Regardless of what scanners we use,
they usually come with specific software. These software is primarily the
device drivers and the primary scanning software. However, there could also be
other complementary software, such as ABBYY FineReader for OCR and text
scanning or Digital Ice for image repairs. It is also a good idea to choose scanners with other exclusive or proprietary technologies. As
an example, some scanners have dual-bed configuration, one for scanning
photograph, while the other can be used for scanning other media, such as film
and transparencies. Some may have improved scanning methods that can eliminate
digital artefacts and improve the overall image quality. In general, scanning
software and driver are essential for any scanner. They could determine how
efficiently and easily we will be able to perform our scans. Good scanning
software will produce previews fast enough and its automated settings could
simplify operations. There could also be plenty of image enhancements and
adjustment functions to alter our images.
In some cases, we will be able to
scale image up or down, while calculating output or input dimension. It is also
a good idea to find out whether we are able to apply filters, correct
histograms, set contrast or brightness and do other things. The scanning
software should come with dual mode, one for simplified and automated scanning;
while the other should have much more advanced interface for sophisticated and
detailed control of the whole scanning process. We should find out what
software bundles and scanner driver included with the scanner before we
finalize our purchase. These scanners should be able to expand their
versatility and function when properly outfitted with different accessories,
such as automatic document feeder or transparency adapter. The latter should allow
us to scan transparencies and films when necessary. It should be very easy to
install a transparency adapter. It could also be equipped with overhead
lighting, so the films and transparencies will be shown better in digital form.
When enabled, we should be able to determine the intensity of the lighting, so
we could prevent under-exposure or over-exposure , while delivering accurate
image results.
Other accessories we need to
consider is the automatic document feeder and it should be able to enhance the
document scanning capability of our equipment. ADF should make it possible for
us to perform continuous scanning of multiple pages, up to a few hundred at a
time. The ADF could be attached directly to our scanner and it could really
work like a printer, but in this case, the scanner converts printed document
back to the digital format, instead of the other way around. We could choose
whether these documents would be saved as graphics or we could automatically
enable the OCR feature, so the final result would be a clean text file. The ADF
should also be able to accommodate transparencies, especially because they are
thicker than paper. In any case, we should try to boost the efficiency and
effectiveness of our scanner.
No comments:
Post a Comment