OpticBook 3600 Book Scanner Review - Part I - Page 2

nekokami · 02-12-2007, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sea2stars

*grin* Nekokami, here you go!

How to Make a Full Auto Book Scanner

Whoa!

That is SO COOL! And GEEKY!

I have an old slimscan C3 that might work for this....

(neko goes into mad scientist mode, and wanders off, chortling and mumbling in a rather unbalanced way....)

Bob Russell · 02-12-2007, 03:52 PM

Here's a "real" solution for the rich...
http://www.i4u.com/article5131.html

nekokami · 02-12-2007, 04:10 PM

Well, at $35k, it's a bit too rich for my blood. Maybe I could talk my university into buying one.

My mad scientist plans came to an end when I realized that the LEGO solution will only work for books that can lie flat, which leaves out most of my fiction collection (though it could work well for some textbooks). I just need to find something interesting to do while I operate the scanner, I guess. Listen to language learning CDs, maybe.

NatCh · 02-12-2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nekokami

I just need to find something interesting to do while I operate the scanner, I guess.

You can never be bored when you have Lego.

RWood · 02-12-2007, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sea2stars

*grin* Nekokami, here you go!

How to Make a Full Auto Book Scanner

Thanks sea2stars, I had seen that wlsewhere some time ago and was looking in the archive section of another site for the reference. Amazing what you can do with Lego blocks.

sea2stars · 02-12-2007, 05:48 PM

Heh. Glad to help. Yeah.. thankfully these Legos were used to promote the forces of good.

Hrmm.. any reason why this couldn't be adapted into something similar to the Atiz BookDrive DIY? For $3,499 you'd think it would turn the pages itself.

RWood · 02-12-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sea2stars

Heh. Glad to help. Yeah.. thankfully these Legos were used to promote the forces of good.

Hrmm.. any reason why this couldn't be adapted into something similar to the Atiz BookDrive DIY? For $3,499 you'd think it would turn the pages itself.

The Atiz now goes for $5,595 to $8,995 for the DIY series and the one with automatic page turning is priced on request only.

They do have a product called Snapter (trial version only, final version not yet released) that promises to turn your digital camera into a scanner and flatten out the curved pages in the picture. I just may try it.

Edit: At Atiz the download will not download and the notify section doesn't work.

nekokami · 02-12-2007, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

You can never be bored when you have Lego.

Oh, I'm rarely bored.

But when I have to use my hands and eyes for something tedious (and hence can't be playing with Legos, browsing the net, reading a book, etc.) I do need to cast about a bit more to avoid boredom.

kenbaldwin · 02-20-2007, 04:57 PM

Did I miss Part II?

NatCh · 02-20-2007, 05:50 PM

I don't think Bob's done it yet....

Bob Russell · 02-20-2007, 07:44 PM

Sorry, that's been on hold for a bit. My apologies for the delay. Life is getting in the way at the moment. ;-) I do still intend to get back to it fairly soon, but in the meantime here's a peek at another alternative...
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9780

OpticBook is great if you want to keep the book pristine and have flatbed scanning options. With it, you should be able to do just about any book, but it takes some work. Snapscan looks great if you can break (destroy) your books into clean cut free pages.

kenbaldwin · 02-21-2007, 09:12 PM

Does anyone know what the difference is between the OpticBook 3600 and the OpticBook 3600 Plus (other than $40 or so)? Thanks

Ken

stxopher · 02-22-2007, 09:08 AM

I believe the difference is just the included software. Hard to tell from their site. It's...not very helpful. Opticbook comparison matrix.

Gameboy70 · 03-25-2007, 01:59 PM

Is Part II still in the works? I was unsure that I wanted to purchase this scanner because of (a) the possibility that Plustek would not have the resources to distribute an updated, signed driver for Vista (which can be quite expensive for smaller hardware manufacturers), and (b) because I have yet to hear anyone's experiences using this product in conjunction with the Sony Reader. Plustek has since released OpticBook drivers for Vista, and Bob is the one reviewer I know of who's in the position of having the OpticBook and the Sony Reader, so I'm anxious for a complete testimonial.

Bob Russell · 03-27-2007, 02:07 PM

Gameboy,

Thanks for the nice comment. Yes, part II is coming. I seem to be perpetually just on the verge! Might also make a comment or two about it in relation to the Canon all-in-one (which includes software-based duplex scanning and OCR) I got recently also.

But as far as the Sony Reader, I'd have to say that my solution is to OCR the book and then load it up as an RTF using the "famous" Word macro for formatting. Probably similar results to any other scanning solution.

The OpticBook is fantastic if you want to basically be able to scan any book easily, one page at a time. If you are willing to put in a lot of effort and experimentation, other solutions might get you results a little faster (scan two pages at a time, or pull apart a book and use an auto feed scanner, or flat scan two pages at a time and deal with the spine), but I don't think most people will want to deal with those problems. For most people, it's probably easier to take the extra time with the OpticBook and be able to do any book, and not have to worry about the details.

Just remember that while the OpticBook is great (and I do recommend it as long as people understand its market niche and the tradeoffs), you do have to invest quite a bit of time an energy to scan a large book. Unless you have the extra time, it's probably only something you'll do for books you REALLY want to have in e-book form, or that you need to convert for some reason.

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02-12-2007, 03:52 PM	#17
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Here's a "real" solution for the rich... http://www.i4u.com/article5131.html

02-12-2007, 04:10 PM	#18
nekokami fruminous edugeek Posts: 6,745 Karma: 551260 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Northeast US Device: iPad, eBw 1150	Well, at $35k, it's a bit too rich for my blood. Maybe I could talk my university into buying one. My mad scientist plans came to an end when I realized that the LEGO solution will only work for books that can lie flat, which leaves out most of my fiction collection (though it could work well for some textbooks). I just need to find something interesting to do while I operate the scanner, I guess. Listen to language learning CDs, maybe.

02-12-2007, 05:48 PM	#21
sea2stars Zealot Posts: 104 Karma: 64 Join Date: Dec 2006 Device: eb1150, Sony Reader	Heh. Glad to help. Yeah.. thankfully these Legos were used to promote the forces of good. Hrmm.. any reason why this couldn't be adapted into something similar to the Atiz BookDrive DIY? For $3,499 you'd think it would turn the pages itself.

02-20-2007, 04:57 PM	#24
kenbaldwin Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony PRS-500	Did I miss Part II?

02-20-2007, 05:50 PM	#25
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I don't think Bob's done it yet....

02-20-2007, 07:44 PM	#26
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Sorry, that's been on hold for a bit. My apologies for the delay. Life is getting in the way at the moment. ;-) I do still intend to get back to it fairly soon, but in the meantime here's a peek at another alternative... https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9780 OpticBook is great if you want to keep the book pristine and have flatbed scanning options. With it, you should be able to do just about any book, but it takes some work. Snapscan looks great if you can break (destroy) your books into clean cut free pages.

02-21-2007, 09:12 PM	#27
kenbaldwin Connoisseur Posts: 74 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2006 Device: Sony PRS-500	Does anyone know what the difference is between the OpticBook 3600 and the OpticBook 3600 Plus (other than $40 or so)? Thanks Ken

02-22-2007, 09:08 AM	#28
stxopher Nameless Being	I believe the difference is just the included software. Hard to tell from their site. It's...not very helpful. Opticbook comparison matrix.

03-25-2007, 01:59 PM	#29
Gameboy70 Connoisseur Posts: 84 Karma: 1002150 Join Date: Apr 2006 Device: Kindle Paperwhite, 3rd Gen iPad	Is Part II still in the works? I was unsure that I wanted to purchase this scanner because of (a) the possibility that Plustek would not have the resources to distribute an updated, signed driver for Vista (which can be quite expensive for smaller hardware manufacturers), and (b) because I have yet to hear anyone's experiences using this product in conjunction with the Sony Reader. Plustek has since released OpticBook drivers for Vista, and Bob is the one reviewer I know of who's in the position of having the OpticBook and the Sony Reader, so I'm anxious for a complete testimonial.

03-27-2007, 02:07 PM	#30
Bob Russell Recovering Gadget Addict Posts: 5,381 Karma: 676161 Join Date: May 2004 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Device: iPad	Gameboy, Thanks for the nice comment. Yes, part II is coming. I seem to be perpetually just on the verge! Might also make a comment or two about it in relation to the Canon all-in-one (which includes software-based duplex scanning and OCR) I got recently also. But as far as the Sony Reader, I'd have to say that my solution is to OCR the book and then load it up as an RTF using the "famous" Word macro for formatting. Probably similar results to any other scanning solution. The OpticBook is fantastic if you want to basically be able to scan any book easily, one page at a time. If you are willing to put in a lot of effort and experimentation, other solutions might get you results a little faster (scan two pages at a time, or pull apart a book and use an auto feed scanner, or flat scan two pages at a time and deal with the spine), but I don't think most people will want to deal with those problems. For most people, it's probably easier to take the extra time with the OpticBook and be able to do any book, and not have to worry about the details. Just remember that while the OpticBook is great (and I do recommend it as long as people understand its market niche and the tradeoffs), you do have to invest quite a bit of time an energy to scan a large book. Unless you have the extra time, it's probably only something you'll do for books you REALLY want to have in e-book form, or that you need to convert for some reason.