Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 15:21:03 +0700 From: Roger Merritt <mcrogerm@stjohn.ac.th> To: freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: best OCR scanner?? Message-ID: <5.2.0.9.0.20050902151101.00b7bec0@127.0.0.1> In-Reply-To: <20050902030726.GA71012@thought.org>
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At 08:07 PM 9/1/2005 -0700, Gary Kline wrote: > People, > > I want to scan ~400 pp of an out-of-print and out-of-copyright > book (from 1913) and need to know what the best scanner is > and if there has been substantial improvement in OCR > software in recent years. This book has few footnotes > or different typefaces, so it should make things easier. > > Oh, an if there is something that plugs into DOS/DOZE > and just works, super. I'lll use my W2K box. (Hopefully, > something that plugs into COM0 or COM1. USB okay too.) > > thanks for any clues; I've never used a scanner before! > --yea, no kidding:-) I happen to have some recent experience on a Windoze machine that may be useful. Of the several programs that Google found for me the one that met my needs best was Textbridge. The others put every paragraph into a separate text box, made correcting layout and formatting a nightmare. Textbridge (at least the current version) seems to do a good job as long as the print is reasonable clear. All the OCR programs I tried had problems putting pictures in the right place. I don't know what's available for FreeBSD, since I use my boxen for gateways, not even connected to printers. I should warn you, though, scanning isn't quick -- figure about two minutes per page (YMMV) plus any formatting fixup you have to do afterward. There are industrial-strength applications out there, but they cost. Can't offer advice about hardware -- I've got an Epson flatbed, pretty inexpensive but works good. -- Roger
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