Chapter : 10

Types of Scanner and

Installing a Scanner

10.0 Introduction
10.1 Types of Scanner
10.2 Specialized Scanners
10.3 Handheld Scanners and Scanning Apps
10.4 Installing a Scanner
10.5 Simulation
10.6 Summary
10.7 Questions For Self Study

10.0 Introduction
In this chapter, you will learn about :
Different types of scanners
Connecting a scanner
Installing scanner driver

10.1 Types of Scanner

There are several types of scanners available in the market.
When selecting a scanner, you need to consider the scanning
needs and select an appropriate type.

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 The main types of scanners are :
Standard scanners Specialized scanners Handheld scanners
Scanning apps Standard
Scanners Standard scanners
include :
Flatbed Scanners Sheet-fed
scanners

10.1.1 Flatbed Scanners

In a flatbed scanner, the documents or pages are placed on
the screen for scanning.
These scanners may be standalone or Integrated with a
printer, copier, or fax machine.
The flatbed scanners available today include entry-level, mid-
level, and high end-level scanners. The cost of the scanners
varies depending on the scan quality as well as other features
provided.

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10.1.2 Sheet-fed Scanners
A sheet-fed scanner is smaller and more portable than a
flatbed scanner.

In this type of scanner, you need to feed the document to be

scanned through the scanner through an automatic document
feeder (ADF).
This scanner cannot be used to scan books or materials that
are not thin or flexible enough to pass through the scanner.
Now-a-days most sheet-fed scanners are quite fast and
loaded with features for capturing and processing data.
Sheet-fed scanners are more expensive compared to flatbed
scanners, depending on speed and features.
The sheet-fed scanner is specifically designed for scanning
loose sheets of paper such as office documents.

10.2 Specialized Scanners

For special scanning needs, several types of specialized
scanners are available. Some of the specialized scanners
include

1. Business card scanners :

These are small scanners
that allow you to quickly scan
business cards.

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 2. Photo scanners :
Photo scanners provide high
quality scans of photographs.

3. Transparency Scanners :

Transparency scanners
are used to scan slides and
transparencies. These
scanners are quite expensive
and are typically used when a
lot of transparencies need to
be scanned.
4. Drum Scanners :
Drum scanners are high-speed
scanners for professional use that
provides very high quality scans.
These types of scanners are used
mainly for capturing a picture and
producing at a very high-resolution
rate.

10.3 Handheld Scanners and Scanning Apps

Handheld scanners and scanning apps are some of the
cheaper options for scanning documents.
These scanners do not produce very high-quality scans and
are more suitable for personal use than professional use.

Handheld Scanners :
Handheld scanners are small, bar-shaped scanners that are
passed over documents to scan them. Some of the handheld
scanners have inbuilt memory in which the scanned images can
be stored and downloaded to a computer later.

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Scanning Apps
Today there are several apps available that enable you to

scan documents using the camera of a smartphone.

The quality of these scanned images depends to a large
extent on the quality of the camera in the smartphone.

Examples :
Google Drive
Cam Scanner
Genius Scan
Scannable by Evernote
Fine Scanner

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 10.4 Installing a Scanner
Scanner User Manuals

Every user manual shipped with the scanner. When installing

a scanner, it is advisable to refer to the user manual for the
prerequisites and the correct procedure.
The manual will guide
you through the different
steps that need to be
followed, such as:

Checking system requirements

Installing the scanner driver
Connecting the scanner to the system
Configuring system settings
Troubleshooting tips

Sources of Scanner Driver

To install a scanner, the appropriate drivers need to be
installed on the system to work.

The different sources for a scanner driver include :

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Built-in drivers/Plug and Play
If the device is a plug and play, the drivers are inbuilt in the
operating system.
On connecting the scanner, the operating system
automatically detects the device and installs the necessary
drivers.

Scanner software CD
Most scanners come with a
CD containing the necessary
drivers. When installing the
scanner, you can use this CD to
install the drivers.

Internet
You can also download the scanner drivers from the internet.
You can search for the drivers of the model and make of scanner
that you want to install.
On finding a website that provides the drivers, you need to
download the drivers that are appropriate for the model and
make of your scanner and the operating system installed on your
computer.

Connecting the Scanner

To connect your scanner:
Plug in your scanner’s power source. In most cases, the
scanner comes with a dedicated power cable that connects to a
standard power outlet, but some small, hand-held scanners may
use batteries or a USB cable for power.
Connect the scanner to your computer using the USB cable.
Windows immediately begins discovering the device upon
connection and start installing the basic drivers available through
the USB connector.
In most cases, this gives you immediate access to the

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 scanner’s basic functions, unless they’re restricted to the
bundled scanning software.

Adding a Scanner to a Network

If you and your co-workers are engaged together on project

that involves the use of a scanner, it can be a waste of both time
and energy to swap computers or physically transport your
scanner between workstations. If your company has a network-
capable scanner, try adding it to your local area or Wi-Fi network
so that you can scan documents and images to multiple
computers at once.
To install a scanner on a network, click Start and then click
Control Panel. Double-click Network and Sharing Center and
then click View network computers and devices. Right-click the
scanner and select Install. Follow the instructions.

10.5 Simulation
Installing Scanners
1. To download the driver for your scanner, search for the driver
online.

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2. In the search results, click the link to the website that offers
the drivers for the scanner.

3. In the web page that opens, ensure that the drivers for the
scanner you want to install are listed.

4. Ensure that the correct language is selected under Driver

language and the appropriate operating system is selected
under Operating systems in English.

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 5. Scroll to the section where the drivers for the scanner are
listed and click Download against Full Feature Software and
Driver to install.
Note : If you want to download only the driver then select the
Basic feature driver.

6. You can see the progress of the file being downloaded.

7. After the file is downloaded, open the folder that contains the
downloaded file.

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8. To begin installing the driver, double-click the downloaded file.

9. A message box appears asking for permission to allow the

app to make changes to your device. Click Yes.

10. The installation begins with the extraction of the required files.
Wait for the installation to progress.

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 11. The installation wizard for the scanner drivers opens. To
install the scanner software and driver, click Install software.

12. The installation process begins. You can see the progress of
the installation in the wizard. To complete the installation, you
only need to follow the instructions in the wizard.

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13. The wizard provides some basic information about
permissions required during the installation. Click Next.

14. In the Review Installation Options screen of the wizard, select

I have reviewed and accept the installation agreements and
settings and click Next.

15. In the Ready to Install screen of the wizard, click Next.

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 16. The installation process continues.

17.The Connect your scanner message box appears

informing you that you can connect your scanner. Connect
the scanner to the PC and then click OK in this message box.

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18. The installation process continues.

19. The software installation is complete. Click Finish in the

installation wizard.

20. The wizard allows you to register the product, which will
enable quicker service and provide more efficient support and
product support alerts. If you would rather register later, click
Cancel.

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 21. The wizard informs you that the installation is complete. To
close the wizard, click Exit.

10.6 Summary
The main types of scanners are : Standard scanners,
Specialized scanners & Handheld scanners, Scanning apps
Standard Scanners.
Standard scanners include : Flatbed Scanners Sheet-fed
scanners, In a flatbed scanner, the documents or pages are
placed on the screen for scanning. These scanners may be
standalone or Integrated with a printer, copier, or fax machine.
A sheet-fed scanner is smaller and more portable than a
flatbed scanner. In this type of scanner, you need to feed the
document to be scanned through the scanner through an
automatic document feeder (ADF). This scanner cannot be used
to scan books or materials that are not thin or flexible enough to

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pass through the scanner.
Business card scanners : These are small scanners that
allow you to quickiyscan business cards. Photo scanners: Photo
scanners provide high quality scans of photographs.
Transparency Scanners : Transparency scanners are
used to scan slides and transparencies. These scanners are
quite expensive and are typically used when a lot of
transparencies need to be scanned.
Drum Scanners : Drum scanners are high-speed
scanners for professional use that provides very high quality
scans. These types of scanners are used mainly for capturing a
picture and producing at a very high-resolution rate.
Handheld scanners are small, bar-shaped scanners that
are passed over documents to scan them.
Some of the handheld scanners have inbuilt memory in
which the scanned images can be stored and downloaded to a
computer later.

10.7 Questions For Selfstudy

1. Which of the following is the cheapest scanning option for
personal use?
A. Flatbed scanner
B. Sheet-fed scanner
C. Scanning apps
D. Drum scanner
2. Which of the following are examples of scanning apps?
A. Google Drive
B. Cam Scanner
C. Airbrush
D. Pixlr
E. Genius Scan

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 3. The different sources for a scanner driver include:
A. Built-in drivers/Plug and Play
B. Scanner software CD
C. Internet
D. All the above
4. How can we scan documents and images to multiple
computers at once?
A. By adding a network scanner to LAN or Wi-Fi
B. By swapping computers
C. By physically transporting scanner between workstations
D. By adding more scanners

Answers
1. C. Scanning apps
2. A. Google Drive, B. Cam Scanner, E. Genius Scan
3. D. All the above
4. A. By adding a network scanner to LAN or Wi-Fi

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