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KeyNet's Tips for Production
Scanners
Connecting a new
scanner to computer system can be a simple and intuitive task.
Unfortunately this is usually the exception rather than the rule, and
when problems do occur, it is often difficult to determine origin of the
difficulty. Our technical bulletins present a methodical approach to
scan driver troubleshooting. Some low-end scanners use the EPT port,
and USB devices are becoming more common, but in most cases you will be
dealing with a SCSI scanning device. Understanding a few things about
this interface will help you avoid most of the common problems.
RESIST
TEMPTATION TO TRY ‘LOAD AND GO’
When you purchase a new
scanner, especially if it is a high performance device, there is
always the temptation
to plug it in, install Setup from the CD and try it out. Sometimes this
works, but USUALLY it ALMOST works, leaving you with the impression that
you have a problematic device, software or both. If you resist that
temptation, and methodically satisfy some basic requirements, your new
scanner’ experiences will be consistently error-free, and you’ll save a
lot of time and frustration.
SCSI ADAPTER
KeyNet recommends
Adaptec SCSI Adapters. The AHA2930 is a high quality adapter and is
relatively inexpensive. When a SCSI adapter is seated firmly into a PC,
your system you should see a test message from the SCSI adapter which
indicates that the adapter has been recognized and acknowledged by the
computer. SCSI devices must be assigned a SCSI ID. This assignment is
made either through a physical switch on the scanner, or through a
scanner control panel setting.
CABLE
The SCSI cable that
connects the computer to the scanner is the next challenge and worthy of
consideration. Make
sure your cable was supplied by a reputable vendor, and is not over 6.5
feet (2 meters) in length. Check to ensure that the cable is connected
properly and firmly at each end. Make sure the cable is not under
excessive stress either by stretching or bending. SCSI cables tend to be
fragile and should be handled and connected carefully.
SCANNER
There are a couple of
things you need to know about the operation of a SCSI device. First,
make sure the scanner is powered ON before you apply power to your
computer. If the SCSI device is not powered ON first, it will not be
recognized during the Boot process.
EZSCSI/ASPI/WINASPI
DRIVERS
Your adaptec card
should have come with a CD or diskette containing drivers for the
specific adapter you are using, and for the specific operating system.
For example, there is a Windows NT EZSCSI driver for the Adaptec 2930
card. No other driver will work so make sure you have installed this
driver properly.
RECYCLING
SCANNER POWER
Some Scanners
(particularly the Fujitsu brand devices) require a power-down/power-up
sequence after drivers have been installed, or re-installed. Since it
does no harm and could resolve problems using the scanner, we suggest,
as standard procedure, that you recycle power to the scanner and then
reboot your system whenever you have installed new scan drivers for a
device.
TEST THE
SCANNER USING THE PROVIDED SCAN UTILITY
If you have booted your
system and seen the scanner included as a listed SCSI device, and have
been able to successfully install the ASPI and TWAIN drivers you are now
ready to test the scanner with the software shipped with it. Start the
utility application and select the TWAIN mode. Then attempt to scan a
few pages. If this utility does not work, one of the above steps has not
been done properly, or the scanner is incompatible with the operating
platform.
USING THE
SCANNER WITH CO-STAR
Once you are sure the
scanner is working properly with software shipped with it, you are ready
to drive the scanner with Co-Star KCAPTURE. |
