GMG, a developer of high-end color management and proofing products, has announced the release GMG ColorServer 4.9, an updated version of its award-winning automated color conversion software with new levels of functionality.

GMG ColorServer automates the color normalization of PDF files, providing highly accurate CMYK to CMYK, RGB to RGB, RGB to CMYK, CMYK to RGB and spot color to CMYK conversions while preserving the integrity of the black channel. The result is what the company describes as a standardised and simplified color management model that delivers consistent print results across any print process and substrate.

PDF/VT-1 File Format Support
New for ColorServer 4.9 is support for the PDF/VT-1 variable-data printing (VDP) file format. PDF/VT-1 is a highly-optimized file specifically designed for the efficient digital printing of a wide range of variable data and personalized content such as transactional/transpromo (credit card bills, bank statements, etc.) personalized direct mailshots, catalogues, photobooks, coupons, tickets, etc.

Part of the challenge of variable-data printing is the often extremely fast file processing requirements to ensure just-in-time delivery to the latest generation of high-speed digital printing presses. GMG has addressed this issue with ColorServer 4.9 from two directions. Firstly, the current 32-bit version of the application has been greatly optimized to deliver extremely fast file processing times – up to 3,500 variable-data PDF pages per minute can be individually color-managed using ColorServer 4.9 (depending on hardware configuration, job specification, etc.) Secondly, for even higher performance GMG is releasing a 64-bit native version of ColorServer 4.9, which in effect offers almost unlimited file processing capabilities to feed even the most demanding variable data applications.

Improved paper adaption tool
The Paper Adaption Tool in ColorServer allows print service providers to recalculate a file’s color data against a particular support material, even if the particular proof simulates a different final stock. For example, the Paper Adaption tool could adjust your print data to match an “ISOcoatedV2” proof, even if your production material is different.

With ColorServer 4.9, the Paper Adaption Tool has been improved by offering a better quality of profile simulation, as well as the ability to offer custom gamuts for particular substrates.

CMYK to RGB conversion
While color retouching is usually applied to a file while still in its RGB values, often print service providers are only supplied with CMYK files (maybe even a multitude of CMYK color spaces – ISO, SWOP, GraCOL, etc.) making the task of color retouching that much more challenging.

ColorServer 4.9 offers an extremely accurate CMYK to RGB lossless conversion process that enlarges the color space back to the file’s original Adobe RGB values. This allows for color space normalisation within an RGB-based image database, only performing the device/process specific CMYK conversion at the final output stage.

Support for Konica Minolta measurement devices
GMG ColorServer 4.9 supports the new FD 5 and FD 7 spectrophotometers from Konica Minolta. These devices have been growing in popularity recently mainly due to various new European standards (such as Fogra 51 and Fogra 52) which are more often evaluated with Konica Minolta devices.

Support for the latest IDEAlliance output profiles
The latest GRAcol 2013 (CGATS 21 RPC-6) and SWOP 2013 (C3 and C5) profiles from IDEAlliance (idealliance.org) have been integrated into ColorServer 4.9.

Special upgrade promotion for existing GMG ColorServer users
As part of a special GMG promotion, existing ColorServer users who upgrade to v4.9 will receive 5 free rolls of 24 inch GMG ProofPaper semimatte 250. The upgrade promotion runs from now until 30th September 2014.

“GMG ColorServer 4.9 takes our expertise in color transformation, management and simulation to higher levels and new markets,” says Birgit Plautz, manager business unit graphic arts at GMG. “The inclusion of a powerful, quasi-real-time color managed workflow based around the PDF/VT-1 format offers a compelling value proposition to variable data applications such as transpromo and document management, which we are very excited about. At the same time ColorServer 4.9 includes a raft of new or enhanced features designed to deliver real-world benefits to any print services provider looking for a fast, accurate and easy-to-use solution to rationalise output to a definable color space independent of any particular print process or device.”