Umax Scanner question

[algae]

Hi all,
Forgive me if I should be posting this in the software forum. My Umax scanner has software called VistaAccess which controls whether the lamp is on or off(and some other functions) Can I just set it so I can just turn the lamp on or off from the scanner rather than have to click the software every time? I can't find anything about this in the manual or the help file.
Thanks for any info.
Gary

 

[TravisBickle]

Why would you want to turn the lamp on and off? It seems to have to warm up before use, but sometimes it is already warm and the software doesn't realise.... are you trying to go faster?

 

[JellyBaby]

Hi, aglae.

My UMAX Astra 3400 arrived, too. I haven't tried the Power Saving button yet (turns off the lamp) but in the VistaAccess tray applet there's an option to fiddle with the lamp. I have it set to automatically turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity and so far that has worked fine.....Update!....this just in....the Power Saving button works fine, too. It toggles the lamp on and off as expected.

Have you gone to the UMAX web site to download the revised 3.73 driver package? If not you should do so as it fixes a few quirks.

 

[algae]

Glad you received it. I am very happy with mine so far. I had some problems with the PageManger software hanging on installation but eventually got it done.
I can live with having to use the software to control the lamp but my wife will use it for copying and I'd like her to be able to just throw a sheet on the scanner, turn on the lamp, hit copy and presto. My scanner and printer are not within "sitting" distance of the computer so I am just trying to avoid the "sitting at the computer" part. Not a big deal but a little handier
Thanks for the tip on the drivers also.
Good luck.
Gary

 

[JellyBaby]

Yes I've had software problems, too. Seems the Astra 3400 is great on the hardware side (except for the 3' USB cable which I'll end up replacing with a longer one), less so on the driver and application side. The installers for some of these apps don't even accept Long Filenames! :disgust:

Basially I've only toyed with PageManager so far and the VistaScan/Access stuff. I've found the Auto adjustment feature to be nice but it adds coloring to the scans which I could do without. So I'm tinkering with the manual controls for brightness, contrast, highlighting, shadows to find a happy medium.

 

[NicColt]

Umax=Great scanner. But somehow they are true idiots when it comes to managing that scanner light. For some reason they would rather have the lamp start on and then close after a cpl minutes. Instead of starting it off and then turning it on when needed. I just unplug the scanner until I need it. Headake solved.

BTW you'd think that they would be intelligent enough to put an on/off switch on the scanner..... of course not.

 

[JellyBaby]

I agree an on/off switch would be ideal since I also find I unplug the power when it's not in use. But the stock lamp management works well enough. I've made dozens of scans so far on my 3400 and it handled everything very well. I wish the VistaScan's button configuration had more flexibility. For instance, you can choose any DPI as long as its 600, 300, 150 or 75. Yet the VistaScan app itself allows any DPI you enter.

One other nitpick: the memory resident programs take up quite a few system resources (about 6% among everything that loads). However, you can use a program like EndItAll to nuke this crap prior to running something that needs resources like a game.

 

[I'm Typing]

I went in to msconfig and took the scanner out of the startup menu. The light will not come on until I fire up the software...but it does take a little longer to scan a picture that way.