Full Version: Scanners
From: Bieb (HABIEB) [#1]
17 Dec 2005
To: ALL
What scanner is everyone using? (Is there a place to keep this info on the forums?) I currently have an HP Scanjet 6200c, I like it an have had good results with it overall. But it is getting kinda old and can be tempermental at times. I am not jumping into buying a new scanner just yet, but would like to know what others are using with good success.
Thanks
Harold
From: logojohn [#2]
17 Dec 2005
To: Bieb (HABIEB) [#1] 17 Dec 2005
I have a vector scanning HP.
Just for photos and OCR for text I also have a Lexmark all in one at work(with fax) similar to this one and a Epson CX4200 all in one at home(no fax).
The epson prints much nicer.
I get about 80 percent eps files and 18 percent such low quality that scanning to vector won't work. Very rarely get only camera ready or high quality printouts that the HP will work on.
But sometimes if an eps has a gazillion layers and I need single layer outlines to hatch fill for rotary engraving, I will print it from the eps and then vector scan it with the HP.
It also comes in handy for replicating documents. Just this week someone wanted an article from a booklet lasered. If you scan as a bmp it can be fuzzy. I scanned it as a vector at 30 dpi and ended up with a whole page of vectored tiny printing. You can edit any letters that are real bad but most were good and it lasers sharp crisp letters.
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From: BrianC (INKSQUIRTER) [#3]
17 Dec 2005
To: Bieb (HABIEB) [#1] 17 Dec 2005
From: Bieb (HABIEB) [#4]
17 Dec 2005
To: logojohn [#2] 18 Dec 2005
What is the one that vectors?
Are there good instructions on converting an image to vector with your scanner? I have the HP precision scan pro software. I also have CorelDraw 11 and 12, and Adobe Illustrator 10.
Thanks
Harold
From: logojohn [#5]
18 Dec 2005
To: Bieb (HABIEB) [#4] 18 Dec 2005
I have a HP4300C which is one of the earlier models that does this but
many people had installations problems but I didn't.
I start from the scanner software.
I have a dropdown box that lets you choose which application you want to scan to.
I choose Corel Draw 9*
You then check the black and white drawing mode (not sure the exact name but not the photo mode.)
My understanding is that if you start from coreldraw and scan you just get a bitmap but someone can correct me if I am wrong.
I click the options above and get good results by changing the dpi from 300 to 30. That reduces extra nodes greatly and makes the vector outline smoother. It does not pixelate it since you are doing a vector trace. If you art is bad it won't help you fix it. I have had good results
with magazines, diplomas and inkjet printouts.
You then scan and it launches coreldraw and places the vector graphics filled with black. You can then ungroup or break it apart and edit like normal. Sometimes there are a few background dots that can be deleted.
A few letters might need to be fixed manually.
It does the worst on straight lines and shapes. I sometimes go in and just replace them in coreldraw.
*Mine is one of the older versions and the applications are set up when you install the scanner. There isn't an easy way to add new applications later. People were working on a fix months ago but I don't know if there is a solution. Just reinstalling it after new applications are added may cause
other problems, especially with the non-usb ones.
Would like to here if anybody has a good solution to adding new applications to the scan-to list.
So I can't scan to Corel 11 even though it is on that computer.
Here are some previous posts on this topic.
http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=455.21
list of model #'s. You might also want to read all these messages.
http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=1046.32
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EDITED: 18 Dec 2005 by LOGOJOHN
From: Engravin' Dave (DATAKES) [#6]
18 Dec 2005
To: Bieb (HABIEB) [#4] 18 Dec 2005
Harold,
Here is a brief explanation from Roy Brewer.
http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=455.21
Here is another post from Roy that mentions specific HP scanner models that will vectorize with their PrecisionScan software.
http://www.engravingetc.org/forum/index.php?webtag=EE&msg=1046.32
EDITED: 18 Dec 2005 by DATAKES
From: logojohn [#7]
21 Jan 2006
To: ALL
I assumed that OCR was standard on all scanners.
(OCR scans a printed page into editable text
for use in pasting into layouts or coreldraw instead of just
a non-editable bitmap image.)
It saves a lot of typing since I get a lot of type written pages
for awards and lists of names.
I wanted an all in one without the fax for home. I have an hp for bmp tracing, an epson c86 for sublimation and a Lexmark all in one for sending faxes and email and scanning text with OCR at work.
I got an Epson Scanner, Printer, Copier combo since printing photos seems better than with the Lexmark.
I went to scan some text with OCR and couldn't find a setting. I finally dug out the manual and went to their site and finally found out that the OCR only works with an add-on application, usually very expensive business publishing things. My older MS and corel publishing programs didn't have it.
I finally did some googling and came up with a freeware OCR converter that works with most scanners.
In the end it is actually better than the one built into hp and lexmark.
It lets you unselect areas you don't want to scan. If you have a page with columns of names, you can unselect space between the columns and you will get a list of names in a single column instead of several names on one line if scanned all at once with the built in scanning.
As far as I can tell there are no spyware or ads in it.
The free OCR program can be downloaded at:
http://www.simpleocr.com/
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