P3D Re: Scanning (and source for CHEAP decent flatbed scanner)

[michaelk@xxxxxxxxxxx (Michael Kersenbrock)]

> If anybody has any hints on the HP thing please give them to me. 
> However, the instructions clearly stated "supported only with HP scan
> jet 6000 series scanners" so I can't exactly complain about it.  I think
> that the light box idea is probably better but I need to make a brighter
> light box.

If it doesn't work, try turning the thing around 180-degrees and try
again.  Note that it needs to be oriented with it's long-direction
being parallel with the "bar of light" that the scanner uses for scanning.

All it does is reflect light from the "bar of light" located to the side
of the slide over onto the top of the slide, thus backlighting it.  The
angles of the reflecting metal in the "prism" housing aren't symmetrical,
so it might not work work with the angles of some scanners. And it doesn't
work backwards.  

It worked only so-so on my old Microtek scanner.  That scanner has been
having problems so I replaced it with a very cheap flatbed scanner that
I bought brand new for $61 from onsale.com  (600x1200 dpi optical, the
Artec AM12E scannner ... check the PC Magazine reviews, it's called
a scanner with "a toy price but performance with the big boys", and it does
work surprisingly well with a UI nicer than Microtek's.  I think it's the
only Artec scanner that ever got a good ZD review. That I've seen anyway.  :-)
Anyway, I haven't tried the adapter on the new scanner.


Mike K.


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