Fiche scanning redux

From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
Date: Fri Feb 15 14:58:54 2002

At 12:41 PM 2/15/2002 -0800, Brian Chase wrote:
>I like the backlighter idea as well, but I've a feeling the resolution
>wouldn't be adequate for microfiche.

I've always wondered about ways to connect an ordinary
microfiche reader to modern image capture. Why not?
The projected image is dim. I wonder what happens when
you scan it on a flatbed scanner whose lamp has been
disconnected.

>Another possibility would be to setup a projection system to enlarge the
>microfiche, and then capture that.

I have a projection microscope. They typically have very
high-power mercury lights, which creates a fair amount of
heat on the stage. Not something I'd like to use to process
my precious antique fiche.

I also recently picked up a dental video scope. Really cool!
A true CCD on a cable, with very small optics you can stick
up your nose or down your throat or anything. :-) As for
the fiche, the CCD chip is quite exposed (with a glass cover)
in the neck of the wand. It make me wonder what sort of
results you'd get with "contact printing" of fiche right
up against the image chip, with back-lighting.

It's good to be the consultant at a dentist's office.
He lets me play with the digital X-ray machine, too.

But overall, why not just buy a real $4,000 fiche scanner,
scan everything in sight, and sell the damn thing on eBay
when you're done. If a list member anywhere in the world
did this once a year, I'm sure he could keep up with demand.

- John
Received on Fri Feb 15 2002 - 14:58:54 GMT