Features:
- 300 x 600 dpi resolution; 2,400 dpi enhanced; 30-bit color depth
- PaperPort, PictureWorks PhotoEnhancer, OCR software
- Built-in USB and serial interfaces, parallel optional
- Ultrathin, ultralightweight design
- USB and Serial cable included^M
Description:
Visioneer's StrobePro compact scanner combines advanced paper management software with an ultracompact sheet-fed design. Just feed in your documents, images, or color and black-and-white photos, and the StrobePro automatically brings document images to your PC desktop in seconds. To set up the StrobePro, we followed the quick start card for a USB installation; we connected the scanner to our PC, installed the driver software from the CD-ROM (which includes PaperPort, PictureWorks PhotoEnhancer, and optical character recognition (OCR) software), and followed the onscreen instructions. At the end of the installation, the software instructed us to send a black and bright-white sheet through the scanner for automatic calibration. The entire process was straightforward, taking only a few minutes. We performed a test scan of ordinary black text on white paper using the StrobePro's driver software. The scan took nine seconds using the default scanning mode for text of 300 dpi at one-bit depth. The quality of the scan was good, with no stray marks or blemishes. The OCR conversion was not as successful, resulting in several misspelled words and the substitution of letters with graphic symbols. Repeated tests produced the same results. Also, the original document became curled as we fed it through the scanner mechanism. We then specified that the StrobePro's software scan a 5-by-7-inch color photograph using the default mode for photos of 100 dpi at 24-bit color depth. The scan took 14 seconds and the results were fair. While the overall image was good, a close-up view showed faded color, moiré patterns, and a lack of detail. We repeated the scan, manually specifying 300 dpi at 24-bit color depth. The scan took 90 seconds, and the results were much better, with brighter color and much more detail. The moiré patterns were filtered by the software's resolution enhancement. For quick copies and photo scans, the StrobePro offers ease of use and acceptable overall results. In addition, its compact design takes up little room on your desk. Pros:
- Amazingly ultracompact design
- Supports USB, serial, and parallel interfaces
- Easy-to-use software
Cons:
- Can scan only sheets, not objects
- Scanner curls your original documents
- Poor results from OCR software
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