Scanner plays music?

From: Jim Battle <frustum_at_pacbell.net>
Date: Wed Feb 28 23:05:53 2001

At 06:44 PM 2/28/01 -0800, you wrote:

>Can anyone verify this?
>
>"Anyone with an H-P ScanJet 5p can listen to a rendition of _Ode to Joy_
>by unplugging the SCSI connector, setting the SCSI ID switch to some
>number I don't recall (IIRC at the upper end of the range, probably
>5 or 6), then turning the unit on while holding down the green SCAN
>button. The tones are played by driving the stepper motor that moves
>the carriage."


I used to work at a place called Palantir, which changed its name to
Calera, which later got bought by Caere. All of them made/make OCR equipment.

Anyway, Palantir/Calera made its own scanner. By holding down the proper
combination of menu buttons on a reset, you get The Ride of the Valkyries
played in the exact manner you mention (diddling the stepper motor stepping
rate). At the same time, "DEI" would scroll back and forth on the single
line LCD display on the front. This was another inside joke to people
connected with Cal Tech.

So I don't know about the specifics on the Scanjet, but I know that hack
has been done at least once before.

-----
Jim Battle == frustum_at_pacbell.net
Received on Wed Feb 28 2001 - 23:05:53 GMT