PDF CMYK Problem

[Jimi King]

If I can print RGB from my CMYK printer and it near enough matches the RGB on screen, why can't professional printers do that?

Thanks
Patrick

Our domestic/office printers are trying to emulate the professional process, not the other way round.

Your PC printer deposits all the colours in one pass. A professional bureau makes four separate passes (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow & Black) to arrive at the final print.

Many printers are now doing digital printing which I believe is similar to the single pass method, but they are primarily designed to make smaller runs and larger sizes easier & financially viable. They're not the same as, or generally as good as the four colour (or in some cases six colour) process.

Actually, for the record, your colour 5FBC47 is not RGB. It's the hexidecimal reference for RGB as used by web browsers. Xara very kindly gives you both. The RGB reference is represented by three values (Red, Green And Blue) shown as percentages.

And like Sledger says, that colour is meaningless. Look at it on six different monitors and you'll likely see six different colours.

BTW, you might find this great little free widget useful.

http://www.nattyware.com/pixie.html