Scanner Lamp Problem

[Wreckles]

Hi,

I have a problem with an old MICROTEX 336CX Parallel Port Scanner. I like to start with this Q: Does a working scanner supposed to activate its scanning lamp when its attached to the computer, while the computer is booting ? Cuz my 1 doesn’t But the ready LED flashes and lights up. But cannot scan. Scanner lamp never comes on.

Need help soon
Thanx.

 

[Masque]

Your lamp is probably shot. I had the same issue with an old Polaroid parallel scanner and it's actually a re-tagged Microtec. I was able to find another lamp at a local electrical supply and replace it.....and it had run quite some time afterwards until I upgraded.


And and big Hi! and Welcome to TechSpot with your first post. Hope you enjoy your time here. :wave:

 

[Wreckles]

Thanx Masque!

Yeah.. I think its burned out too. I never had a scanner b4. I got this old thing from a freind. Does a working scanner supposed to activate its scanning lamp (I mean run up and down or something) when its attached to the computer, and while the computer is booting ?

 

[Masque]

Not necessarily, but it will light up.

 

[Wreckles]

The problem took a U turn today. The drivers I got, included a scanner test program.
When I initiate a scan all this time it reported:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Unidentified Error"
Step:
1. Check to see if their is no SCSI ID number conflict.
2. Check the SCSI cable connections.
3. Run scan test again.

** Make sure the scanner is on the list of the system device manager.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ok, here are the things I did from A to Z
Today I hooked up the scanner, and installed
WinNT drivers instead of Win2000 drivers (which I had installed all this time).
(My OS is WinXP Pro) and rebooted. It detects the scanner as '330/336CX' and quickly
changes to 'SlimScan C3'(which happened with the Win2000 drivers too). and rebooted again.

Then I ran the scanner test program again. Suddenly the scanning lamp begin to flash and it scanned a image perfectly.
No errors at all I scanned another 5 images and they allso got scanned perfectly.
Then to my bad luck, the power to the scanner got loose and it switched off. when I turned it on again
the PC got stuck, and had to reboot. But now when I run the scan test again, the lamp flashes RGB
hears a relay clicking sound the motor spins 2 times and the lamp tries to move, and greets me with that same damn error message
So I’m back in square 1. I rebooted a dozen of times but the same error.

Can a driver cause this kind of a thing ? I’m confused.
Need Help soon.
Thanx

 

[Wreckles]

Well,I learned something. If I leave the PC off for a while (say about 30mins) and start scanning again, it scanns without a problem. .(well, it has a prob though, the scanned images seems to have RGB lines. see the attached file.) But if I restart the PC for some reason I get the error message again.

 

[Wreckles]

Cant this RGB lines be a resualt of a bad power supply ? I've heard that incorrect power supply to the scanner can also make horizontl lines apear. I dont have the original power supply that came with the scanner. On the back panel of the scanner it says '12v 1amp'. So I brought a powersupply adapter which rated 12v 1amp. I dont run it at 12v cuz the place where U plug the power cord heats up like hell. I use 9v's. But they both are the same, both make RGB lines apear. Cant this be the power supply ?

 

[Masque]

It could be.....not sure. I've seen those lines before (maybe about 5 years ago) on an older scanner but I'll be darned if I can remember what the cause was......sorry.

 

[Wreckles]

Can a incorrect power supply (I mean low voltage) cause damge to the scanning lamp or any other circuitry ?

 

[Masque]

Low voltage will not allow things to fire up properly.....hence, you've got an issue. Higher voltage (more importantly, amps) will have a very bad adverse effect on it.

 

[Wreckles]

Thanx for your answers Masque, :grinthumb but I still don’t have a clear idea about what’s causing these damn RGB lines.

Here are some information I came across. Maybe these will
refresh your RAM, and remember what made your old scanner make these lines
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Symptoms : Horizontal Lines Existed on scan-out
Cause : Incorrect power adapter connected
Resolution : double check the power adapter you used:
15Vdc, 1.25A or 1.33A for SM-V6USL, SM3600, SM3700, SM3750i, SM4600 and SM4700.
12Vdc, 1.25A for C3, C6, SM3800, SM4800, SM4900 and SM5900.
-Microtek website support section.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My scanner is a 336CX, but windows detects it as SlimScan C3. So maybe it needs 12v 1.25 amps to operate correctly ? I’m using ‘9v 1amp’ as I said before.
Then Y the hell does it heat up so bad when I use 12V 1A?


Here are some other information:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Take 3 passes at the document: An option only to flatbed scanners, this approach has the scan head scan the document 3 times-once each for red, green and blue light.
After this is done, the 3 images are merged using software to create the composited full-color image. Of course even a slight variation in scanner movement yields registration problems, possible causing the individual red, blue and green colors to become visible.

-Peter Norton’s complete guide to PC upgrades.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
But my scanner doesn’t scan 3 times and I cant see that kind of a option.
But come to think of it, the scanner makes loud noises at the final part of a scan.
I see the lamp glow in Red Green and Blue too. Is this normal ?

Its a question paper isnt it ? oh.. what the heck, give me ya comments pls!

 

[Godataloss]

put a bullet in it. sometimes you just have to know when to say when.

I dont think its a good idea to mess around with old equiptment and differing power supplies that "heat up so bad" and are connected to your computer and presumably are inside your flammable house.

 

[Masque]

LOL You're psychic (or is it psychotic?). Nonetheless, that's exactly what I was about to say.

At the current prices of scanners.....go buy new....you'll be better off. Remember, in the age-old war of man vs. machine, sometimes the machine comes out on top.

 

[Godataloss]

actually im both.

 

[Masque]

Originally posted by Godataloss
actually im both.

I hear Ohio does that to you.....comes from eating too many "Buckeyes".

 

[Wreckles]

put a bullet in it. sometimes you just have to know when to say when.

Yeah. Thats exactly what I'm gonna do if I had a gun.
After all they dont call me wreckles for nothing!

 

[Godataloss]

:suspiciou We have lots of guns in ohio- we are always on the lookout for folks trying to sneak in from michigan:stickout:

 

[Wreckles]

Can I borrow 1 of them shotguns to blast this junk away ?

BTW, stop looking for sneaking ppl from Michigan and answer my questions!

 

[Masque]

Originally posted by Godataloss
:suspiciou We have lots of guns in ohio- we are always on the lookout for folks trying to sneak in from michigan:stickout:

Afraid of Wolverines?

 

[Wreckles]

Listen up ppl, this is a hardware forum not a battle feild.

I hapened to be living in a 3rd world country. Not in a great nation like US of A. So even $100 means a lot to me. Even the cheapest Scanner is about $150. I dont think I can afford a new scanner right now. I would be appreciated if U Geniuses can give me some kind of a idea about my problem.

Besides I dont think this problem is something U cant fix, I get a kick out of repairing old stuff Dont U ?

 

[Masque]

Sorry 'bout that but I couldn't help myself above.

Nonetheless, I wasn't aware of your location because it's not listed in your profile but I'm currently out of ideas. I do with you good luck however. Maybe some others here can chime in.

 

[Wreckles]

Thanx Masque. I appreciate ya help. U did your best to help me out. :grinthumb Sorry about the location thinge, I'll add it right away.

I messed around with the power adapter and learned 12v's 1A actually reduse RGB lines dramatically in smaller images (say 6"x6" - see the attached file). So maybe the problem resides on the power, more likly amps.

The microtek website support section says:
Symptoms : Horizontal Lines Existed on scan-out
Cause : Incorrect power adapter connected
Resolution : double check the power adapter you used:
15Vdc, 1.25A or 1.33A for SM-V6USL, SM3600, SM3700, SM3750i, SM4600 and SM4700.
12Vdc, 1.25A for C3, C6, SM3800, SM4800, SM4900 and SM5900.

As I said the back panel of the scanner says 12V 1A, I tried to find the user manual for 336CX or SlimScanC3, on the net but no luck.

Will it melt if I use a 1.25A adapter ?
Can anybody give me the power requirements if U have a similar scanner ?