[comp.sys.atari.st] RE : Scanning text to ASCII.

H235_016%ccvax.ucd.ie@FORSYTHE.STANFORD.EDU (Padraig) (03/28/89)

In Info-Atari16 digest no 99 Keith Rast asks :-

> I was wondering if there is anything available for the ST that will
> allow you to take a page from a book, for instance, scan it and
> create an ascii file? I having heard of anything, but thought I'd
> ask. If there isn't anything for the ST is there for a PC?

This is an update of my previous posting in reply to the above  request.
The price I previously quoted for the scanner and OCR software was  only
a ballpark figure. The price of the the Hawk CP14 scanner is 1086, plus
VAT.  This includes a copy of Timeworks DTP.  However the cost of  Augur
( the  optical  character recognition software ) is higher  than  I  had
thought - at 869 plus VAT. It has a claimed recognition speed of 65-120
cps and can recognise different fonts on the same page,  ranging from  6
to 22 points. However this is serious money to pay for such a facility.

If anyone's interested I can mail them a copy of the ( 3 - page ) review
in the October 88 edition of ST World. This gives it a very good review.
A  cut  down  version of the Augur will be  packaged  with  Signa's  new
Colibri hand held scanner for 579 + VAT.  This scans at 100,200, 300 or
400  dpi  with 32 grey levels and a 104mm scan width.  It is due  to  be
launched this month.  I don't know what has been cut out of this version
of Augur.

I've no experience in using any of these products, the above information
is based on what I have read in reviews etc.

                        Padraig O'hIceadha
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