BookDrive DIY - A low cost scanning station for the rest of us?

Bob Russell · 06-10-2006, 11:00 AM

According to the Atiz website, "BookDrive DIY is a highly productive scanning solution that enables you to easily scan books at 1,000 pages an hour." And it turns pages for you automatically. Price is about $5,700 (about $3,500 if you supply your own cameras), and their own numbers put productivity at more like 818 pages/hr, but that's still very impressive. I can't tell what form factors are supported, or if paperbacks can be scanned.

Let's put it into some more practical terms... In one hour, you can scan that novel you just bought as a paper book (probably for less than the price of an e-book) and take it on vacation with you to read on your handheld or iPod!

By the way, have you done a double take yet? Yes, I said it turns pages for you automatically. Again, from the web page, it is said to be "the world’s first and only desktop-sized, automatic page-turning scanner that eliminates manually copying and scanning documents. As a cost-effective solution, BookDrive enables businesses worldwide to automatically digitize content such as books, bound documents and magazines."

"BookDrive DIY is a platform. You bring your own Canon digital SLR cameras and lenses. The combination is a low-cost, highly productive book scanning station. [It] comes in a box [and] contains all components required to create an ideal book scanning station...

1. Base and structure
2. specially designed lighting set
3. height-adjustable camera mounts
4. USB hub
5. Book cradle
6. Transparent platen
7. Keypad
8. Software"

All in all, they claim that "you will be able to start scanning within one hour from unpacking." I don't know how well it works, but wow would I like to get my hands on one of these!

So are we reaching the point at which the most obsessive of us will actually start scanning our libraries? Disc and optical media is getting cheaper and better. And if you tend to collect books, think how much space around the house, garage and attic you can save by digitizing your books. You could probably even hire a high school student to do the scanning, organizing and media preparation for you at a reasonable price.

Michael Mace talks about the tipping point that will move paper to e-books and make them widely used. That's still out there a bit, even if it's now squarely in our sights. But how about the tipping point where we see the first pioneers and early adopters going all digital for their libraries? How close do you think we are? Or should I say, "How crazy do you think the early adopters are?!"

Note: I have been in awe of this machine since I heard about it in May, but just now have been able to post. However, that timing also brings the opportunity to point you to more coverage of this device over at TeleRead Blog. If you follow the comments, you'll see a nice discussion of BookDrive versus flat bed scanners, including comments from Art Sarasin of Atiz!

tuktuk · 09-14-2006, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Yes, I said it turns pages for you automatically. Again, from the web page, it is said to be "the world’s first and only desktop-sized, automatic page-turning scanner that eliminates manually copying and scanning documents. As a cost-effective solution, BookDrive enables businesses worldwide to automatically digitize content such as books, bound documents and magazines."

Unfortunately, BookDrive DIY does NOT turn pages automatically. Atiz has another product, which is called quite confusingly BookDrive (without DIY). BookDrive's price is $35,000 according to I4U.com (http://www.i4u.com/article5131.html).

Who came up with the idea to call two completely different products with worlds-apart pricing by an almost identical name?!

ath · 09-15-2006, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tuktuk

Who came up with the idea to call two completely different products with worlds-apart pricing by an almost identical name?!

It's probably a 'natural' name in some way. There's also the 'BookEye': here's one site with photos of it: http://www.digitise-it.com/ .

yvanleterrible · 09-15-2006, 09:28 AM

Hey! Turning pages is a full time job!

Ever seen these guys next to a classical pianist? Their services are not cheap.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, when I look at that picture, the word Piracy pops up.

06-10-2006, 11:00 AM	#1
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	BookDrive DIY - A low cost scanning station for the rest of us? According to the Atiz website, "BookDrive DIY is a highly productive scanning solution that enables you to easily scan books at 1,000 pages an hour." And it turns pages for you automatically. Price is about $5,700 (about $3,500 if you supply your own cameras), and their own numbers put productivity at more like 818 pages/hr, but that's still very impressive. I can't tell what form factors are supported, or if paperbacks can be scanned. Let's put it into some more practical terms... In one hour, you can scan that novel you just bought as a paper book (probably for less than the price of an e-book) and take it on vacation with you to read on your handheld or iPod! By the way, have you done a double take yet? Yes, I said it turns pages for you automatically. Again, from the web page, it is said to be "the world’s first and only desktop-sized, automatic page-turning scanner that eliminates manually copying and scanning documents. As a cost-effective solution, BookDrive enables businesses worldwide to automatically digitize content such as books, bound documents and magazines." "BookDrive DIY is a platform. You bring your own Canon digital SLR cameras and lenses. The combination is a low-cost, highly productive book scanning station. [It] comes in a box [and] contains all components required to create an ideal book scanning station... 1. Base and structure 2. specially designed lighting set 3. height-adjustable camera mounts 4. USB hub 5. Book cradle 6. Transparent platen 7. Keypad 8. Software" All in all, they claim that "you will be able to start scanning within one hour from unpacking." I don't know how well it works, but wow would I like to get my hands on one of these! So are we reaching the point at which the most obsessive of us will actually start scanning our libraries? Disc and optical media is getting cheaper and better. And if you tend to collect books, think how much space around the house, garage and attic you can save by digitizing your books. You could probably even hire a high school student to do the scanning, organizing and media preparation for you at a reasonable price. Michael Mace talks about the tipping point that will move paper to e-books and make them widely used. That's still out there a bit, even if it's now squarely in our sights. But how about the tipping point where we see the first pioneers and early adopters going all digital for their libraries? How close do you think we are? Or should I say, "How crazy do you think the early adopters are?!" Note: I have been in awe of this machine since I heard about it in May, but just now have been able to post. However, that timing also brings the opportunity to point you to more coverage of this device over at TeleRead Blog. If you follow the comments, you'll see a nice discussion of BookDrive versus flat bed scanners, including comments from Art Sarasin of Atiz!

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09-15-2006, 09:28 AM	#4
yvanleterrible Reborn Paper User Posts: 8,616 Karma: 15446734 Join Date: May 2006 Location: Que Nada Device: iPhone8, iPad Air	Hey! Turning pages is a full time job! Ever seen these guys next to a classical pianist? Their services are not cheap. Somewhere in the back of my mind, when I look at that picture, the word Piracy pops up.

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