Epson scanner with OSX1.5.2 doesn't work

[Luis Ortega]

I am trying to install my epson perfection 2450 scanner on my Mac Pro with OSX 1.5.2 but it won't work.
I was able to install the driver a couple of times but I couldn't get the scanner to show up in the import options in Photoshop as it does in Windows. It worked from its own scan window OK.
I tried to uninstall it and reinstall it a few times to see if it worked but now it doesn't even want to load the basic scan interface.
Also, the Smart panel app that is supposed to enable scanning from within programs like Photoshop or Word doesn't seem to exist.
The drivers at Epson UK are from 2004 and those on the US website are from 2006. The documentation says that it should work in OSX.
Can anyone please advise on what I need to do or if this scanner is able to scan in OSX 1.5.2?
It's a good scanner and I can't afford to go out and buy another one just to for OSX.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[Big Bad D]

I have the same problem with an Epson GT7000 scanner which cannot be recognised in OS 10.5.2. I have found no solution in OS X and am frustrated to have to find an alternative solution, but I can happily recommend VueScan (www.hamrick.com) as a cheap but good utility to get life out of a perfectly functional older scanner. The VueScan list of compatible scanners includes your Epson Perfection 2450. Hope this helps.

 

[Luis Ortega]

Thanks, I will check it out. Do you know if it allows for scanning from within Photoshop or Word?

 

[Big Bad D]

So far as I have found, VueScan does not integrate into other applications such as Word or Photoshop to allow scans to be directly imported. The normal workflow I use is to scan and save the files and then import the saved file, I don't find this to be a limitation.

 

[Luis Ortega]

Well, I got the driver to load again and it will scan into its own scan window and save in the pictures folder, so if the Vue Scan doesn't add functionality in Photoshop and Word I might as well stick with the Epson driver.
Maybe they will update the smart panel app soon and allow functionality from within other programs. It's not as convenient as working within Photoshop but I can deal with it.

Can you suggest any good OCR that I can use to import text documents into Word for Mac?
I have sent off for my nearly free upgrade to Office 2008 for Mac (I have Office 2003 but its not Mac Intel based so I am holding off installing it) so I plan to use that as my main word processor.
I used Textbridge Pro with Windows but I have no Mac OCR software.
Does OSX 1.5.2 or Office 2008 have any built-in OCR capability?
Thanks for your help.