Using the Flat-bed Scanners with Adobe Photoshop

1. First, make sure both the scanner and the computer are off, so that they can be turned on in the correct order.
2. Turn on the scanner. The on/off switch is located in the back of the unit on the lower right hand side.
3. Next, turn on the computer. When it has finished booting up, double click on the hard-drive icon (bcrc71xx), if there is no window on the screen already.
4. Double click on the Applications folder, then on the Adobe Photoshop folder.
5. Double click on the Adobe Photoshop icon. Wait a few seconds while the program starts up.
6. Under the File menu is a submenu entitled Import. Choose VistaScan from the available options. The Vistascan window should open at the center of the screen.
7. Raise the cover of the scanner, and place the image to be scanned face down on the object glass, as if you were using a photocopier. Align your image with the top edge of the object glass, where the light is.
8. Lower the cover.
9. Click the Preview button. After a brief pause, you will see your image appear in the window.
10. Select one of the scan modes located next to the rainbow icon. Line-art will scan in simple black and white (what you use if you are scanning text), Gray will scan in shades of gray, and Color will scan in color.
11. Select one of the scanner types located next to the icon shaped like a scanner. Select reflective unless you are scanning a transparency or a negative.
12. Make sure the scanner's Ready light is on and is steady, then click on Preview to see how the image will scan.
13. Select the portion of the image you wish to scan with the gray square in the middle of the preview box. To change the size of the square, pull at its corners with the mouse, making sure your mouse icon is the arrow. In order to move the square, click the mouse down in its center and drag it to where you want it. If you wish to scan the entire image, be sure that the entire image is inside the gray square.
14. Adjust the resolution by changing the dpi. (dpi or dots per inch determines the resolution of the image-the higher the resolution the clearer the image. For color or grayscale images, 600 dpi is good, but for something simple like line art, 300 dpi should be sufficient. Keep in mind the more dots per inch, the longer it will take to scan, and the larger the file will be.)
15. Make sure the Ready light is on. When you are ready to scan, click on the Scan button. Then wait while your image is scanned.
16. To save your image on the computer select Save from the File menu. The file should be saved in the Users-temp. folder. Name your image and click on the Save button.
17. Exit VistaScan and Photoshop selecting Quit from the File menu. Don't forget to turn off the scanner after you have finished using it.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this odd pattern superimposed over my image?

If you're scanning in a photographic print, you are probably observing a moire pattern. This interference pattern results from the interaction of the overlapping grids of print and scan pixels. Under the Descreen submenu of the image menu, is a list of resolutions. Select the most appropriate and try scanning again.

Why does it scan partway and then hang the computer?

The scanner seems to be conflicting occasionally with the zip drive. Try shutting everything down and removing the Zip drive's SCSI cable from the back of the scanner.