PURCHASING

1
PURCHASING

• A
• SCANNER

2
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What will I be using the scanner for?
• What features do I want?
• Do I want a sheet feed or a flat bed?
• Where will I be putting it?
• What kind of port will I need?
• What kind of resolution do I need?
• What is the resolution of my printer?
• What is the storage space on my hard drive?

3
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What will I be using the scanner for?
• Copy documents from books?
• Copy and edit word files?
• Copy and edit photographs?
• Reproduce negatives and slides?
• Is this for a home, hobby and/or professional use?

4
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What features do I want?
• Single pass vs. multiple passes
• One button scanning
• Document feeder
• Transparency light/transparency adapter

5
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• Do I want a sheet feed or a flat bed?
• Flat bed scanners will scan books
• Sheet feed scanners are typically smaller
• Tip If you have the room a flatbed scanner is
  so much more versatile.
• Where will I be putting it?
• Check the dimensions of space available.

6
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What kind of port will I need?
• Parallel
• USB and USB 2.0
• SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface)
• Fire Wire Port (IEEE-1394)

7
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What kind of resolution is recommended?
• 300 dpi to scan text and photos
• 600 dpi to print photos
• 1,200 dpi to enlarge photos
• 2,400 dpi for slides and negatives
• Note often shown as 1,200 dpi X 1,200 dpi
• meaning 1,200 vertical dpi X 1,200 horizontal dpi
• What is the resolution of my printer?
• Scanner resolution should be similar to printer
  resolution

8
QUESTIONS TO ASK

• What is the storage on my hard drive?
• The more resolution the more storage space needed.

9
RESEARCHING SCANNERS

• To research check the following
• Web sites
• Newspaper advertisements
• Magazines
• Office equipment stores
• Pick several models to compare
• Tip Be sure to test your scanner at your local
  store before buying.

10
BUYERS CHECKLIST

• Does the port come with the scanner?
• Does the scanner come with a useful software
  package?
• Is there a warranty?
• Can I purchase a maintenance agreement?
• Is there free technical support?
• Is there a company web site that is kept up to
  date with software patches and device updates?
• Tip When looking at manufacturers web sites
  look for FAQ links (frequently asked questions

11
COMPARE THE FOLLOWING

• Sensor the most important component and most
  important in determining price.
• Tip A CCD, Charge Coupled Device, sensor is
  more advanced than a CIS, Contact Image Sensor.
• Color rate
• Tip 30-bit rates should cover everything from
  text to slides. A 36-bit scanner may be too much
  for your computer.

12
COMPARE THE FOLLOWING

• Port connection
• Tip All things being equal, opt for USB 2.0
  cabling if available.
• Hardware Features
• Tip External buttons are a convenient perk.
• Software
• Tip Look for a good OCR program for text
  scanning and an image editor for photographs.

13
COMPARE THE FOLLOWING

• Resolution
• Speed
• Tip Dont assume a SCSI scanner will be faster
  than a parallel port one. It may not be worth
  the extra time and hassle it takes to install a
  SCSI card.
• Price of cartridges
• Warranty and maintenance agreement

14
SCANNER REVIEW AND PRICES
COMPARING TWO FLATBED SCANNERS AND TWO
ALL-IN-ONE FLATBED SCANNERS
15
Canon CanoScan N1240U Flatbed Scanner
Type Flatbed Scanner Resolution 2400 dpi X
1200 dpi Interface USB Price range 83 -
120 Reviews CNET 8 Very Good Consumer
Guide Best Buy
16
HP ScanJet 5400C
Type Flatbed scanner Resolution 1200 dpi X
1200 dpi Interface USB Price range 73 -
100 Reviews CNET 7.0 good Consumer
Guide Best Buy
17
HP PSC 2110
Type Flatbed All-In-One (print,copy,scan,fax) Re
solution 1200 dpi X 1200 dpi Interface USB
Price range 120 - 200 Review CNET, 67
recommend, 33 dont recommend out of 58
users
18
HP PSC 2210
Type Flatbed All-In-One (print,copy,scan,fax) Re
solution 1200 dpi X 1200 dpi Interface USB Plus
Reads memory cards from digital camera Price
range 250 - 300 Review ZDNet, 7.3 Excels
at basic functions. from 28 reviews