I need a new printer - Suggestions for ebook production?

[barb2cats]

My most recent burglar took monitor, printer, netbook. Luckily, the Dell tower was off being repaired.

I have not yet tried to convert paperback books into ebooks.

Is there any preferred printer for making ebooks?

PS: I was very lucky to have backed up my data just the week before the burglar.

Thanks for any ideas re printers for ebook production.

Barb

[Rainmaker]

You are saying you need to digitalise paper books?

Atiz something, but it costs something like u$s5000, one guy was selling it at the "Flea Market" (last 3rd subforum) for u$s1000

If you are talking for a way to print your ebooks into "paperbooks" (with printing paper quality which is almost usually 95grs/m^2). I would say any laser printer will do (I have an HP laser 1022n). And you should try priting 2 pages per A4 sheet (which is a A3 size).

[barb2cats]

In order to digitize a paper book, I believe that I need to scan the pages of the book first.

I am guessing that the the printer/scanner will need to be able to do specific tasks to help me digitize the paper books, such as scanning to a format that will enable me to correct errors, etc.

Will any good duplex 'all-in-one' printer/copier/scanner work for this purpose?

Thank you for your help.

Barb

[Rainmaker]

Originally Posted by barb2cats

In order to digitize a paper book, I believe that I need to scan the pages of the book first.

I am guessing that the the printer/scanner will need to be able to do specific tasks to help me digitize the paper books, such as scanning to a format that will enable me to correct errors, etc.

Will any good duplex 'all-in-one' printer/copier/scanner work for this purpose?

Thank you for your help.

Barb

Yes and no.
Most "all-in-one" tend to be defective in the "all", multifunctioning tend to loose specifics of each functions.
There isn't any good cheap scanner that can scan automatically an amount of pages (kind of a photocopier). That is why i said about Atiz.
Even though, most tend to make the output format either a PDF (with images pasted) or some kind of image format. You would need an ORG (i think i mispelled it) to change it into a text format (.doc, .txt, etc)

[barb2cats]

Thank you.

I'll do more research. Your information has been really helpful to me.

Barb

[barb2cats]

Thank you.

I think this may be a duplicate 'thank you', but I'd rather say it twice, than to not say thank you at all.

Barb

[pholy]

I use an OpticBook 3600 scanner, which is made with a narrow edge to allow scanning close to the binding. It takes me about an hour to scan a 250 page book. Other people use the Fujitsu SnapScan S1500 (I think), which has an automatic document feeder with duplex (both sides) scanning. Of course, you have to cut off the binding (messy) to use it, but it is much faster. Both cost $300-$500, and include OCR software.
See our wiki pages on ebook conversion, and our Workshop forums, for lots of good info.

[Hellmark]

Originally Posted by Rainmaker

You would need an ORG (i think i mispelled it) to change it into a text format (.doc, .txt, etc)

OCR, short for Optical Character Recognition. That is what would convert it to text.

Also, to the OP, you want a scanner, not a printer. One takes paper and makes digital, the other does the reverse.

[ardeegee]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

Also, to the OP, you want a scanner, not a printer. One takes paper and makes digital, the other does the reverse.

Yeah, but she means one of those cheap all-in-one printer/scanner/"photocopyer"/maybe "fax" units. I bought one of those cheap combos, once, when one of my scanners died. It wasn't very good. I decided to try to modify it to be more like the Opticbook 3600 by cutting off the thick side (plastic) bezel to allow opened books to fit snugly against the glass plate, but it didn't work and I ended up with only a destroyed printer/scanner. So I bit the bullet and bought an Opticbook 3600.

[samuelarnold]

I bought the Canon 8300 last November during the "black-Friday" sales. My net cost was around $2,300.

[sassanik]

Have you looked at the DIY book scanners?

http://www.diybookscanner.org/forum/

Amy

[barb2cats]

Thank you, all.

I am now pricing the scanner options, and looking at my budget --
Eventually I hope to digitize my (quite literally) tons of paperback books which
are not available in e format.

Again, thank you. Barb

[Rainmaker]

Originally Posted by Hellmark

OCR, short for Optical Character Recognition. That is what would convert it to text.

Also, to the OP, you want a scanner, not a printer. One takes paper and makes digital, the other does the reverse.

That's it, OCR, dunno why ORG popped into my mind hehehe.
To the OP; i suggest the same as everyone said after me.

The "all-in-one" won't work for the purpose you are looking for; as you only need the "copy to digital" function of the "all-in-one"; and actually you need quite specifics on it (been able to scan books, high speed scans, good contrast, adaptable frame/size, etc,etc).

As I told you before:
If your "only" goal is to only have them digitalise, as kind of a back up for the paper; then any scanner will do.
If you are trying to have them done in some kind of text format (for e-readers); then as Hellmark corrected me; get a OCR software, or find a copier which has it's hardware and software synced to do this operation.

Good luck!

[barb2cats]

Thank you!

I'll post again when I've had the chance to really look at the two scanner options, and in the meanwhile, will probably get a mid priced printer-copier for general use.

I have learned so much from MobileRead people, from choosing my Bookeen Gen 1 to starting to take the first steps towards digitizing my paperback collection.

Once I manage this, I'll try to digitize some of my out of copyright books.

Again, thank you.