Scanning text as jpg

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.scanner (More info?)

"Michael Drach" <mursa5@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:rimek0ds894pvv8fummimg8nnumier3f4i@4ax.com...
> Hi, I am new to this group and have a question about scanning! I use
> HP scanjet 2400 (resolution 1200 dpi) in pair with HP LaserJet 4L (300
> dpi). Occasionally I have a need to photocopy some pages from books or
> magazines but as a result a get very bad photocopy. Especially
> regarding text that has poor legibility. It is true that I scan text
> as jpg or bitmap format with resolution of 300 dpi, but I don't find
> appropriate to use OCR software when copying important documents like:
> ID card, different contracts etc.
>
> Only thing that I want is to have good photocopying machine made up of
> my ScanJet and LaserJet, but I cant achieve it!
>
> Besides, when I print document from Word I get perfectly legible
> output. How is that possible since scaner has much greater resolution
> than printer?
>
> Any explanation is welcome, and even better, any advice how to make
> good photocopy machine from my scanner and printer?!
>
> Thanks.
> MD

Try scanning the text with (I am not sure what HP calls it) B&W or Line art
mode or 1 bit mode or Text mode or bitmap. (All of these names mean the same
thing).

Set the resolution at 300 dpi, preview and adjust the threshold to get good
clear readable text with little or no specks in the white. I often use 150
dpi to make a copy.

Scan at 300 dpi. Save the document as TIFF if you are going to OCR.

For scanning then printing a document (Copy Machine), I recommend Irfanview
with plug-in.
http://www.irfanview.com/

Irfanview has a TWAIN interface for the scanner and a flexible print sizing.
The best part, it is free. It in not automatic, you scan then print.

Both of these OCR programs have built in TWAIN. You scan and OCR in one
pass.

For OCR try Omnipage Pro 14 or Textbridge Pro 11. Best price is found at:
http://www.scantips.com/
This the the place for learning about scanning.

Also highly recommended is ABBYY FineReader Pro 7.0.
http://www.abbyy.com/

OCR does not work on handwriting.

--
CSM1
http://www.carlmcmillan.com
--

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.scanner (More info?)

On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 22:54:13 +0200 in alt.comp.periphs.scanner,
Michael Drach <mursa5@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hi, I am new to this group and have a question about scanning! I use
>HP scanjet 2400 (resolution 1200 dpi) in pair with HP LaserJet 4L (300
>dpi). Occasionally I have a need to photocopy some pages from books or
>magazines but as a result a get very bad photocopy. Especially
>regarding text that has poor legibility. It is true that I scan text
>as jpg or bitmap format with resolution of 300 dpi, but I don't find
>appropriate to use OCR software when copying important documents like:
>ID card, different contracts etc.
>
>Only thing that I want is to have good photocopying machine made up of
>my ScanJet and LaserJet, but I cant achieve it!
>
>Besides, when I print document from Word I get perfectly legible
>output. How is that possible since scaner has much greater resolution
>than printer?
>
>Any explanation is welcome, and even better, any advice how to make
>good photocopy machine from my scanner and printer?!

Don't use HP's scan to printer option: I've never seen acceptable
output. Always set the type of image to scan; scan into any program
(normally as TIFF), HP defaults to Adobe PhotoDeluxe or something
similar they provide; and use the program to print (and/or save) the
image.

--
Thanks. Take care, Brian Inglis Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Brian.Inglis@CSi.com (Brian[dot]Inglis{at}SystematicSW[dot]ab[dot]ca)
fake address use address above to reply

Archived from groups: alt.comp.periphs.scanner (More info?)

> On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 22:54:13 +0200 in alt.comp.periphs.scanner,
> Michael Drach <mursa5@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> >Hi, I am new to this group and have a question about scanning! I use
> >HP scanjet 2400 (resolution 1200 dpi) in pair with HP LaserJet 4L (300
> >dpi). Occasionally I have a need to photocopy some pages from books or
> >magazines but as a result a get very bad photocopy. Especially
> >regarding text that has poor legibility. It is true that I scan text
> >as jpg or bitmap format with resolution of 300 dpi, but I don't find
> >appropriate to use OCR software when copying important documents like:
> >ID card, different contracts etc. . . .
> >
> >Besides, when I print document from Word I get perfectly legible
> >output. How is that possible since scaner has much greater resolution
> >than printer?

This is the second reason for using OCR (the first being
your capacity to edit, correct, etc.): Word makes its own
font when printing i.e. processes every letter separately.

By contrast, your scanned output is a single graphic
file, of which the sharpness cannot be increased.

Resolution 300 dpi is enough for most OCR software
but 600 dpi is the minimum used by graphics professionals.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)