# Scanner

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [December 19, 1999, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123 "1999-12-19T03:37:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123/1 "1999-12-19T03:37:00Z")

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My father wants a scanner for Christmas and we are thinking about all going in together to get him one. Does anyone have a model that they would recommend (especially for a person who is not very computer-literate)?

One of the ones we looked at was a Microtek ScanMaker and another was an Acer. I don’t remember the other.

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Your Official Cat Goddess since 10/20/99.

“I get along well with everybody.” --I.M.F.

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**Author:** ![StrTrkr777](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/fbc32d/32.png) [@StrTrkr777](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrTrkr777)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123/2 "1999-12-19T03:56:00Z")

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If his computer has a USB connection, I would recommend that. That way you do not have to chain the printer and scanner together. It is also a lot faster.

I have an HP it has a button and is easy to use, but it has some problems with my Epson printer (I do not think the USB would be causing the same problems.)

I have a cheap microtek that works fine, but you have to choose to scan within the software.

Jeffery

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**Author:** ![Sylence](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b19c9b/32.png) [@Sylence](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylence)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123/3 "1999-12-19T04:48:00Z")

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HP is good, but it can cause conflicts with non-HP devices. My printer is HP so I don’t have any problems.  
– Sylence

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I don’t have an evil side. Just a really, really apathetic one.

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**Author:** ![Diver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@Diver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diver)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123/4 "1999-12-19T15:40:00Z")

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Depends on how much you want to spend.  
You might want to take a look at [http://www.pcmag.com](http://www.pcmag.com) . They have a bunch of reviews of scanners in different price ranges.  
I favor the USB connection also. It does require Windows 98. It is not supported in Windows 95.

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**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 1999, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/scanner/12123/5 "1999-12-19T17:46:00Z")

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depends on what TYPE of computer you have…

Most people won’t use any thing more than 300 x 300 resolution anyway. The reason why is because if you scan a page at that it’ll be a huge file [I think around 100 megs]…

Any of the cheapo scanners work. Try Circuit City…make sure its a legal size scanner, as some only do 8 x 11…thats the prime thing to notice.