Posted by NCLisa on 1/18/11 12:42pm
Msg #369068

Recommendations for High Speed fax or scanners.

Anyone have any recommendations? I'm tired of a fax where I have to stand there and watch it. Want something high speed and networkable. If it is just a high speed doc scanner, that is fine too.

Reply by Retsing on 1/18/11 1:29pm
Msg #369073

I just recently did some research and purchased a Canon Image D1170 (fax and scan capabilities). It was more than I wanted to pay but Canon is offering a $200 rebate if bought between 1/2 and 2/5 with postmark by 3/5 so that made it more appealing.

Reply by Cari on 1/18/11 1:41pm
Msg #369077

So how's the Cannon working out?? Details please... n/m

Reply by Retsing on 1/18/11 1:47pm
Msg #369081

Re: So how's the Cannon working out?? Details please...

It seems to be a good choice. So far have only used the fax function so need to learn about the scanning. It can also be a back up printer and copy machine. It can handle up to 50 pages in the feeder so no need to stand around and prints a transmission report too. It was highly recommended by the President of Ameri Tech Concepts in Springfield, VA when I explained my needs. I went to Best Buy, Hhgregg, and Office Depot but the sales staff weren't able to answer alot of my questions about what the products could do.

Reply by MW/VA on 1/18/11 1:54pm
Msg #369085

Re: So how's the Cannon working out?? Details please...

IMHO, the problem with the big-box stores is that you will rarely find anyone who is knowledgable about the products.

Reply by Cari on 1/18/11 2:02pm
Msg #369089

Did you buy it online or locally? n/m

Reply by Retsing on 1/18/11 2:20pm
Msg #369095

Re: Did you buy it online or locally?

Bought it locally but saw it online too.

Reply by PAW on 1/18/11 1:59pm
Msg #369088

There are lots of different makes and models. Fax transmission is slow, by design, and cannot be enhanced too much. However, many fax machines, combo fax, scan, print machines too, copy the documents to memory and then transmit. In other words, you don't have to sit and wait for the transmission of a page to complete before the next page is scanned and transmitted.

For example, a 45 page document is scanned into memory from the scanners automatic document feeder. After the first page is in memory, the fax part does its thing, calling and connecting to the remote fax machine. While the first page is being faxed, the scanner is still scanning in documents. Thus the processes of scanning and faxing are overlapped. (Multi-tasking!) When the scanning completes (in about 30 seconds), the faxing continues until all pages have been faxed from memory. Depending on the connection speed, it could take a very long time to transmit all 45 pages, but you don't have to wait around for it.

So, look for devices that fax from memory and ensure there's enough memory in the device to hold the anticipated size of your fax requirements. The device's technical specifications should tell you how much memory is installed (and the max amount that can be installed), scan rate (pages per minute), and approximately how many document pages can be stored in memory. If the device runs out of memory while scanning/faxing, then the process will go at the slowest speed of each task, the faxing. That means that it can't scan the next page into memory until the current page is faxed.

Reply by Art_PA on 1/18/11 3:41pm
Msg #369105

You may consider scanning the documents, saving as a PDF file, and then emailing, rather than faxing. You then have a file of what you sent. You don't waste time if the fax does not connect or is busy.

Reply by Harry [NR] on 1/18/11 7:23pm
Msg #369132

We use a high-end Fujitsu ADF scanner for document imaging and just bought the less-expensive consumer model, the Fujitsu ScanSnap S1500, to test with loan documents. In theory, you should be able to load 50 sheets of a loan package into the feeder at a time, and then scan to PDF with support for variable page sizes (mixed letter and legal).

It should then be possible to fax the resulting PDF using Notary Fax (if/when we make the feature available), e-mail it (which is not very secure), or upload it to a secure document sharing location (which we are also working on).

In our experience, dedicated ADF scanners like these blow the doors off multi-function devices. They are expensive, however, coming in at around $425 at both NewEgg and Provantage. If we find it all works, I'll probably post some sort of review.

Harry
Notary Rotary

Reply by NCLisa on 1/18/11 9:15pm
Msg #369149

Sounds good to me.

That sounds like what I'm looking for. I've got 3 brother mfc'c all different models. Every single one of them pulls multiple pages through at a time. I hate standing there guiding the paper through. I want something fast that I don't have to help along.

I'll give the ScanSnap a try. If I like it, I'll get another one for the other office. The money is worth it if I don't have to waste time babysitting it!

Thanks!

Reply by enotary/va on 1/18/11 8:19pm
Msg #369144

I use a Fujitsu Scansnap S510... works great...

Reply by jnew on 1/18/11 10:20pm
Msg #369150

I have a Fujitsu scan snap and I must say it does blow away my MFC Brother FAx. The problem with the providers is security. There has been much said about the facility of a hacker breaking into email and as such the email does not provide you with a high level of security. The other consideration is the fact that providers will list the method by which you return documents, be that in the package itself and the fax back package. If the customer is expecting a fax and you scan and email, they may lose control of the postclosing, it may involve extra work on their part trying to find it and report it up their chain. It may go to a different person than the one intended on their instructions. My preferred method is the most efficent way to complete a job. But, the customers preferred method is always the determining factor with me. It is marketing versus selling. Marketing fulfills the customer's needs; selling fulfills your needs. Which is more important?