Manage updates with the Download AppCNET Editors' review
You've got a scanner, but to scan images into your PC, you need software like VueScan from Hamrick Software. VueScan is compatible with most flatbed and film scanners, and their software, which means you can use it without making any changes to your PC or existing scanner software. VueScan's processing features can restore faded colors and perform other professional-type adjustments, but it's also easy to use. VueScan is free to try, though the trial version places a watermark on saved images. The free trial might also support fewer devices, though the list of supported devices is so long that we can't imagine what could be left off. VueScan supports Windows versions 2000 to 8.
VueScan automatically detected our USB flatbed scanner when it opened. It also displayed an optional tool tip, and the message box on the Input tab asked what we wanted to do, following up its question with specific examples and actions. These frequent on-screen explanations and other data showed VueScan's emphasis on ease of use and support. VueScan resembles many scanner utilities we've tried, with a main window showing Preview and Scan tabs and a left-hand navigation and control panel tabbed for Input, Crop, Filter, Color, Output, and Prefs. We had but one scanner, but VueScan lets you choose between multiple scanners and compatible image data sources, when available. The Scanner menu's Calibrate control automatically optimized VueScan's preview display, but the software offers many options for tweaking and fine-tuning images, color balance, and other parameters.
We loaded an image and pressed "Preview." VueScan's preview looked good, so we pressed "Scan," though we could also press "Guide Me" for more information or "Abort" to cancel the scan. A pop-up notified us about the output watermark; we pressed "OK." Our finished and saved scan opened inside Windows Photo Viewer with the watermark liberally applied, but otherwise a close reproduction of the original. Since you need a scanner to use VueScan, it's likely your scanner came with similar software. The full version of VueScan costs almost $40, so we'll stick with the utility that came with our scanner, but VueScan is a worthy alternative.
Editors' note: This is a review of the trial version of VueScan 9.2.19.
Publisher's Description
From Hamrick Software:
VueScan is a scanning program that works with most high-quality flatbed and film scanners to produce scans that have color fidelity and color balance. Its very easy to use, and also has advanced features for restoring faded colors, batch scanning and other features used by professional photographers.
VueScan changes nothing on your system, installs nothing in your operating system and all other scanner software will continue to function. You can purchase VueScan at any time and instantly get a serial number that disables image watermarking.
What's new in this version: Version 9.2.21 has added support for 52 Brother scanners.
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All versions:
4.1 starsout of 66 votes
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Current version:
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My rating:
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"Very good product"
Version: VueScan 9.1.12
Pros
Use it regularly to scan documents and convery to Word or pdf files. 95% OCR recognition rate is very good.
Cons
Need to be careful to set up right.
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"Buyer Beware"
Version: VueScan 9.0.95
Pros
VueScan does work, but we had some real problems.
Cons
Bought a new computer with Windows 7 Professional to run older programs on the virtual machine with XP mode. I have HP Scanjet 5370C scanner which wouldn't work. Read about VueScan, tried the trial version, it worked, and it seemed to be a good solution until I tried to use the XP mode. Nothing would come up. We tried many solutions,including uninstalling VueScan and XP mode. Once XP mode was uninstalled we couldn't reinstall it. It wouldn't complete the set up. The solution we found was:
First uninstalled VueScan. I disconnected the scanner.
Next uninstalled XP mode, then Windows Virtual Machine,not that easy. It isn't where the programs are located like XP mode is, Go to control panel, to uninstall programs, to view installed updates to find the virtual machine.
Once these are ALL uninstalled, go through the reinstall process from the Windows site to reinstall Xp mode and the virtual machine.Summary
Once this was ALL done the XP mode would finish the setup process and our computer was finally back to normal, but without VueScan.Otherwise, not only doesn't XP mode complete its setup, but the computer will not shut down because, I guess, it keeps trying to complete the setup. It was a real headache.I would suggest that if you have XP mode and still want to give VueScan a try, and who knows it might work OK for you, that you try the trial version and be sure that the XP mode still works before paying for it. The guy who runs it WILL NOT give a refund, and never answered any of our E-Mails. Someone else wrote worst customer service, as far as I could tell there is no customer service. The attitude is, I think, that VueScan works and if it wipes out a large part of your computer function, that tough, it's not his problem.
It's really too bad. I liked the way it worked, but I can buy a new scanner, but I can't replace the XP mode on my computer, which I needed a lot more than my scanner. -
"buyer beware"
Version: VueScan 9.0.93
Pros
The app works as advertised
Cons
Purchasing the one year upgrade version produced an invalid license on the one year mark.
Customer service stinks -- actually ridiculed me when I asked for the version back that I purchased.Summary
The app itself might be good but if you only buy the version that allows a one year upgrade, on the one year mark, the app doesn't accept your license any more. I contacted support and just got ridiculed -- very unprofessional and unacceptable. All I want is the version I purchased. I had no idea I was purchasing a one year only license - thought I could use my purchased version forever. Wake up folks your customer support can and will kill a good product.
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"Simple solution for a 32bit scanner."
Version: VueScan 9.0.90
Pros
Easy to use. Cheaper than replacing my fully functional Epson because of lack of 64 bit Epson drivers
Cons
Can't use the buttons on the scanner. Need to pay attention to the "Save" configuration - it uses the last setting so will over-write the previous scan if you don't make a filename change.
Summary
A simple, practical solution to keeping my scanner when I moved to a 64 bit operating system. Lately there seems to be nearly daily upgrades but otherwise I'm happy with the product.
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"GREAT software"
Version: VueScan 9.0.79
Pros
does what it claims it does
Cons
none that I can find
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"Should not be popping as Free on Google"
Version: VueScan 9.0.71
Pros
It works with lots of old scanners.
Cons
Not free. Being misrepresented,
Summary
The price isn't bad, but it's a long way from free, yet it's showing up all over the place as free software. That's the fault of places like CNet. With the trial, you can find out if it works with your scanner, but that's it. You get no usable scans, thnks to watermark.
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"When Canon abandons you, Vue Scan to the rescue"
Version: VueScan 9.0.68
Pros
Straightforward and functional
Works well with 64 bit Windows 7
Saves having to buy a new scanner when Canon lets you downCons
Not very pretty interface, but it works!
Fiddly to nominate file allocationSummary
Excellent quality output, reliable every time.
I certainly won't be buying Canon in future, they just dump the product on you and offer no subsequent support/updates for drivers.
Vue Scan has saved me from having to throw my current scanner out, after Canon failed to provide drivers for their LIDE20. (Surely I am not the only one using Windows 7 64 bit?) -
"WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE EVER!!!!!"
Version: VueScan 9.0.63
Pros
Looks like a really nice program and would be great if it actually worked
Cons
Doesn't work on my iMac
Summary
I purchased the program and it worked great a few times and then stopped working. I emailed Ed Hamrick who responded quickly. We exchanged a few emails over a few days and then he stopped writing back. I wrote again 6 days later saying that if he didn't have any other ideas to get it working that I'd like a refund. Another 5 days goes by and I suggest that I was going to have to do a charge back since he is ignoring me. He wrote back and said he didn't mind me getting a refund but that I was going to have to "work" for it. Worst customer service ever!!!!
Ed now tells me that since I mentioned the word "refund" in an email that he just blindly deleted it and decided never to respond to me again. Now that's some customer service there. Buyer beware.
Updated on Nov 21, 2011 -
"Classic "knows the code personally" product support"
Version: VueScan 9.0.61
Pros
I've been programming since 1980 or so and know what it means to have a product this feature rich, this user-tuneable, that the originator still has full hands-on knowledge of. I've experienced his rapid-response programming fixes for odd things I've run into with both old and brand-new scanners, and for oddball one-in-a-million kind of scanning tasks. I like it.
Cons
I'm thinking, I'm thinking....Can't come up with a complaint yet. I also own the latest ReadIris and ABBY, Nuance Paperport 12, and yet I find VueScan does what I need the fastest, and most accurately. It isn't ALWAYS what I end up using, but if it was the only tool I had for digitizing documents and old photos, doing OCR on a variety of things, I would not be crippled up....
Summary
I would buy it again. The best thing I can say about *anything* I've ever purchased - would I do it again? Yep.
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"Outstanding software. Really works great"
Version: VueScan 9.0.60
Pros
Easy, reliable and many features
Cons
No bad remarks can I think of
