We have a client that uses the Fax Pro Module. They are uploading PDF files they have created. The PDF files are color PDF - namely the law firm logo, etc. Because the PDF is color, Fax Pro is trying to greyscale the entire document and the end user is receiving the fax that is very pixelated fax. The same document saved as a Black and White PDF faxes fine.
The user is unwilling to “print” a pdf copy (from Word) that is B&W, just for faxing, because they save the pdf in color and place it into their document management system - they do not want 2 copies (one B&W for faxing and one Color for everything else). Their old fax portal (different company, different softswitch) did not have this issue - it faxed the color documents without a problem.
Need advice on how to best fix this for the client. Do not want to lose a good voice client because our Fax Pro with color PDF “appears” less and adequate quality.
PS. FreePBX v13 Asterisk Version: 13.29.2 Fax Pro version: 13.0.46
That module is ‘closed source’ so only Sangoma can help you.
When Ghostscript is called , one can easily map color to either greyscale ( you don’t want that) or monochrome. (most fax machines can only do Black and white)
A ‘scary’ workaround would be to replace the call to ghostscript with a script that ‘pipes’ your source through a gs filter that converts all files to ‘Black and white’
Raise a request perhaps?
( I work with dozens of fax machines, none are really happy with color (you get artifacts) even if they support it, but all are happy with Group 4 B&W)
FYI - Paid support ticket response from Sangoma reads:
“I will need to open a JIRA feature request to, hopefully, have out engineers advise changing faxing to monochrome even when presented with a color PDF. I will have the JIRA submitted today.”