SilverFast Ai Epson Scanner-Software for Mac

What's new in this version: New Ektar 100 NegaFix profile PhotoShop CS5 & Elements 9 support HDRi format added, all iSRD scanner versions now save 64-bit files with infrared data Improved automatic iSRD mode Improved Kodachrome features Win7 & Snow Leopard support New Hot-Folder feature New camera profiles

• All versions:

  3.0 stars

  out of 2 votes

  • 5 star: 1
  • 4 star: 0
  • 3 star: 0
  • 2 star: 0
  • 1 star: 1

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• 1.0 stars

  "Does Not Work Via FireWire & Snow Leopard."

  February 14, 2011  |   By gskibum--2008

  Version: SilverFast Ai Epson Scanner-Software 6.6.0r5

  Pros

  When it works, this is powerful software with many useful features. Dust & Scratch removal is a huge time saver.

  Cons

  Completely unreliable under Snow Leopard.

  Summary

  I'm a long time user of SilverFast starting back in the OS 9 days, or even before. I don't really remember this detail accurately so let's just call it a real long time. Scanner brands I've used with SilverFast that come to mind are Linotype, Nikon, Canon, & Epson.
  
  Over the years I've instructed several users on the operation of SilverFast so I do have experience with it.
  
  However, I have to grade their tech support as simply awful. Once in the past I had to resolve an installation problem that was caused by the mis-manufacturing of the installer disk. The copyright system was improperly implemented. Correcting this problem entailed a long and tedious task of convincing tech support there wasn't anything wrong with my system and that the problem did indeed rest on them. Finally they acknowledged the problem and a fix was deployed by them.
  
  Now I'm experiencing a problem with SilverFast working with an Epson V750 on *Snow Leopard*. Here I am, once again, confronted with the long and arduous task of convincing them they have a problem with their software. They have the attitude that the product is infallible and that the cause of a problem no matter what is the creation of the end user.
  
  On this 2008 Mac Pro system I had been, and continue to, happily use SilverFast on Leopard 10.5.8 with both a Nikon LS-8000 and the Epson V750.
  
  I have several Macintosh computers and among them many more operating system installs. I have tried SilverFast with the Epson V750 via FireWire on about 6 different configurations of Mac & Snow Leopard and it simply does not work.
  
  On my scanning station Mac, when I upgraded to Snow Leopard, I did so by installing it on a new hard drive. Not once have I been able to get SilverFast to work with this Snow Leopard install and the Epson V750 via FireWire, although it does continue to work with the Nikon LS-8000.
  
  When booted into Snow Leopard Epson's scanner software and Image Capture will operate with the scanner without any problems. But SilverFast will not see the V750 via FireWire.
  
  I have installed yet another new hard drive and installed a new Snow Leopard, and installed only Silverfast. Nothing else. It did not work. So I wiped the drive and installed Silverfast, but this time after installing the Epson drivers. No joy. Silverfast will not see the Epson V750 scanner via FireWire. If I install the Nikon plug-in for Silverfast it will operate normally.
  
  I submitted via their web site support forums a detailed accounting of the nature of the problem and troubleshooting steps I have tried. Only to discover that their support forums are moderated to the point that any topic that will reveal to the public any problem with the software will not be posted. Yes. You are reading this correctly. Only posts that do not reveal to the public problems with the software are posted. They will not permit a post that may in any way cast a poor light on the product.
  
  I received the following e-mail response to my attempt at my posting on their support forums:
  
  "Dear customer
  
  thank you for your interest in LaserSoft Imaging's SilverFast software solutions.
  
  Our forum is not intended for individual tech support, this would make the forum hard to read for users searching for certain information.
  Also personal/restricted information like your serial-number may be necessary which should not be posted in a open forum.
  Therefor a ticket has been opened to answer your support request most swiftly."
  
  What a complete joke.
  
  This is an obvious lie. It is so bad of a lie that the truth is exactly the opposite. You see, every single day I search one forum or another for solutions to technical problems. Every single one of them does allow a post like the one I attempted to post with Silverfast. Those posts being present on user forums are a gold mine. A complete wealth of information awaiting a keyword search by anyone seeking a solution to a technical problem with a product.
  
  Let's just say for the sake of argument that LaserSoft isn't concealing information on their user forums that cast the product in a bad light. Then this simply means that LaserSoft has such low regard for their customers that they believe we are too inept to do a keyword search of the forums.
  
  Frankly, it could be both. They don't want information that may cast a bad light on the product to be made public, and they have low regard for the competence of their customers.
  
  I had not kept a copy of my detailed accounting because I had submitted it via the web form. So now that is lost. Yippee.
  
  I did recreate a shorter accounting of the problem and sent it off, referencing the newly created support ticket. Yet the language in this reply was obviously a canned response that has likely been sent to thousands of other customers. And it was obvious that the person I had been working with had not read either of my accountings of the problem.
  
  They disgust me to no end.

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• 5.0 stars

  "perfect scans"

  November 27, 2008  |   By FetaMorgana

  Version: SilverFast Ai Epson Scanner-Software 6.6.0r3

  Pros

  I recommend to try out the free demo version !
  But invest some time to learn the basics. Ther's a lot of docu and help online.
  After that you can achieve near perfect scans.
  I'm still considering the upgrade to the IT8 version for predictable colors.

  Cons

  The GUI takes a little getting used to.

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