Help Epson 1650 scanner

[Greg Dejanovic]

I don't know how many people go to HybridPhoto.com but I'll try to post same question over here.
I have Epson scanner "Perfection 1650" I have been using for several years. I do not scan film often but I have used for 35 mm and 6X6. I also bought a separate cover for scanning 4X5 negatives. I tried to use it few days ago to scan 4X5 negs.Window said it could not find film even though the lid plug was in properly the lid light would come on it would go trough whole proces of scanning. Than I unplugged the scanner ,plugged it back in again and was able to scan two negatives , the little preview window is 4X5 but the image inside looked square?. Now repeatedly it cannot see film regardless what I do.
Any of you have experience with this scanner or know what I am doing wrong and have suggestions?

Thanks in advance Greg

[Marko]

Greg,

Let's begin with which OS are you using it under. I have a feeling it may be the driver issue.

I have the same scanner and it works just fine using Epson's own scanning utility. As for the image looking square, you should be able to see a dotted or dashed outline of the scanning area which you can adjust by pulling at the edges of it.

[Greg Dejanovic]

Hi Marko ,I am using Winows XP, and the set up page recognizes 4X5 scan. I am using Epson own utility.

Greg

[Marko]

OK, next, when you say "it cannot see film", what exactly do you mean by that? It can't see the film adapter or it can't see anything on the preview scan?

I assume you checked the hardware connection and that everything fits firmly...

[Greg Dejanovic]

OK, next, when you say "it cannot see film", what exactly do you mean by that? It can't see the film adapter or it can't see anything on the preview scan?

I assume you checked the hardware connection and that everything fits firmly...

Hi Marko
It does not recognize the film is sitting on the scanner glass. It pre-scanns and tell's me to make sure film is in position and try again.It said " cannot find film check film is on the scanner and try again". I made sure all connections are correct and working.I also downloaded latest Epson driver to no avail.

Greg

[Marko]

Greg, I'll try to replicate the problem later today or early tomorrow. I've never seen something like that, though. I am on the Mac, FWIW.

[Greg Dejanovic]

Thanks Marko I do appreciate it.


Greg

[Marko]

Well, try as I may, I could not reproduce the error. Mine simply shows the blank screen if I try to preview with no film.

The only thing that comes to mind besides the driver would be the faulty cable or even the transparency unit, but that's just a wild guess.

[Greg Dejanovic]

Thanks Marko
How do I explain the two negatives that were scanned? I set up TPU for "Monochrome neg film" Type as B/W photo 16 bit and destination Epson Stylus printer. The program does recognize it is 4X5 unit. The switch on the lid I tried with it on or off both times the scanner comes on and the light comes on in either position. The LED is green when scanner is working. Unless it is a software conflict.

Greg

[Marko]

Greg, that's why I think it *might* be the cable - the unit is working, but intermittently.

If it were the software, it would likely either work or not. Same thing with the unit itself. But cables often have a way of developing partial breaks in only one of the wires inside that display symptoms of varying strength, depending on the angle at which the cable might be bent or even temperature.

The best way to eliminate - or confirm! - a software conflict would be to test the entire scanner/adapter on a different computer. If you get the same symptoms, then the next test would be to try the same transparency unit on a different scanner and/or a different unit on the same scanner.