Re: [aclug-L] Scanner Tips...

[John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jesse Kaufman <kaufmjes@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

> ok, i'm looking at purchasing a scanner soon (getting one for my
> b-day!), and i would like some advice as to what scanner / specs i
> should look for...  i am not even considering a parallel port scanner,

Good for you :-)

> but i'm debating b/n a SCSI scanner and USB scanner...  how well does
> linux support USB, if it does at all?  i remember reading in Linux

Right now, your best bet is SCSI.  Most people today use SANE (Scanner 
Access Now Easy), a popular GIMP extension, for scanner access these
days.  You can view a list of SANE-supported scanners at:

  http://www.mostang.com/sane/sane-backends.html

Linux also includes drivers for some other scanners with separate
software, though these generally predate SANE.

> Journal that k2.2.x is supposed to support USB, but i don't remember

I don't believe that SANE supports USB scanners yet.

> seeing anything about it in make xconfig...  i am looking for a scanner
> that is around $150 or so (my 'rents don't want to go much over that),
> but if i get a SCSI scanner, i assume i'll have to buy a SCSI controller
> card, unless the scanner comes w/ one, so that has to be figured into
> the price, too...

Some scanners come with one -- it's something to check when you go to
buy one.  Otherwise, you can probably get a cheap/slow one for a few
bucks.

> also, what is a very well supported SCSI card for linux?  from what i
> understand SCSI is very well supported, but i'd like the best / easiest
> card to install for linux...

Yes, SCSI is very well-supported.  The best-supported ones are
Mylex/Buslogic and NCR/Symbios/LSI, followed closely by Adaptec.

-- John