Scanner: The handy office machine
Aug 30, 2007
IN computing, a scanner is a device that analyses images, printed text, handwriting, or an object (such as an ornament) and converts it to a digital image.
Item: Scanner
Category: Office equipment
Prices: Costs are primarily dictated by the brand name, but they range from sh85,000 to sh230,000
IN computing, a scanner is a device that analyses images, printed text, handwriting, or an object (such as an ornament) and converts it to a digital image.
Most scanners today are variations of the desktop scanner.
For the scanner to operate, it will has to be run through a computer with software called a driver.
Most scanners use a common language, TWAIN. The TWAIN driver, originally used for low-end and home-use equipment and now widely used for large-volume scanning, acts as an interpreter between any application that supports the TWAIN standard and the scanner.
This means that the application does not need to know the specific details of the scanner in order to access it directly.
For example, you can choose to acquire an image from the scanner from within Adobe Photoshop because Photoshop supports the TWAIN standard.
How to operate
Place it on a strong, flat, level surface near your computer and plug it into your computer and the power. Install the software which will come on a CD-Rom.
Pictures can by simply lifting the scanner lid and laying the image face down onto the glass ‘bed’ of the scanner.
You should be able to see from rulers along the sides of the bed which corner to place an A4 sheet or other sizes so it will scan them properly.
Next, run your scanning software. If you are using image manipulation software you already have, like Photoshop or Paint shop Pro, then you can start from that programme. Or, if you are starting from scratch, run the software that came with the scanner.
The software will generally have a ‘File’ menu, with a ‘Scan’ or ‘Acquire’ option which will start the scan.
Types of scanners
Drum scanners capture image information with photomultiplier tubes and rotate at a high speed. Most modern colour drum scanners use three — red, blue and green light respectively.
One of the unique features of drum scanners is the ability to control sample area and aperture size independently.
While drum scanners are capable of scanning both reflective and transmissive artwork, a good quality flatbed scanner can produce excellent scans from reflective artwork.
Other types of scanners are planetary scanners, which take photographs of books and documents, and 3D scanners for producing three-dimensional models of objects.
A basic scanner costs sh85,000 at Computer Vision on Nkurumah Road. You can get a more sophisticated one for sh145,000 at the same place while sh230,000 will get you one with that can change a negative to positive at very high resolution.
Compiled by Roger Mugisha
Category: Office equipment
Prices: Costs are primarily dictated by the brand name, but they range from sh85,000 to sh230,000
IN computing, a scanner is a device that analyses images, printed text, handwriting, or an object (such as an ornament) and converts it to a digital image.
Most scanners today are variations of the desktop scanner.
For the scanner to operate, it will has to be run through a computer with software called a driver.
Most scanners use a common language, TWAIN. The TWAIN driver, originally used for low-end and home-use equipment and now widely used for large-volume scanning, acts as an interpreter between any application that supports the TWAIN standard and the scanner.
This means that the application does not need to know the specific details of the scanner in order to access it directly.
For example, you can choose to acquire an image from the scanner from within Adobe Photoshop because Photoshop supports the TWAIN standard.
How to operate
Place it on a strong, flat, level surface near your computer and plug it into your computer and the power. Install the software which will come on a CD-Rom.
Pictures can by simply lifting the scanner lid and laying the image face down onto the glass ‘bed’ of the scanner.
You should be able to see from rulers along the sides of the bed which corner to place an A4 sheet or other sizes so it will scan them properly.
Next, run your scanning software. If you are using image manipulation software you already have, like Photoshop or Paint shop Pro, then you can start from that programme. Or, if you are starting from scratch, run the software that came with the scanner.
The software will generally have a ‘File’ menu, with a ‘Scan’ or ‘Acquire’ option which will start the scan.
Types of scanners
Drum scanners capture image information with photomultiplier tubes and rotate at a high speed. Most modern colour drum scanners use three — red, blue and green light respectively.
One of the unique features of drum scanners is the ability to control sample area and aperture size independently.
While drum scanners are capable of scanning both reflective and transmissive artwork, a good quality flatbed scanner can produce excellent scans from reflective artwork.
Other types of scanners are planetary scanners, which take photographs of books and documents, and 3D scanners for producing three-dimensional models of objects.
A basic scanner costs sh85,000 at Computer Vision on Nkurumah Road. You can get a more sophisticated one for sh145,000 at the same place while sh230,000 will get you one with that can change a negative to positive at very high resolution.
Compiled by Roger Mugisha