How do scanners die?

[Bob]

I just did a scan and I noticed it looks a little grainy.    I could have sworn it was the same dpi settings as before, although I did have to make it a lot darker than I remember doing.

When I view the document with it blown up a little, it looks a little ragged around the edges.  I'm not sure I would have picked that dpi with these scan results. 

The scanners over five years old. I would have thought it would last longer though.  I'm wondering if these are the signs that it's starting to go.

[ahinton]

I just did a scan and I noticed it looks a little grainy.    I could have sworn it was the same dpi settings as before, although I did have to make it a lot darker than I remember doing.

When I view the document with it blown up a little, it looks a little ragged around the edges.  I'm not sure I would have picked that dpi with these scan results. 

The scanners over five years old. I would have thought it would last longer though.  I'm wondering if these are the signs that it's starting to go.

The obvious answer is to have it checked by a qualified technician; few if any machines can be expected to last indefinitely with full function without some judicious maintenance.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

With the price of scanners nowadays i would not have thought it was worth getting it repaired. All of my 3 previous scanners started to produce grainy images before they died.

My last scanner lasted 20,000 pages and cost £85, which i think is good value.

I would get a new one if i were you Bob.

Thal

[ahinton]

With the price of scanners nowadays i would not have thought it was worth getting it repaired. All of my 3 previous scanners started to produce grainy images before they died.

My last scanner lasted 20,000 pages and cost £85, which i think is good value.

I would get a new one if i were you Bob.

Well, if the cost is in mere double figures, then yes, your advice is correct; it's never worth paying more than the cost of a new machine to repair an old one, although how one should dispose of the old one is another matter. Ours cost about £20,000 new, although we didn't pay anything like that much for it as it was purchased second-hand, but then it is an A3 machine that also prints and copies and we have it under a price-per-copy/print contract that covers servicing and toner; the only disadvantage of purchasing such machines second-hand is that their life will be less than that of a brand new equivalent because manufacturers keep parts for a limited time, so machine replacement is more frequent than it would otherwise be. The machine is reckoned to be capable of around 2.5m prints/copies but its scan capability should last the life of the machine rather than be limited to any particular number of scans.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

Sounds like you have something like a Bizhub at the archive.

Very wise to choose the pence per click option.

Wish i had one.

Thal

[ahinton]

Sounds like you have something like a Bizhub at the archive.

Very wise to choose the pence per click option.

Wish i had one.

No, the machine we have is older than that, sadly. I'm hoping to keep it going until I move to France, whereupon I'll nee to get a new second-hand one over there, as there will be little point in shelling out a fortune to have our present one moved over there and try to get a contract started, especially since its life will then be pretty limited.

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

until I move to Frence, whereupon I'll nee to get a new second-hand one

This reminds me of that policeman on allo allo.

Thal

[ahinton]

This reminds me of that policeman on allo allo.

Old enough to remember that, oui?...

Best,

Alexandre

[thalbergmad]

Only from the repeats