This is a single platen printer that has about the same footprint as the GT-541 printer. The platen is 14" x 16" in size and "looks" to be using the same type platen setup as the other GT printers. So if you have other platens, it looks like they will work on this printer. (Hoping this is correct so the Touchdown platen will work on it. )
There are 8 slots on the left side of the printer for the ink cartridges (CMYK and 4 whites). They are long, skinner cartridges compared to the ones used in the GT-541 and GT-782 printer. The good news is they all load from the front of the printer. So you don't have to have access to the side of the printer.
You have the option with this new printer to get it with just CMYK, CMYK+2 Whites or CMYK+4 Whites. If you choose to have it without any white ink or just 2 white ink channels, you can always upgrade it to the 4 white ink channel setup.
There are new print heads with this printer that allow you print at either 600 x 600 or 1200 x 1200 dpi. Brother was printing a picture of a girl's face and her hand holding a high heel shoe hanging over her left shoulder. They printed the same artwork in different resolutions and you could see the difference. Brother also mentioned that there is a new ink set for this printer as well.
As for the printing software , it looks very similar to that as the GT-541 or GT-782 print drivers. You have the option to print with different resolutions and the ink volume sliders. They also incorporated the ability to print the white underbase layer and the CMYK inks in the same pass. (The print heads are stacked with the white ones in the back of the print head carriage and the CMYK print heads in the front.) You can also choose to print the white underbase in the first pass, send back the platen to print the CMYK layer and a white highlight layer (if you choose this option) in the second pass.
Just like all white ink printing, you must do the pretreating and maintenance steps. Pretreating is done outside of the printer just as with the earlier printer. Brother incorporated in the same maintenance functions (i.e. white ink retrieval and tube cleaning) that comes with the GT-782 printer.
For those GT-782 owners, I think you will find this new printer very similar in operations . The big differences will be the overall size (easily fit two of them in less space than the GT-782 printer and the printer will fit inside a traditional 36" wide door just like the GT-541 printer.
Buy Brother Ink cartridges at the best price for your Brother GT-361 Garment Printer
BROTHER GT-361
$14,995
CMYK and 2 White Print Heads
Step up to printing on darks with this modular garment and T-shirt printer with CMYK and 2 white print heads. Excellent for design checks and short print runs. Features up to 1200dpi printing allowing for photographic quality images. Print directly from your USB flash drive with the new USB flash drive compatibility (flash drive not included). Convenient, built in user interface – no RIP required, Our new front loading ink cartridge system is designed to provide consistent print quality and a more compact footprint.
Our mid-range garment printer
6 print heads (expandable to 8)‡
CMYK and white ink printing
Up to 1200dpi printing
USB memory stick compatibility‡
Front-loading ink cartridge system
Compact size for greater versatility in many work environments, including storefront
Simple user interface – No RIP required
Inks certified by Oeko-Tex® Standard 100, Class I
USB 2.0 or LAN/Ethernet Connectivity
Includes GraffixPro Studio™ T-Shirt Design Software with purchase. $499 value.
