Ideas to fix scanner issue

[RedWagnum]

I have a problem with my scanner. It generates alternating vertical bars of lighter and darker areas. The scanner is an HP Scanjet 4670 "vertical" scanner. I contacted HP tech support long ago (early 2007) and they mentioned the scanner may need calibration (read: replacement). I can usually reduce the visibility of the bars by playing with brightness and contrast in my image editor but sometimes it is just impossible: See attachment. That is a worst case image - virtually no one can get a good scan from those reflective/holographic covers. But it doe clearly show the bars that I am talking about.

I really like the 4670 since it only takes about half the horizontal footprint of a traditional scanner. It has a holder at the bottom of the scanner that, with the help of gravity, keeps the image perfectly straight. Overall it is a great scanner. Except for this one little thing...

Anybody have any ideas?

RedWagnum

[Stochem]

Redwagnum,

Try cleaning the tip where the ink comes out of (owner's manual). Also try updating to the latest drivers....Also in your settings (Document type) try a different setting, my Canon works best in "magazine" setting.

[RedWagnum]

Redwagnum,

Try cleaning the tip where the ink comes out of (owner's manual). Also try updating to the latest drivers....Also in your settings (Document type) try a different setting, my Canon works best in "magazine" setting.
My scanner is one of the old fashioned kind. It does not use ink. :D:D:D

Unfortunately the scanner is an older model (around 2005) and HP will not provide Vista drivers for it. It did the same thing under XP with the latest drivers. Under XP I tried every setting I could find, descreen (equivalent to your "magazine" mode I think) didn't help for this problem but it did make many image scans look better. Different resolutions didn't help either.

I'm pretty sure the problem is either mechanical (bad alignment) or electronic. I was hoping someone had had a similar issue and might have some tips on how to fix it. I'd be willing to replace it if I could find a new similar model or even new old stock of the same model.

RedWagnum

[bigtraceyd]

I didn't know that scanners had used ink either, thought it worked by scanning the image onto your computer screen. If you have had problems before with the calibration settings could they have been knocked off the settings somehow? why not try to adjust the system settings for your scanner via the computer.

[Stochem]

My scanner is one of the old fashioned kind. It does not use ink. :D:D:D

Unfortunately the scanner is an older model (around 2005) and HP will not provide Vista drivers for it. It did the same thing under XP with the latest drivers. Under XP I tried every setting I could find, descreen (equivalent to your "magazine" mode I think) didn't help for this problem but it did make many image scans look better. Different resolutions didn't help either.

I'm pretty sure the problem is either mechanical (bad alignment) or electronic. I was hoping someone had had a similar issue and might have some tips on how to fix it. I'd be willing to replace it if I could find a new similar model or even new old stock of the same model.

RedWagnum

Sorry Redwagnum,

I have a Canon all in one printer and I was thinking of printing, not scanning...I had the same problem with my old all in one. It was fine with XP, but once I got Vista, Lexmark didn't have the necessary drivers for the all in one to scan. The printer and copier worked fine....I had to buy the Canon that I have now which is Vista compatible...This is why a lot of people don't like Vista, what was compatible with XP is not necessarily compatible with Vista. I think manufacturers do that so that you can buy the latest software and hardware...

The lexmark was still good and I gave it to my niece as a gift...

Some covers are hard to scan because they have a high gloss silver or grey finish to them....I've come across a couple of these myself and that includes discs.

[RedWagnum]

Thanks for the input guys. I just did an Google for "scanjet 4670 stripes" and it looks like it is a design flaw with this particular series of scanner (4600/4670). Lots of people reported it, no solution found. I guess it is time to replace it. I'll start a new thread for that.

[Stochem]

That's too bad and hopefully you can find something you like...I've found that buying an all in one sometimes is your best bet and sometimes scanners bought on their own can be more expensive than an all in one....Just make sure it's Vista compatible. My Canon all in one can copy, print, fax and scan (2 different ways to scan) and it wasn't expensive, now the ink is another story...

[Beegordon]

On the subject of scanners I notice that the quality of my postings has gone in the main from Fair to Good in recent days. I may be more experienced now at scanning but I don't think I have been doing anything different apart from moving to Windows 7. I wonder if this is a sign that the Windows 7 drivers for Epson are better than the old ones.

On the subject of ink, have you considered trying to use a CISS system. I got one for my Epson printer 2 years at a cost of around £30 and I am still on the original bottles of ink and I print a lot of A4 photos. A set of 6 bottles of ink (250 ml each bottle) only costs £25 and my printer still recognises it as genuine Epson Ink.

[Stochem]

Beegordon,

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