Scanning Timex Books
3 messages · 2008-02-29 → 2008-03-05 · Yahoo Group era · View archive on archive.org
Participants: Adam Trionfo, Robert "Exile In Paradise" Murphey, zxbruno
Preserved from the Timex/Sinclair 2068 Yahoo Group (2001–2019), which is no longer online. Text reproduced from the archive.org archive; email addresses masked.
Messages
1. Scanning Timex Books
Adam Trionfo · Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:01
Now that I've got a few Timex/Sinclair books I am thinking about scanning a few of the more useful ones. I've scanned a few books before, but I am wondering if anyone has a more efficient method for doing this. This is what I usually do:
1) Take the book to Kinkos and have them cut off them binding (this costs $5 a book). I don't think that this works for hardcovers.
2) Scan the book at 300dpi in B&W.
3) Bring the book back to Kinkos and have them spiral-bind it for about $4.
This method does work extremely well. The scans come out fantastic when you don't have to worry about the book laying flat on the scanner. This method is inconvenient for at least two reasons.
1) I am ruining the book because the binding is gone. A side effect of this is that the book is easier to read but harder to find on the shelf when I'm looking for it.
2) I pay about ten bucks to have a book that I already have, but in a condition that is poorer than when I started.
Is there anyway to avoid this?
Adam
_________________________________________________________________
Shed those extra pounds with MSN and The Biggest Loser!
http://biggestloser.msn.com/
2. Re: [ts2068] Scanning Timex Books
Robert "Exile In Paradise" Murphey · Fri, 29 Feb 2008 22:34
On Fri, 2008-02-29 at 16:01 -0800, Adam Trionfo wrote:
> This method does work extremely well. The scans come out fantastic
> when you don't have to worry about the book laying flat on the
> scanner. This method is inconvenient for at least two reasons.
There are book scanners that are vertical, and you
slip the book over a standing glass, so that its
still almost closed. The scanner scans both pages
from the center, with the book folded over it.
I don't know any chain that has those scanners
commonly laying about, but if you felt a bit of
Yankee ingenuity coming on, a couple of small
pieces of glass in a 90 degree or less, a mirror,
and strong light and a digital camera with gobs
of megapixels could probably be rigged.
I have made photocopies of softcover book pages,
which can wear the spine pretty hard unless you
are careful and take your time, but leaves the
original book intact. Then put the photocopies
on the flatbed, scan and OCR that as you please,
and keep the photocopy as a working copy while
you put the original back in storage.
--
Robert "Exile In Paradise" Murphey
"They are both businesses - if you have given them enough
money, I'm sure they'll do whatever the hell you ask:->"
-- David Welton
3. Re: Scanning Timex Books
zxbruno · Wed, 05 Mar 2008 05:02
--- In [email], Adam Trionfo <ballyalley@...> wrote:
>
>
> Now that I've got a few Timex/Sinclair books I am thinking about
scanning a few of the more useful ones. I've scanned a few books
before, but I am wondering if anyone has a more efficient method for
doing this. This is what I usually do:
>
> 1) Take the book to Kinkos and have them cut off them binding (this
costs $5 a book). I don't think that this works for hardcovers.
>
> 2) Scan the book at 300dpi in B&W.
>
> 3) Bring the book back to Kinkos and have them spiral-bind it for
about $4.
>
> This method does work extremely well. The scans come out fantastic
when you don't have to worry about the book laying flat on the
scanner. This method is inconvenient for at least two reasons.
>
> 1) I am ruining the book because the binding is gone. A side effect
of this is that the book is easier to read but harder to find on the
shelf when I'm looking for it.
>
> 2) I pay about ten bucks to have a book that I already have, but in
a condition that is poorer than when I started.
>
> Is there anyway to avoid this?
>
> Adam
> _________________________________________________________________
> Shed those extra pounds with MSN and The Biggest Loser!
> http://biggestloser.msn.com/
>
The first problem is that you're taking it to Kinkos. (j/k). If you
took it to Staples you would pay a lot less. Ask to speak to a
manager, of if you're in CA, look for me in the new Irvine store. :)
I've scanned one book and newsletter and plan to scan many, many more.
The newsletter was uploaded to this group, and the book 'Make and
program your own robots for the ZX Spectrum' was uploaded to
www.worldofspectrum.org just a few minutes ago. I think the projects
on that book could be adapted for the TS2068. I now have the same book
you bought about interfacing projects for the TS2068, and plan to scan
this one and upload it to both the Yahoo group and w.o.s.'s ftp.
Although I pay less, it takes a long time to get it done. This is how
I do it:
1-Take the book to Staples for scanning, or do it myself at home,
depending on how many pages :P . I never asked to remove the binding.
I'm sure it gives better results, but I don't want to 'damage' the
books. I would like to scan everything at 300dpi, but I usually do it
to 200 or 150.
2-Edit each .jpg in Photoshop. This is where I adjust the resolution ,
crop if necessary, remove imperfections, adjust brightness, etc. This
is what takes most of the time.
3-Convert all .jpgs into a single .pdf.
4-Optimize .pdf without sacrificing quality.
4-Upload .pdf and .jpgs
I appreciate and share your enthusiasm regarding the Timex Sinclair.
This is the kind of enthusiasm that can be found among ZX81 users in
Germany and ZX Spectrum users in Europe, but it's rarely found amoung
TS2068 users. Keep it up.