Epson scanner returns blank scans

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John E.

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:25 am

Guest

Epson Perfection 1670 used to work fine. Now when I scan a document (any
document) I get a white page. The scanner responds to all commands from the
software (it will preview and scan when tasked), and I've tried all different
settings. I've tried different software, too (the Epson Twain software, and
VueScan). No joy.

The FAQ at the Epson page for this scanner says that the scanner "may not
work properly" if a USB cable other than an Epson cable is used. What cable
should I use? I've been using one that I usually use for my Canon inkjet
printer. The scanner has one of the square 4-pin USB connectors, and the
cable is the flat 4-pin to square 4-pin ones.

Power supply "brick" is providing correct voltage.

Ideas?

Thanks,
--
John English

Arfa Daily

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:16 am

Guest

"John E." <incognito@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C1F4211A00056D81F01826C8@news.readfreenews.net...

Quote:

Epson Perfection 1670 used to work fine. Now when I scan a document (any
document) I get a white page. The scanner responds to all commands from
the
software (it will preview and scan when tasked), and I've tried all
different
settings. I've tried different software, too (the Epson Twain software,
and
VueScan). No joy.

The FAQ at the Epson page for this scanner says that the scanner "may not
work properly" if a USB cable other than an Epson cable is used. What
cable
should I use? I've been using one that I usually use for my Canon inkjet
printer. The scanner has one of the square 4-pin USB connectors, and the
cable is the flat 4-pin to square 4-pin ones.

Power supply "brick" is providing correct voltage.

Ideas?

Thanks,
--
John English

Is the scanner lamp lighting ?

Arfa

Meat Plow

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:11 am

Guest

On Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:25:46 -0800, John E. Has Frothed:

Quote:

So does it provide a correct preview of the document scanned?

--
Pierre Salinger Memorial Hook, Line & Sinker, June 2004

COOSN-266-06-25794

Johan W. Elzenga

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 10:18 am

Guest

Arfa Daily <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

Quote:

Is the scanner lamp lighting ?

If is wasn't, wouldn't you expect a *black* image rather than a white
one? Besides, the OP says he does see a preview, and you can't make a
preview if your lamp doesn't work.

--
Johan W. Elzenga johan<<at>>johanfoto.nl
Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.com

3T39

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:00 am

Guest

Hello, John!
You wrote on Sun, 11 Feb 2007 01:25:46 -0800:

If you can see a preview then the scanner is probably OK, the main issue
will be software related. You are probably inadvertantly scanning a very
small part of the document. You need to read the manual and discover how to
change the area scanned.

With best regards, 3T39. E-mail: rubbishrat@hotmail.com

3T39

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:11 am

Guest

Hello, 3T39!
You wrote to John E. on Sun, 11 Feb 2007 15:00:28 -0000:

T> If you can see a preview then the scanner is probably OK, the main
T> issue will be software related. You are probably inadvertantly scanning
T> a very small part of the document. You need to read the manual and
T> discover how to change the area scanned.

Thinking about this again, If you can't actually SEE a preview picture even
though the scanner goes through the motions then the hardware may indeed be
at fault. However if you DO see the preview image then it probably is
software as I previously said. The usb connector is NOT an issue since there
only two data lines and these must be OK if the hardware functions correctly
..

With best regards, 3T39. E-mail: rubbishrat@hotmail.com

Mike Rosenberg

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:20 am

Guest

3T39 <rubbishrat@hotmail.com> wrote:

Quote:

If you can see a preview then the scanner is probably OK, the main issue
will be software related.

Well, except that he has the same problem when with both the Epson
software and VueScan.

I'd try scanning from another user account (creating a new account just
for this purpose) and, if that fails, even trying it on another
computer. And if _that_ fails, it's time to replace the scanner.

--
<http://designsbymike.biz/macconsultshop.shtml> Mac-themed T-shirts
<http://designsbymike.biz/musings.shtml> Mostly muckraking T-shirts
<http://designsbymike.biz/prius.shtml> Prius shirts & bumper stickers
<http://cafepress.com/comedancing> Ballroom dance-themed shirts & gift

Eeyore

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:32 am

Guest

"John E." wrote:

Quote:

What operating system ?

Time to reinstall the device driver ? XP often has one already available btw.

Graham

D. Kirkpatrick

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:29 pm

Guest

In article <0001HW.C1F4211A00056D81F01826C8@news.readfreenews.net>,
John E. <incognito@yahoo.com> wrote:

Quote:

The FAQ at the Epson page for this scanner says that the scanner "may not
work properly" if a USB cable other than an Epson cable is used. What cable
should I use? I've been using one that I usually use for my Canon inkjet
printer. The scanner has one of the square 4-pin USB connectors, and the
cable is the flat 4-pin to square 4-pin ones.

Use the Epson cable.

It may have an inline device attached as do some iPod or camera
devices.

Arfa Daily

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 3:27 pm

Guest

"Johan W. Elzenga" <nomail@please.invalid> wrote in message
news:1htdmf2.a3lvyw1f3vxiuN%nomail@please.invalid...

Quote:

Arfa Daily <arfa.daily@ntlworld.com> wrote:

Is the scanner lamp lighting ?

If is wasn't, wouldn't you expect a *black* image rather than a white
one? Besides, the OP says he does see a preview, and you can't make a
preview if your lamp doesn't work.

Editor / Photographer http://www.johanfoto.com

No, he doesn't say that he *sees* a preview, he says that it carries one
out - and also "scans" when tasked to do so. From this, I infer that he
means that he hears it responding in the normal way in both cases, as the
lamp carriage traverses the document bed. I am pretty sure that one I had
some long time ago, just produced a blank scan when the lamp driver circuit
failed, rather than a black image.

Arfa

Jimmy

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 5:31 pm

Guest

Quote:

Use the Epson cable.

It may have an inline device attached as do some iPod or camera
devices.

Shouldn't make a difference if it is a standard USB cable, but if a Epson
branded one is available he should use it. John E., don't connect into a
USB hub, go directly into the back of the computer.

John E.

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 7:49 pm

Guest

A bit of confusion. Sorry for miscommunicating at first...

No representation of the document appears on the screen -- only a blank,
white window.

Bulb does light, and carriage moves the length of the scan bed when I click
Preview or Scan. But no image appears.

OS X 10.3.9, and the drivers page on Epson site says the ones I downloaded
and installed support this OS.

I'll try another computer, and then... we'll see.

I was just asking the USENET world to see if there was a common, simple
solution (whap it upside the head...) or such.

Thanks,
--
John English

Arfa Daily

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 8:24 pm

Guest

"John E." <incognito@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:0001HW.C1F4EBA70034E68BF01826C8@news.readfreenews.net...

Quote:

A bit of confusion. Sorry for miscommunicating at first...

No representation of the document appears on the screen -- only a blank,
white window.

Bulb does light, and carriage moves the length of the scan bed when I
click
Preview or Scan. But no image appears.

OS X 10.3.9, and the drivers page on Epson site says the ones I downloaded
and installed support this OS.

I'll try another computer, and then... we'll see.

I was just asking the USENET world to see if there was a common, simple
solution (whap it upside the head...) or such.

Thanks,
--
John English

Just for amusement, you might be interested to know that I just ditched my
Epson all in one. I had one a couple of years back that had endless problems
with the print heads clogging up. I like to leave my printer on all the
time, so that when I need to print, I just click, and it's ready to roll -
none of this waiting ten minutes whilst the thing determines if it's still
alive, still connected, still has a driver installed, still has ink in it,
still has paper in it and so on. Unfortunately, the Epsons don't go to sleep
and park the heads, so if you don't print for 2 days, the stupid things dry
out. Eventually, I got so angry with it that I went down to the store ready
to buy a new HP, as these had always served me well in the past. I came away
with another Epson that was such a good deal, and I figured that they had
probably got it right on this newer all singing and dancing model. How wrong
can you be ... I've put up with it clogging it's heads, using about a gallon
of ink from ALL it's cartridges to perform a clean and many other foibles,
for about 15 months, before drop-kicking it into next week, and this time,
buying an HP as I should have done the first time. This product is superior
in every possible way.

I have absolutely no faith at all in Epson products, or their technical
support people, whom I would describe as space cadets at best, and my best
recommendation, if your problem is not easily resolved, is to just go out
and buy another from a different manufacturer.

Arfa

John E.

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 9:09 pm

Guest

Quote:

Just for amusement, you might be interested to know that I just ditched my
Epson all in one. ...

Arfa

I, too, had an Epson (850? 950?) with similar symptoms. Cleaned the heads
right until they leaked (printed some red when you only wanted yellow) --
ironically the opposite of the original problem (clogging).

After that I bought the cheapest Canon I could find (iP3000 for $50US) and
have been really happy with it. The non-US model of the Canon printers will
print CDs/DVDs but due to patent arrangement only Epsons will do that here.
But there is a hack to allow these US models to print now. Was that ever good
news...

Am prepared for the worst, and will probably go buy a Canon LED scanner if it
comes to it.

Thanks for your story.
--
John English

Maris V. Lidaka Sr.

Posted: Sun Feb 11, 2007 11:23 pm

Guest

Or try any other USB cable you have to see if that does the trick - if so,
just buy a new cable.

Maris

D. Kirkpatrick wrote:

Quote:

In article <0001HW.C1F4211A00056D81F01826C8@news.readfreenews.net>,
John E. <incognito@yahoo.com> wrote:

The FAQ at the Epson page for this scanner says that the scanner
"may not work properly" if a USB cable other than an Epson cable is
used. What cable should I use? I've been using one that I usually
use for my Canon inkjet printer. The scanner has one of the square
4-pin USB connectors, and the cable is the flat 4-pin to square
4-pin ones.

Use the Epson cable.

It may have an inline device attached as do some iPod or camera
devices.

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