[PARPORT] ScanPort scanner, OnSpec SCSI, and microtek(2) - have I a hope?


Christopher Wiggins (wiggins@cns.mpg.de)
Thu, 20 Jan 2000 13:07:44 +0100


Dear All,

I am trying to get my (very cheap) ScanPort scanner (SQ300) to work
under Linux. This appears to actually have microtek electronics (as
determined by looking up the FCC ID) and uses an OnSpec chip to do the
parallel-SCSI conversion. I added the ppSCSI patch to my kernel (2.2.13)
and this seems to connect OK, i.e. /proc/scsi shows the device, etc.
I then didnt know whether to use the microtek or microtek2 driver,
but the microtek2 seemed only to be hanging because the model number
that was returned by the scanner didnt correspond to a known model
(I think the number was 0x94, suitably fitting into a gap in the set of
known models). I hacked the microtek2 source a bit, and got so far as
trying to scan. It seems to initialise the scanner but then get stuck.
Any tips appreciated! In particular, I have a few questions:

1) Has anyone tried this with this scanner? I know I am using alpha
drivers etc for the OnSpec chip, etc. so the problem could lie in one of
many places.

2) There are two microtek drivers, but I could not tell from the
documentation which one I should use. Does the fact that I have got as
far as I have mean I am using the right one? Or how can I tell which one
I should be using/hacking?

3) I am no great hacker, but can fiddle a bit. As far as I can tell, the
microtek2 driver gets various information about the scanner from the
scanner itself (flatbed, sheetfeed, etc.). But what seems to come
through is certainly not correct - the driver says I have a start button
when the scanner does not have one. Even in the microtek2 source code it
mentions one model that 'lies' about its capabilities-how do I tell
which parameters should be changed?

4) I also noticed some parameters to do with the CCD (distance from bed,
I think). But this scanner is a CIS scanner. Does this make any
difference at all for the driver?

5) Any tips as to how to slowly work out the real capabilities (color,
greyscale, etc.) would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Chris Wiggins

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