Ricoh IS420 question....

Well, if you're looking at a 40+ hour work week, you're talking serious
hardware. My favorites tend to run $10,000 - $20,000 range. But they're
worth it if you've got the jobs lined up.

Since you're just starting out, I'd suggest working with a lower scanner and
just plan on wearing them out until you know if this business is going to
fly.

I think the biggest issue for most people is if they want to be in this
business. It's dull and boring. Hopefully you're not in my service area,
but our biggest problem is not getting work, it's keeping up with growth.

What may be your biggest marketing problem is that most people seem to want
to scan to save space. Doesn't fly. The scanning labor is FAR more costly
then file storage companies. You've got to have some pay-off in retrieval
to cost-justify the scanning costs. But that tends to imply that you've got
a retrieval solution to market.

We actually got into scanning by accident. We sell systems and of course
have demo units. We ended up scanning backfile as a way to support the sale
of the systems. One thing lead to another and now we're the largest
scanning center in our area. We've move from selling systems (we still do)
to being able to put them in the format needed by the customer for whatever
system they have. But unless there's some kind of retrieval system that
supports the cost-justification of the system, the scanning won't sell. At
least in my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

"DoubleEntendre" <%^ERTet message ...

Your comments are appreciated.

Let me reevaluate exactly what I need/want to do with this scanner. I will
read the group for a while & do more searching on the net concerning
document scanning & archiving.

While I'm doing this, what are your thoughts on a good entry/middle level
document scanner(used or new)?

And, only manned by one person 8 hours a day (continuous or sporadically) or
if possible another shift or 3 shifts, just to get my feet wet (while
checking out the market).

As I said, I apologize for being so vague.

DE

...

Forgot to mention. For some tasks with structured indexes, we create a
Access database with hyperlinks to the files. Works fine, but I've never
worked out a good way to span CDs with that idea.

"DoubleEntendre" <%^ERTet message ...

I could probably help if you have scanner questions.

I don't have any good ideas on the software side. I tend to be more "server
based" in my software. I think you're looking at a much lower target.
Alchemy may well be the best choice as when I looked at it it seemed to be
targeted to making CDs.

I'm not sure what you want to do with the OCR. The problem with OCR as a
final product is that it just takes too long to proof-read the results.
Better to have a "searchable image". The OCR only helps you locate the
information of interest but you actually see the scanned image. PDF can do
that. One on the well-kept secrets is so can MS Office Document Imaging
viewer that comes with OfficeXP or later. It can also OCR. It can even OCR
with command line switches making it ripe for automation.

Once a document has been made into a searchable image Window's own search
utility can find the document. It's not a great search system, but it can
find keywords in the document. And of course it can find keywords in a file
or folder name. Crude but functional.

"DoubleEntendre" <%^ERTet message ...

Thanks Russell,

I guess I should have said "I bought off EBay an IS420 for a reasonable
price".

I have the scanner, can you help me on the other questions, I wasn't too
worried about duplex, it seemed to me, 90% of office documents are one
sided.

Considering I got an IS420 in very good condition that scans very well, (I
ran everything thru itindex cards/letter/legal/tabloid/thin
invoices/32lb paper/stapled pages (just testing)/etc) without a problem). I
got it with shipping for $440.

DE

...

I haven't worked with that model, but I've worked with it's cousins. It's
"OK" but nothing exciting. I've had problems with it's ADF and thin paper
such as invoices. They are built like tanks but specs for life seem rather
low (5 years or 1,000K scans for the ADF). That's good if that's roller
changes, but if that's really "life" that's not too hot if you're trying to
build a business with it.

Hopefully what you're scanning isn't double sided because the IS420 is
simplex. I don't think it's a "bad" unit, but I think there are better
scanners. Perhaps it's strongest spec is that it can take 11x17" paper.

What do you consider a "good price"? New or used? Don't forget to factor in
the price of the controller and cable.

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