Rite i1 iO3 driver manages the standard aperture targets and the X-Rite i1 iO3 Plus driver manages the large aperture targets.
  

    Warning

  Depending on your production, you can only use one of the two available drivers at a time.

• For users of CalderaRIP V15.1 or before: You need to use only the large aperture targets.

 

Improved readability with polarization filters

Starting from V17.3, it is possible to add a gap-less target to X-rite i1IO3 Plus to improve patch recognition and accuracy. This will allow you to reduce crashes and unexpected behaviors, especially with polarization filters.

 

Perform a functionality test using i1 Diagnostics

If you encounter issues with your i1Pro or i1iO, we recommend using i1 Diagnostics, a software tool developed by X-Rite, to examine the proper functioning of your device.

Regularly conducting this test can also help prevent EasyMedia from crashing or displaying errors when using i1Pro or i1iO devices.

Steps to perform a functionality test

1. Download the latest version of i1 Diagnostics

     Info

   Please update your operating system and install the latest version of i1 Diagnostics, as some models may not be supported in older versions.

2. Ensure you are using a high-quality cable
3. Connect your device and click Start to begin the test

 

Conclusions

• When using an iO table, make sure you installed the right patch version as this will avoid issues with the chart's positioning.
• As of CalderaRIP V17.3, users of i1IO3 Plus with polarization filters, are advised to use the new gap-less target to avoid any unexpected behaviors.
• In general, we recommend that you keep your software and the drivers you require for your devices properly updated.
• When using the i1 Pro on macOS, make sure that the i1 profiler is uninstalled.
• You can use the patch mode instead of the strip mode for accurate measurements in EasyMedia.
• Refer to all manuals and attachments for better handling of the devices.
• If you want to go further in color management training, do not hesitate to review the materials of our partners:

📎 Understanding color.pdf

📎 Optical Brightener Compensation (OBC).pdf

📎 Choosing color tolerance