Document Scanner

Google "document scanner"

ALL in One printers have all but replaced Document scanners for all but the most specialised of applications. Even a digital camera can give you a very good digital copy of a document.

Technical details are easily obtained from product data sheets and manuals and off the internet from manufacturers and distributors and features and specs vary from product to product.

How much are you going to use it, and how detailed do you need the images?

I (my family) currently have an "All in one". That is fine for occasional scanning; but if you are going to use it a lot, then it probably won't hold up to the task.

As far as the spec's, DPI (Dots Per Inch) is how to judge the resolution. Old VGA monitors were 640x480, most people use 1024x768 these days; but most monitors and video cards are capable of much greater resolution. Again: How detailed do you need the images?

The big advantage I find in the all in one arrangement is they usually are capable of feeding multiple pages. The single disadvantage I find is that the all in one is not at all portable.

DPI is the key to resolution and if high quality is a requirement you may not find it in the all in one or a similar priced stand alone scanner.

As is always true you get what you pay for.

I picked up a Canon Pixma 530 (all in one) a couple years ago.

My daughters used it to scan several 100+ page (double sided) study guides onto their laptops for school. The included software kept everything collated, and in order.

This product works nicely, though ink costs seem high.

It does single sided scanning (flip the stack, and put it back through) and double sided printing.

I'm sure Epson and HP, at the same price points would work as well.

All in one are useless. Money was saved at some point, bet it scanner or printer or your printing costs are too high.

Such units have a better chance of going wrong as when one part goes defective, the other part must go also to be repaired (ruined) at the repair place......

Buy single units of each type, read the glossy magazine and web tests first before buying.

Consider buying carefully from ebay......but do not be a sucker.....

Whatever you decide, stay away from HP all-in-ones. I bought one and it was a disaster. All sorts or software problems. Wouldn't install properly, caused my machine to crash with the BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) constantly. On a PC that worked perfectly fine with everything else. HP's tech support was worthless. They couldn't figure it out, and their default position was that my PC was the problem. After burning up literally 30 - 40 hours on my own and w/tech support on it (i.e. for the cost of my lost time, I could have bought it many times over), I finally got rid of it and got a Canon MP780.

In general, I find my Canon multifunction to be worth the price, although the new MX850 I have now is not as good as the MP780 was.

jhammond

___________________________

www.patent-innovations.com

I m happy with my HP Officejet all in one scanner/printer/copier/fax unit.

I have it for over 4 years and working very well. there are newer models available. You could get one on line HP 5510 (refurbished) on newer models for less the 100.00 USA.

Bansi Patel

bansi.patel@ieee.org

About 2 tears ago I purchased a Cannon MP 140. I mainly purchased it for scanning sketches, illustrations and photographs, into my ever changing power points, that I use in all teaching (marine engineering). Its not too bad on colour print outs or just b&w.

However I have a Brother laser printer for all my general printing (all b&w). The Cannon is a bit heavy on the ink............but the Brother, I have just bought a new toner (Aus$86) and that, after about.........8-10 reams of paper (just guessing-but a lot of paper.).......its good value, whatever the true amount of paper was.

Just one other point, you cannot get the Cannon ink cartridges refilled now..........you have to purchase new ones...........just another rip-off.........interesting............made in Japan..........not China, I just checked.

hi dhanesh,

here's a good document that could guide you in making a decision in selecting a scanner.

HTH!