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SmartScore X Scanning Notes and Scanner Compatibilty
Choosing the best possible scanner for SmartScore
Most modern scanners will work fine with SmartScore. "All-in-one" printer/copier/scanner models are becoming popular. Sadly, many have less-than-perfect software and optics. We recommend dedicated flatbed scanners as a rule. Click here to view scanners we have tested and work well with SmartScore...
If you already own an All-In-One scanner, please click here.
Below is our recommended list of scanners.
For WIN users
Musitek recommends newer Canon or Epson USB scanners.
Scanners we have tested with Win XP and SmartScore
Newer Hewlett-Packard and Canon USB scanners with WIA drivers.
Newer Microtek USB scanners with TWAIN.
What Windows Scanners Should I Avoid?
"All-In-One" scanners without WIA drivers.
Older scanners that are not fully TWAIN-compliant.
For MAC users
Musitek recommends nearly all newer Canon or Epson scanners.
Scanners we have tested with Mac OS X and SmartScore
OS 10.5 (Leopard) Note:
Scanning from SmartScore in Leopard has been improved as of release 10.1.1. Most dedicated USB scanners will work, however only the Epson line has been thoroughly tested. Low-end all-in-one scanners and older SCSI scanners may not respond. To pre-scan outside of SmartScore, following these guidelines.
What Macintosh Scanners Should I Avoid?
"All-In-One" scanners with limited controls (e.g. discrete 90 / 300 / 600 dpi settings)
NOTE: Many "OS X compatible" scanners still are not TWAIN-compliant.
Workaround: Scan in GRAY using your scanner's software
See recommended scanners.
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Scanning in SmartScore - Basic Steps to Follow:
- Select FILE > SCAN MUSIC > CHOOSE INTERFACE > SMARTSCORE’S
- (Windows Users) Select FILE > SCAN MUSIC > SELECT SCANNER > WIAxxxxx
(Macintosh Users) Choose the TWAIN driver associated with your scanner. If a TWAIN driver isn't visible, insert your scanner software CD. Look for an "Install TWAIN" option (sometimes found under “Custom”). If no driver is visible, consider this alternative.
- Push SCAN or FILE > SCAN MUSIC > ACQUIRE to begin scanning.
Windows users take note... use WIA drivers with most scanners
WIA (Windows Image Acquisition) is now the standard scanning protocol for 3rd-party applications such as SmartScore. It has replaced TWAIN for Windows scanners especially for All-in-one scanner/copier/printer combinations which have become very popular. For Windows (e.g. HP and All-in-One owners), first choose:
FILE > Scan Music > Select Scanner > WIA xxxx.
If your scanner doesn't respond properly, choose:
FILE > Scan Music > Select Scanner > TWAIN xxx
Issues with All-In-One scanners and some workarounds
All-in-one printer/scanners are now becoming very popular. Most will work in SmartScore provided you choose the right settings.
- Windows users: Choose WIA driver (Edit > Scan Music > Select scanner = WIAxxxx
- Use SmartScore's scanning interface (Edit > Scan Music > Choose Interface = SmartScore
- Turn OFF Auto-Resolution: Most all-in-one scanners do not have variable-resolution scanning. This means discrete resolution values must be selected: e.g. 300dpi, 600dpi and 1200dpi. One more reason why dedicated flat-bed scanners are preferred.
- Scan at 300 dpi and save pages in GREY as "uncompressed" TIFF files.
NOTE: Even if you choose "Black & White", most all-in-one scanners will actually scan in color and then "dither" the image, making the image unusable. See dithering below.
It is always recommended to scan using SmartScore's scanning interface (File > Scan Music > Choose Interface > SmartScore's). This environment offers powerful auto-resolution, auto-deskew, cropping, exposure and multiple-page scanning functions. We like the newer Canon and Epson scanners because they work well with SmartScore's scanning interface under Windows XP and MacOS X platforms.
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Can't use SmartScore's scanning interface?
It is preferrable to scan from SmartScore's own scanning interface for several reasons: Auto-resolution, auto-deskew, multi-page / single image file creation, greyscale thresholding, etc.
If you are using SmartScore's scanning interface and your scanner does not operate or you get a "Recognition Failed" message, you can bypass SmartScore's scanning interface:
- In SmartScore, select File > Scan Music > Choose Interface > Your scanner's
- Scan in GRAYSCALE (NOT Black & White) at a resolution of 300 to 400 dpi.
- Save each page as separate uncompressed TIFF files.
Failing that, open the scanning module associated with your scanner. Scan and save each page as individual TIFF file according to points 2. and 3. above. Or condider the following:
Third-party scanning software (ScanVue)
If it not possible to scan from inside SmartScore, a reasonable alternative is to use 3rd-party scanning software such as ScanVue which supports more than 500 scanners and enables scanning in SmartScore's scanning interface.
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What is "dithering" and why it's a pain...
If you are scanning in "Black and White" in your scanner's software and SmartScore's recognition results are particularly poor (e.g. 50-75% accuracy), most likely the image created by your scanner was "dithered".
Many modern scanners and "All-in-one" scanner/copier/printers are optimized for photos, not for traditional OCR (optical character recognition). When "Black and White" is selected, most All-In-One scanners actually create a gray image then convert it to black-and-white by means of "dithering"rather than by "thresholding". Dithering is fine for photographs, but it plays havoc with images intended for OCR. This is why we recommend you ALWAYS SCAN IN GRAY
The above image was scanned and processed by SmartScore as gray image. SmartScore automatically applied "thresholding" to create a true "black and white" image. Notice large, solid areas of black pixels.
The above image was a result of choosing "Black and White" from a All-In-One scanner .
The black areas have been reduced into "salt and pepper". This technique "smooths" round
edges and is great for photos or web graphics, but critcal features for OCR are lost.
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- Scanning orchestral scores that are bigger and wider than the scanner. How to recognize large-format scores in SmartScore X.
We have posted a method where "conductor's" scores can be manageably scanned and reconstructed. Click on of the following links to access this method either as HTML pages or as a QuickTime movie.
- When printing my score on "normal-sized" paper, the music does not fit on the paper.
Some scanners (usually less expensive all-in-one scanners) cannot scan in variable, discrete amounts. e.g. they can scan at 300 and 600 dpi, but not 425 dpi. If auto-resolution is used when using SmartScore's scanning interface, these scanners may RESIZE (e.g. increase) the image area to acheive the equivalent of 425 dpi while still scanning at a lower resolution.
Remember: Area x Resoution = Image size. In SmartScore X, we have added a "rescaling" feature that will optimize the ENF file to exactly fit within the margins of your default page size, if when printing, your score outsizes or undersizes the paper it's being printed on.
"Scale Entire Score" is found under FILE > FORMAT SCORE.
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