how to install epson scanner

[snowdrift]

I have an Epson P3490 scanner. When I plug it into the USB port nothing happens.
I have installed Sane and Xsane and if I run sane-find-scanner it finds
"found USB scanner (vendor=0x04b8, product=0x0122) at libusb:003:006".
yet if I run Xsane it says "no devices available"

From searching the web I know there is more to do "install firmware file from windows disk" "make node" "Change permissions" "backend not loaded" "backend not configured" etc etc.

Can someone tell me simply what I still need to do.
Thanks Richard

[Hestia]

Re: how to install epson scanner

epson scanners work nicely on linux. You need to install iscan from epson (usually with hardware issues in linux your first port of call should be the manufacturers website, epson and HP are supportive when it comes to using their stuff in linux).... have a look at this document.

[snowdrift]

Re: how to install epson scanner

The Epson link says to install iscan yet I can't find it in their downloads. But isn't iscan just the same as xsane or Kooka which I already have?

Printer installation seems simple in Kubuntu yet why should scanners be problematic. It was the same in Windows, some seemed to work straight out the box yet many others had to be returned to the store. ( The Canon scanner I have which works fine in Windows is unsupported in Linux which is why I have bought the Epson ..... However, I can't see the store taking it back if I can't make it work under Linux!!!)

Help still needed, Richard

[Hestia]

Re: how to install epson scanner

You can download it from here http://www.avasys.jp/english/linux_e/dl_scan.html

And whilst looking for the the download I spotted a few forum comments about people having issues with a particular version of the driver, your problem might be related to this. Try using the new driver from the above site or fall back to a different version and see if that works.

[snowdrift]

Re: how to install epson scanner

Excellent - good documentation here too. Explains 2 ways to set up a scanner which was probably causing the confusing info I was finding.

I have installed iscan and it just says "Could not send command to scanner -check the scanners status" (whether run as root or not).
Any ideas?

Richard

[snowdrift]

Re: how to install epson scanner

Further progress:
Have installed the iscan-plugin from the same site which adds esfw52.bin.
Added to sane.d/snapscan.conf
firmware /usr/share/iscan/esfw52.bin
and
usb 0x04b8 0x0122

It is now working!! Well xsane in Gimp works, and xscanimage works by using snapscan but iscan does not work.
Why does iscan not work?
Also xsane and xscanimage both give a magnified image. ie a photo that occupies about 75% of the physical scan area fills the full area preview. (scales correspond to full area)

Richard

Richard

[Hestia]

Re: how to install epson scanner

oh, umm I have no idea why iscan doesn't work, but I think what counts is that you've managed to get your scanner working. As for the magnified image, it sounds like a setting of some sort somewhere. As I don't have iscan or epson scanner myself, I don't know where this setting may be. Is there any manual with the software?

[snowdrift]

Re: how to install epson scanner


Sorted!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Yet another search with google found this:

I added the word epkowa to the list in sane.d/dll.conf.

Scaling problem also fixed itself with this both in iscan and xsane.

Kubuntu is wonderful again!!!!!!! Richard