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#298711 - 11/03/10 03:07 PM OT: Ideas for buying scanner
Scott Langholff Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 06/09/02
Posts: 3163
Loc: Pensacola, Florida, USA
Just switched to Windows 7 and need to get a new scanner as the one I have is no longer supported for this OS.

Am interested in a flatbed scanner, low price, good quality and reasonably fast.

Or, if there is a way to get drivers for what I've got that would be great. It's a Mustek 1200UB.

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#298712 - 11/03/10 03:39 PM Re: OT: Ideas for buying scanner
Dnj Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 09/21/00
Posts: 43703
why not do a google search on scanners and reviews.....good luck.
http://www.pcmag.com/category2/0,2806,7497,00.asp

[This message has been edited by Dnj (edited 11-03-2010).]

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#298713 - 11/03/10 05:49 PM Re: OT: Ideas for buying scanner
kbrkr Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 11/19/02
Posts: 2866
Loc: Tampa, FL
Scott,

Do what I did and get an All-in-one Copy/printer/Fax/Scanner. The new ones even let you print from your mobile phone or iPad.

I have two, a Laserjet as I refuse to pay high costs of ink and I bought a cheap Sharp All-in-one for $50 that works perfectly.


Al

[This message has been edited by kbrkr (edited 11-03-2010).]
_________________________
Al

Pa4x - LD Systems Maui 28 - Mackie Thumps

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#298714 - 11/05/10 06:25 AM Re: OT: Ideas for buying scanner
MacAllcock Offline
Senior Member

Registered: 03/02/02
Posts: 1221
Loc: Preston, Lancashire, England
I had the same problem with an old AGFA Snapscan 1212 USB model. AGFA dropped out of the scanner market and so there's no hope of updated drivers. I note that whilst Mustek are still in business the drivers for your scanner stop at XP so that's not encouraging.

The software solution - there's a fairly cheap program "VueScan" http://www.hamrick.com/ which uses its own internal drivers and supports a huge number of current and "legacy" scanners. I'd expect it to cope with your Mustek, it works with my AGFA. However you don't get the same level of integration with other products that you are used to because the scanner remains invisible to Windows 7; there isn't an option in (say) Word to import a scanned image; you have to scan and save the image using VueScan and then import the image as a file.

As it happens I have ended up with a moderately old HP Scanner, which works using the Windows 7 generic drivers, which are good enough for simple operations. I fixed an older Canon All-In-One (MP310) and that was more use to the sister-in-law (for stand-alone copying) so we swapped devices.

Despite the VueScan software working well "stand alone" I found the lack of integration with other packages very annoying. I'd almost certainly have bought a new scanner (as buying an All-in-one whilst my printer works fine is just compounding the felony).

Prior to the Canon I'd not met an All-in-one before whilst having the ability to play around a bit. I thought the scanner on the Canon was better than my AGFA, as well as being twice as fast. This is interesting, the budget Canon scanner engine does not get stunning reviews wheras in it's day my AGFA was up with the best at the budget end of the market.

Therefore I'd say it is quite possible that even a budget scanner or all-in-one could be a better scanner than your Mustek, not because the Mustek is bad but because things tend to improve as time passes.

Hope this helps

John
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John Allcock

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