Which SCSI card for my MP 3,1 to run an old film scanner

[pullman]

Hello

I am going to run an old film scanner (Minolta Dimage Scan Multi II) on my Mac Pro 3,1 and would need an SCSI card. I would appreciate suggestions on which card to buy as I know virtually nothing about SCSI.

Thank you very much in advance
Philip

 

[chrfr]

Hello

I am going to run an old film scanner (Minolta Dimage Scan Multi II) on my Mac Pro 3,1 and would need an SCSI card. I would appreciate suggestions on which card to buy as I know virtually nothing about SCSI.

Thank you very much in advance
Philip

Unfortunately, SCSI is very obsolete for scanners now, so you are probably best off looking for a new scanner. There used to be firewire to SCSI adapters but they're all discontinued so driver support for them is likely to be a problem even if you can find a used adapter.
If you can find a used card like the ATTO PCIe UL5D, it should work, if you have software that will run the scanner. ATTO has not made SCSI cards in several years so it's not possible to buy a new card, and the used UL5Ds that you find are very expensive. Note that the older UL3 and UL4 cards won't fit in a Mac Pro.
Likely the least expensive option, but more complex, would be to buy an old Power Mac G4 or G5 and then buy an inexpensive PCI SCSI card to use in that. Then you have the issues that come with trying to keep an old computer running, which may be more hassle than you want.

 

[pullman]

Thanks for the quick reply. Ok I will see if I can find such an older card for reasonable money.

Unfortunately, SCSI is very obsolete for scanners now, so you are probably best off looking for a new scanner. There used to be firewire to SCSI adapters but they're all discontinued so driver support for them is likely to be a problem even if you can find a used adapter.
If you can find a used card like the ATTO PCIe UL5D, it should work, if you have software that will run the scanner. ATTO has not made SCSI cards in several years so it's not possible to buy a new card, and the used UL5Ds that you find are very expensive. Note that the older UL3 and UL4 cards won't fit in a Mac Pro.
Likely the least expensive option, but more complex, would be to buy an old Power Mac G4 or G5 and then buy an inexpensive PCI SCSI card to use in that. Then you have the issues that come with trying to keep an old computer running, which may be more hassle than you want.

 

[chrfr]

Thanks for the quick reply. Ok I will see if I can find such an older card for reasonable money.

I found a sale on eBay but the card is $399. A new scanner is a far better idea than trying to use a scanner that dates to 1999.

 

[Machines]

I helped a client about a year and a half ago , with this exact concern ( SCSI Card + Mac Pro + Scanner ) . I'll need to look in a bunch of archived emails to find the solution, or to contact the client again . This is a really rare situation , but there is a solution .

 

[Silencio]

Ratoc made a SCSI to Firewire adapter:

http://www.ratocsystems.com/english/products/FR1SX.html

I have no idea whatsoever if it will work with current versions of OS X. It doesn't require a driver to function, but there is a configuration utility available. I still have mine, but haven't had a need to hook it up in quite some time.

 

[Machines]

I am unable to contact my client , as eBay won't let me write him after 90 days . You might try grabbing a UL5D from ATTO . Wait until an auction occurs on eBay as the only one listed now is a BIT and outrageously priced .

Some advice on installation is found here :

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/6647918?start=0&tstart=0

 

[bunnspecial]

Thanks to Vuescan, support for the scanner is likely not a problem as long as you can get it interfaced.

I've been running into the same issue with another scanner I have that I need to scan a specific format of film. I just do all my scanning on a G4. Also, I find SCSI support past 10.4 to be very "iffy." The computer I'm using now has a factory BTO SCSI card and officially supports 10.5, but the SCSI card is not recognized in 10.5.

Even a G5 can be touchy when it comes to SCSI support.

 

[chrfr]

Even a G5 can be touchy when it comes to SCSI support.

ATTO cards have long been rock solid, but I can't see that paying so much to use such an old scanner is a worthwhile venture. Scanners have dramatically improved since the 1990s.

 

[bunnspecial]

ATTO cards have long been rock solid, but I can't see that paying so much to use such an old scanner is a worthwhile venture. Scanners have dramatically improved since the 1990s.

You won't get an argument from me that scanning technology has come a long way, but the scanner referenced is a dedicated film scanner that can scan medium format film.

These do NOT come cheaply in any way, shape or form. The most modern one I know of is the Nikon Coolscan 9000, which hasn't been made in several years, and brings an easy four figures on Ebay. I have a Coolscan V, which is the consumer 35mm scanner of the same generation as the 9000. It's an absolutely fantastic scanner, but even those bring $500 all day.

Sometimes legacy equipment DOES make sense, and this is one case where I can see an argument for it. We're not talking about a $200 flatbed here.

I scan medium format on a flatbed, but it's lacking in a LOT of areas. A true film scanner-even a dated one-is superior.

BTW, I have a functional SCSI card in my dual 2.7 G5. It's an Adaptec card and works perfectly for internal stuff, but trying to find a cable for the external ports has been like looking for a needle in a haystack. My Quad would be ideal, but since it's PCIe it falls under the same dilemma as a Mac Pro regarding cards. G4s have a much wider selection of compatible SCSI cards.