Linotronic
Encyclopedia
The Linotronic imagesetter
s are a now common type of high-quality printer
, capable of printing at resolutions of up to 2540 dots per inch
. The Linotronic allowed graphic artists to cheaply set type that exceeded the quality of many phototypesetting
systems in use at the time. Although too expensive for homes or most offices, but cheaper than many other alternatives of printing, it was the graphic designers' dream. Linotronic output by taking a PostScript
file to a service bureau
.
Manufactured by Mergenthaler Linotype Company and popularized by the Adobe
RIP
, enabling PostScript
language files to be imaged by the Linotronic imagesetter. It was the first commercial usage of PostScript, which began the emergence of graphics applications dominance by Adobe.
Imagesetter
An imagesetter is an ultra-high resolution large-format computer output device. It exposes rolls or sheets of either photographic film or bromide paper to a laser light source. Once the film or paper is developed, a very high quality black and white image is revealed...
s are a now common type of high-quality printer
Computer printer
In computing, a printer is a peripheral which produces a text or graphics of documents stored in electronic form, usually on physical print media such as paper or transparencies. Many printers are primarily used as local peripherals, and are attached by a printer cable or, in most new printers, a...
, capable of printing at resolutions of up to 2540 dots per inch
Dots per inch
Dots per inch is a measure of spatial printing or video dot density, in particular the number of individual dots that can be placed in a line within the span of 1 inch . The DPI value tends to correlate with image resolution, but is related only indirectly.- DPI measurement in monitor...
. The Linotronic allowed graphic artists to cheaply set type that exceeded the quality of many phototypesetting
Phototypesetting
Phototypesetting was a method of setting type, rendered obsolete with the popularity of the personal computer and desktop publishing software, that uses a photographic process to generate columns of type on a scroll of photographic paper...
systems in use at the time. Although too expensive for homes or most offices, but cheaper than many other alternatives of printing, it was the graphic designers' dream. Linotronic output by taking a PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
file to a service bureau
Service bureau
A service bureau is a company which provides business services for a fee. The term has been extensively used to describe technology based services to financial services companies, particularly banks. Customers of service bureaus typically do not have the scale or expertise to incorporate these...
.
Manufactured by Mergenthaler Linotype Company and popularized by the Adobe
Adobe Systems
Adobe Systems Incorporated is an American computer software company founded in 1982 and headquartered in San Jose, California, United States...
RIP
Raster image processor
A raster image processor is a component used in a printing system which produces a raster image also known as a bitmap. The bitmap is then sent to a printing device for output. The input may be a page description in a high-level page description language such as PostScript, Portable Document...
, enabling PostScript
PostScript
PostScript is a dynamically typed concatenative programming language created by John Warnock and Charles Geschke in 1982. It is best known for its use as a page description language in the electronic and desktop publishing areas. Adobe PostScript 3 is also the worldwide printing and imaging...
language files to be imaged by the Linotronic imagesetter. It was the first commercial usage of PostScript, which began the emergence of graphics applications dominance by Adobe.