v750 size/bit depth restrictions?

[Tyler Boley]

a friend is getting alerts she can't scan 4x5 at 2400ppi in 16 bit. Oddly she's been able to do it before, and in my presence. She can go up to about 2320ppi, after that it won't go. She's restarted, has plenty of ram and hard drive space, we've gone over all the prefs, just can't figure it out.
Anyone have any clues?
Thanks,
Tyler

[Leigh]

Hi Tyler,

I scan 4x5 B&W at 6400 dpi 16-bit grayscale on my V750 in Professional Mode.

It takes a while, and the files are laaaaaarge, but that's OK.

- Leigh

[Tyler Boley]

the time and size are not problem, the scanner just won't let it happen-
"selected area is too large for this resolution. Reduce the resolution and scale setting, or decrease the size of the selected area"

[Leigh]

"selected area is too large for this resolution. Reduce the resolution and scale setting, or decrease the size of the selected area"
That's a memory problem. The program can't allocate a sufficiently large buffer.

I don't know why not.

- Leigh

[Tony Evans]

I think on the V700/750 there is some interaction between the scan type and file format. I remember a warning somewhere in the manual.

[Leigh]

Yes, different file formats take different amounts of memory. TIFFs are the largest.

- Leigh

[Tyler Boley]

there's been no problem in the past, same settings, same computer, etc...

[Jeremy Moore]

there's been no problem in the past, same settings, same computer, etc...

Have you added any more files to the computer? If you were hitting page file usage and you no longer have the free hard drive space for the large page file then you can hit these memory bottlenecks.

[venchka]

Another thing to check. Is the size of the scan window equal to the size of the output file?
Example: Input is ~4"x5"
Output: 8"x10"
You want the two to be equal.
Followup to Jeremy's suggestion: Increase the size of the page file.

[Kirk Gittings]

What software is she using?

[Tyler Boley]

all these years of doing graphics on Macs... never heard of this page thing.
Huge capability in terms of unused space, RAM, and CPU available.
Input = output, scaling is 100%.
She uses the Epson software, and when it works it's the Epson software too.

thanks all.
T

[Leigh]

Memory management is one of the most complex tasks that an operating system performs.

As programs start and stop, requesting various amounts of memory for various tasks, then relinquishing some of those buffers in a random pattern, the available memory gets divided up and looks like a piece of Swiss cheese.

From a memory usage standpoint your computer does NOT look like it did yesterday or last week or the last time the scanner worked.

Have you tried shutting the machine down and re-booting?

Yes, I know, Macs supposedly don't need that. Horse pucky.

- Leigh

[Tyler Boley]

...
Have you tried shutting the machine down and re-booting?
...
- Leigh

yup, several times

Thanks guys I appreciate the attention and suggestions, I think we'll just find a workaround. We're trying to make art, not troubleshoot buggy sh#t.
Getting on with it <G>.
T

[rdenney]

Things to consider:

What else the computer may be running at the same time (whether you know what it is or not). I've been nailed on a couple of occasions by background updating processes.

Whether some OS process is hammering memory or processing resources. I believe it is the Activity Monitor in MacOS that can show you all the currently running processes and the memory and CPU resources they are consuming.

Whether your hard disk is so fragmented that the ostensible empty space is spread over too many small spaces. Try defragmenting your hard disk. MacOS claims their caching scheme reduces the likelihood of this problem, but they do acknowledge that a disk that is brought to close to full from time to time or that is used for very large files might have a problem. The this (http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1375?viewlocale=en_US) on Apple's support site.

The intermittent nature of the problem brings these issues to my mind.

Problems in these areas are not bugs, but computer maintenance issues.

Rick "who also just wants thing to work" Denney

[Francisco Disilvestro]

Hello,

I have done some tests, and I get that message only when selecting reflective in the document type. In that case the message indicates a limit of 10,500 x 30,000 pixels, which at 2400 dpi translates to 4.375" x 12.5". Here, rotating the original will do.

With film, either on the glass or using the film holder, no problem using 5x4 or 4x5

The issue with reflective originals seems to be related to the software, since I tried it too with Silverfast AI and it will scan a 5x4 at 2400 (not sure who would do that anyway)

I would suggest to check if the document is set to the correct type.

Francisco

[SURF]

a friend is getting alerts she can't scan 4x5 at 2400ppi in 16 bit. Oddly she's been able to do it before, and in my presence. She can go up to about 2320ppi, after that it won't go. She's restarted, has plenty of ram and hard drive space, we've gone over all the prefs, just can't figure it out.
Anyone have any clues?
Thanks,
Tyler

Some thoughts. First: what is important is the output size in pixels. What output size is the limit for your friend's scan now? I can scan 300 dpi output and mention 1050% scale in the sofware and it scans the same as 3150 dpi at 100% scale.

Second: Francisco just mentioned the 30 000 pixels limit. It is also the limit for older versions of Photoshop. May be you have to check/uncheck the mark somewhere in the software about compatability with older versions.

PS. My scanners are different. They are not Epsons.

Regards
Al

[Joe O'Hara]

Another thing to check. Is the size of the scan window equal to the size of the output file?
Example: Input is ~4"x5"
Output: 8"x10"
You want the two to be equal.
Followup to Jeremy's suggestion: Increase the size of the page file.

I changed the output size to be equal to the input size, and I was finally able to get past the "Scan area is too large" error when scanning 4x5 color film at 2400 dpi. (I never had the problem with 16-bit B/W.)

My V750 driver presents an odd-seeming original and output size which seems to be related to how it sees the film holder, i.e., it is not presented as ~4x5. But I made them equal and now it works.

I didn't have to reboot the Mac or change any page sizes.

Many thanks for this useful hint!!