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Scanners
As you can tell from our site, we love wide format scanners. We
think that every department in every business and every home should
have at least one. And why not? Prices are lower than they've ever been, and we've
got one to fit just about any budget. Don't forget to visit our Specials
section for great deals, and information on the highest quality refurbished equipment.
We carry most major brands of large format scanners - too numerous to list here. Contact us with your
requirements, and we'll recommend a model that will best suit your
specific needs at a very competitive price. Installation, training
and on-site service is also available. And we provide
free telephone support for the lifetime of all of the
equipment that we sell!
23 Years of Providing the Best Value Around |
Old Zeke's Tec Tip #20 - Build Your Own Wide Format Scanner
A lot of people are always askin´ me why large format scanners cost so much more than them little page ones. Well today, I´m gonna tell you how to make yer own for about 1/10th-1/20th the cost of a new one, with the same great performance.
All ya gotta do, is check out yer local computer store when they´re havin´ a sale on a particular 81/2" x 11". Say they got one of them color page scanners for $39.96. And say you want to build a big `ol flatbed that can scan a 42" x 44" document. Go ahead and buy 20 of them things - it´ll only cost you around $799.20. Take them babies home, unpack `em, and line `em all up in a 5 x 4 grid pattern - that´ll give you a 42.5" x 44" scan area. We´re almost done, but not quite yet. First, we want to make sure that there´s no gaps in your scans, so go ahead and cut away the sides and ends of where each one mates with the other. You´ll probably need to file down some edges of the scan glass a bit on each one too. General rule of thumb: if you want yer scanner to be accurate within one pixel at 400dpi, make sure you keep yer tolerances within 0.0025". Once you´re sure that yer not gonna have any pixel dropouts anywhere, stick `em all tightly back together in your 4 x 5 grid. Now, get a buddy to hold `em in place while you wrap generous amounts of duct tape around the perimeter of your scanner grid. Don´t be skimpy on the tape, and take yer time - you want to make sure that they all line up perfectly so there´s no pixel dropouts or overlaps.
Now here´s where you got two choices: You can build a simple multiplexer that takes the bitmap image of each scanner, electronically stitches them all together, and outputs the stitched image via a single IEEE 1394 or USB interface (don't forget to connect controls for each scanner's robotics too, or you'll be smackin' yer forehead later). Then, just write up some drivers and scanning software.
Or, since it´s almost already lunchtime, we´ll just take an even easier route: Simply connect each scanner to a separate computer (in this case you´ll need 20), and load the software that came with all them scanners on each PC. Now we can do a scan. I´ve found the best way is to just line up all 20 of yer computer mice into a row. Obviously, yer gonna want to start the scans all at exactly the same time. So yer gonna need something that´s gonna click all of them mouse buttons at once. I use a railroad tie. Just drop that thing on top of all yer mice, and away you go! Don´t worry if it smooshes a mice or few - they´re pretty cheap and easy to replace. Now, just take all 20 of them scanned images, load `em all into Photoshop, line `em all up, save it, and yer done.
So see, with just a little spare time, about $799.20 plus tax and some duct tape, you too can make a wide format scanner with perfomance that rivals just about any on the market today! |
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OUR TOP SELLERS
The following are great machines that stand out as
the current best buys in the price/performance
ratio.
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GTCO CalComp Scanners
The GTCO/CalComp line encompasses a wide array of high performance large format document feed and flatbed scanners. The new ScanPlus VII series features advanced technology that captures data in 48 bit color and 16 bit grayscale. They output color in accordance with international color standards (NTSC, sRGB color spaces) using an ANSI IT8 calibration target. The Scanner Maintenance system lets you align and calibrate in the field at any time, ensuring flawless and stable output. They feature an all wheel drive transport, and can scan documents up to 0.6" thick. The ScanPlus 7 series is an ideal choice for GIS professionals, utility companies, reprographic and art houses, architectural and landscaping designers, and anyone else that requires the highest quality images. We prefer GTCO/CalComp over the other Contex-designed brands. The others typically provide only a "30 day trial" version of NEXTimage and on-site service for just the first 6 months. The CalComps, on the other hand, come standard with a complete license of NEXTimage Scan and a full 2 year on-site warranty. They also have the most experienced and knowledgeable support staff, and provide much more value without any of the hidden costs!
Now Shipping Worldwide! (some restrictions may apply - contact us for details)
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Warranty
Two year on-site parts and labor, excluding wearable items. Extended
warranties available at additional cost.
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 25" HD Series GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 HD925
25" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color.
ScanPlus 7 25" HD Series
Retail: $9,900-$10,900
DM prices: Call
Us |
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 36" HD Series GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 HD736 & ScanPlus 7 HD936
36" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color.
ScanPlus 7 36" HD Series
Retail: $12,900-$17,900
DM prices: Call
Us |
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 42" HD Series GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 HD642, ScanPlus 7 HD742, & ScanPlus 7 HD942
42" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
ScanPlus 7 42" HD Series
Retail: $14,900-$19,900
DM prices: Call
Us
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 44" S Series GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 MS544, ScanPlus 7 CS644, ScanPlus 7 CS744, & ScanPlus 7 CS944
NEW Low-Cost Platform!
44" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
ScanPlus 7 44" S Series
Retail: $9,250-$13,450
DM prices: Call
Us
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 54" HD Series GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 HD954
54" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
ScanPlus 7 54" HD Series
Retail: $27,900-$29,900
DM prices: Call
Us
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CalComp ScanPlus 7 ATF 1824C Flatbed Network Scan/Copy/Print Scanner GTCO CalComp ScanPlus 7 ATF 1824C
18" x 24" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
ScanPlus 7 ATF 1824C
Retail: $11,900
DM price: Call
Us
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CalComp Upgrades Plus Upgrades
are available for the above CalComp machines. These increase scan
speed and the maximum resolution. Retail:
$2,000 CalComp
Software and Interfaces
NEXTimage Scan scan/cleanup/print software for Windows and firewire (IEEE 1394) or USB interface included with the scanner purchase. Just add a PC. NEXTimage Copy professional color copy software available as an option. PhotoShop plugin for Apple MAC also available for most models at no additional charge.
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Old Zeke's Tec Tip #4
Use Solvent or 90% Rubbing Alcohol when cleaning the optical and document
feed path of your scanner. 70% rubbing alcohol doesn't work
as well. The thing of it is, it takes longer to dry, and
can leave a residue. |
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Colortrac Scanners
Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ & Gx+T Series Scanners
From the company that pioneered wide format color scanning: The new Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ & Gx+ T 28", 42", and 56" line of CCD optical scanners offer a versatile range of high production color and monochrome solutions with exceptional performance. They feature ultra-compact, digital CCD camera units (DCUs) that are capable of scanning images at 1200dpi optical resolution and capture 48-bit color or 16-bit monochrome data. And unlike traditional camera designs, they use advanced LED illumination for very low maintenance - no expensive florescent lamps to replace, and no warm-up time! The Gx+ T versions provide motorized thick media scanning of mounted originals up to 0.8" (2cm) thickness. Like the SmartLF Cx & Ci series, they're also upgradeable: For example, you can start out with a Gx+ 56M, and later you can convert it to a Gx+ 56C or Gx+ 56E by simply upgrading the firmware. SmartLF Gx+ wide format scanners are ideal for service providers & reprographics bureaus, copy shops, and graphic arts departments, as well as designers, mapping, survey, & GIS professionals. And as always, they offer the highest accuracy, quality, and reliability at a very attractive price!
Colortrac SmartLF Cx 40, Ci 24, & Ci 40 Series Scanners
The new Colortrac SmartLF Cx 40, Ci 24, & Ci 40 series are 24" and 40" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color models designed for fast, high-quality scanning. They use a simple "plug-and-play" USB 2.0 interface to capture images onto your PC as quickly as 10 inches/second. They feature the latest technology in camera-free contact sensors with an awesome optical resolution of 600dpi (up to 9600dpi) and 48 bit color/16 bit monochrome/grayscale capture. No warm-up time, alignment, or lamp replacements needed whatsoever. Not only are they very reliable, but they're also upgradeable: For example, you can start out with the Cx 40M, and later you can convert it to a Cx 40C or Cx 40E by simply upgrading the firmware. They come complete with SmartLF Scan-To-File/Print/Email software (an optional ISIS driver is also available), and USB cable. The best part is that they're retail priced much lower than their competitors. With DM's special low prices (call us!), you can get great performance for less than the cost of many used models!
Two stands are available for the Gx+, Ci, and Cx series scanners: a standard model with optional PC/monitor mounting and paper basket, and a special Reprographics Stand that sits the scanner nicely above most modern wide format printers (and it comes standard with the PC/monitor mount).
Now Shipping Worldwide! (some restrictions may apply - contact us for details)
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Warranty
Two year parts and labor on Gx+ & Cx series, excluding wearable items. Ci series warranties are 90-days "Hot Swap". Extended
warranties available at additional cost.
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Colortrac Gx+ 56 & Gx+ T56 Series Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ 56M, Gx+ 56C, Gx+ 56E, & Gx+ T56M, Gx+ T56C, Gx+ T56E a.k.a. Colortrac SmartLF Gx+56M, Gx+56C, Gx+56E, & Gx+T56M, Gx+T56C, Gx+T56E
NEW - THE WIDEST AVAILABLE!
56" monochrome, grayscale, and color
Colortrac Gx+ 56/Gx+ T56 Brochure
Retail: $18,950-$23,950
DM prices: Call Us |
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Colortrac Gx+ 42 & Gx+ T42 Series Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ 42M, Gx+ 42C, Gx+ 42E, & Gx+ T42M, Gx+ T42C, Gx+ T42E a.k.a. Colortrac SmartLF Gx+42M, Gx+42C, Gx+42E, & Gx+T42M, Gx+T42C, Gx+T42E
NEW!
42" monochrome, grayscale, and color
Colortrac Gx+ 42/Gx+ T42 Brochure
Retail: $9,995-$14,295
DM prices: Call Us |
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Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ 28 & Gx+ T28 Series Colortrac SmartLF Gx+ 28M, Gx+ 28C, Gx+ 28E, & Gx+ T28M, Gx+ T28C, Gx+ T28E a.k.a. Colortrac SmartLF Gx+28M, Gx+28C, Gx+28E, & Gx+T28M, Gx+T28C, Gx+T28E
NEW!
28" monochrome, grayscale, and color
Colortrac Gx+ 28/Gx+ T28 Brochure
Retail: $6,795-$9,395
DM prices: Call Us |
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Colortrac SmartLF Cx 40 Series Colortrac SmartLF Cx 40M, Cx 40C, Cx 40E a.k.a. Colortrac SmartLF Cx40M, Cx40C, Cx40E
40" mono, grayscale, and color Colortrac SmartLF Cx 40 Brochure
Retail: $8,295-$10,895
DM prices: Call Us |
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Colortrac SmartLF Ci 24 Series Colortrac SmartLF Ci 24M, Ci 24C, Ci 24E a.k.a. Colortrac SmartLF Ci24M, Ci24C, Ci24E
NEW Low-Cost Platform!
24" monochrome, grayscale, and color Colortrac SmartLF Ci 24 Brochure
Retail: $3,650-$4,250
DM prices: Call Us
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Colortrac Software and Interfaces
Colortrac SmartLF Gx+, Ci, and Cx series scanners come with everything that you need except for the PC: Smart LF software, manual, and USB 2.0 cable. An ISIS driver and ScanWorks and CopySmart software are available as options.
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Old Zeke's Tec Tip #5
Always keep the your scanner's White Background Plate clean!
The uglier it is, the uglier your scans will be. After you've
cleaned it, reboot the scanner. Can't rub that scratch out?
Try a little dab of "White Out" for a temporary
fix (make sure it's completely dry before you reinstall
it)! If it becomes worn or overly scratched, better have
it replaced. |
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Graphtec Scanners
Graphtec's line of wide format scanning equipment is designed for Reprographics, GIS, Mapping, CAD and Document Archiving applications. They utilize Contact Image Sensor (CIS) technology. CIS scanners provide several performance advantages for large format scanners, including: higher geometric scanning accuracy, higher reliability, faster capture speeds for higher productivity, and a lower technology cost which results in lower total cost of ownership.
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Warranty
1-3 years parts and labor (depending on model), excluding wearable items.
Extended warranties available at additional cost.
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Graphtec CSX300 Series Graphtec CSX300-09, CSX300-09HD, & CSX300-09HDplus
36" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
Brochure
Retail: $9,995 DM price:
Call Us
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Old Zeke's Tec Tip #6
Easy WideCom Glass Cleaning: Turn on the lights (F1,4,1).
Lift the scan head lever, and prop it up (the handle of
a screwdriver works well). By looking up from below the
back of the scanner, you'll be able to see the glass. Reach
in and clean with an alcohol wipe. DON'T leave the lights
on for a long period of time (more than 5 minutes), as this
can overheat components. |
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WideCom Color Scanners
The WideCom SLC series were the first wide format scanners that featured an optical array of contact
sensors (CIS) and a RGB LED light source. No cameras to align, no
lamps to burn out, and no warm up time. Another advantage of their CIS design is that you can take one to
a job site and not have to spend a couple of hours calibrating
and aligning. Their B&W image enhancement does an
excellent job on low contrast blueprints and sepias. For over a decade, the SLC
series has been a popular choice for high quality all-purpose scanning.
The DM Special Edition
Series (we can also upgrade yours!)
We've taken a great design, applied a little American ingenuity,
and made it even better! The DM Special Edition WideCom scanners
contain many added features. The rear panel has been modified to reduce the possibility of paper jams, and allow easy access to the glass and roller for cleaning. We´ve precision-built the scanner from the ground up utilizing sound and vibration damping materials, resulting in a smoother and quieter scanning experience. As an option, the front panel is hinged, and flips open to provide access to the document path. It can also be positioned in a straight-through feed path for scanning stiff or thick media, up to 0.44" thick for most models. An optional switch toggles the paper sensor on or off for precise loading of delicate documents, or those with torn or curled edges. All modifications are reversible, so the scanner can easily be returned to factory stock, if desired. The DM Special Edition upgrade allows the SLC series to be the only CIS-based scanner that can scan stiff or thick media without any degradation of image sharpness!
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Popular DM SE Models
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DM Special Edition WideCom SLC936QC
36" monochrome, grayscale, and color
Brochure
Retail: Market Price DM price:
Call Us |
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DM Special Edition WideCom SLC1036TC
Over 2X the speed of a SLC936QC!
36" monochrome, grayscale, and color Brochure
Retail: Market Price DM
price: Call Us |
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WideCom Software and Interface
Colscan scan/cleanup/copy/print software for Windows 2000/XP with TWAIN
driver and Ultra Wide SCSI3 interface included with the scanner
purchase. Just add a PC.
NOTE:
The DM Special Edition SLC Series are special-order hand-crafted machines. Please allow an additional two weeks for delivery.
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Old Zeke's Tec Tip #7
Everybody knows that you should remove staples from documents
before scanning. The thing of it is, documents with tape,
glue, and sticky notes can also cause problems. If you absolutely
must scan documents with sticky stuff, make sure that you
clean your scanner's document feed and optical path IMMEDATELY
afterwards! |
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Contex Scanners
Contex is the largest and most popular scanner manufacturer around today. Their products are also branded under GTCO/Calcomp, Ideal, Oce, HP, and Vidar. The new Contex HD3650 incorporates the latest in imaging technology (and a true optical resolution of 600 dpi) for high-quality color scanning and copying. Using 48-bit color CCD technology and advanced on-board processing, the Contex HD3650 scanner combines the hi-speed and resolution of the G600 series with the size to capture E or A0-size documents. Large archiving jobs require speed and image quality that results in fast scans that are captured correctly the first time, every time. Along with the rest of the HD series scanners, the Contex HD3650 is one of the fastest and most accurate scanner available.
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Warranty
6 months on-site, 18 months return-to-depot parts and labor, excluding wearable items.
Extended warranties available at additional cost.
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Contex HD300 Series Contex HD3630 & HD3650
36" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
Brochure
Retail: $15,995-$17,995 DM price:
Call Us |
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Contex Upgrades Plus Upgrades
are available for the above Contex machines. These increase scan
speed and the maximum resolution. Retail:
$2,000 Contex
Software and Interfaces
Includes 30 day trial version of NEXTimage. Full licenses of the Scan and Copy versions available at additional cost (See Software Section). |
Old Zeke's Tec Tip #8
Before making adjustments such as brightness, contrast
and gamma in a color scan, make sure that your computer's
video monitor is properly calibrated. The thing of it is,
what you see isn't always what you get. |
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Vidar Scanners
Vidar is a Herndon, VA-based division of Contex,
the largest and most popular scanner manufacturer around today.
VIDAR's versatile HD5450 scanner features advanced technology and quality imaging for color and monochrome scanning. The large 54" imaging area is designed to facilitate archival and reprographic tasks with a wide variety of large technical documents, detailed maps and drawings, or color posters and architectural sketches - all at the highest resolution and speed. You get exceptional professional-grade performance with 508dpi optical resolution with speeds of up to 12 inch/second. With uncompromising image quality standards, the HD5450 scanner is designed for high-volume productivity for businesses-critical imaging tasks. Whether you are a private business, government or print-for-pay, VIDAR's range of HD scanners is the right solution for improved efficiency and productivity.
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Warranty
6 months on-site, 18 months return-to-depot parts and labor, excluding wearable items.
Extended warranties available at additional cost.
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Vidar HD5450
54" wide monochrome, grayscale, and color
Brochure
Retail: $26,995-$28,995
DM price: Call Us
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Vidar Upgrades Plus Upgrades
are available for the above Vidar machines. These increase scan
speed and the maximum resolution. Retail:
$2,000
Vidar Software and Interface
Includes 30 day trial version of NEXTimage. Full licenses of the Scan and Copy versions available at additional cost (See Software Section). |
Old Zeke's Tec Tip #9
To achieve a better monochrome scan from a document with
multiple colors on it, scan it in color. Then, use your
scan or cleanup software to convert it to grayscale, and
then covert it to monochrome. Don't have a large format
color scanner? Give us a call! |
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For more
information: sales@docmanage.com
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