[sane-devel] UMAX Astra 1200S

[Wolfram Heider]

On Fri, 26 May 2006 14:41:55 +0200, Get A. Long <g3t4l0ng at hotmail.com>  
wrote:

>> David,
>> obviously you have done the miracle to get a scsi-connector fit into a   
>> parallelport ( till now I thought this would be impossible)
>
> I didn't believe in miracles either... :)

 From now on I do believe 8-)
>
>> And as far as  I know there is no parallelport-version of the Astra  
>> 1200 (at later  modells there was). Are you really sure that it was the  
>> parallelport you  plugged in the scanner-cable?
>
> No idea... The single cable that came along looks like this:
> http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/parallel-port-ch.jpg
> and there was only one place in the computer where it would
> fit. I didn't have to use force, so I guessed it was correct. I never
> had a strong opinion on what the name of that cable is... :D
>
>>>> A more serious point is the scsi-controller (PCI-card). This one   
>>>> shipped  together with the scanner by Umax  probably won't work. You   
>>>> will need a  decent one from an independent manufacturer (AdvanSys,   
>>>> Dawicontrol or so -  not very cheap,. so googling around for an used   
>>>> one may spare some money).  The controller needs a seperate driver   
>>>> normally loaded by the kernel at  boot time.
>>> So, maybe I didn't enable scsi (cannot remember, as I didn't know  
>>> then  the scanner was a scsi part). I'll try it.
>> You don't need to do further configuration - the kernel will do it.
>
> Ok
>
>>> But also, will I _need_ a special pci-card for scsi hardware?
>> A SCSI-card is indispensable for a SCSI-scanner.
>
> Ok
>
>>> Would the scsi plug in card have a parallel port interface too?
>> The SCSI-card would be plugged into one of the PCI-slots on the   
>> motherboard inside your box (it's a simple operation, could be done by   
>> yourself without any tools excepted a screwdriver for the screws of  
>> the  box) and provides an additional port, the parallelport would be  
>> untouched  and stay in its old place and keep its old functions.
>
> Maybe I'm showing off my ignorance again (indeed...), but the
> computer side port [or whatever the name] I plugged the cable
> into is the one where I usually plug in my printer's cable. So I
> guess that would never have worked, or?

You are right this is the parallelport and it would never have worked with  
a SCSI-scanner.
>
>> Note to have an eye on the connectors of the SCSI-cable of the  
>> scanner,  there are different ones and possibly you will to have to get  
>> another  cable that fits into the connector of the SCSI-card.
>
>>>> As for Windows: XP supports the 1200 S directly with an own driver -   
>>>> try a  postinstallation with the hardware/device-manager. For the   
>>>> original  Vistascan-driver go to http://www.umax.com/support. It's  
>>>> not  downloadable,  only available on CD-ROM.
>>> I had Windows 2000 on the other machine.
>> No difference to Xp. The Umax 1200er series works fine both with the  
>> Umax  driver as well as with the Windows one. But also here, if it's a   
>> SCSI-scanner you will need a SCSI-card.
>
> Ok, I had a 'million' drivers tested to no avail... Thanks for that one!
>
>> So my advice is, try to get a used good SCSI-card (also called   
>> SCSI-controller) in a second-hand-PC-shop or somewhere in the net. To  
>> buy  a new one wouldn't be very economical because its price could  
>> easily  exceed the expense for a new USB-scanner.
>
> Thanks, there is a used parts shop down the block. I'll see what they  
> have!

Watch out for the cable-connectors. Best you take the scanner to the shop.  
I hope the scanner is already equipped with a terminator that is a  
connector similiar the cable-connector but without a cable and plugged  
into the second SCSI-port on the backside of the scanner - it's necessary  
for a single SCSI-device connection. If not get one in the shop (only a  
small standard item, shouldn't cost much).

-- 
Wolfram Heider