LaserSoft Imaging

We're using SilverFast SE (V 6.4.3r6b) with a UMAX PowerLook III connected to a Mac G4 running OS X (10.3.9). Scanner is connected by SCSI card.

Although the image quality is fine, we are hearing quite a lot of mechanical sounds coming from the scanner itself. Occasionally (not always) when the scanner is pre-scanning, it starts off with some "grinding" noises. It sounds kind of like plastic gears grinding.

The noise started when we moved to SilverFast. Previously, scanner was operated through Photoshop (4.0). When we moved to OS X, we needed a scanner driver to run natively in X, and SilverFast does a great job... but this noise really does not sound like it's good for the scanner mechanics.

Has anyone else experienced this?

We have tried deleting the app and re-installing. This does not help.

Any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

Do you hear the noise when scanning at lower resolutions?

No... Doesn't seem to be occuring at lower resolutions.

I just did some test scans at 36 dpi, 72 dpi, and 150 dpi -- there was no unusual noise.

I'm trying to duplicate the problem, but it comes and goes kind of randomly. But, I can say the noise seems to happen most often only on the first scan of the day. (...?) On subsequent scans, there is no unusual grinding noise. (...at least, that's how it's working today...)

See if it happens consistently at the highest scan resolution. If it does then it could be a problem with the transport mechanism in the scanner. I notice louder than normal noise from my scanner on those occasions when I inadvertently set the scan resolution beyond the optical resolution.

Good call, RAG.

...Would you consider 300 dpi to be unusually high?

I just scanned a transparency (usually we're doing reflective pieces), and once the scan had been completed -- as the lamp began moving back into it's "rest" position -- the scanner let out loud noise that sounded exactly like a blender or food processor and almost as loud.

Based on the sound, you'd think the machine was eating itself from within or that some tiny creature with a belt sander was in there turning the plastic gears into a fine powder... but incredibly the scanner seems to be working just fine. ...I just need to wear ear plugs whenever I scan.

Has anyone experienced this? Does anyone have a theory on what is causing this horrible noise? ...The noise was never a problem when we ran the scanner through Photoshop 4.0 in OS 8.x

Yes, am experiencing the same horrible noise... don't know why. Doesn't do it when scanning in Sys 9.