Fast scanner?

owly · 12-07-2011, 07:29 AM

Hi, any recommendations for a fast scanner for digitalizing (old Swedish) books? I have a scanner but it takes ages. I also remember seeing a scanner for comics that had the scanning bed right to the edge that seemed practical but I can't find it. Any tips welcome.

I know this has been written about before but I can't find the thread via the search function.

Rob Lister · 12-07-2011, 08:05 AM

How much do you want to spend?

90ppm/ipm fast enough for ya?

http://usa.canon.com/cusa/office/pro...Specifications

a steal at just over $4000

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-07-2011, 08:23 AM

On the other hand... Canon's imageFORMULA DR-2020U Universal Workgroup Scanner can be had for under $600, if you're okay with scanning 20 pages per minute. (And if you're okay with either cutting up your original book or photocopying it to letter size, a step I recommend anyway for maximum character recognition.)

owly · 12-07-2011, 09:09 AM

Wow, since my scanner would barely do a fourth in that time it looks pretty good. I prefer not to have to cut the books apart though. That way I can scan library books. I'd also like to keep it under $200 if possible.

JoHunt · 12-07-2011, 09:35 AM

While not specifically for books, I have a Canon CanoScan LiDE210, which is incredibly fast and great value for the price. I believe it's sold in Europe.

This is from the description of the scanner regarding books:

Advanced Z-Lid:
The Z-Lid extends up and over the platen to scan large items such as notebooks, textbooks and other thick documents.

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-CanoScan...sr=1-3-catcorr

mr ploppy · 12-07-2011, 10:51 AM

I use a camera on a tripod and 2 posable lamps. Main advantage is you don't need to open the book more than 90 degrees (but if it will open flat it only takes half as long). The OCR program I use doesn't mind the angles or perspective being a bit out, it straightens them up as it goes.

Halo · 12-07-2011, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

The OCR program I use doesn't mind the angles or perspective being a bit out, it straightens them up as it goes.

What OCR software do you use?

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-07-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owly

Wow, since my scanner would barely do a fourth in that time it looks pretty good. I prefer not to have to cut the books apart though. That way I can scan library books. I'd also like to keep it under $200 if possible.

For $200, you won't get better than a pokey flatbed scanner. In the book-scanning biz, if you want speed, it'll cost you.

You might want to try the photo-boxes being offered by a few vendors (or plans to make them yourself): The fastest and best-quality devices are essentially a cube (standing on its edge) wherein you place your book on the bottom, open 90 degrees wide, and use two attached cameras to take shots of each page in turn. If you already have 2 digital cameras, you can build it yourself for less than $100 of parts. (It's on my list of things to do.)

Here's one link... and another. There are others...

Steven Lyle Jordan · 12-07-2011, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

For $200, you won't get better than a pokey flatbed scanner. In the book-scanning biz, if you want speed, it'll cost you.

You might want to try the photo-boxes being offered by a few vendors (or plans to make them yourself): The fastest and best-quality devices are essentially a cube (standing on its edge) wherein you place your book on the bottom, open 90 degrees wide, and use two attached cameras to take shots of each page in turn. If you already have 2 digital cameras, you can build it yourself for less than $100 of parts. (It's on my list of things to do.)

Here's one link... and another. There are others...

Ah... found the pretty one, coming soon.

Chi Cygni · 12-07-2011, 03:09 PM

I was going to make a separate post about it but anyway here goes:

scanner mouse which allows easy scanning, has OCR included. You can apparently scan text, save it as Word and voila, edit or whatever. I would then put it into calibre immediately -> epub, mobi. Will buy it for husband methinks (ok, I admit, I have some sinister plans about it too)

link for some info http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/l...ouse-hands-on/

there are also films on youtube if you put LG LSM-100 (or Google, of course)

NicholasV · 12-07-2011, 04:32 PM

If you do it yourself digitizing books is not easy or fast period, especially if you want it OCR'd(which will also need to be proofread) and rendered to some text based format rather than an image rendered to PDF. I would strongly recommend forgetting this costly diversion unless you are gonna do it for a good cause like Distributed Proofreaders, which also cuts labor because they have processes developed and help with rendering it to text, all you have to do is scan. If you are hell-bent on it there are services that you can mail the book in for like $1, which however, destroy the book, and I cannot attest to their quality(which I assume to be very low at such a low price). Another option is to get over whatever deeper issue it is that makes you feel you need to archive books in print and digitally.

DDHarriman · 12-07-2011, 06:14 PM

Hello

Concerning exclusively the scanner, one option could be the Plustec Opticbook 4800 (http://plustek.com/oeu/products/opti...roduction.html)
Who by their marketing, and besides being a book scanner, can scan a page in 3.6 seconds.

Not cheap, and I do not have experienced it - but do know the 3600 and the 3800 and they are really good.

Best regards,

HarryT · 12-08-2011, 03:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chi Cygni

I was going to make a separate post about it but anyway here goes:

scanner mouse which allows easy scanning, has OCR included. You can apparently scan text, save it as Word and voila, edit or whatever. I would then put it into calibre immediately -> epub, mobi. Will buy it for husband methinks (ok, I admit, I have some sinister plans about it too)

link for some info http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/l...ouse-hands-on/

there are also films on youtube if you put LG LSM-100 (or Google, of course)

Fine for extracting a few lines of text; hardly practical for scanning an entire book, I suspect!

owly · 12-08-2011, 04:38 AM

Yes, it was the Opticbook seriers that I was thinking of, are there any other scanners that scan from the edge like that?

mr ploppy · 12-08-2011, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halo

What OCR software do you use?

Abby Finereader 10.

12-07-2011, 07:29 AM	#1
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Fast scanner? Hi, any recommendations for a fast scanner for digitalizing (old Swedish) books? I have a scanner but it takes ages. I also remember seeing a scanner for comics that had the scanning bed right to the edge that seemed practical but I can't find it. Any tips welcome. I know this has been written about before but I can't find the thread via the search function.

12-07-2011, 09:35 AM	#5
JoHunt I am what I am Posts: 6,625 Karma: 62235665 Join Date: Sep 2011 Device: iPad3, Voyage	While not specifically for books, I have a Canon CanoScan LiDE210, which is incredibly fast and great value for the price. I believe it's sold in Europe. This is from the description of the scanner regarding books: Advanced Z-Lid: The Z-Lid extends up and over the platen to scan large items such as notebooks, textbooks and other thick documents. http://www.amazon.com/Canon-CanoScan...sr=1-3-catcorr Last edited by JoHunt; 12-07-2011 at 10:02 AM.

12-07-2011, 03:09 PM	#10
Chi Cygni 秋子 permanently lurking Posts: 844 Karma: 6590735 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Europe Device: Oasis 3, Pocketbook Era	hear, hear, scanner mouse I was going to make a separate post about it but anyway here goes: scanner mouse which allows easy scanning, has OCR included. You can apparently scan text, save it as Word and voila, edit or whatever. I would then put it into calibre immediately -> epub, mobi. Will buy it for husband methinks (ok, I admit, I have some sinister plans about it too) link for some info http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/07/l...ouse-hands-on/ there are also films on youtube if you put LG LSM-100 (or Google, of course)

12-07-2011, 04:32 PM	#11
NicholasV Enthusiast Posts: 32 Karma: 13944 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Dover, NJ Device: Nook Touch, (ex)Kindle 3	If you do it yourself digitizing books is not easy or fast period, especially if you want it OCR'd(which will also need to be proofread) and rendered to some text based format rather than an image rendered to PDF. I would strongly recommend forgetting this costly diversion unless you are gonna do it for a good cause like Distributed Proofreaders, which also cuts labor because they have processes developed and help with rendering it to text, all you have to do is scan. If you are hell-bent on it there are services that you can mail the book in for like $1, which however, destroy the book, and I cannot attest to their quality(which I assume to be very low at such a low price). Another option is to get over whatever deeper issue it is that makes you feel you need to archive books in print and digitally. Last edited by NicholasV; 12-07-2011 at 04:34 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Fast book scanner	ShortNCuddlyAm	News	1	03-17-2010 06:24 PM
New Scanner, Need Advice on What Comes Next	kazbates	Workshop	25	01-11-2010 09:23 AM
What scanner do you use, recommendations	Moejoe	Lounge	8	07-11-2009 02:38 AM
Using handheld scanner	Idoine	Workshop	13	06-14-2009 06:42 PM
scanner problem	scanner	Workshop	6	09-29-2008 08:37 AM

12-07-2011, 08:05 AM	#2
Rob Lister Fanatic Posts: 532 Karma: 3293888 Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Virginia Device: Nook Simple Touch	How much do you want to spend? 90ppm/ipm fast enough for ya? http://usa.canon.com/cusa/office/pro...Specifications a steal at just over $4000

12-07-2011, 08:23 AM	#3
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	On the other hand... Canon's imageFORMULA DR-2020U Universal Workgroup Scanner can be had for under $600, if you're okay with scanning 20 pages per minute. (And if you're okay with either cutting up your original book or photocopying it to letter size, a step I recommend anyway for maximum character recognition.)

12-07-2011, 09:09 AM	#4
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Wow, since my scanner would barely do a fourth in that time it looks pretty good. I prefer not to have to cut the books apart though. That way I can scan library books. I'd also like to keep it under $200 if possible.

12-07-2011, 10:51 AM	#6
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I use a camera on a tripod and 2 posable lamps. Main advantage is you don't need to open the book more than 90 degrees (but if it will open flat it only takes half as long). The OCR program I use doesn't mind the angles or perspective being a bit out, it straightens them up as it goes.

12-07-2011, 06:14 PM	#12
DDHarriman Guru Posts: 860 Karma: 4380 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Almada, Portugal Device: Cybook Gen3, Sony PRS 505, Kindle DXG and Samsung Galaxy Note	Hello Concerning exclusively the scanner, one option could be the Plustec Opticbook 4800 (http://plustek.com/oeu/products/opti...roduction.html) Who by their marketing, and besides being a book scanner, can scan a page in 3.6 seconds. Not cheap, and I do not have experienced it - but do know the 3600 and the 3800 and they are really good. Best regards,

12-08-2011, 04:38 AM	#14
owly Guru Posts: 729 Karma: 3822612 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sweden Device: Paperwhite 2, Kobo Aura H2O	Yes, it was the Opticbook seriers that I was thinking of, are there any other scanners that scan from the edge like that?

Advert

Advert