Astra 2000U/P OWNER’S GUIDE
Trademarks UMAX is a trademark of UMAX Technologies, Inc. Astra is a trademark of UMAX Technologies. IBM PC/AT is a trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. MS-Windows, Windows, and MS-DOS are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. PhotoDeluxe is a trademark of Adobe Systems, Inc. Presto! PageManager is a trademark of NewSoft Technology Corporation. Other names and trademarks appearing herein are trademarks of their respective holders. Copyright ©1999 UMAX Technologies, Inc.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Table of Contents CHAPTER 1. GETTING STARTED .............................. 9 Introduction...............................................................................................9 Unpacking the Scanner.............................................................................9 Astra 2000U Package Contents.............................................................10 Astra 2000P Package Contents .............................................................
Scanner Information ............................................................................. 34 VistaScan Beginner Window Features ................................................. 35 VistaScan Advanced Features .............................................................. 40 Using VistaAccess – Direct Access...................................................... 59 Using VistaShuttle................................................................................ 61 Using the UMAX Copy Utility ........
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Contacting Technical Support .............................................................103 Maintenance ..........................................................................................104 Static Electricity Precautions...............................................................104 Cleaning .................................................................................................105 APPENDIX A. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS.......
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide ABOUT THIS MANUAL This is the Owner’s Guide for the UMAX Astra 2000U and the Astra 2000P scanners. It will provide information you will need to operate your scanner, as well as show you how to use the software that comes with it. This manual assumes you have a basic knowledge of personal computers, and scanning terms and functions. However, a glossary of scanner terms is included at the end of this guide to explain the scanning terms used throughout this guide.
Chapter 5. How to Get Help Chapter 5 contains information you can refer to when you need assistance with the scanner or the bundled software. The information includes: how to access the online manuals for all the bundled software, troubleshooting guidelines, and how to contact the manufacturer for additional assistance. Glossary Includes definitions of common scanning terminology.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CHAPTER 1. Getting Started Introduction Thank you for purchasing the UMAX Astra 2000U or Astra 2000P scanner. These versatile units are perfect for the home or office. Use these scanners to add variety and flair to your documents, or to help you share images with others. The hardware connection is the only difference between the two scanners.
Astra 2000U Package Contents • • • • • • • UMAX Astra 2000U Flatbed scanner USB Interface Cable Quick Start Guide and Owner’s Manual Power Adapter Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® Home Edition 3.0 CD-ROM (PC version) Adobe® PhotoDeluxe® 2.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Getting to Know Your Scanner To gain a complete understanding of the information contained in this manual, it is important that you become familiar with your scanner. The graphics below identify the key scanner components. Document Cover The plastic cover that protects the object glass. Object Glass Power Indicator Illuminates to indicate that the scanner is powered on. The glass surface on which documents or images are placed.
Power Adapter Receptacle Parallel Interface Connector ”TO PC” Parallel Interface Connector ”TO Printer” Astra 2000P Backpanel There are two parallel ports on the Astra 2000P scanner. This allows your printer and your scanner to communicate with your computer using the parallel connector. The first parallel port is used to connect the scanner to your computer. You attach your printer cable to the second parallel port, which acts as a pass-through port.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Macintosh Requirements • • • • • • iMac or USB-compatible Macintosh Macintosh OS 8.1 or higher USB interface connector At least 16 MB RAM memory (32 MB recommended) CD-ROM drive 170 MB of available hard disk space Astra 2000P Scanner • • • • • • An IBM-compatible PC with 80486, Pentium processor or higher Microsoft® Windows 98, 95 OSR 2, NT 4.
If your computer has a USB port, you must make sure that this port is enabled in the system BIOS. Please refer to the troubleshooting section to learn more about enabling the USB port. Parallel Port Connectors Another common communication interface is the parallel port. The parallel port interface is the standard method for connecting a printer to a PC computer. In order to use the Astra 2000P scanner, you must make sure that the mode of your parallel port is set correctly.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CAUTION: Make sure the surface is flat. Operating your scanner on an uneven surface can damage the internal components. • Turn your computer off. Unplug the computer’s power cable from the electrical outlet. Connecting the Hardware Interface Cables If your computer has a USB port, follow the instructions in the “Connecting the USB Cable” section to connect the scanner to your computer.
3. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Macintosh Connection 1. Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord. 2. Locate the USB cable that is provided. Plug one end of it firmly into one of the USB ports. iMac computer ports are located on the right side of the computer, or at either side of the keyboard. The USB port on other Macintosh computers is located on the back panel of the computer, or on a USB interface card. 3.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide NOTE: If you have a printer connected to your computer’s parallel port, disconnect the printer and plug it into the “To Printer” port located on the back of the scanner. Plug the scanner cable into the parallel port. This provides a passthrough connection so you can use the printer of the scanner. 3. Plug the other end of this cable into the port located on the back panel of the scanner. Connecting the Power Adapter 1.
Installing the Software Now that you have made the physical connection between the Astra 2000U/P scanner and your computer, the next step is to install the software that allows the two devices to communicate with one another. Because the Macintosh and PC installation procedures are different for PhotoDeluxe, the installation instructions for that software is divided into PC and Macintosh software installation sections.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 6. Fill in the user information. 7. Click Next in the Start Copying Files window to begin installing PhotoDeluxe Home Edition 3.0, Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01, Adobe ATM 4.0 and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.01. Follow the onscreen instructions. 8. After Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01 has been installed, a ReadMe file appears. When you have read the ReadMe, select Exit from the File menu. 9. The Adobe Type Manager window appears. Click the Install button.
3. An Adobe ReadMe file appears. After reading the text, click Continue. 4. A PhotoDeluxe Installer window appears. Click the Install button. Follow the onscreen instructions. 5. Complete the product registration form and click Next. Click the Install Now button. After installation is complete, restart your computer by clicking the Restart button. After the system restarts, re-insert the PhotoDeluxe CD-ROM. 6. Double-click on the ATM application folder inside the PhotoDeluxe CD-ROM window.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CHAPTER 2. Your First Scan Before you begin your first scan, you must install the scanner and the bundled software. Refer to the Quick Start Guide for installation and scanner test instructions. You can perform a basic scan using any of the software applications bundled with this scanner. For your first scan, we suggest using the PhotoDeluxe software.
NOTE: You only need to select the device driver once in PhotoDeluxe and your selection will be saved. 8. Click the Choose Scanner icon. Click on the VistaScan, and click OK. Click the Mode tab. Click the Custom icon. The VistaScan window opens. VistaScan software controls the various functions of the scanner and provides a communication path between the scanner and the PhotoDeluxe software.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Scanning an Image From the PC 1. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a drawing, etc.). 2. Lift the document cover and place the item facedown so it aligns with the arrow (∇) at the back edge of the object glass. 3. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window. The scanner begins a low-resolution scan of the item. 4.
For example, if you are scanning a color photograph, choose “Color Photo.” To scan text or a black and white drawing, choose “Text/Lineart”. The image is scanned and you are returned to the PhotoDeluxe window. NOTE: Choosing an icon in the “Click to Scan” area does two things: it activates the scanner, and automatically sets the scanner settings. This ensures you get the best scanning results for the item you are scanning. 6.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 4. Click the Get Photo button. 5. Click the Get Photo tab. 6. Click the Scanner button to display a menu of available input sources. Select UMAX VistaScan, then click OK. The VistaScan Beginner window appears. NOTE: You only need to select the device driver once in PhotoDeluxe. It will remember your selection the next time you use the application. Scanning an Image From the Macintosh 1. Select an item you would like to scan (a picture, a brochure, etc.). 2.
You can change the view size of the Preview image before scanning the final image using the “Zoom Tool,” or select a region to scan using the “Frame Selection Tool.” To find out more about how to use these tools, click on the user tips text that appears when your cursor pauses over the tool. NOTE: You must have a browser installed in order to view the VistaScan online help. 5.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Turning the Scanner Lamp On and Off For PC Users Only: You can turn the scanner lamp on and off using the Astra 2000’s built-in Power Saving utility. The lamp remains on whenever the scanner has power, unless you turn it off using the UMAX Power Saving utility. Turning off the scanner lamp when you are not scanning prolongs the life of the lamp. The Power Saving utility window appears whenever you close VistaScan.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CHAPTER 3. Scanning Basics VistaScan is the primary program or "driver" that you will use to scan with your Astra 2000 scanner. It is a "TWAIN-compliant" program, which means that it can be run from other programs that support scanning, like PhotoDeluxe, OmniPage, and others. It is also a "stand-alone" program, which allows you to scan images for a variety of uses, even without launching another program first.
Color Matching/Correction Color Matching allows you to fine-tune the colors of scanned images so that they emulate the colors of your original source documents as closely as possible. This is accomplished using MagicMatch. When you click on the MagicMatch checkbox (so a checkmark appears) the Profile List displays. A profile is a list of applicable calibration profiles, which MagicMatch uses to render a final output image.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Show Ruler The Show Ruler command displays or hides the rulers that border the top and left sides of the Preview window. These rulers correspond to the rulers on your scanner's object glass. Clicking on the Show Ruler checkbox turns off (removes the checkmark) and hides the ruler. Clicking on the checkbox again turns the feature on (displays a checkmark) and shows the ruler.
File To set the location for your stored images: 1. Click on the File icon, the file preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Enter the directory in which you want to store the scanned image file, in the File Directory text box. If you are not sure of the directory path, click the Browse button to locate the desired directory. 3. Enter the file name under which you want to store the scanned image files (such as TMP) in the File Name text box. 4.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide E-mail To specify which e-mail application to use when you e-mail scanned images: 1. Click on the E-mail icon, the e-mail preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Click on the button next to the e-mail software you are using (Microsoft Exchange or Lotus cc:Mail). 3. Select the image format you want to use when you attach scanned images to your email application from the Image Format drop down list. Fax 1.
Application 1. Click on the Application icon, the application preferences appear to the right of the Scan To icon set. 2. Enter the application name to which you want to send the scanned image files (such as Presto! PageManager) in the Application Name text box. 3. Enter the file name of the application executable in the File Name text box. If you are not sure of the directory path, click the Browse button to locate the correct path. 4.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide The information includes: • • • • • • Scanner Manufacturer Scanner Model Firmware Version VistaScan Version Maximum Scan Width and Length Maximum Resolution VistaScan Beginner Window Features The VistaScan Beginner window appears when you open VistaScan. The Beginner window features allow you to scan a wide variety of documents, photos, and graphics by clicking just a few buttons.
Scanning an item using the Beginner window options consists of just a few steps: 1. Perform a preview scan of the item to be scanned by clicking on the Preview button. The item is quickly scanned at lowresolution, and is displayed in the Preview window (on the left side of the VistaScan Beginner window). 2. Select what you want to do with the image after it is scanned using the Scan To icons. 3.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide There are three Preview tools in the VistaScan Beginner window. Zoom Tool Frame Tool Move Tool Zoom tool – Lets you enlarge or reduce the view of the image in the Preview window. To use the Zoom tool: Once the preview image appears in the Preview window, click on the Magnifying Glass icon. Move your cursor into the Preview window and click. The image enlarges. To reduce the view size, press the shift key and click in the Preview window.
Move tool – Lets you move an image in the Preview window so you can see portions that are not visible because the image is too large to display completely. Click on the Move tool. Put the cursor inside the Preview window (which changes the cursor shape to a hand). Scroll the image view by clicking and dragging the cursor. Selecting the Scan to Device or Application To specify which device or application to which you want to send the scanned item: 1.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Defining the Type of Image your are Going to Scan The Beginner window provides you with pre-defined scanning options so you can quickly and easily scan any of the following items: • • • • Color Photos – use this setting when you want to scan color or black and white photos Printed Matter – use this setting when you want to scan something that has been printed like a brochure, magazine, etc.
VistaScan Advanced Features The VistaScan Advanced window gives you the ability to adjust the scan setting individually so you can customize the settings for the type of document you are going to scan. If you are a novice computer user, you may want to use the VistaScan Beginner window until you are more familiar with VistaScan and the scanning process. The Beginner window options are preset to provide a quick and easy way to scan images.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide You can choose from the following settings: Flatbed Reflective: Scans paper originals (non-transparencies) e.g., photographs, documents, and brochures. Three other setting options appear onscreen that are not available with this scanner: UTA Transmissive, UTA Negative, Automatic Document Feeder. Changing the Image Mode VistaScan can scan a wide variety of image types. True Color, RGB: Scans a full color photo or document.
True Color, CMYK: Converts RGB (video) color data into CMYK (printed) color data using a special color transformation process. When scanning is completed the CMYK image is ready for printing on a CMYK color printer. NOTE: Most ink jet printers use RGB rather than CMYK printing. 256 Colors: Scans color images using 256 colors. The 256 color images take up less memory and hard disk space than the True Color RGB option. Web Photo: Scans an image at the appropriate resolution for display on the monitor.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Changing the Resolution Setting Scanning resolution is measured in dots per inch (DPI). Resolution determines the amount of information the scanner will capture in a scanned image. The higher the resolution, the finer the image detail, and the larger the file sizes.
The table below gives you an idea of the file sizes you can expect based on the original image size and the resolution setting you specify. These values are based on scanning images in 24-bit, True Color RGB mode. Image sizes shown below are given in MegaBytes. Table 1. Resolution/File-Size Guidelines Resolution (dots per inch) 72 100 200 300 400 600 800 1200 Image Size: 4x5 0.30 0.58 2.29 5.15 9.16 20.60 36.60 82.40 Image Size: 5x7 0.53 1.00 4.01 9.01 16.00 36.10 64.10 144.20 Image Size: 8.5x11 1.39 2.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 45
Using Custom Resolution Settings You can also specify custom resolution settings that you can use when you scan. The maximum custom resolution setting you can define is 2400 dpi. To define the custom resolution settings: 1. Choose the Custom… option from the Resolution drop down menu. The Custom Resolution window opens. 2. Enter the desired resolution setting (between 50 and 2400 dpi) in the Custom resolution #1 text box. 3.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Changing the Descreen Feature The Descreen option helps eliminate the patterns that can appear when you scan printed images found in magazines, brochures, catalogues, etc. (half-tone images). This is accomplished by changing the number of lines that appear in every inch (lines per inch) of the scanned image. The Descreen feature is unavailable when you have chosen the B/W Document, Fax or OCR resolution settings. To change the Descreen setting: 1.
Art print — Specifies 175 lines per inch. Smoothes the fine dot pattern found in high quality art prints. Custom – Opens the Custom Descreen window, which allows you to specify a custom line screen value. Refer to the Using Custom Descreen Settings section that follows for information about how to set custom descreen values.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide VistaScan provides the following filter options: No Filter – Use this option when you do not want to sharpen or blur the image. Sharpen – Use this option to sharpen lines that may be fuzzy or not clean in the original image. Sharpen More – Use this option when you want to sharpen the image more than the standard Sharpen filter does. Blur – Use this option when you want to soften the edges of an image.
You can scale the image using any of the scale factors listed below: • • • • • • • 200% 150% 100% 50% 25% 10% Custom You can also specify a custom scale factor by choosing the Custom option from the Scaling drop down menu. See the Using Custom Scaling Settings section that follows for more information about specifying a custom scale factor. Using Custom Scale Settings You can specify custom scaling settings that you can use when you scan. To define the custom scaling settings: 1.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 2. Enter the desired scale factor in either the Width or Height text box. These are dynamic fields, updating one field automatically changes the other field. 3. To change the unit of measure, click on the down arrow next to Height and/or Width text boxes to display the possible settings. You can choose from Inch, Centimeter, Pixel or Percent. 4. Click OK.
Using the Scan Control Unit The Scan Control unit contains the Preview and Scan buttons, and the Scan To options. Selecting the Scan to Device or Application To specify the device or application to which you want to send the scanned item: 1. Click on the arrow above the Scan To text on the Scan Control unit. The Scan Control unit panel slides back to display the Scan To icons. 2. Click on the icon that represents the device or application to which you want to send the scanned item.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Application – sends the scanned item to the applications specified in the VistaScan Preferences. E-mail – sends the scanned item as a graphic file to your Microsoft Exchange or Lotus cc:Mail e-mail application. Using the Multiple Scan Mode You can select multiple portions of the image you scanned in Preview mode using the Multiple Frame tool. The Multiple Frame tool allows you to create two or more selection frames in the Preview Window.
To select one of the frames you created, double-click on the desired frame. The frame border of the active frame changes to a marquis style frame (dotted lines). Once a frame is selected, double-click on a frame to display the Job Information window for that image, which contains the image information. To remove a selected frame: 1. Click on the Job List button. Thumbnails of the selected frames appear in the job list window. 2. Click on the thumbnail of the frame you want to remove.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Adjusting Image Brightness, Contrast, Highlights and Shadows When you click on the Brightness/Contrast tab from the Color Adjustment panel a series of slide bars appear. You adjust the associated tones by dragging the slider in one of the bars to the left or the right. Using the Brightness Bar This setting determines the overall intensity level (gray level) of an image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the right increases the brightness.
Highlight Bar This setting defines the lightest (whitest) tones in the scanned image. If you broaden the range that includes the highlight points, the pixels within the newly specified range are be remapped allowing you to see more details in a color/gray image. Moving the slider on the scroll bar to the left increases the brightness. Moving it to the right decreases the brightness. The default setting is 255. The maximum highlight setting is 255; the minimum is 1 (which is White).
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Adjusting the Image Tones The Curve command is another way to make precise adjustments in the highlight, midtones, or shadow levels in your images. Using this feature corrects the gray/color values in an image. You change the values by altering the shape of the curve that represents the brightness values of pixels. Click Reset to cancel the changes and return the value to the default setting.
When you click in the wheel the image tones are shifted to the particular hue that is represented in that area. Click the Reset button to cancel the changes and returns the value to default setting. Rotating an Image You can rotate an image clockwise or counter clockwise, and you can flip images 180 degrees vertically or horizontally.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide The following lists the possible rotate and flip selections: • • • • • • • • Flip/Rotate Horizontally – flips the image horizontally and rotates it 90 degrees counter clockwise. Flip Horizontal – flips the image horizontally. Rotate 90 CCW – rotates the image 90 degrees counter clockwise. Rotate 90 CW – rotates the image 90 degrees clockwise. Normal – does not rotate or flip the image. Flip Vertical – flips the image vertically.
• • • • • • Copy Utility Scanner Test Power Saving On/Off Control Find/Refresh Scanner Help Exit 3. Click on one of the listed applications or utilities to launch the software. 4. Click the Find/Refresh Scanner option to re-initialize the scanner. Click the Help option to view VistaAccess online help. Click the Exit option to remove the scanner icon from the Windows Task bar and close VistaAccess. To use VistaAccess from the Macintosh: 1.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Using VistaShuttle The VistaShuttle is a PC-based application that provides an easy way for you to create greeting cards, wallpaper for your computer desktop, a screen saver for your computer, e-cards (e-mail greeting cards), and more. NOTE: VistaShuttle is not a Macintosh compatible application. To use VistaShuttle to create an E-Card (electronic greeting card you send via e-mail): 1. Click on the Start bar. Click on the Programs option.
4. Click Preview to preview the scanned item. You can edit the Preview image before scanning the final image using the “Zoom Tool” and the “Frame Selection Tool.” To find out more about how to use these tools, click on the user tips text that appears when your cursor pauses over the tool. NOTE: You must have a browser installed in order to view the VistaScan online help. 5. Click the icon that most closely represents the item you are going to scan in the Click To Scan area of the VistaScan Beginner window.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 8. Choose the Add text command from the Text menu (or click on the Text button from the left-hand column). The Text Setting window opens. 9. Enter the E-Card greeting text in the text box. 10. You can modify the font type, font size, font style (bold, italic, underlined), text alignment (left, right or centered), and text color by selecting an option from the dropdown lists or by clicking on the associated icon from the button bar at the top of the E-Card window. 11.
To use the copy utility: 1. Click on the Start bar. Click on the Programs option. When the Programs pop-up menu appears, click on the VistaScan option. The VistaScan pop-up menu appears. Click on the UMAX Copy Utility selection to open the program. 2. The UMAX Copy Utility window appears. 3. Select your copy settings. Click the copy button to make the copies, then click Exit when you are finished.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Original Image: Lets you specify the type of image to be copied — Color, Gray or B/W. The Single Photo option automatically crops unnecessary white space around the image (no matter where the image is placed), reducing memory storage space and speeding up the scanning. Printout Quality: Choose Normal for draft quality, or choose Best for high quality images. • • • B/W images — Selecting Best or Normal produces the same output.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CHAPTER 4. Scanning Projects The UMAX Astra 2000 scanners include bundled software to help you with a variety of tasks. In this chapter, we will show you how to make a personalized calendar, create Web-ready images, and even turn a page of text into an online text document that you can edit. Using VistaScan to Scan and Print Images To perform your first scan: 1. Open the VistaScan software application. For PC Users: a.
2. The VistaScan Beginner window appears. Lift the scanner’s document cover and place your document facedown in the center of the scanner’s object glass. 3. Click the Preview button to preview the scanned item. You can edit the Preview image before scanning the final image using the “Zoom Tool” and the “Frame Selection Tool.” To find out more about how to use these tools, click on the user tips text that appears when your cursor pauses over the tool.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Using VistaScan to Scan a Photo to E-mail Scanning an image to e-mail is almost the same procedure as described in the Using VistaScan to Scan and Print Images section earlier in this guide. Follow steps 1 – 3 as listed in the Scan and Print instructions, and then proceed with the following steps: 1. Click on the E-mail icon to set the scanner settings to the best values for scanning an image to E-mail.
Using VistaScan with PhotoDeluxe to Create Web-ready Images Add flair to your Web pages by importing scanned photos. The version of PhotoDeluxe is different for PC and Macintosh users. Follow the appropriate set of instructions based on the type of system you are using. For PC Users: 1. Open the PhotoDeluxe application. For detailed instructions on how to start PhotoDeluxe, refer to steps 1-5 from Chapter 2. Your First Scan. 2. The PhotoDeluxe screen appears.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 3. Click the Scanners… option. The VistaScan software opens displaying the Beginner window. 4. Select an image you want to scan to be posted on a web site (i.e., a picture, a postcard, etc.). 5. Lift the document cover and place the item you have selected facedown in the center of the object glass of the scanner. 6. Click the Preview button. The scanner begins a low-resolution scan of the image. 7. The preview image displays in the Preview window. 8.
If you choose the GIF format: a. An Export Options window appears notifying you it will convert the photo to the GIF format. Click OK. b. An Export GIF window appears. Go to the next numbered step. If you choose the JPEG format: a. A Save window appears. Go to the next numbered step. 14. Select the location where you want to save the image by clicking on the arrow to the right of the Save in field. This displays your folder or directory structure. Choose a location by clicking on it. 15.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Refer to Chapter 2. Your First Scan for instructions on how to start PhotoDeluxe. 2. Place the item you would like to scan (a picture, a brochure, etc.) facedown so it aligns with the arrow (∇) at the back edge of the object glass. 3. Click the Preview button on the right side of the VistaScan Beginner window. A window appears notifying you that the scanner is calibrating. 4.
11. Click the Send button. 12. Click the To the Internet tab. 13. Click the Web Page button. A new window appears allowing you to alter the image. • • • • Click the 1Trim tab to select the portion of the image you want to use. Click OK when finished. Click the 2Size tab to adjust the size of the image. Click the 3Reduce tab to convert the image to a lower resolution to make the image easier to download. Click the 4Choose tab to convert the image to either JPEG or GIF format. A Save window appears.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Using Presto! PageManager to Scan a Form and Edit it with PageType NOTE: Presto! PageType is not a Macintosh compatible application. The following procedure is for PC users only. 1. Click on the Start bar in the bottom-left corner of the screen. 2. Click Programs. 3. Select Presto! PageManager. 4. Select Presto! PageManager. 5. The Presto! PageManager window appears. 6. Choose Select Source from the File menu. A window appears, choose VistaScan.
7. Lift the document cover and place the form you want to scan facedown in the center of the object glass of the scanner. 8. Click the Preview button. 9. Click on the Text/Lineart icon in the Click to Scan area to begin the scan. 10. When the scan is complete, click Exit at the bottom of the window. The scanned image of your form appears in the PageManager Inbox window. 11. Choose Save As from the Presto! PageManager File menu. 12.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 19. Select Presto! PageType. The Presto! PageType window appears. 20. Choose Open from the File menu. Enter the name of the image you saved. The image appears in the client space. Fill in the form text desired using the PageType tools. 21. Save the image when you have finished editing the form by selecting Save As from the File menu and entering the relevant information. Creating a Calendar with PhotoDeluxe You can create your own calendar using PhotoDeluxe.
NOTE: The PhotoDeluxe CD must be loaded in the CD-ROM drive to access the calendar templates. 2. Open PhotoDeluxe (refer to Chapter 2. Your First Scan for instructions on how to start PhotoDeluxe). 3. The PhotoDeluxe window appears. 4. Click the Cards & More button. 5. Click the Calendars icon, and choose the Monthly Calendars option from the drop-down menu.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 6. Follow the onscreen instructions through step 5, then click the Add tab and choose the scanner icon. The VistaScan Beginner window opens automatically. 7. Click the Preview button to perform a low resolution scan. 8. Click on the icon that most closely matches the item you are going to scan in the Click to Scan area. 9. The Open Photos dialog box displays a thumbnail version of the image you scanned. 10.
For Macintosh Users: 1. Insert the PhotoDeluxe CD in your CD-ROM drive. NOTE: The PhotoDeluxe CD must be loaded in the CD-ROM drive to access the calendar templates. 2. Open PhotoDeluxe (refer to Chapter 2. Your First Scan for instructions on how to start PhotoDeluxe). 3. The PhotoDeluxe window appears. 4. Click the Cards & Calendars tab. 5. Click the Calendars button and follow the onscreen instructions: a. Click the 1Calendar tab. Click the Month button. Choose a month, and then click OK. b.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide NOTE: By default the image is saved as “untitled - #” in the Acquire section of the floating gallery window. You can also choose to save the image in the hard drive or on the desktop by clicking on the arrow to the right of the My Photos box at the top of this window. h. After a moment the image appears in the My Photos gallery window. Double-click the thumbnail to view a full-size, high-resolution scan of the image in the work area. i. Click the Done tab. 6.
For Macintosh Users: 1. Double-click the Hard Drive icon. 2. Double-click OmniPage LE. 3. Double-click the OmniPage LE icon. An OmniPage toolbar appears. (If this toolbar does not appear, click on the Window menu and select Show Toolbar). 4. Click Select Scanner from the Settings menu. Select UMAX Astra Series then click OK.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Converting Scanned Text with OmniPage LE 1. Position the image you want to scan facedown on the scanner’s object glass. 2. From the OmniPage LE window, click the Scanner icon and select Flatbed. Click Done. For PC Users: 1. Choose Acquire Image from the File menu. Select Flatbed from the Load Scanner dialog box. Then click Scan to scan the image. When the scan is completed, the text appears in the OmniPage window. 2.
Creating an Album with Presto! PhotoAlbum A variety of templates are included in Presto! PhotoAlbum that you can use for albums. You can also save an album you create and use it later as a template for creating another albums. This process differs for PC and Macintosh users. When a step is different for PC or Mac users, a note gives platform-specific instructions. Opening PhotoAlbum: 1. Open the Presto! PhotoAlbum program. For PC Users: a. Click on the Start bar in the bottom-left corner of the screen. b.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Creating a Photo Album 1. Click on the Create button, and then click on the Template button. 2. Choose an album template category by selecting one of the category icons in the column on the left. 3. Display the available template outlines by clicking on the template thumbnail. Browse through the template thumbnails using the scroll bar. NOTE: Clicking on the thumbnail displays a description of the layout.
4. When you have chosen a template, click OK. After a moment the template appears. 5. Click on the Command icon in the upper-left corner of the floating Photo Browser window. If this window is not displayed, click on the Photo Browser button, located on the left side of the row of three icons on the bottom of the screen. 6. Choose Select TWAIN Source from the drop-down menu. Choose VistaScan, then click the Select button. 7.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 14. Repeat this process by scanning more photos and inserting them in the blank cell photo frames until you have filled the whole album. 15. Choose the Save As command from the Album menu. Enter the file name and directory location in which you want to store the album. Click OK to save the album.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide CHAPTER 5. How to Get Help The Astra 2000 series scanners have been designed to be reliable, easy-to-install, and easy-to-use. If you encounter any problems while installing or using your scanner, please follow the solutions outlined below. • • • Consult the online manual. Read the troubleshooting section below. Contact UMAX directly. Using Online Manuals All bundled software comes with online help, which essentially is an online manual.
For Macintosh Users: If the VistaScan application is already open, you can locate the manual by clicking on the ? icon located in the upper right corner. If VistaScan is not open, follow the instructions below. 1. Double-click the Hard Drive icon on the desktop. 2. Double-click the UMAX VistaScan folder. 3. Double-click the VistaScan Help. Your Internet browser should launch the VistaScan User’s Guide. Accessing the Adobe PhotoDeluxe Online Manual For PC Users: 1.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Accessing the Presto! PageManager Online Manual For PC Users: 1. Click Start. 2. Click Programs. 3. Click Presto! PageManager Deluxe. 4. Click PageManager User’s Manual. For Macintosh Users: 1. Double-click the Hard Drive icon on the desktop. 2. Double-click the Presto! PageManager 2.31.02 folder. 3. Double-click User’s Guide.pdf. (If you receive an error, please install Adobe Acrobat reader 3.01. See “Installing Acrobat Reader” below for instructions.
3. Double-click OmniPage Ltd.pdf. (If you receive an error, please install Adobe Acrobat Reader 3.01. See “Installing Acrobat Reader” below for instructions.) Installing Acrobat Reader for Macintosh Users To read the OmniPage LE online manual you need to use Adobe Acrobat Reader. If it is not already installed on your computer, follow the installtion instructions below. 1. Place the VistaScan CD in the CD-ROM drive. 2. Double-click the UMAX VistaScan CD icon. 3.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Problem: The scanner text failed. The scanner text utility is a PC-based utility. Macintosh users will not encounter this problem. Solution: Make sure the interface cable (parallel or USB) is properly connected to the USB connector port, or to the parallel printer port (not the RS-232 port) on your computer.
4. Click the + beside the Universal Serial Bus Controllers entry. Two items display, (your chipset) PCI to USB Open Host Controller and Root Hub. If a yellow exclamation point appears, or if one or both of them are not present, please contact your computer manufacturer. If the USB section does not show up we recommend you contact your computer manufacturer to enable USB. Problem: IRQ steering is disabled. For USB to function properly, IRQ Steering must be enabled.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide If you see these items as listed above, IRQ Steering is enabled. If you do not see the information, contact your computer manufacturer. USB will not function properly without IRQ Steering. Problem: Scanner is not present in the Device Manager. The scanner must be present in the Device Manager. If there is no listing for the it, the scanner will not work. Solution: Follow the steps below to determine if the scanner is present in the Device Manager. 1.
Problem: Your system resources are low. Your system resources are the amount of free resources your system can call on at a given time. This should be at 90% or above to run a scanner. Anything under 60% will cause system freezes or link fails when you attempt to access the scanner. Solution: Follow the steps below to determine if your system resources are too low to operate the scanner. 1. Click on the “My Computer” icon using the right mouse button. A pop-up menu appears. 2.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Astra 2000U (Macintosh version) Problems and Solutions Problem: When I daisy chain the scanner with other USB capable devices, I get a scanner error. Solution: Many Macintosh computers have at least two USB ports. We recommend that you connect your scanner directly to one of these ports. Daisy-chaining the scanner, or running the scanner through a hub can cause the signal to be lost before it is communicated to your computer.
Problem: Your system goes to the Finder when you try to acquire the scanner. Solution: Plug the scanner into its own power outlet. If still does the same thing, please call UMAX Technical Support.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Re-install the software driver from the VistaScan CD-ROM. Make sure the extension is loaded and on. Problem: The following error message appeared: "Scanner not found" or "Unable to control scanner" Solution: Follow this procedure: 1. Isolate, and plug the scanner in a USB port by itself. 2. Go to the Apple System Profiler, listed under the Apple menu. 3. Go to the Devices & Volumes tab (Command + 2).
3. If you are using a Macintosh computer other than the iMac, do not run the scanner off the keyboard. The keyboard has two ports. Those ports are for right or left-handed people so they can plug the mouse in where it is better for them. 4. Download all updates for your Macintosh for USB from the Apple’s Web site http://www.apple.com Astra 2000P (Windows 98/95 OSR2) Problems and Solutions Problem: An Anti-Virus program was running while you installed the driver.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide 4. Highlight all items in the Close Programs window other than the EXPLORER and SYSTRAY and click the End Task Button. 5. Now that all of the background programs (including Anti-Virus applications) are closed, re-install VistaScan Problem: Your parallel port mode is set incorrectly. The parallel port mode can be set using SPP (Standard Parallel Port) or EPP (Enhanced Parallel Port). If your port is set to SPP, it can only support one parallel device (usually a printer).
If you are not familiar with editing your BIOS settings, contact your computer manufacturer for more information. Problem: Your printer driver is conflicting with the scanner. Some printers ship with proprietary drivers. This means is that the some printer drivers are set to capture all communication on the parallel port. This does not allow the scanner to communicate with the computer. Solution: Follow the steps below to correct the printer driver conflict: 1.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Contacting Technical Support If the above solutions have not resolved your problem, please contact your dealer or call the UMAX Technical Support department during regular business hours, Monday-Friday, at (510) 492-5827.
Maintenance With the exception of periodic cleaning or lamp replacement, the scanner is virtually maintenance-free. Please read the following section to learn how to properly maintain the scanner. Static Electricity Precautions Static electricity is a constant danger to computer systems. The charge that can build up in your body may be strong enough to damage electronic components on the scanner’s printed circuit board or the computer’s interface card.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Cleaning Regularly cleaning the object glass will ensure that dirt or smudges will not reduce the quality of your scanned images. Before you clean the glass, make sure the scanner is turned off and the power cord is unplugged. Clean the object glass and document cover; with a soft damp cloth and a mild detergent or alcohol. Warning: Do not spray the cleaning fluid directly on the object glass.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Appendix A. Technical Specifications The following table defines the technical specifications for the Astra 2000 Series Scanners.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Glossary Additive Primary Colors-Red, Green, and Blue light that produce white when mixed together. A color monitor or color scanner is an example of an additive color device. BET-A UMAX patented technology that increases the dynamic range and decreases overall noise for improved image quality. Bit Map Image -An image comprised of pixels, or binary digits, that can be bi-level (line art), continuous tone gray or continuous tone color.
Continuous Tone-An image that has enough tonal range so that the human eye can't detect obvious "jumps" or "steps" between gray or color levels. A photograph is an example of a contone image. A computerized contone image can only be represented as a bitmap image. Descreen-The process of removing a moiré. Dmin-The lightest area of an image that a device can reproduce and still have detail. A Dmin value of 0.0 would be considered perfect. Dmax (-) Dmin=Dynamic range.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Highlight-The brightest part of an image that still has detail. Setting a highlight point in an image is arguably the most important step to achieving a good scan. Histogram-A bar chart that represents the pixel count of an image. The bar chart has a scale from 0-255, which represents 2 to the 8th power or 256 levels of gray. All images, even a Polar bear in a snowstorm should have a histogram that extends from 0 (darkest area) to 255 (lightest area).
PMT (Photo Multiplier Tube)-The method of light and image capture used by drum scanners. This method is considered to be superior to CCD technology and usually has a higher Dynamic Range than CCD’s. UMAX CCD technology is moving closer and closer to PMT technology every day. Postscript-A device independent image file format. This is the file format most commonly used to output images or compound documents, pages with text and graphics, via the four-color process.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Shadow-The darkest part of an image that still has detail. Setting the shadow point is also an important aspect to achieving a good scan. Subtractive Primary Colors-Cyan (C), Magenta (M), and Yellow (Y). When these three colors are combined at values of 100% on a printing press black is produced. Transmissive Object-image that allows light to pass through. A 35mm slide or negative is a good example of a transmissive object. UMAX Technologies, Inc.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide FCC Declaration of Conformity Declares that the products: Product Name: Color Scanner Model No.: Astra 2000U Astra 2000P FCC Rules: Tested to comply with FCC Part 15, Class B Operating Environment: For home or office use: FCC Compliance Statement: This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules.
Warranty One Year Limited Warranty UMAX Technologies, Inc. (UMAX) warrants this hardware product against defects in material and workmanship for a period of ONE (1) YEAR from the original date of purchase. Should any defect(s) be discovered, the product may be returned either to the manufacturer or an authorized UMAX service center.
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide Index A accessing online manuals, 89 Acrobat reader, installation, 92 adjusting brightness, tone, color, 55 Advanced window, 40 album, creating with PhotoAlbum, 84 application, image destination, 34 archiving scanned images, 84 Astra 2000P backpanel, 12 Astra 2000U backpanel, 11 automatic image copies, 63 B basic scanning information, 29 Beginner window, 35 Beginner window, VistaScan, 35 black and white images, scanning, 42 blurring images, 49 brightness adjustment, 54 co
Frame Selection tool, 37 frame selection, removal, 54 J job list window, 54 G General Preferences tab, 29 getting to know your scanner, 11 glossary, 109 grayscale adjustment, 51 H hardware installation, 13 help, how to get, 89 help, technical support, 103 how to get help, 89 how to scan a photo to e-mail, 69 how to scan and print with VistaScan, 67 I iMac cable connection, 16 image destinations, 38 image placement, 23 image tone adjustment, 57 image type, 23 image type settings, 39 image types you can s
UMAX Astra 2000U/P Owner’s Guide PhotoAlbum, creating an album with, 84 PhotoDeluxe installation, 18 PhotoDeluxe online manual, accessing, 90 PhotoDeluxe, creating a calendar, 77 PhotoDeluxe, make Web images, 70 PhotoDeluxe, opening, 21 power adapter, connecting, 17 power indicator, 11 Power Saving utility, 27 Presto! PageManager online manual, 91 Presto! PageManager, installing, 20 Presto! PageType, installing, 20 Presto! PhotoAlbum, installing, 20 Preview button, 23 Preview scan, how to, 36 Preview tools
T testing the scanner, 22 Tips Help, 31 tone adjustment, 54 tools, VistaScan Beginner window, 37 troubleshooting, 92 turning the scanner lamp on and off, 27 U UMAX Technical Support, 103 unpacking the scanner, 9 USB cable, 15 USB connector, 9 USB Connectors, 13 USB port, 14 using custom resolution settings, 46 using custom scale settings, 50 using PageType to scan and edit forms, 75 using PhotoDeluxe to make web images, 70 using VistaAccess, 59 120 using VistaScan to scan a photo to e-mail, 69 using Vist
