Paper profiles - RGB or CYMK?

I just got an Epson 3880 printer supplied with the EFI eXpress RIP, strictly to let me exceed the Epson 38 inch print limit. When I tried to add new papers to the RIP's media list it said I needed a CYMK profile, not an RGB one. As far as I can tell, all the profiles manufacturers supply are RGB.

I've never heard of this requirement, can someone please explain? Can an RGB profile be converted to a CYMK one, and if so how and with what software? I've tried EFI support and they just said I have to get help from Epson. So far Epson hasn't gotten the answer, they said they will look into it.

Help will be appreciated, thanks.

 

Im not a 100% on this can't you just open whatever files in one of the adobe programs and then save into cmyk format.

Cmyk is used for print ( Cyan Magenta Yellow and Key )

RGB is used for screens (Red green blue)

 

My question concerns profiles, not image files

I think I need to clarify: My original question concerns RGB vs CYMK PROFILES, not image files. The EFI RIP wants me to supply CYMK profiles for the papers I'd like to use, not the RGB ones I get from the paper manufacturers. I haven't found any reference to software that converts between these.

 

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but in InDesign, Photoshop, etc. you have 2 profiles, one for your Monitor (RGB) and one for the printer (CMYK). Epson's printer profiles take the color information in the file and convert it to the CMYK values it needs for printing. The monitor also take the same color information in the file and converts it to the RGB values it needs to display on the screen. Also, the same should hold true for any icc profiles supplied by paper manufacturers, as the printer is a CMYK printer so it's icc profile has to be CMYK...correct???

And I do know this, if you are not using the right icc profile for the right monitor, or the right icc profile for the right printer then the results of the print can be less than desirable. The same is said for different papers & inks also, you must have the correct profile for those too...

If I am wrong on this someone please correct me....

 

I would like to you should be made Custom CMYK profile for compliance with ISO standards by yourself. Good luck.