USB Scanner sharing

[TheBigDog]

Can anyone help me with information on how to go about sharing an USB scanner on my Network? The Scanner is physically attached to the server and I need access to it from a workstation.

 

[JackMDS]

There are special network scanners, but they cost a fortune (about $1000). Regular scanners are not build this way, since you have to be by the scanner in order to put the material, so there is no point in remote.


I read somewhere that HP has some software that can turn some of the less expensive Scanner to be shared over network, but never saw it myself.

 

[fargus]

Actually, I've seen some USB switchboxes that allow more than one machine to connect to a USB device. Can't think of exactly where at the moment, but try cyberguys or the like. Obviously this solution only works within cable range of the scanner...

 

[Zach]

Why bother? Why not have the scanner save to a file share on the server? Then share the files.

 

[TBP]

I guess this is more of curiosity (and interesting) than practical usage. Along this line, how do I share my miniDV camera (attached to IEEE1394 port on one Windows machine) over the network, so everyone on the network can read and write to the video camera?

 

[Zach]

Once again, I think the point of the hot pluggable tech is to let people swipe the camers (or scanner as before) and plug it into their system. Cameras are easy... snanner could be on a cart. Is this for at home, or for some sort of business?

A central Multimedia workstation could keep the scanner and camera hooked up to it, and people could use it to get data from the devices, and put it in file shares. Then they could work with it from thier systems.