OCR Software Help

kpfeifle · 02-28-2010, 04:27 PM

Hi All:

I would like to start scanning some magazine articles so that I can load them onto my Sony PRS-300. My needs are not great, I'll be using Sigil to convert the txt documents (and photos) into an Epub book. I looked at some Flatbeds for around $100.00, but since I own a good digital SLR camera, I wanted some information about a software only option. I saw ABBYY FineReader 9.0 Express Edition, for $49.00, but it does not seem to have a trial version of this product. Does anybody use this? Is their anything else I should be looking at? Not looking to spend a ton of money as I will only use this to convert an occasional magazine or newspaper article. Thanks,

Kevin

frabjous · 03-01-2010, 12:04 PM

Abbyy does have a trial:
http://finereader.abbyy.com/trial/
(Well, that's of version 10, but it could still give you an idea.)

Definitely quality software, though I'm a fan of Open Source myself. If you want something free, look at Tesseract or Ocropus.

slex · 03-01-2010, 12:40 PM

I actually get better results with Cuneiform than Ocropus under linux. The link here is to the Windows version, I think. Still, ABBY is the best. If he is willing to pay for it, he shouldn't hesitate what to choose.

frabjous · 03-01-2010, 12:57 PM

Forgot about Cuneiform -- thanks for the reminder. There's a free version for Windows too, isn't there?

thinkpad · 03-01-2010, 01:04 PM

I use Abby Finereader Sprint edition 6.0 (downscaled version from the pro) since it came with the scanner I bought, and I have not been disappointed so far.

kpfeifle · 03-01-2010, 02:27 PM

Well, I answered my own question. Cnet had a demo version of 9.0, good for 50 pages and/or 15 days. It was enough for a proof of concept. Took an article from a newspaper (with pictures) and was able to convert it pretty easily. Still had to do some editing, but it was pretty quick. I'll probably end up spending the $50.00 for the software. For the amount of articles I'll process (not many), this is a very cost effective solution!

-Kevin

02-28-2010, 04:27 PM	#1
kpfeifle Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 49 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Device: Sony PRS-300- Kindle 3 (WiFi)	OCR Software Help Hi All: I would like to start scanning some magazine articles so that I can load them onto my Sony PRS-300. My needs are not great, I'll be using Sigil to convert the txt documents (and photos) into an Epub book. I looked at some Flatbeds for around $100.00, but since I own a good digital SLR camera, I wanted some information about a software only option. I saw ABBYY FineReader 9.0 Express Edition, for $49.00, but it does not seem to have a trial version of this product. Does anybody use this? Is their anything else I should be looking at? Not looking to spend a ton of money as I will only use this to convert an occasional magazine or newspaper article. Thanks, Kevin

03-01-2010, 12:04 PM	#2
frabjous Wizard Posts: 1,213 Karma: 12890 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	Abbyy does have a trial: http://finereader.abbyy.com/trial/ (Well, that's of version 10, but it could still give you an idea.) Definitely quality software, though I'm a fan of Open Source myself. If you want something free, look at Tesseract or Ocropus. Last edited by frabjous; 03-01-2010 at 12:07 PM.

03-01-2010, 12:57 PM	#4
frabjous Wizard Posts: 1,213 Karma: 12890 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Amherst, Massachusetts, USA Device: Sony PRS-505	Forgot about Cuneiform -- thanks for the reminder. There's a free version for Windows too, isn't there? Last edited by frabjous; 03-01-2010 at 01:07 PM.

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03-01-2010, 12:40 PM	#3
slex Addict Posts: 294 Karma: 1196776 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Bulgaria Device: Kindle 4 NT, Onyx Boox M92	I actually get better results with Cuneiform than Ocropus under linux. The link here is to the Windows version, I think. Still, ABBY is the best. If he is willing to pay for it, he shouldn't hesitate what to choose.

03-01-2010, 01:04 PM	#5
thinkpad David Posts: 1,808 Karma: 8916183 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Norway Device: Kindle, E.Edge (sold), Irex Iliad (retired)	I use Abby Finereader Sprint edition 6.0 (downscaled version from the pro) since it came with the scanner I bought, and I have not been disappointed so far.

03-01-2010, 02:27 PM	#6
kpfeifle Enthusiast Posts: 42 Karma: 49 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Long Island, NY Device: Sony PRS-300- Kindle 3 (WiFi)	Well, I answered my own question. Cnet had a demo version of 9.0, good for 50 pages and/or 15 days. It was enough for a proof of concept. Took an article from a newspaper (with pictures) and was able to convert it pretty easily. Still had to do some editing, but it was pretty quick. I'll probably end up spending the $50.00 for the software. For the amount of articles I'll process (not many), this is a very cost effective solution! -Kevin

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