ScanMan Plus - Hand-Held Scanner
                       Copyright 1989 David W. Batterson

     While using this scanner, I couldn't help singing "Mr. ScanMan, bring me a
dream...."  They couldn't have picked a better name!
     ScanMan Plus is a hand-held scanner used to scan small to medium size
photos, drawings, magazine articles, signatures, logos and so forth.  You can
then import image files to desktop publishing and paint programs.
     ScanMan Plus is the upgrade to the earlier ScanMan, which I reviewed last
year in PC REVIEWS.
     I had discovered with the ScanMan that it wasn't easy to keep an exact
straight line down the image as you were scanning.  Wobbling could cause a
glitch in your scanned picture.  So I used a thick ruler or book as a guiding
edge.  This helped a lot.
     But the outer edges of ScanMan were slightly rounded.  When I was at
COMDEX, I suggested to a tech support person that it would be better if the
edges were perfectly straight.  This would help while using a makeshift guide.
     Apparently, great minds think alike!  ScanMan Plus changed its edge
design, so that using a straightedge works fine now.
     The maximum width is images is 4.1 inches.  A default length for the
scanned area is six inches (at 200 dpi), but this can be increased up to about
14 inches.  This depends upon available RAM--the default 4" x 6" image gobbles
up 120K.  At 300 and 400 dpi, more RAM is needed.
     Using the including PaintShow Plus paint program, you can scan full pages
(but at lower dpi).  Via the auxiliary screen in PaintShow Plus, you make three
passes over a document in horizontal position.  Then you rotate the picture 90
degrees, zoom in to edit out repeated images, and save your file.
     ScanMan comes with a half-slot board (or a full-slot board for IBM PS/2 50
or above).  It requires 384K RAM for black & white, or 640K for color.
     ScanMan Plus features a dither control with three settings, instead of
just one.  There's also a Line Art setting for text and line art.  You always
get the best results by using b&w line art.
     Logitech has added a scanning speed indicator light, which warns you if
you are scanning too fast.  Also new is a brightness control dial.
     Scanned images are saved in three methods.  One is to scan directly into
PaintShow Plus.  You are able to see the image on screen right away.  Then you
can manipulate the images any way you wish: invert, color, fill with patterns,
cut and paste, rotate, add text, etc.
     PaintShow Plus saves images as TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) files, with
the .TIF extension.  These can be read by PageMaker and WordPerfect 5.0.
     A second way is to scan directly to a file, from DOS.  Using this method,
you don't get to see the image on screen.  Instead, you save it as a .PCX, .TIF
or .IMG file.
     The .PCX file type is used by PC Paintbrush and other programs.  Ventura
Publisher, PageMaker, WordPerfect 5.0 and Microsoft Paint can read files in the
.PCX format.  Programs like Finesse use .TIF and .IMG files.
     The third way let you scan into the Microsoft Windows (version 2.03 or
above) clipboard, with the utility program called WScan.  Files are saved as
.PCX, .TIF or .MSP files.  As I don't use Windows, I didn't try this method.
     While scanning with ScanMan, you have to have a steady hand.  The
suggested speed of your hand movement is between 1/2" to 2" per second.  A
slower rate is recommended for shaded images, and a smooth motion--rather than
jerky--is the right way.
     Practice makes perfect, though.  With time you will probably learn to
increase the steadiness of your hand, like a surgeon or diamond cutter!
     There are also file conversion utilities.  These convert .TIF files to
.PCX files, .PCX to .TIF, and .MAC to .TIF.
     ScanMan Plus offers 32 levels of halftones.  In the recommend setting of
300 dpi, you get 1240 dots/line output.  An announced new OCR software is
Catchword, which converts most typefaces, 6 to 20 point sizes, into ASCII text
files for your word processor.
     ScanMan Plus requires a minimum of 384K RAM for black & white, or 640K for
color.  You'll need a mouse for the included PaintShow Plus.
     The ScanMan Plus is a fun and effective tool.  If you cannot afford a full
page scanner and do a lot of desktop publishing, you'll find it useful.  It
costs $339 directly from Logitech, but sells for less at discounters and mail
order companies.
     For more information, contact Logitech, Inc., 6505 Kaiser Dr., Fremont, CA
 94555; 415-795-8500; FAX (415) 792-8901.
                                       #
     David Batterson is an independent computer writer.  He also does tech
writing and desktop publishing.  Contact him via MCI MAIL: DBATTERSON.