IMSLP Forums

This is the only reasonably priced large-page scanner I've been able to find. Anybody have any experience with it? Is it suitable for IMSLP submissions? Does the bundled software automatically create PDFs?

Sixtus

I use the Mustek A3 USB scanner, which is very similar. The scanner is very suitable for IMSLP submissions in that it does 1-bit very well, although my model, which is older and less-feature-rich than the previous A3 USB model, only scans up to 400dpi, but this is sufficient. If a score is large enough to warrant an A3 scanner, it really only needs to be scanned at 300dpi anyway. A warning that the included software is garbage, including the TWAIN interface...everything. Plan on getting a 3rd party software to make the PDFs.

Also there aren't any working SANE drivers so using it on unix or linux is out. I've used it through a windows virtual machine in the past which works well enough. I agree with Daphnis: the software is crap. I wouldn't really trust any bundled scanner software to make good PDFs.

Yeah I forgot to mention the lack of SANE drivers. I concur with horndude. If you plan on using this in *nix, pick something else. And if you plan on getting this scanner, don't count on it producing wonderful color scans either.

So what would be the "signal flow" for a scan with the Mustek device? Which output file format should be used for each page? I have a full verisons of Adobe Illustrator CS3 and Photoshop CS3 for post-scan processing and PDF encoding. Would these be suitable tools for editing the scanner output? While I don't have an official version of Acrobat, I do have Open Office which can also create PDFs. (All these are PC versions.)

--Sixtus

Scan each page to single TIFF files-->edit in Photoshop-->deskew (if necessary)-->compile via OO or 3rd party software in PDF

Hi Sbeckmesser, Daphnis

A3 120 seems to be the one I pan to buy as well in future.

I have the old Mustek A3 USB scannner.
It has limitations though:
- no new driver update for Vista.
I was searching several months after finally finding a driver
buying my scanner about 1 1/2 year before.
I think there is no support from Mustek any more for this scanner.
- USB 1.1 makes this scanner slow for colour scans.
- Max 300 dpi x 600 dpi max- resolution scan.
- the pages have to put totally in direct contatct to the scanner surface.
Even if you have only 1-2 mm space between the scanner surface an the score
you get dark results,
This is espicially nasty for scanning 2 A4 on A3 on "new books"
Some Canon scanner can help here via software:
"Gutter shadow correction"
I won't buy any A4 scanner any more not having this software suppor.

However if you use it for just one purpose - scanning scores, it does a good job.
The A3 1200 seems not to have the above mentioned first 3 limitations an more.
I do not think it has the forth function mentioned above.

And finally something noone could tell me before:

Under Vista you can (at least?) install 2 scanners using the TWAIN interface
(I have a Mustek A3 USB and a Canon Scann 4004FA4).
And they even work if you scan simuntaniously!
I seached for ages in vain in the Inernet before buying my A3 scanner.
Finally I just the risk ... and it worked.

BR // Didi

*http://mustek.com/mustek/supportdrivers.php
There is a driver listed for Vista 32-bit
*I don't care about scanning in color
*300x600 is plenty if your source warrants moving up to an A3 scanner in the first place
*ALL scanners require your source to be in direct contact with the glass for the best results. If you can't perform this task you shouldn't be using a flatbed scanner.