Specifications

Also, prints are at or near the size they’ll be when reprinted after scanning. However, slides and negatives are only
24mm×36mm (about 1”×1.5”) and must be enlarged a great deal for typical printing or even Internet Web page use.
Scanning them at a higher resolution makes sense.
Although the original version required users to wrestle with SCSI interfacing, a newer version—the
PhotoSmart S20—uses a USB port instead. Both units provide very high image quality, especially with
slides and negatives, but the included software has been the source of many complaints. Lenik
Terenin has developed a free replacement for the standard HP scanner software for the PhotoSmart
units. You can download his Pscan32 free from the Web. Another replacement PhotoSmart scanner
program is Ed Hamrick’s shareware VueScan.
Artec’s ScanROM 4E is an updated version of its original ScanROM Photo. The ScanROM name comes
from the CD-ROM–style loading tray each unit features for media handling. The 4E offers resolutions
of up to 4,800dpi, whereas the ScanROM Photo’s resolution is 300dpi with Windows 3.1 and up to
1,200dpi with Windows 9x. These units use the EPP-type parallel port for interfacing, making them
slower in operation than the HP models but easier to use with a wide range of computers. For more
information, see the Artec Web site.
Drum Scanners
Despite the quality improvements in flatbed scanners and the development of slide and transparency
scanners, the ultimate image scanners remain drum scanners. Whereas high-resolution flatbed scan-
ners can achieve optical resolutions of 3,000dpi, drum scanners can reach as high as 8,000dpi. This
makes them the perfect choice for creating color separations for professional glossy magazine and
catalog reproduction.
Drum scanners attach the media to be scanned to a rotating drum that spins at thousands of rpms
(revolutions per minute). Light passes through the drum and image and is converted to digital format
by PMTs (Photo Multiplier Tubes).
Drum scanners’ superior optical resolution is matched by their capability to pick up fine details
(resolving power) and handle of a very wide range of light to dark tones (dynamic range). High-
quality drum scanners can handle the entire dynamic range from 0 (pure white) to 4.0 (dead black)
optical density (OD). This exceeds the needs of typical prints (0.05OD–2.2OD) and even transparen-
cies (0.25OD–3.2OD). Some models even perform color separations within the scanner itself.
Although drum scanners are far too expensive for all but high-end graphics studios to purchase (typi-
cal models sell for $10,000–$30,000 and above), many companies offer drum scanning on a per-item
basis for graphics that need to be of ultimate quality, such as for high-quality color image setting.
Interfacing Your Scanner
Four interface methods are used on recent and current-model scanners: parallel-port, SCSI, USB, and
IEEE-1394.
Parallel (LPT) Port Interfacing
Parallel-port connections are primarily limited to low-priced models. This interface type often takes
advantage of the higher data-transfer rates of the IEEE-1284–compatible port settings, such as EPP and
ECP, and always takes advantage of bidirectional or PS/2-style printer ports. Because virtually all com-
puters have a parallel port, parallel-port scanners are universal scanners capable of working virtually
everywhere with every type of computer running Microsoft Windows.