Low Cost USB Scanners:
In May, 2000, Access Magazine (www.accessmagazine.com)
ran an article on several USB, flatbed scanners. They tested, and rated,
scanners that sold for less than $150. They evaluated setup, use, scanning
speed (at 300 dpi), image quality, and software.
The scaners tested were:
-
- Small size - about 1/3 the size of the other scanners tested
- Scans took 25-seconds
- Pre-Scan is slow at 18-seconds
- Produces sharp images with bright colors
- Color fidelity was not as true as the Acer
- Acer Scanner 620UT - $129.00
www.acerperipherals.com
* * * *
- Scans slides, transparencies, and negatives
- Software is "a joy to use"
- Super 'magnify' tool
- Pre-Scan is 7-seconds
- Scans took 30-seconds
- Color fidelity was the best of the scanners tested
- Scans were usually darker than the originals
- Visioneer OneTouch 7600USB - $129.00
www.visioneer.com
* * * *
- Has control buttons for scan, fax, or copy on the scanner
- Image quality, contrast, and brightness are "dead on"
- Color fidelity is similar to the Cannon CanoScan
- Pre-Scans are a slow 30-seconds
- Scans are about 22-seconds
- Comes with OCR software
- The 'PaperPort' software organizes your scans
- Epson Perfection 610 - $149.00
www.epson.com
* * *
- Doesn't reproduce colors as well as the other scanners
- Output is sharp and clear
- Pre-Scanning takes about 6-seconds
- Scanning takes about 12-seconds
- Has excellent software for photo editing, document management, and
OCR
- Microtek ScanMaker 3600 - $90.00
www.microtek.com
* *
- Has problems
- It's software 'driver' didn't work on one test system
- Scans took about 50-seconds
- Color fidelity is poor
- HP ScanJet 3300Cse - $129.00
www.hp.com
* *
- Easy to operate
- A pre-scan is performed every time you scan
- Pre-Scans take 40-seconds
- Scans take 31-seconds
- Image quality if fine
- Software is over-automated
