VueScan: highly recommended

Note I have no connection to these guys beyond being a very happy customers.

I just wrote a post about this on my blog, but honestly the app works so well that I want to shout from the rooftops. Scanning directly to my iPad is one of the few remaining things I've had to rely on my iMac to accomplish.

No more.

I happily paid for VueScan, and my household iMac is one step closer to being retired so I can use my iPad alone.

I only need to scan a few times a year, but when I need to, I need to. There may be other apps which do this, and perhaps do it well, but VueScan just works. Highly recommended.

BubbaJones said:

I can't speak for the iPad app, but I have an old copy (several major point releases ago) of the VueScan software for my PC. It worked extreamly well, producing better colors then the native scanner software.

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Yup I didn't realize until I'd found the app that the company started life making desktop software (and still does). I may take a look at it as I hate the HP software, and Image Capture 'works' though doesn't wow me.

That said, my hope is that I really don't do any more scanning directly on the Mac itself

Mac.World said:

To the OP: Thank you so much for pointing this app out to me. I downloaded the free version to make sure it would work with my HP all in one and as soon as I opened the app, it found my HP. Scanned a document flawlessly.

No more need for a computer in this regard. So sweet!

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Pretty cool right? Sort of funny to get so excited about something that Apple should have provided out of the box...but I am very happy about it nonetheless!

jekyl said:

. I had to keep a Windows PC just to use this scanner.

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Wow that's devotion!

jekyl said:

Like I said, I really like that scanner. This is the second time I've had a scanner become "orphaned", the first was an Epson SCSI scanner. Also a really nice scanner. For the Epson I blame reality, who knew SCSI port devices would obsolete like that? Just because the cables were as thick as a garden hose and the plugs were the size of Matchbox trucks? But there is no reason for the Scanjet, that is just HP refusing to update the drivers. Does every single Scanjet printer REALLY have its own unique driver? I doubt it.

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Yup I hear you. Wondering - what is it about the scanner that is especially satisfying? Btw I'm not a big fan of my HP 7780. When scanning - but not printing - there is a thin black line that runs the length of each page. And that's whether printing from the flatbed or feeder. No amount of cleaning seems able to remedy this. Everything looks fine. Repair shops want more $ to fix it than it'd cost to get a new one. HP won't help as it's out of warranty (they offered to sell me a new model at a discount that's still more expensive than buying from Amazon. Ugh.)

jekyl said:

You know, for the most part a scanner is a scanner. But the Scanet 4670 stands vertically, kind of like a picture frame would on a table. So for one thing it takes up less room and for another I keep a photo in it so it just looks like a picture on my desk. It looks like this. Anyway, apparently the demo of Vuescan does work with my Win7 desktop machine just fine. I'm going to check it with my Macbook Pro running Lion later and if that works I plan on buying it.

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Wow that's pretty interesting. Have to admit I've never seen that form factor before. I wish I'd had that kind of thing when I was a city dweller. Space savings = good!

Hope VueScan works for you.