A type of FM halftone structure which is made of many pixels of the same size that are evenly dispersed, so the frequency of the pattern is a function of the gray level represented. This produces an average of the color for an area and is the most commonly used.

An alternative to traditional halftone dots, this semi-random-placement dot strategy is used to render enlarged images on large-format printing devices. Unlike a conventional screen halftone, the dots are of uniform size, and darker areas have more dots packed closer together.

• Pros
  • Stochastic generation methods are generally much faster than other methods
  • Can eliminate moiré (See Moire)
  • Can provide greater detail and sharpness
  • Smoother gradients with out contours or stepping
  • Are especially effective for low resolutions

• Cons
  • Can cause grainess in image
  • Requires stable, repeatable printer pixels
  • Dot gain issues across grayscale range
  • Difficult to proof, especially on a different printer
  • Threshold placement may not place dot
    

See Dot Patterns.

See FM Screening.

See Configuring Printer Capabilities.