Epson ActionScanner User's Guide Page 1

iPrinted on recycled paper with at least 10% post-consumer content

4 Introduction❏ If you do not have Windows 95 or Windows NT and you are using an Adaptec SCSI adapter, you need to install the Adaptec EZ-SCSI softw

B-10 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsGamma CorrectionGamma, or tone, correction, adjusts the light intensity ratio between the original image and the

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-11❏ CRT Display BThis setting is suited for analog-input CRT displays which can display an image with multiple lev

B-12 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsThis function processes the image data so that the data will be most suited for the characteristics of the color

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-13✔ Image Type or ModeFor the best and most efficient scans, you need to know which type of images you are scannin

B-14 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsPrinting or display methodsThe best resolution to use depends on what type of output or printing method you will

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-15❏ Computer screens require lower resolutions than most printers. If your scanned image will be viewed only on a

B-16 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsThe resolution that you use to scan an image (input resolution) does not have to match the dots per inch of your

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-17Note:For color or grayscale images, ignore the dpi (dots per inch) of your printing device. Even though your ser

B-18 Expression 636 Scanner Settings✔ Color CorrectionUse the default or CRT display.✔ Gamma CorrectionUse the default or CRT Display B.Note:Your so

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-19EquipmentYour present equipment may be sufficient for your scanning needs, but if you are not satisfied with the

Introduction 5Cautions, Tips, and Notes This manual displays important information as follows: cCautionsshould be followed carefully to ensure your sc

B-20 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsFile compression softwareMany different programs are available to make image files smaller for storage or transm

Icon Glossary 1Icon GlossaryThis glossary describes the TWAIN icons. If you want to know what a specific icon does, locate the icon in this glossary

2 Icon GlossaryLock and Unlock. Locks or unlocks the current width, height, or scale settings for an image. The default setting is unlock. Image Con

Icon Glossary 3Image Controls IconsExposure Comparison. Allows you to compare three or five image samples of varying brightness. The middle sample r

4 Icon GlossaryColor Adjustment IconsGray Balance Comparison. Allows you to compare three or five varying casts of gray in image samples so you can

Term Glossary 1Term GlossaryApplication ProgramA software program designed to perform a specific task, such as word processing, image editing, or sp

2 Term GlossaryBrightnessThe amount of black or white mixed with a color.ByteA unit of information consisting of eight bits. A byte can represent a

Term Glossary 3DestinationA set of resolution and calibration settings that match the characteristics of the scan to the final output device. EPSON

4 Term GlossaryEPSFEncapsulated PostScript File. An industry-standard file format supported by most applications.ESC/IAbbreviation for EPSON Standar

Term Glossary 5HighlightAn EPSON TWAIN option that lets you adjust the lightest portions of an image. The range between highlight and shadow determi

6 IntroductionYou can purchase manuals, accessories, or parts from EPSON Accessories at (800) 873-7766 (U.S. sales only). In Canada, please call (80

6 Term GlossaryLine SequenceA type of color scanning that separates primary colors line by line. The carriage makes only one pass.LossyA data compre

Term Glossary 7Plain Bi-levelBi-level image data without the halftoning process. PortAn interface channel through which data is transmitted between

8 Term GlossarySharpnessAn EPSON TWAIN option that lets you adjust the measure of enhanced detail (focus) in an image.Subtractive Primary ColorsPrim

Term Glossary 9Transparency UnitA scanner accessory which allows the scanner to use materials such as transparencies and slides.TWAINAn open industr

10 Term Glossary

Index 1IndexAAccelerator boards, B-19Acquire and Export option, 5-4 to 5-6Acquire option, 3-2, 5-1, 6-1 to 6-3Add New Hardware option, 1-2Additive c

2 IndexColoradjustment, 4-8 to 4-10, 6-8buttons, 4-5correction, 4-8 to 4-10correction, Expression 636 scanner, B-11filter, see Color Filter optionmo

Index 3EPSON Scan! IIacquiring and exporting images, 5-4 to 5-6copying images, 5-6exiting, 5-7exporting images, 5-2 to 5-4file format, Intro-2, 5-1

4 IndexImage Controlicon, 4-3settings, 4-3 to 4-5, A-3Image editing software, 3-2, 3-20, 4-1Image Typeadvanced screen options, 3-7 to 3-10default se

Index 5Resolutioncolor, 3-14, 6-12, B-16defining, 3-13 to 3-15Expression 636 scanner, B-2, B-13, B-15grayscale, 3-14, B-16limitations, 6-4, 6-7 to 6

Introduction 7EPSON Fax-on-Demand ServiceYou can access EPSON’s technical information library by calling (800) 442-2110 or (800) 922-8911 and selectin

6 IndexVVariation between samples option, 4-2VGA, Intro-4Video cards, B-19Video display, 3-17, 6-8 to 6-9, 6-12, 6-15WWidth setting, 3-18, 6-7Window

8 Introduction

Installing Your Software 1-1Chapter 1Installing Your SoftwareThe EPSON Scanning Utilities come with installer software that makes them easy to insta

1-2 Installing Your SoftwareInstalling the Scanning Utilities Follow the steps below to install the EPSON Scanning Utilities for Windows 95, Windows

Installing Your Software 1-3Choose Do not install a driver and click OK. You do not need to install EZ-SCSI, even if you are using an Adaptec SCSI c

1-4 Installing Your Software9. After a few moments, you see the EPSON Scanner Setup dialog box.From the Interface pull-down menu, choose SCSI if you

Installing Your Software 1-512. Click the Test button. If the scanner, interface, and EPSON Scanning Utilities are set up correctly, the scanner sca

ii Copyright NoticeAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or b

1-6 Installing Your Software

Calibrating Your System 2-1Chapter 2Calibrating Your SystemSometimes the colors of your original image do not match the colors you see on your scree

2-2 Calibrating Your SystemPerforming Screen CalibrationFollow these steps to perform a screen calibration:1. From Windows 95, click the Start butto

Calibrating Your System 2-34. Click OK. Your setting is automatically saved as a new screen calibration profile.If you use a different monitor or ch

2-4 Calibrating Your SystemCalibrating Your Printer to Your Scanner If you print color images, you must choose or create a calibration profile for e

Calibrating Your System 2-5You see the Print Chart dialog box.2. Select the printer you want to calibrate from the drop-down menu.Note:You must gene

2-6 Calibrating Your System4. You see a message box. Click OK when the chart is printed.5. Place the printed calibration chart on your scanner, as s

Calibrating Your System 2-77. Click the Scan button. The scanner scans the chart and the calibration utility sends the profile to EPSON TWAIN.When c

2-8 Calibrating Your System4. Click Destination to display the Destination dialog box. 5. In the Destination Name field, select the name of your out

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-1Chapter 3Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsWhen you scan an image from within an application usi

iiiContentsIntroductionSystem Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Intro-3How to Use This Manual

3-2 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsNote:If your application does not support TWAIN, you can use EPSON Scan! II to scan an image and export

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-3The easy screen allows you to select the document source (if available), type, and destination of your

3-4 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsNote:To close an active TWAIN window, click the Close button. Using the Easy ScreenThe following basic

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-5Selecting the Document SourceIf you have the optional automatic document feeder (ADF) or transparency u

3-6 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsIf you haven’t changed any of the settings for these options, the image type you select uses the defaul

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-7Using the Advanced ScreenThe TWAIN advanced screen allows you to select the same basic settings as the

3-8 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsYou see the Image Type dialog box:For the default settings for the predefined image types, see Appendix

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-9Not all options in the Image Type dialog box are available with all scanners, image types, or Pixel Dep

3-10 Capturing Images From Within Applications* When possible, let your image editing software perform halftoning.** ActionScanner II, ES-1000C, ES-

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-11The following table identifies the options available with each Pixel Depth setting. Since both the Dra

iv Chapter 4 Using Special EffectsModifying the TWAIN Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2Using the Image Contr

3-12 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsSaving and deleting an image typeTo modify an existing image type, select it from the Image Type Name

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-13To modify the Destination settings, click the Destination button. You see the Destination dialog box:T

3-14 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsThe best resolution setting for your image depends on the type of image you are scanning and your fina

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-15 rTip:As a rule of thumb for any image except line art, use scanning resolutions that are one third of

3-16 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsIn addition to the calibration profiles provided with the Scanning Utilities, you can create your own

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-17The TWAIN advanced screen provides two icons that allow you to preview your image: the Preview icon an

3-18 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsTo define a specific area, position the mouse pointer at a corner of the area; the pointer changes to

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-19As you modify your selection area or other image settings, you see the file size of the image change i

3-20 Capturing Images From Within ApplicationsNote:❏ The range of possible Scale settings varies depending on the current Resolution setting.❏ For E

Capturing Images From Within Applications 3-21Note:❏ You cannot scan an image that exceeds available memory or disk space. ❏ Before you start scanni

vScanner Setting Guidelines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B-12Judging Image Quality . . . . . . . . . . .

3-22 Capturing Images From Within Applications

Using Special Effects 4-1Chapter 4Using Special EffectsThe EPSON TWAIN advanced screen gives you many options for editing images before you scan the

4-2 Using Special EffectsModifying the TWAIN Configuration When you click the Configuration button on the TWAIN advanced screen, you see the followi

Using Special Effects 4-3Using the Image Controls The image controls available when you click the Image Controls icon, , let you adjust the followi

4-4 Using Special Effects2. Click the Image Controls icon. You see the following dialog box:Comparison iconsColor buttonsSlide bars

Using Special Effects 4-53. Adjust the settings until you are satisfied with the appearance of the image in the preview window. See the following ta

4-6 Using Special EffectsAdjusting the Tone Correction Adjusting the tone levels lets you change the pixel brightness in the midtones, highlights, a

Using Special Effects 4-7Each Output checkbox corresponds to the point next to it on the tone curve. When you click the checkbox for a specific poin

4-8 Using Special EffectsAdjusting Colors After you have previewed the image, click the Color Adjustment icon, . You see the following dialog box:N

Using Special Effects 4-9Setting the Gray Balance IntensityNeutral shades of gray are produced by mixing the three colors in the image in approximat

vi

4-10 Using Special EffectsUsing Color FiltersColor filters can help eliminate color tinges (or an undesirable overall color tone) that exist in the

Using Special Effects 4-11Using Automatic Features The TWAIN advanced screen offers two automatic features:❏ Auto Exposure, which automatically adju

4-12 Using Special Effects

Using EPSON Scan! II 5-1Chapter 5Using EPSON Scan! IIYou can always scan an image using your TWAIN-compliant image editing application. However, if

5-2 Using EPSON Scan! II5. Choose Save As from the File menu. You see the following dialog box:6. Choose the drive and directory where you want to s

Using EPSON Scan! II 5-3Follow these steps to export a scanned image from EPSON Scan! II:1. Choose Export from the File menu. You see the following

5-4 Using EPSON Scan! II5. If you selected the TIFF6.0 or JPEG format, EPSON Scan! II allows you to choose the image quality. Since JPEG uses a Loss

Using EPSON Scan! II 5-53. Click Scan. You see the following dialog box:4. Choose the directory and drive where you want to save the exported image.

5-6 Using EPSON Scan! II8. Click OK.The image is scanned and exported in the selected file format. You can now import this file into your applicatio

Using EPSON Scan! II 5-7Exiting EPSON Scan! II To exit EPSON Scan! II, make sure you have saved or exported your image file. Then choose Exit from t

Introduction 1IntroductionThe EPSON® Scanning Utilities let you perform the following functions with your EPSON scanner:❏ Read images in color, graysc

5-8 Using EPSON Scan! II

Troubleshooting 6-1Chapter 6TroubleshootingIf you have problems using the EPSON Scanning Utilities, or with the quality of your printed or scanned i

6-2 TroubleshootingThe EPSON TWAIN data source file, or the SCSI support software may not be installed correctly. Reinstall the EPSON Scanning Utili

Troubleshooting 6-3The system fails or an error message appears when you choose Acquire from your application software.You may have more than one TW

6-4 TroubleshootingThe scanner does not start scanning.See that the scanner’s READY light is on.Reinstall the EPSON Scanning Utilities and be sure t

Troubleshooting 6-5The size of your image increases after scanning it into your image editing application.Your image editing software may be convert

6-6 TroubleshootingAuto Locate does not work when scanning two or more originals.Make sure none of the documents are touching one another on the doc

Troubleshooting 6-7The application software displays an error message, freezes, or fails after scanning.Make sure you close the TWAIN screen before

6-8 TroubleshootingThe rows in the screen calibration dialog box never seem to match closely enough.Try adjusting your monitor’s brightness and cont

Troubleshooting 6-9After closing the EPSON TWAIN screen, a partial image of an application window appears over the scanned image.Use the Up or Down

2 IntroductionThe Scanning Utilities include two integrated programs:❏ EPSON Scan! II32 and EPSON TWAIN32 (for 32-bit scanning with Microsoft® Windo

6-10 TroubleshootingPart of the image is distorted or blurred.Part of the original may be wrinkled, warped, or not in contact with the document tabl

Troubleshooting 6-11Check your monitor’s brightness and contrast settings.The image is too dark and without details.When the Pixel Depth setting is

6-12 TroubleshootingA line of dots is always missing on the scanned image.If this happens on your printed image, your printer or its print head may

Troubleshooting 6-13The colors on your printout seem different from those of the original image.Check that you have correctly performed the printer

6-14 TroubleshootingImages cannot be scanned at all or only a few dots appear in the scanned image.Try different EPSON TWAIN settings. Be aware that

Troubleshooting 6-15The image appears upside down and truncated in your application software after scanning.Before you scan the image, reduce its fi

6-16 TroubleshootingYou are scanning a transparency or slide using the transparency unit, and the scanned image is all black.If the reflective docum

Default Settings A-1Appendix ADefault SettingsThis appendix lists the default settings for the Image Type and Destination options in EPSON TWAIN. It a

A-2 Default SettingsThermal Printer 360 dpi resolution for line drawings and halftone images, 120 dpi resolution for photos, and calibration for the

Default Settings A-3Stylus COLOR 500800 dpi resolution for line drawings and halftone images, 240 dpi resolution for photos, and calibration for EPSON

Introduction 3System Requirements For the EPSON Scanning Utilities to work properly, your system must have at least the following configuration:❏ One

A-4 Default Settings

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-1Appendix BExpression 636 Scanner SettingsThis appendix contains technical information about the various image pro

B-2 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsYou may need to do some trials by yourself to find out your preferred settings because the original images and th

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-3The scale function affects the number of dots scanned. An image scanned at 180 dpi and 200% has the same number o

B-4 Expression 636 Scanner SettingsThe scanner can read up to 12 bits/pixel/color. Above 8 bits/pixel/color the scanner converts the image data to 8

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-5BrightnessYou can choose one of seven brightness levels for scanning. Medium is the normal setting.It is better t

B-6 Expression 636 Scanner Settings❏ Color page sequence readingThe scanner scans the document three times (one each for green, red, and blue), and

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-7Photographs have an almost infinite number of tones, with an almost infinite number of colors for color photograp

B-8 Expression 636 Scanner Settings❏ Halftoning mode AThis is the standard halftoning mode. The image is converted into a hard tone to produce a dis

Expression 636 Scanner Settings B-9❏ Dither pattern AHalftone is expressed in 4 by 4 bayer dither pattern.❏ Dither pattern BHalftone is expressed in