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By John Yacono
The ScanMaker E6 color scanner is a great value. This 30-bit color flatbed scanner is capable of 600x1200-dot-per-inch optical resolution (4800dpi maximum interpolated resolution), and it comes with an ASPI-compliant SCSI card and some nice software.
To set up the unit, you first install the two software packages: Microtek's ScanWizard (a 16- and 32-bit TWAIN application interface) and ImageStar II, an image-manipulation package. Next you install the Adaptec 1502E SCSI card-a basic adapter with only an external connector and on-board jumpers for the card's IRQ and address. To complete the installation, you connect the cable and snap on a SCSI terminator (optional).
ScanWizard helps you scan images and perform some preliminary filtering and image adjustments. The useful descreening filter removes the moiré patterns that form when you scan photo-offset materials. You can also change various color, contrast and brightness settings. The 16-bit software we used shows the effects of your edits as you make them, so you can experiment before finalizing your changes.
ScanWizard includes QuickPanel, a five-button control panel to fax, copy, clipboard and save scans, or pass them to an application. It's a good productivity tool, but it lacks some civility. For example, if you run out of disk space during a save, the process is aborted-you don't get a chance to redirect the output.
ImageStar II offers some good image-manipulation tools. You can crop, rotate and adjust resolution, color, and scale reductions, and so forth. There are also more filters and map manipulations.
The software was a little unstable when scanning images at high resolutions with fine detail. Tested on a 200MHz Pentium system with 16MB of RAM, performance was very slow-particularly when applying filters or reducing image resolutions.
Omnipage Limited Edition OCR software is also included. This version is application-aware, able to detect the difference between text formats. The program worked well on text with various fonts.
I scanned in several high-color images and massaged them for best effect. The quality should suffice for most small-business applications.
Microtek offers an optional Transparent Media Adapter ($299) for transparencies, and an Automatic Document Feeder ($399) for scanning up to a 50-page document.
Given the amount of software, there's a lot of documentation. The information is spread among a quick install sheet and a pamphlet, a readme file and the SCSI card's guide. A single step-by-step instruction sheet would have made setup easier.
With its capable hardware and worthy set of software, the ScanMaker E6 is a good addition to your office.
Info File
Microtek ScanMaker E6
Price: From $599
Pros: Price; SCSI adapter included
Cons: No SCSI terminator; balky software
Platforms: Windows 95, 3.1x
Microtek Lab
800-654-4160, 310-297-5000
WinMag Box Score: 3.0
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