Help! Plustek 7600i Scanner pre-scans but will not scan!

dave lackey

dave lackey

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Jeez, right in the middle of a roll being scanned, the scanner did a pre-scan if the next frame and when I hit the "scan" button it just sits blinks once and sits there doing nothing!:eek:

Does anyone have an idea to diagnose/fix this problem?

Could it be my computer?

I have tons of scanning to do and this scanner is far better than my friend's photo lab results. Aaarrrggghh!:mad:
 
This happened to me sometimes using Silverfast. The symptoms for me were that it wouldn't see the scanner if I didn't do things in perfect order, or allowed the computer to sit long enough for the screensaver to come on. I use Vuescan now with no problems.

Try this:
Shut off the scanner.
Restart your computer.
Turn on the scanner.
Open Silverfast.
 
Thanks, Chris...

I just did that and it still will not scan or even bring up the dialogue box, it just blinks the screen once and looks back at me. I have had zero problems for, what a couple of years, and now I have no idea what to do.
 
Usually your OS has a utility app that will report the status of the computers' input ports. This type of utility can tell you if your computer can communicate with the Plustek. If your computer can communicate with the scanner, either the scanner is the fault or the software became corrupt due to a (rare) bug. Hopefully this is a software issue. I would delete your scanning software and reinstall it. Some scanning software comes with an uninstall utility. Silverfast may be such a program. If a uninstall/reinstall solves the problem, I would check the computer's free disk space. Sometimes strange things happen when a disk is close to its maximum capacity.

Otherwise:

If possible try another cable. Perhaps you have a similar cable from another peripheral. If you don 't... maybe a friend has one.

At least try a different USB port on your computer.

Perhaps PS or some other program on your computer can operate the Plustek. If not, you could download a trial version of VueScan. If you use Windows you may have to download the proper driver software form Plustek. If you use OS X, you already have the driver as the OS X driver is part of the initial Silverfast app installation.

You may have to take the scanner to a friend's house or have someone bring a laptop to your house in order to determine whether the scanner or your computer is at fault.
 
Thanks, Willie! I will try all the above

Meanwhile I located Vuescan that I received two years ago and forgot about it.

It works!!

But what settings to use? I hate re-inventing the wheel and experimenting!
I am curious to see if the workflow is easier/faster and how the IQ works out.
 
Specifically, Vuescan is giving me Tiffs around 2.4mb and the scan is overexposed losing detail.

How do I change exposure and how do I get larger file sizes?
 
Whilst I figure how to get (with Chris' help) respectable scans with Vuescan, I am reminded of perseverance ... Thank God for monkeys like me...if you give a monkey a camera, even he will eventually make a good photograph, snd so it is true with fixing things.

I have Silver Fast working again. Yay! Don't ask me how but it in took reinstalling software and hitting the reset. It works!:cool:
 
Hi Dave,

I just used these settings in Vuescan with good results. I think your file size issue is perhaps related to your scanning dpi. You want to go for the max that the 7600 can handle:

(This is all under "Input")
Options: Professional
Task: Scan to File
Scanner: Opticfilm 7600i
Media: B/W Negative
Bits per Pixel: 16 bit Gray
Make Gray from: Auto
Preview Resolution: Auto
Scan Resolution: 3600 dpi
Rotation: None
Skew: 0
Auto save: Scan
Auto print: None
Auto repeat: None
Number of Passes: 1
Default folder :Whatever you choose
TIFF file name: I number my rolls and name the scans accordingly
 
dave lackey said:
How do I change exposure and how do I get larger file sizes?
Click to expand...

Exposure problems with Vuescan (or any scanner/scanner software) are often caused by having the black (clear) border included in the image area. As it amounts to a large area with no density it can fool the scanner.

But your basic contrast and exposure controls come under the Color tab. The High/Low Curve are your basic contrast, Brightness is brightness. It is best to set the High and Low curve values to as near zero as you can, this ensures you don't get any clipping of the Highlights or Shadows. It results in a very low contrast image but contrast and overall brightness should be sorted in Lightroom or Photoshop anyway rather than trying for the perfect image from the scanner software (whichever you use).

I have been using Plustek scanners for many years now and the only problems with them came from Silverfast and it's clunky bug ridden installation and upgrade systems, not forgetting the impenetrable and non-intuitive layout. I'm not saying that Vuescan is perfect in it's layout or functions, but it always works and it always upgrades.

V
 
dave lackey said:
Specifically, Vuescan is giving me Tiffs around 2.4mb and the scan is overexposed losing detail.

How do I change exposure and how do I get larger file sizes?
Click to expand...


Dave, as Chris said, set Scan Resolution as 3600 dpi would give you pretty large sized file. I actually seldom scan larger than 2400dpi.

PlusTek can't change exposure. I'm using a 7200. For VueScan, just choose the correct film type in the Input tab and let the machine do the job. And then in the Color tab you can adjust Color Balance (it's white balance too), and Curve low/high. I usually use Auto Levels in Color Balance, and it handles pretty well unless I did really bad exposure when shooting.

There is an alternative of setting the film colour theme when scanning colour negatives by fiddling with "Lock film base" in the Input tab, oh but it's another story.
 
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