This new affordability makes a scanner an attractive option for any computer owner. You won't believe how helpful a scanner can be until you've used one for several months.

Do you often have to retype copy (mailing lists, reports to be updated, articles for newsletters) to get it into your computer? Or maybe you don't bother, but you sure would like to have the material available by stroking a few keys. With a scanner and the optical character recognition (OCR) software supplied with most models, its a snap! Just scan the printed material into a file, which your word processor can read and you can edit or format as you like.

But its in the handling of graphics and photos where a scanner really shines.

Do you have photos or printed art you would like to incorporate into letters, greeting or business cards, or a Web page? (Just remember to respect copyright laws.) Wouldn't you like to produce flyers that show pictures of products you make or sell? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to move patterns for craft projects into your computer so you could easily resize or alter them, then print them on your color printer? These are just a few of the many capabilities of even the most budget-friendly scanners.

Maybe you would like to sketch your own designs in pencil, then complete them with a graphics program in your computer. Professional artists and illustrators do it all the time.

If the above comments have tweaked your interest enough that you go to a computer store to look at scanners, here are some tips that will help scanner novices.

Dont let the jargon intimidate you: DPI, optical resolution, single pass, 24 bits or 30, scanning speed, maximum image size. Remember a few basics and you'll do fine.

Zero in on flatbed models. They are more versatile and accurate than sheet-fed scanners.

Optical resolution is a critical measure of a scanners capability and its measured in dots per inch (dpi). You want at least 300x300 dpi or 300x600 dpi, the norm for scanners priced under $300. Models in the $300 to $500 range may show 400x800 or 600x10 dpi, but 300 dpi will suffice for many of us. As for interpolated or enhanced resolution, generally the higher the number, the better, but don"t worry too much about it. Optical resolution is the important specification.

You will probably be printing your scanned images on laser or inkjet printers with resolutions of 300 or 600 dpi, which work best with images scanned at 100 to 0 dpi. (Images scanned for on-screen or Web use need even less resolution; most monitors display 72-80 dpi and the Web limit is 72 dpi.) If you enlarge scanned images, you increase the resolution required: if you double the size of an image when printing it and want it to have 0 dpi resolution, you must scan it at 400 dpi. Conversely, if you reduce the image to half-size for printing, you need only scan it at 100 dpi. If you expect you will seldom increase the size of your scans for printing, a 300 dpi scanner likely will do just fine.

Most scanners offered now are single-pass models. As the name implies, they complete a scan in one pass.Some older three-pass models might still be available at really low prices but a single-pass unit is worth the extra money because it is faster and more accurate.

A 30-bit scanner is generally more desirable, and expensive, than a 24-bit, but a good 24-bit model, like the Hewlett-Packard 5Pse, may be preferable to a cheaper 30-bit unit. You may also see some 36-bit models, but save your money; they're overkill for our purposes.

Scanning speed is of less importance to buyers who will be using the scanner only a few times per daynormally, than it is for graphics professionals working against deadlines. I wouldn't worry too much about scan speeds; manufacturers specs don't mean much in the real world anyway.

Maximum image size for flatbed scanners usually ranges from letter-size (8.5x11 inches) to legal-size (8.5x14 inches). Having the larger scanning bed is nice, but it may be a luxury many of you will never need.

This article is meant to be only the most basic of primers. If you dig deeply into the subject of scanners, it can seem hopelessly complex. Take it one step at a time, learn as you go, and Im sure your reaction in a short time will be like that of almost everyone I talked to in preparing this article: I don't know how I managed before I got my scanner; now I couldn't imagine how I could get along without it!

email: kfermoyle@earthlink.net

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