Document Scanners: How to Select the Best Option for Your Application

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Document Scanners

• How to Select the Best Option for Your Application

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Document Scanners

• Document scanners have become the must-have
  devices for both home and business every day use.
  
• As with every technology purchase, you need to
  carefully consider your requirements to ensure
  you get the right solution.
• To begin to narrow your choices, the following
  categories can help you make a smart decision.

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Document Scanners

• Space
• How much space do you have to devote to a
  scanner?
• Document scanners come in all shapes and sizes,
  so if your space is limited, youll need to keep
  size in mind.
• Some document scanners can be larger than a
  desktop computer.
• If space isnt an issue, you can consider flatbed
  scanners.
• If you dont have a lot of room to devote to a
  scanner, a sheet-fed scanner may be the better
  choice.

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Document Scanners

• DPI
• Dots-per-inch is the standard measurement for
  resolution.
• Resolution refers to the quality of the image.
• For example, the higher the DPI a scanner has,
  the better the quality of the output.
• Be sure you balance features against cost.
•  
• The highest DPI may not be necessary for your
  applications. Most organizations would not need
  DPI ratings above 600 or 1200.

• Bit Depth
• Like DPI, Bit Depth is a specification of
  document scanners. It refers to the scanner's
  ability to analyze and reproduce the full color
  spectrum of the scanned information.
• The higher the Bit Depth translates into a
  greater quality output.
• For basic color scanning required by most
  organizations, a Bit Depth of 24 to 36 would
  suffice. Youd only need a higher Bit Depth if
  you were a designer, for example.

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Document Scanners

• Budget
• How much do you have to spend on a scanner?
• The more DPI and Bit Depth you require, the more
  youll have to invest.
• Just as you dont want to spend more than you
  need to on document scanners, you also dont want
  to find your purchase wont do the job.

• Model Type
• Most document scanners come in flatbed and
  sheet-fed models.
• Flatbeds typical produce better scans, and also
  provide more flexibility.
• For example, you can scan just like a copy
  machine from books, magazines and other bound
  documents.
•  
• Sheet-fed document scanners require less space
  and budget. With better portability, you can
  take you sheet-fed scanner with you as needed.
• If you work outside the office regularly, you can
  hook-up your sheet-fed scanner to your laptop
  from any location.

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Document Scanners

• These decision criteria will help get you started
  on selecting the best scanner for your use.
• With some careful thought about your application
  and some research into available options, you
  should be able to get the best value for your
  money.
•  
• MES Hybrid Document Systems has been successfully
  supplying and supporting such document scanning
  solutions in public and private organizations
  across Canada since 1971.
• The company offers a one-stop shop for everything
  from consulting, conversion services, hardware
  solutions, document scanning and
  electronic/analogue document management systems.

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Document Scanners

• MES Hybrid offers a full range of documents
  scanners, including the following
•  
• Personal Scanners.
• Compact, inexpensive and efficient, personal
  scanners are easy to use and perfect for home and
  small business environments.
• Workstation Scanners.
• Small, fast and inexpensive, workstation scanners
  are the ideal solution for desktop scanning.
• Departmental Scanners.
• Built for speed, durability and high-volume
  scanning, Department Scanners are designed to
  increase profitability in departmental scanning
  applications.

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Document Scanners

• MES Hybrid offers a full range of documents
  scanners, including the following
•  
• Production Scanners.These scanners provide
  maximum throughput, image quality and speed in
  production scanning environments.
• Network Scanners.Compact, inexpensive and
  efficient, Networked Scanners provide distributed
  capture, maximum performance and a minimum
  footprint.
• Cheque Scanners.These specialty scanners enable
  financial institutions, corporate and retail
  organizations of all sizes to increase efficiency
  by eliminating microfilming or photocopying
  cheques.

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About the Author

• Kevin D'Arcy is VP of Sales and Marketing for MES
  Hybrid Document Systems, Ontario's leading
  document scanning and document management
  supplier.
• For more information about
• Document Scanners,
• visit http//www.mesltd.ca.