Frequently Asked Questions for Macintosh NOTE: This section contains questions and answers pertaining to ALL of Mustek's scanners. If you need help with a particular error message or on a specific model, please see the Help by Scanner Model section. What kinds of cables and adapters can I use with my scanner? Why does my Macintosh lock up when I turn on the scanner? Where should I position the scanner on my SCSI chain and will I need a terminator? What SCSI ID number should I set my scanner to? What are plug-ins and ISIS drivers? Does my scanner use TWAIN with a Macintosh? Do I need to enable Virtual Memory for my scanner? Can I use RAM Doubler with my scanner? Can I make images for PCs or the internet using the Color It! program? Where are the scanner manuals? Is my scanner Year 2000 Compliant?
What kinds of cables and adapters can I use with my scanner? It is best to use the supplied 25-pin to 25-pin cable that comes with the scanner. SCSI devices are very dependant on strong, clear signals, and the original cables are designed to those specifications. The Mustek cables are identified by the number 20276 printed on them. While it is not recommended to use cables longer than 10', if you find that you need a longer cable, contact Precision Cable at (503) 222-4323. Precision Cable offers a variety of cables to individual order and are familiar with the Mustek line of scanners. Adapters and Docking Ports When adding your scanner to a SCSI chain, you may need to use an adapter to change the configuration of the pins on your cable. It is best to consult your local Macintosh retailer for reliable SCSI adapters in a variety of configurations. If you have trouble using an adapter with your scanner cable, try using the cable without the adapter (perhaps as the first item on the chain), to verify that the scanner is working. Most Macintosh Power Book computers do not have the 25-pin SCSI connector that the desktop models have. A scanner can only be attached to these models by way of a docking port adapter, which enables the Power Book to be connected to a SCSI device. We have seen that some docking port adapters may have compatibility issues with some scanners.
Why does my Macintosh lock up when I turn on the scanner? Turn on the scanner before starting the Macintosh. It is recommended that SCSI devices, such as scanners, be powered up before your Macintosh is turned on. Some models will lock up if SCSI devices are activated while the computer is running. It is safe to turn the scanner off while the computer is running though.
Where should I position the scanner on my SCSI chain and will I need a terminator? When attaching your scanner to a SCSI chain of devices, it is always recommended to place the scanner in the first or last position in the chain. In the first position, your scanner will connect directly to the SCSI port on the rear of the Macintosh, and other devices will then be connected to the open SCSI port on the rear of the scanner. If the scanner is in the last position, it is recommended to attach a SCSI terminator to the open SCSI port. If the scanner is the only SCSI device, it should not require a terminator. Terminators are available from Mustek by contacting our Customer Service Department. Terminators can also be purchased from your local Macintosh retailer. Mustek recommends a passive terminator in the appropriate size for your scanner: 50-pin Centronics connector for the legal size (8.5" X 14") flatbeds, or 50-pin High Density SCSI II connector for the letter size (8.5" X 11") flatbeds and A3 Pro (11" X 17") flatbeds.
What SCSI ID number should I set my scanner to? A typical Macintosh can handle several SCSI devices on its built-in SCSI bus. Each SCSI device attached to the computer and several internal devices have SCSI ID numbers. In order to be properly identified by the computer, each device will have its own number, and it cannot match any other device or they will conflict. Two devices sharing the same SCSI ID number will cause lock-ups, bad data or simply not respond at all. Mustek scanners come preset to SCSI ID # 6, and in most cases this will not need to be changed. If the scanner is being put into a chain, you must check the ID numbers of all the other devices to make sure there will be no conflicts. If the number needs to be changed, you can use 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6 as long as no other device is using them. Numbers 8 and 9 on the dial are for testing only while 0, 3, and 7 are generally used by the Macintosh's hard disk, CD-ROM and logic board, respectively.
What are plug-ins and ISIS drivers? Mustek scanners use two types of drivers for Macintosh: Plug-ins and ISIS. Plug-ins are modules that can interface with a wide variety of different applications by "plugging-in" to that program. Plug-ins are most commonly used with image editing programs, such as Color It! and PhotoShop, and consist of a plug-in module that is placed within the host application. Once plugged-in, the scanner driver is then available as a selection on an Import or Acquire menu. The appearance of plug-ins can vary depending on your system settings. They can look like a simple document to a clearly labeled object. ISIS drivers are commonly associated with OCR (optical character recognition) software such as TextBridge or OmniPage. An ISIS driver is found as an item in the Chooser that can be selected and linked to a specific program. Most programs will specify whether they use ISIS or Plug-ins to interface with your scanner. They usually appear as a stylized Mustek "M" logo or a small scanner.
Does my scanner use TWAIN with a Macintosh? Many programs that work with scanners can use a variety of driver interfaces. PhotoShop, Color It! and others can use plug-ins or TWAIN. TWAIN is an interface widely used by many imaging devices, including scanners, and Mustek scanners use TWAIN exclusively on Windows compatible PCs. For Macintosh, Mustek scanners use only plug-in or ISIS drivers. This gives them compatibility with a wide variety of Macintosh software applications.
Do I need to enable Virtual Memory for my scanner? Images created with a scanner can require a lot of memory due to the size of the photo, the resolution (dpi) and other factors. Virtual Memory is helpful for creating large image files by reserving a section of the Macintosh hard disk for temporary files. This is often more advantageous than just having a lot of RAM, which is going to be used for running programs, not creating files. Typically, 20 to 30 MB of Virtual Memory is all that needs to be set aside for most scans. You can set aside as much as you wish, but it is best not to use all of the remaining hard disk as this will cause system lock-ups. For information on enabling Virtual Memory, consult the Macintosh FAQ Document.
Can I use RAM Doubler with my scanner? The RAM Doubler program, which uses a system like Virtual Memory to augment the Macintosh's RAM memory, is not compatible with your scanner drivers. If you are running RAM Doubler and find your system locks-up while scanning, it is recommended to disable RAM Doubler and enable Virtual Memory.
Can I make images for PCs or the internet using the Color It! program? The Color It! Macintosh image editing software provided with your Mustek scanner allows you to create and save images in several popular Macintosh formats. One of these, the TIF format, can be used to create images for either platform: Mac or PC. For detailed instructions on how to create these files, click here. Unfortunately, the version of Color It! that is bundled with most scanners does not give you the ability to save images in the JPEG or GIF formats commonly used for e-mail and web sites. If you find that your scanning needs demand these file formats, here are several suggestions: Contact MicroFrontier: MicroFrontier, the makers of Color It!, offers upgrades to later versions of Color It! which do include the GIF and JPEG options as well other new features. These upgrades are specially priced for customers who received an earlier version of Color It! with their scanner. Obtain Third Party Software: The plug-in drivers for your Mustek scanner are compatible with a number of other popular image editing programs that may give you the ability to create JPEG and GIF files. Programs like Adobe PhotoShop can be purchased at your local software retailer while shareware programs such as Lemke Software's Graphics Converter can be downloaded from the internet and then registered by sending in a fee. For information on configuring your scanner with Third Party software, click here.
Where are the scanner manuals? Most of the scanners (600 II SP, 800 II SP, 800 SP, 1200 SP) had all of their manuals on the Scanner Solutions CD included in the package. When you install Scanner Solutions, it installs PDF versions of the manuals into the folders where the applications are listed. When you click the icon for one of the manuals, the Adobe Acrobat Reader will start and load the manual file. You can then print the manual or read it online. A few scanners (1200 III SP, 1200 SP Pro, 1200 A3 Pro) include manuals on the CD, as well as a small guide to the plug-in interface.
Is my scanner Year 2000 Compliant? By their nature, Mustek scanners are Y2K Compliant without any modification. | 
