[comp.text] Ascii Scanners

randall@ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM (Randall Rathbun) (08/02/88)

Help! We're interested in finding a reasonably intelligent page scanner that
will go from typed text (both letter-quality and dot-matrix) to an ascii file
such as Wordstar format, on an IBM-compatatible PC.

We have used PC Scan by DEST, but it runs into problems on IBM executive
typewriter text, and Ricoh dot-matrix fax output. (not the fax itself, but the
dot-matrix TCR reports it outputs from time to time) The PC Scan only seems to
be able to read some limited HP Laserjet text fonts reasonably well.

In addition, we're hoping for a scanner that can read somewhat well from Xeroxed
documents (even to 2nd or 3rd copy). Is this too much to hope for?

We're willing to look at a programmable scanner, if such exists. There has been
talk about the Palantir Compound Document Processor, and the HP Scanjet, on this
newsgroup, but we're looking for ascii file output.

Can anyone provide references? Any help would be appreciated. Please email
replies to Randall.Rathbun@SanDiego.NCR.COM.      THANKS!!

-- 
Randall L. Rathbun         tele:    619-485-2999/or 2358/or 3272
NCR E&M-S.D. Dept 2861   domain: Randall.Rathbun@SanDiego.NCR.COM
16550 W Bernardo Dr       route: {sdcsvax,cbosgd,nosc.arpa,ihnp4}!
San Diego, CA 92127               ncr-sd!randall.rathbun

lyndon@ncc.Nexus.CA (Lyndon Nerenberg) (08/04/88)

In article <2473@ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM> randall@ncr-sd.SanDiego.NCR.COM (0000-Randall Rathbun) writes:
>We're willing to look at a programmable scanner, if such exists. There has been
>talk about the Palantir Compound Document Processor, and the HP Scanjet, on this
>newsgroup, but we're looking for ascii file output.

The Palantir outputs ASCII files (with and without markups). It will handle
multiple generation photocopies (the silly thing will even scan the phone
book!)

If you want more information on what sort of output you can get from
the Palantir, send mail to John Lees (lees@nexus.ca).

-- 
VE6BBM   {alberta,pyramid,uunet}!ncc!lyndon  lyndon@Nexus.CA