Future of Umax Astra 1220S scanner

[jrbarnett]

Everyone,

I have a Umax Astra 1220s scanner driven by a cheap ISA SCSI interface card (it came with the scanner). In the near future, the PC that it is connected to is likely to be replaced. Obviously no new PC's will have ISA expansion slots.

Question: Given that the price of a new USB scanner is not much more than a PCI SCSI interface card, and the scanner works fine with no problems, what would be your preference?

Buy a PCI SCSI interface card for the existing scanner (and downloads its drivers), or a new USB scanner.

I have looked into the possibility of the Belkin Firewire - SCSI adapter given that any new PC will have a firewire port, but as it is roughly twice the price of the other options I have discounted that already.

What would be your preference in my situation? Bear in mind I am quite happy with the scanner's output quality and performance and it works perfectly. It doesn't get used much, but when it does it is very useful.

John

 

[mpapet]

Buying a scsi card may not be as easy as you think. Sometimes scsi cards aren't quite so universal with scanners. Get as many specs on the card you have. Check to see that the scanner is using an aspi compliant interface, then buy the pci card.

The aspi compliance makes it more or less able to be used with any scsi card.

In fact, you can get an OEM pci scsi cards very cheap on ebay or half.com. That's all you need for the average desktop scanner.

Michael

 

[jrbarnett]

Michael
I was thinking about the Adaptec AHA 2906. (I am in Europe - the 2904 seems to be the US only version).
I will certainly though try and find out about it. It is so cheap and nasty that it doesn't even show up in device manager on the computer in question.

John

 

[jrbarnett]

Hi Michael,

I have just opened up the computer to find out this card's exact make and model, and according to the card it is a Umax UDS-IS11.
According to Umax's own documentation, this card is a rebadged Domex 3181LE SCSI card (see

http://www.umax.co.uk/support/technotes/f096B.htm).

The card's exact P/N is 970160-16. This makes it a revision A according to the above webpage.

I am wondering given that the price of a new scanner is around the same as a PCI SCSI card. Given the advances in technology I wonder if it is worth buying a cheap new USB scanner instead. What do you think?

John

 

[sdlomi2]

If you can sell your Umax, answer is a no-brainer. I just bought a Lexmark Z54SE from Staples for $39.00 after rebate. It's USB plus I think you can use it via a pass-thru with your printer. It's likely got better specs than your Umax. HTH & good luck, sdlomi. BTW:This Lexmark cartridge(black) can be refilled several times. I buy like a 6-oz. bottle of ink for like $15.00, & it refills about 12-14 cartridges.