On Thu, 1 Sep 2016, Andrew Hankinson wrote:

> Do you need a scanner? Cameras have pretty high resolution these days, 
> are instant capture and if you get a rig with two you can capture an 
> opening with one shot. They're also probably faster to operate unless 
> you are disbinding and using a sheet feeder.

If you're going to go that route, you still want to make sure that there's 
a platen to flatten things out.  (OCR is more difficult if you have to 
deal w/ the curvature of the pages).

If you're handy, or can rope someone in who is, see:

 	http://www.diybookscanner.org

If you're not quite so handy, but okay with assembling IKEA furniture:

 	http://store.diybookscanner.org

I have the previous model (less aluminum, more wood), but from the current 
manufacturer, so I assume the electronics package is similar.

My only issue was in getting the electronics all happy.  Once you get a 
clean bootup, it's fine, but occassionally one of the cameras don't get 
seen by the computer, and I have to restart it.  (I'm not sure if there's 
something that I should be doing to make sure parts come up in a specific 
order; I should probably go back and test the next time I have a batch of 
things to scan)

Oh... and I somehow mixed up which camera was 'right' vs. 'left'.  I think 
I had assumed right side of the scanner, but it was actually the camera on 
the left side that images the right-hand page.  (or maybe it was 
visa-versa ... take a test picture before you go to the trouble of 
aligning the cameras, so you don't have to pull everything apart so you 
can get to the SD cards out to swap.  (or swap the whole cameras, like I 
did).

okay .. three issues ... they had just switched to a higher resolution 
camera, and that might've been the issue ... but it took me a bit of 
stumbling through the menus to get the cameras to go into the mode 
necessary to do the alignment.  I think I had to disconnect the USB cable 
or they wouldn't do it.

... and it's possible that there's FAQs online about these things, that I 
didn't look at as I just wanted to get it built & play with it.  (and scan 
some books)

-Joe



>> On Sep 1, 2016, at 8:40 PM, Matt Sherman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> Hi all,
>>
>> We are doing some digital preservation of our legacy theses and my
>> boss wanted to get a newer second scanner to move along the project.
>> As such I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for a good bed or
>> book scanner that could help make some good quality scans, preferably
>> ones we could OCR, that doesn't require a lot of space or a darkroom?
>> I typically have used what my employer already had and as such haven't
>> had to buy equipment before so I wasn't sure what a decent one would
>> be.  Any suggestions would be welcome.
>>
>> Matt Sherman
>