SilverFast 8 - Mac OS X - drivers

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

A SilverFast license for a NON-HighEnd (Heidelberg) Scanner is always valid for both operating systems.

Make sure you enter your SF8 serial and not a previous 6.6 serial.

Check that your name is entered exactly the way you entered it when you purchased.

In case of a CD version maje sure the CD-Rom drive is bound to the VM.
It must be attached as a ATAPI device.
A drive simulation will not work.
This depends on the VM you are using.

If you continue to have issues I will forward your next request to our support system so I can request your serial to check it.

kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn.

[twitch]

The scanner's speed is a pure hardware function.
Make sure it can deliver it's data without hinderance.
Connect it directly to your computer.
Do not use an USB hub, extension cord or a slow USB 1.1 port.

That kind of reply is so frustrating.

The scanner speed IS NOT a pure hardware function. I have Silverfast v6 installed alongside v8 and v8 has the "slow scan problem" whereas v6 does not. I installed v8 in preparation for Lion but the scan speed is just hopelessly slow to the point of being unusable, v6 meanwhile is fine. This is not a hardware issue, it is a problem with Sf v8 and honestly the fact that this is not acknowledged is disappointing to say the least.

[Andy614]

I have posted a reply under the dark slides, because the slow scan produces dark images

I sent my scanner back Plustek for repair, it came back with the same problem as I had sent it, after speaking to them they said that they only test the scanner with windows and with windows there is no problem.

unfortunatly I have no windows machine only MAC, but find it difficult to believe that the OS can dictate the scanning speed in a sporadic fashion?

I do all my scans at 3600 dpi and every 6th or 7th work, you can hear almost immediately if is going to work or not, loud is good, quiet is slow and dark, unfortunately sometime the scan slows down during the infra red scan, so you have to start again. (7200dpi does not work - 15 mins and dark)

it would be great if Laserrsoft would get into positive dialogue with Plustek

or do you recommend me changing to windows?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Plustek is currently looking into this matter.

kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn.

[Rich104]

My Mac had this problem as soon as SilverFast 8 came out (version 6 worked fine).
At that time LaserSoft said they were not aware of any others with the same problem.
I've not had any solution to the problem.
10 months on I now see there are lots of post under different topics with this problem.
I'm glad to see Arne Ketelhohn saying Plustek is looking into this matter.

I have found that as soon as you start the scan, if the sound is slow and deep, the scan takes ages and comes out very dark with a green tint.
I cancel the scan, use the back button and try again, sometimes it takes four or five times before that first sound is a quick higher pitch buzz, which then produces a quick scan and good results.
Its a pain, but workable solution.
Hope this works for anyone else.

[moviemaniac]

Yes, this "workaround" also works for me, but it's a pain in the you-know-where. Plustek has been looking into this for MONTHS now, they don't even reply to individual inquiries about the matter. I'm currently saving up for a (used) Coolscan V or 5000, I've had it with Plustek and their non-existent support.

[Manne]

My Mac had this problem as soon as SilverFast 8 came out (version 6 worked fine).
At that time LaserSoft said they were not aware of any others with the same problem.
I've not had any solution to the problem.
10 months on I now see there are lots of post under different topics with this problem.
I'm glad to see Arne Ketelhohn saying Plustek is looking into this matter.

I have found that as soon as you start the scan, if the sound is slow and deep, the scan takes ages and comes out very dark with a green tint.
I cancel the scan, use the back button and try again, sometimes it takes four or five times before that first sound is a quick higher pitch buzz, which then produces a quick scan and good results.
Its a pain, but workable solution.
Hope this works for anyone else.

Yes, the same for me but this is NOT a workable solution. It's ridiculous to call this a professional software and work with it this way.
Very nice of Plustek and Silverfast to look into this matter...thank you, thank you! If this continues I'm returning the scanner together with software never to look back.

[Andy614]

Yes, this "workaround" also works for me, but it's a pain in the you-know-where. Plustek has been looking into this for MONTHS now, they don't even reply to individual inquiries about the matter. I'm currently saving up for a (used) Coolscan V or 5000, I've had it with Plustek and their non-existent support.

I understand were you are coming from the workaround works but cannot be acceptable
- if you are too quick with starting the new scan after stopping the previous slow scan the software hangs and you have to force close !!!

I returned my machine to Plustek with CD and letter describing everything except a sound file to explain the different noise levels, they sent it back after changing the scan unit, but this did not change the problem.
Plustek do answer my emails just like Laser-soft, now they asked me the speed of "slow quiet dark" and "normal loud" - the images are parts of the scan due to file size

quiet slow and dark

3600DPI quiet_dark_slow_1989 copy.jpg (229.43 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

slow quiet dark
Slow/dark 4min 15sec daylight, Infrared 20sec, 15 sec traveltime (in this case infrared was quick) plus 35 sec. Processing

load and fast

3600DPI loud_quick_1989 copy.jpg (234.12 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

loud and normal speed
20sec daylight scan 20sec, Infrared 20sec, 15 sec traveltime = 55sec complete scan time plus 35 sec. Processing

settings

settings for scan in both cases

3600DPI dark_slow_settings_1989.png (166.3 KiB) Viewed 4308 times

we are not making much progress are we? I could try and sell the machine to a Windows users? is it really just an OS MAC problem?

IMPORTANT with Version: 8.0.1r13 I had a mega- slow scan I stopped after 4 mins approx 10% daylight scan !!! (never happened with previous updates!)

[matsfager]

I just want to add to all here that the only 100% reliable workaround here is to install windows in a virtual machine (I use vmware and xp), or just use a a windows compter and do your scanning there, this works well with both silverfast v8 and v6.

This is clearly a driver issue with the new Mac osx driver, and it it's saddening that plustek/silverfast has not been able to sort this out yet. It's been almost a year now...

[moviemaniac]

2 months after writing to Plustek I got a reply last week whilst on vacation. They supposedly have found and fixed the problem and have provided me with a new framework which - according to them - will also be shipped with the next update of Silverfast. I haven't gotten around to testing it yet as I bought a Reflecta Proscan 7200 as a replacement which is 3-4 times faster than the Plustek with higher Dmax and a very similar optical resolution (when scanning with 3600 dpi, no need to go to 7200 as it is the case with the Plustek to get the maximum optical resolution). I'll see if I can get to testing it this weekend and I'll report back.

[moviemaniac]

Kurzes Update von meiner Seite: Es sieht so aus, als ob das neue Framework, welches Plustek mir geschickt hat, tatsächlich funktionieren würde, gerade 10 Testbilder problemlos gescannt. Ich hoffe, das SF-Update mit dem neuen Framework kommt bald für alle anderen

[picree]

Kurzes Update von meiner Seite: Es sieht so aus, als ob das neue Framework, welches Plustek mir geschickt hat, tatsächlich funktionieren würde, gerade 10 Testbilder problemlos gescannt. Ich hoffe, das SF-Update mit dem neuen Framework kommt bald für alle anderen

Good, good, good! Can Plustek confirm if this is in version 8.0.1 R14?

[LSI_Ketelhohn]

Not in the r14 as we are still testing the driver to make sure it causes no other issues.
But it should make it into the next update if we do not find anything which needs to be changed.

kind regards,
Arne Ketelhohn

[matsfager]

Well, that is certainly very good news.


Edit:spelling

[Andy614]

not in the r15 either !!!
I've just downloaded it and was getting very excited when the first scan worked perfectly!
but the second not! 3rd and 4th also not

please tell us when the new Framework is coming!!