Los Altos, CA – March 28, 2005 -- NEWSCOLOR, the developer of newsprint color proofing and stochastic screening solutions for web printing, has announced Vesper, calibration software designed to significantly reduce ink costs for newspapers and web printers. The software is completely automated and drops into existing workflows. Vesper calibration software combines the advantages of Gray Component Replacement (GCR) with NEWSCOLOR's screening adjustment techniques to gain maximum ink savings without the negative effects common to GCR-only solutions. Traditional GCR replaces the CMY color component that would produce a neutral grey with black dot. GCR saves ink costs because a single dot of black ink is much less expensive than three dots of more expensive cyan, magenta and yellow inks. GCR has other advantages: color on press stays more stable throughout the run since there is less balancing of CMY, and GCR improves paper drying time while also reducing bleed through. Traditional GCR also has negative features - as more CMY data is transferred to the black channel, there can be a reduction in image detail. Since there is less CMY data, it can also become more difficult to color correct on press. If a GCR black channel carries all the neutral components and black is turned up too high, images such as flesh tones can become muddy. NEWSCOLOR Vesper calibration software controls traditional GCR problems by substituting an amount of CMY with black (this amount will vary from press to press). At the same time, Vesper automatically adjusts the sizes of CMY dots without eliminating them, to reduce the overall ink used. When Vesper combines GCR with dot size adjustment, the press ink savings can be around 25%. Another advantage of Vesper calibration software is that customers can tune their ink reduction based on feedback from NEWSCOLOR proofing software. Karen Barr, NEWSCOLOR director of sales and marketing, comments: “For years NEWSCOLOR has been calibrating dots in our proofing software to represent press conditions. Now our customers can use color-accurate newsprint proofing to select Vesper’s GCR and dot size adjustment." Vesper’s ink reducing calibration is included as an on-site service at no charge with REMARQUE stochastic screening software. Vesper drops into existing workflows such as Harlequin RIPs, and is now available as an upgrade for NEWSCOLOR halftone proofing customers. NEWSCOLOR products will be shown at NEXPO Chicago, April 1 - 4, 2006 with dealers alfaQuest and Konica Minolta.