| A Scanner is machine which recognizes optical | | | | keyboard and monitor as it is only a couple of inches |
| characters. It has a computer processor, a scan head | | | | deep. Lastly the Slide Scanner can only scan slides, |
| and an output device. The scan head is used to read | | | | though there are some new models in the market that |
| images which in turn is translated by the computer and | | | | can handle negative strips also. |
| produced in a usable form. For example, a scanner is | | | | There are scanners which are capable of reading |
| used to read invoices that have been returned with | | | | preprinted specific fonts in alphanumeric characters, |
| the payment checks by a direct-mail marketer. The | | | | hand-printed letters or symbols or barcodes. Encoders |
| code on the invoice is picked up by the scanner that | | | | are payment scanners. Document scanners are used |
| indicates how much was owed and which customer is | | | | to enter responses to direct-mail promotions that can |
| paying. | | | | read at speeds of 18,000 documents per hour. In order |
| It is a multipurpose tool that is used in the office. It | | | | to read bar-coded information such as stock number |
| reads the images as thousands of individual pixels or | | | | and price, Wand scanners are used. As barcodes are |
| dots. The scanner does all this with the help of | | | | used prices can be altered without doing any alteration |
| scanning software. The file which has the images then | | | | with the price tags. This can be done merely by |
| can be used to enlarge, reduce or store databases. It | | | | changing the instructions in the computer which |
| can also be transferred into an excel worksheet or a | | | | interprets the barcodes. |
| word document. | | | | Almost all the scanners can be connected by SCSI, |
| Scanners like digital cameras help the user convert | | | | USB, or ports that are parallel. The only difference |
| slides and three-dimensional objects into files that can | | | | amongst them is the speed at which they work. |
| be posted on the internet, pasted into a brochure or | | | | Common parallel ports are a little slower than the SCSI |
| inserted into a presentation. These images can be | | | | and USB ports. An automatic document feeder is of |
| manipulated to fit in accordance to the space and size | | | | great importance for large data entry projects. All |
| required. | | | | scanners come along with scanning software of |
| A scanner can automatically convert information to | | | | different types. |
| digital files using optical character recognition software, | | | | The package usually has a color calibration software, |
| so instead of giving money to someone to manually | | | | driver program, and applications like image-editing |
| enter reams of data into the computer, we can use | | | | programs or OCR. Cross checking the version of the |
| the scanner. A scanner can also help to create | | | | software is also very important as sometimes we are |
| electronic filing cabinets for expense reports to invoice. | | | | forced to upgrade the software in order to use it to its |
| There are three main types of scanners which are | | | | utmost capacity. If it has the right software a scanner |
| used in the office. They are Flatbed Scanner which is | | | | can also be used as a fax machine or a Xerox |
| particularly useful when required to scan more than | | | | machine. |
| one page of a document. Instead of copying each | | | | Buying a scanner does not hurt the pocket much, still |
| page individually pages from a book can easily be | | | | people are going in for other equipments to keep in the |
| scanned. Sheet fed Scanner is very much like a fax | | | | office. A scanner can do much more than just scan a |
| machine. It can easily be adjusted between the | | | | photograph, but is not being used to its full capability. |