best OCR scanner??

Nikolas Britton nikolas.britton at gmail.com
Fri Sep 2 19:59:33 PDT 2005


On 9/2/05, Gary Kline <kline at tao.thought.org> wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 02, 2005 at 03:01:12AM -0500, Nikolas Britton wrote:
> > On 9/1/05, Gary Kline <kline at tao.thought.org> wrote:
> > >         People,
> > >
> > >         I want to scan ~400 pp of an out-of-print and out-of-copyright
> > >         book (from 1913) and need to know what the best scanner is
> > >         and if there has been substantial improvement in OCR
> > >         software in recent years.  This book has few footnotes
> > >         or different typefaces, so it should make things easier.
> > >
> > >         Oh, an if there is something that plugs into DOS/DOZE
> > >         and just works, super.  I'lll use my W2K box.  (Hopefully,
> > >         something that plugs into COM0 or COM1. USB okay too.)
> > >
> >
> > Any scanner will work when your scanning a 2 tone document! The only
> > thing that matters is the OCR software and their is only one game in
> > town, OmniPage Pro by scansoft.
> 
>         Well, the book I want to scan is from 1913:: just text.
>         Does this scanner work with FreeBSD? or only Windows?

The OCR software? It works on windows and Mac OS-X. The software isn't
cheap though, the current full version, 15, retails for $500. You may
be able to find a demo version , so you can try before you buy, if you
look in the right places.

> 
> >
> > BTW it's faster (and won't damage the book) to photograph the book and
> > then crop and covert to B&W, white balance, contrast, etc in photoshop
> > or gimp etc., and then import the photos into the OCR software. The
> > OCR software should produce less errors too.
> 
>         Okay, can do; thanks.

Have you ever seen a spy (movies) use a scanner to copy top secret
documents? :-)

I would just make a "jig" out of wood to hold the digital camera and a
flat bottem to hold the book. It would be best if you had a 35mm AF
SLR camera with like a 20 - 50mm macro len, but any camera should
work. If you have an SLR camera but no macro lens you can try flipping
your lens around.

> 
> >
> > After all is done post the book on gutenberg, http://www.gutenberg.org/
> >
> > oh, you should be able to fine some tips about scanning books at the
> > gutenberg site too.
> 
> 
>         Yep; that's my idea.  I've volunteered for PG, just never
>         at the scanning level.
> 

Cool.


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