roy@nlm-vax.ARPA (Roy Standing) (01/31/85)
Last September I posted the results of my initial investigations into
video digitizer systems for the Mac. I will incorporate those comments
in this posting. At that time I had found six systems of which only one
was a released product. Four of the systems have now been released and
I have tested each of these. Of the remaining two systems, one will be
released shortly and the other is a text scanner only and thus falls
outside of my immediate interest.
The following discriptions and impressions are exclusively my own and
represent those of a novice to digitizers, cameras, and lighting. The
posting is in two parts, part I, this document, contains my comments
while part II, submitted to SUMEX and net.sources.mac, contains sample
MacPaint files for each of the systems. There are up to three kinds of
MacPaint files for each system:
a) produced by manufacturer -- should represent optimal quality,
b) produced by me -- straight black and white, and
c) produced by me -- pseudo-gray scale.
Where possible (read: when I had my act together), I captured the same
image with multiple systems.
1) Micron Technology, Inc.
Vision Systems Group
2805 E. Columbia Road
Boise, ID 83706
(208) 383-4106
TWX: 910-970-5973
Product Name: MicronEye
Price: $395.00
Availability: immediate
Description: This is a complete system as delivered and connects
to the Macintosh via the modem port. It uses an OpticRAM which is
exposed by the light coming through the lens and then the contents
of the OpticRAM are read into the Mac. The physical layout of the
light sensitive elements is:
1 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 0 0
1 1 0 0 1 1
0 0 1 1 0 0
The 1s indicate the location of the sensors and the 0s indicate
locations where there are no sensors. The Camera software provided
offers a variety of ways of filling in these empty sensor locations;
which works best is dependent on the picture and the desired image.
Impression: I obtained the system to get some exposure (no pun
intended) with video digitizing. In fairness, I did not expect this
product to meet my requirements. It does not meet my requirements
but was valuable as a training ground when no other systems were
available.
On the plus side, the software is easy to use and I have digitized
a variety of images, including handwritten labels on a magtape.
Being a complete novice I had a lot of difficulty focusing on anything
more than a foot from the camera, but on frontlit materials placed
about six inches from the lens I obtained reasonable results. High
contrast materials produce the best results. The enhancement features
are very easy to use and give some impressive results. I found the
greatest success when I used the Gray Scale capture mode which takes
four pictures at different exposures (based on your initial exposure
setting), fills in the empty sensor locations using linear interpolation
and creates a dithered image on the Mac.
On the minus side, I couldn't place material more than a foot away
from the lens although the instruction manual says the lens is
designed for viewing at a distance of AT LEAST 18 inches. This
could be my fault, but points up a difficulty in using the product.
The biggest frustration was in using the enhancement features, simply
because they seemed so useful. The enhancement features are:
Fill> 2 for each empty sensor location, count the on
sensors immediately above, below and adjacent;
if all three are on turn the empty sensor
location pixel on
Fill> 1 for each empty...; if at least two are on turn
the empty sensor location pixel on
Fill Horizontal for each empty sensor location, look to the
nearest data sensor in the same row and set the
empty sensor location to the same value
Invert reverse on and off
Smooth Edges turns off a pixel if less than 4 of its nearest
8 neighbors are on
Clear Interior turns off a pixel if the pixel above, below, to
the right and to the left are on
Set Interior changes off pixels to on if at least seven of
its nearest neighbors are on
The problem is that you can not use any option multiple times on an image.
In addition, you can not save an image to a MacPaint file, edit it in
MacPaint and reload it into the Camera system for further processing.
Summary: It is a rather limited system based on a novel technology.
I would not recommend it, it was a good training system at the time.
MacPaint files: There is 1 file.
a) label -- produced by me, pseudo-gray scale. The image is part of
a handwritten label from a magtape.
2) New Image Technology, Inc.
Suite 104, 10300 Greenbelt Road
Seabrook, MD 20706
(301) 621-9336
Product Name: MAGIC
Price: $549.00 ($399.00 without camera)
Availability: immediate
Demonstration Disk: $9.95
Description: This is a complete system as delivered and connects to
the modem port. The system allows you to capture black and white
(two tone) images or pseudo-gray scale images. Images can be either
of two sizes, a small window which allows you to see the software
control panel (see MacPaint file smokey) or full screen (see MacPaint
file carolyn). Black and white scans take about 5 seconds, pseudo-gray
scale scans seem dependent on the number of patterns used but takes
about 25 seconds.
The camera supplied with this system is a closed circuit TV camera
similar to what you find in security installations. The lens
aperture is fixed, you manually adjust the focus. The software
controls are independent for black and white vs. pseudo-gray scale.
A horizontal bar extends across the bottom of the screen and represents
light level. It is black and you locate a single region of white in
the bar selecting the width of the white region (see MacPaint file
smokey). In this mode the white region specifies that pixels will
be on if the light level in that part of the scaned image is in this
range, otherwise the pixel will be off (black).
The pseudo-gray scale controls are similar. You use patterns read
in from a MacPaint file (note: the first 512 bytes of a MacPaint
files hold the paint patterns). You insert as many patterns as you
wish, independently selecting the width for each. The same pattern
may be repeated in different places in the control bar, this is
entirely up to you. A pseudo-gray scale scan builds the image by
displaying these patterns according to the light level, as you have
chosen. Note that this means no dithering, if you choose patterns
with observable structure you risk clarity.
Impressions: I was frankly impressed when I first saw this system. Since
this was at a computer show it was not possible to get the developers
to stop taking pictures of attendees and printing the images off on
an imagewritter long enough to really learn about the image manipulation
capabilities provided. Since trying the system, I think it is relatively
easy to use. The chief complaint I have is that I can't save the
pseudo-gray scale settings. I spent a fair amount of time creating
patterns and storing them in the specially named MacPaint file so I
could use them, that worked fine. I then spent a fair amount of time
experimenting and optimizing the pseudo-gray scale bar settings only
to find out that I could not save them. I ending up storing an image
which included the Magic control panel so I would have a record of
the settings. Of course I can only approximate them in my next session,
but that only takes a few seconds (grumble, grumble, grumble).
Since this system uses a camera with a standard RS170 output I should
be able to connect ANY RS170 signal (videodisc, VCR, etc.) I have
not tried this yet but plan to very soon.
Summary: A good system. The price is not unreasonable. The user
controls could be improved. In my humble opinion, it is not the
best system but I still like it.
MacPaint files: There are 3 files.
a) Stop Watch -- produced by the manufacturer
b) Smokey -- produced by me, black and white. The subject is my
dog, Smokey. She actually stood still long enough!
c) Carolyn -- produced by me, pseudo-gray scale. The subject is
my wife. She actually was still long enough! (Yes,
she is sleeping on our couch with her right hand
tucked under her chin. How else could I expect her
to pose while I tried various settings, etc. etc.)
3) Servidyne Systems, Inc.
1735 Defoor Place, N.W.
P.O. Box 93846
Atlanta, Georgia 30377
(404) 255-3629
Product Name: Micro-IMAGER
Price: $495.00
Availability: SOON
Demonstration disk: $5.00
Description: This system does not include a camera. Any camera
with an NTSC output can be used. A color camera can be used but for
best results a black and white camera is advised. At the top end they
have used a Ikegama camera with an 800 lines per ?scan? resolution.
They expect people to use VCR cameras and have thus been developing
the product using a Panasonic PK557 camera (300 lines per ?scan?
resolution). The system requires approximately 30 seconds to scan
and capture the image.
Impression: The disk of sample images were very good, I have not seen
the demonstration disk they are now selling. They have told me that a
future MacWorld article will review Mac digitizers (MacWorld told me
this also, when I offered to write one) and theirs got top billing.
Summary: It looks good but I can't tell till I see it. A price
reduction would make it more attractive (when I suggested this I
was not encouraged).
MacPaint files: There are 2 files.
a) 2 level tiger -- produced by the manufacturer, black and white
two tone
b) tiger -- produced by the manufacturer, pseudo-gray scale
4) Koala Technologies
3100 Patrick Henry Drive
Santa Clara, CA 95052-8100
(408) 986-8866
Product Name: MacVision
Price: $399.95
Availability: immediate
Description: This systems takes an RS 170 signal. This means that
you can capture an image directly off a video camera, videodisc player,
VCR etc. The video frame is digitized into either a small window (for
review) or a full screen display (512X342 matrix). The scan time is
approximately 5 seconds for the small window and 30 seconds for the
full screen. You can print directly or save the scan in a MacPaint
file. If you save the file it is named screen0 etc. so you can only
save up to ten images before exiting MacVision to rename the files.
The system hardware is well designed and very easy to use. It
consists of a single box with a cable for the Mac modem or printer
port (port selection is a menu item), an RS170 input jack (RCA female),
a switch to select 75 ohm or "high" impedance, and two control wheels
marked brightness and contrast.
The software (by Bill Atkinson) is a desk accessory!!! You setup the
unit with an incoming signal and "focus". This requires you to first
rotate the brightness control and then the contrast according to a
clear and easy procedure. Then you select scan window or scan screen.
A very good dithering algorithm is used and the results speak for
themselves. (Have you figured out that I REALLY like this unit yet?)
Impression: Wow! I knew it could be this easy, and the price is quite
reasonable. Incidently, Koala Systems is offering dealers a setup
which includes a camera for something like $250.00 so lots of dealers
will probably get it.
Summary: To be honest, there are some faults such as the filenaming
limitations but I am impressed with this system.
MacPaint files: There are 4 files.
a) Koala -- produced by the manufacturer
b) Videodisc -- produced by me from a videodisc produced here a couple
of years ago. The subject is a young lady sitting in
a dentist's chair.
c) Keeshond -- produced by me by pointing a video camera at a
5X7 inch picture of my dog (if you want to get
a dog, get a Keeshond -- you can't go wrong)
d) vision train -- produced by me by pointing a video camera
at a picture of a train (the same train
digitized by Thunderscan below)
5) Thunderware, Inc.
19-G Orinda Way
Orinda, CA 94563
(415) 254-6581
Product Name: ThunderScan
Price: $229.00
Availability: immediate
Description: This system is complete as delivered. A sensor is
provided which is attached to the printhead of a Imagewriter
printer (you take the ribbon cartridge out). A switch box is
placed between the Mac and the printer cable, the switch allows
you to choose whether you want the Imagewriter to function as a
printer or as a high resolution digitizer. Anything you can
feed through the printer will be scanned with a resolution of
300 pixels per inch in 256 levels of gray. Scanning did take
a long time, the train took approximately 8 minutes (see MacPaint
file "train"). The scanner contains its own light source so
the user does not have to worry about lighting.
The software (developed by Andy Hertzfeld) allows you to scan the
image once and then adjust the brightness and contrast and redisplay
the image. You can store the image, or a selected portion of it, as
a scan file or a MacPaint file. The scan file can be quite large and
contains the information necessary to allow you to play with the
brightness and contrast.
I did have some trouble with the software. I was following the
manual and selecting a portion of the scanned image and applying
various manipulations. When I saved the image it turned out that
only the selected area was saved! I won't get caught by that one
again but I didn't expect it. I have not experimented with the
ability to scale the image as it is scanned.
Impression: This is quite a system, as soon as I get comfortable
with the software. I spent quite a bit of time trying to get a
good balance of brightness and contrast. There is an on-screen
display but it didn't help as much as I'd hoped. Its clearly a
powerful system, the question is how skilled do I have to become
to use it well???
Summary: The jury is still out. The verdict will probably be
positive but the software could be more helpful to beginners
such as myself.
MacPaint files: There are 2 files.
a) train -- produced by me using the test picture provided
with the system.
b) dog -- produced by me using an 8x10 inch picture of my
dog
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I hope this has been useful. I have no financial association or
interest in the companies or products mentioned. My opinions are
strictly my own and do not represent the views of the National
Library of Medicine. To be honest, I'm so early in the evaluation
and testing process that these may not represent my views in a few
weeks.