I'll second Ralph's suggestion to look at the software, specifically the drivers. It's always a good idea to check the manufacturer's Web site, and download and install the latest driver software if you are having problems. It doesn't always solve the problems, but in my experience it sometimes does, and it's free.
As far as figuring out how to shop, I don't know much about scanners, so I can't help you there. When I've needed to research things I wasn't very familiar with (like digital cameras), I've started by looking for reviews on-line. I've found useful stuff at www.zdnet.com, www.pcmag.com (PC Magazine, which is part of ZDNet), www.cnet.com, and by doing a Google search and including the word "review" in the search criteria. Jon At 11:13 PM 3/22/2002 -0500, you wrote: >Yes - you are on the right track, I think. >The guy who comes from the computer place to work on our computers also >thought it was probably the software. But he didn't really know enough about >the specifics of other software to recommend one, nor did he know who could. > >I really have two situations here. >One is that we have a scanner at work that doesn't work well. The other is >that I want to buy a scanner for my personal use at home. I'd like the >scanner at home to be right the first time I buy it, but I definitely have >to buy the whole scanner. At work, our two options are 1) Start over with a >new scanner or 2) just get new software. > >With both situations, I think I still need to figure out how to shop >intelligently. >-cynthia > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] >Sent: Friday, March 22, 2002 6:30 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: [folkschool-list] Shopping Question > >Are you sure it's the scanner and not the software driving it? I would >check >to see if the manufacturer has an updated driver with more options >available. >The two scanners I have used have plenty of options. The really old one has >had >at least two driver upgrades which corrected some nuisance problems. > I'd complain to the company as well. >-Ralph >------------------- > >Cynthia wrote: > > > One difficulty we have with purchasing technology is that most of the >people > > who sell it don't seem to have that much knowledge about the products. In > > particular, we are shopping for a scanner. We have one which we have been > > very unhappy with for a number of reasons. > > > > Can anyone point me toward somewhere that I can really find out the > > differences between the different products which are currently on the > > market? > > > > One problem with scanners I've used (which I've had with two different > > scanners) is that they seem to scan things darker than they actually are, > > which loses some of the detail. > > > > The other problem is that it seems the more they try to make the software > > "user friendly", the more control you lose. So we have problems like that > > when I try to scan line art on the one we currently have, my only two > > choices are "Hundreds of shades of gray" or "millions of colors". Well, I > > want black and white - but since that's not a choice it scans the paper as > > well as the image and I have a huge file and a lot of background (its >NEVER > > really totally white) that I don't want (I finally got around this by > > telling it that it is scanning "text", not "image" - but that sometimes > > creates other problems). On the scanner in the office next door, you can't > > tell it what resolution you want. So I have to fool around with the other > > choices and make multiple scans until I get one that turns out to have the > > resolution I want (not a problem when scanning for the web, but I've had >the > > dickens of a time getting really good resolution out of it for print > > images). The sales people just look at my blankly when I ask about these > > things. > > > > How do other people handle these kinds of issues when shopping for > > technological products? > > -cynthia > > > > **Folkschool-list archives are at: > > <http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> > > Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School > > > >**Folkschool-list archives are at: ><http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> > Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School > >**Folkschool-list archives are at: ><http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> > Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School > Jonathan Falk Pine Tree Folk School RR 2, Box 7162 Carmel, ME 04419 (207)848-2433 <http://www.ptfolkschool.org> **Folkschool-list archives are at: <http://www.mint.net/folkschool/helpnet/archives.htm> Sponsored by Pine Tree Folk School ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84vzQ.a9gqS3 Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
