|
|
Interface
Connecting a scanner to your computer can be done in a
number of ways. Choose the one best suited to your needs.
Plugging a scanner into the parallel port and configuring it
is fairly easy. Most come with pass-through connectors to
attach your printer to the scanner, just don't try to use
both at once. Parallel ports tend to be the slowest way to
connect, but the latest models can be almost as fast as the
other two options, USB and SCSI.
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) is quickly becoming popular,
offering straight-forward installation, flexible
configuration and faster data transfer. Most high-end
scanners, however, connect via a SCSI port. SCSI stands for
Small Computer System Interface, but everyone just says "scuzzy".
This type of connection is fast but can require more work to
configure and install. Macs support SCSI connection but many
PC's do not.
If you want to get a SCSI scanner then you may have to open
up your computer to install a SCSI controller card. Most
SCSI scanners come with controller cards and SCSI cables.
Even if you already have a SCSI card for another device, it
may not be compatible with the scanner or the provided
cables. All this bother will pay off if speed is a primary
concern for you. Speed demons should also consider high-end
scanners that support FireWire which is akin to USB but even
faster.
|
|