Posted by Paul-CA on 1/23/05 1:59pm
Msg #17800

Equipment questions

1) How frequently are docs requiring special "viewer software" used? I have a Mac and I'm pretty sure all or most of these viewers are PC/Windows only. I can view PDF, Word, tiff, and so on with no problem. Do these agencies offer the docs in alternate formats? Or just in their proprietary viewer format? I ~really~ don't want to rejoin the "wonderful world of Windows" if I can avoid it.

Has anyone here used Virtual PC on a Mac to run these viewers?


2) Is using a digital camera to make copies (e.g., for the "oops, we forgot to get a photocopy of their IDs") a little too new-tech or is this becoming common?

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 1/23/05 2:12pm
Msg #17803

I Don't Have a Clue...

...as to whether these Internet based viewer software programs are compatible with a Mac or not. I'm certain we have a "techie" who'll be glad to venture an opinion in that area. As for the digital camera, I've been using one in conjunction with my laptop for over 3 years now. I'm unsure I'm getting any recognition from the companies I provide this service for, as all they really care about is the fact they've received a copy of the ID. All the same I feel it's a part of the "added value" I bring to the table as a signing agent.

Reply by HisHughness on 1/23/05 2:55pm
Msg #17808

Re: I Don't Have a Clue...

Dennis...

Two questions about your camera:

1) Is it a digital or optical zoom; and

2) Do you have to use a macro lens for closeups of ID?

Thanks

Reply by Joan-OH on 1/23/05 3:23pm
Msg #17809

Re: I Don't Have a Clue...

Not Dennis, but I can answer number #2. My digital broke and I had to replace it. Got a cheap one that I just could not get a clear picture. Found out the closest I could take a pic was at 22". I had to purchase a camera with a "macro mode" allowing me to place the camera close up (as little as 8" away) and still get a clear shot. This is not a separate lense.

The camera I got was an Olympus D390 for $129.00. It is discontinued now and you can find a new one on Ebay for MUCH cheaper. I wouldn't use this camera for good pictures, but since it's bouncing around in the briefcase all the time, I didn't want to get anything that would make me cry if it broke. I just wanted something cheap that would do the job.

Joan-OH

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 1/23/05 3:27pm
Msg #17810

It's an "El Cheapo" Intel Digital Camera...

...that was given to me free over 3 years ago for attending a MS seminar. It doesn't have any kind of special lens & the zoom feature is manual. I hook it up to my laptop so I can preview the picture I'm taking on the computer screen. Intel has their software you load onto the laptop & you manually focus from the camera itself to ensure a good quality picture. I utilize a small (2.25" x 3.5") clear Plexiglas picture frame to place the ID (driver licenses anyway, needless to say it won't work for passports!) in when I snap the picture.

Reply by HisHughness on 1/23/05 3:35pm
Msg #17811

Re: It's an "El Cheapo" Intel Digital Camera...

I gather from what each of you said that your cameras have digital zooms. That means that to zoom in, the camera simply increases the size of the pixels, which will sharply reduce the clarity of the picture. An optical zoom, on the other hand, uses the camera's optics to zoom, and there is no increase in pixel size and thus no reduction in picture clarity -- at least not because of a change in pixel size.

Thanks.

Reply by Dennis D Broadbooks on 1/23/05 3:58pm
Msg #17814

The Intel I Use Has an Optical Zoom Feature

It's very similar to an older style film camera in that you rotate the ring around the lens to zoom in or out & focus the picture.

Reply by fiKS on 1/23/05 2:40pm
Msg #17807

Here's a link to various types of document viewers, perhaps you can ask them if it works on Mac platform. Some lenders can convert docs into pdf format. It always worries me when converting documents into another format because it is not usually 99% compatible and you don't want to find yourself in a bind at a signing table and parts of the document are just jiberish or formatted wrong.

http://tonymangone.50megs.com/docviewers.html

I know some people keep a digital camera in their notary bag for that purpose. I've heard some even using their cell phone camera.

Reply by Nd_WA on 1/23/05 5:13pm
Msg #17820

Paul-CA

I have an EDS viewer with sample pages for test print. Email me at ([e-mail address])If you want to test your Mac platform with it.

Reply by Paul-CA on 1/23/05 5:44pm
Msg #17827

Re: Paul-CA

Thanks for the kind offer. The EDS viewer is a windows-only program and I don't (yet) have the Virtual PC software on my Mac (Virtual PC makes it possible to run windows software on the Mac).

I'm hoping someone with a Mac who IS using Virtual PC can let me know whether or not they've encountered problems with these viewers.

Reply by BrendaTX on 1/24/05 8:58am
Msg #17873

I use a Sony Cybershot 5.0 megapixel model DSC-F717 with a close up lens that I also ordered from Sony. Granted, my camera is a pretty pricey set up, but worth it because it makes beautiful pictures of grandbabies, and other excellent subjects such as for draw inspections.

I have always enjoyed copying pictures with my 35 MM cameras and learned a long time ago that a close up lens is nothing more than a magnifying glass that screws onto the lens.

Recently, a notary asked me about using her digital camera to take pictures of TDLs. I told her until she could purchase a better camera to try using a magnifying glass for that purpose.

This morning, I was curious about my theory of using a magnifying glass with digital cameras so I unscrewed my close up lens and held a cheap Pier One turtle-shaped magnifying glass in front of it.

It works.

Also, I have tested the theory of using a phone camera with a DL. I have a Sprint Samsung which came free with my account last spring. With enough light, it works both with and without the magnifying glass.

Let me also add that with my DSC-f717 I can also copy complete 8.5x11 pages with perfection.

THE DRAWBACK to using a digital camera to capture ID or make copies of pages is that you cannot reproduce it immediately to drop the package and have to go back to the office to print it out unless you carry a printer in your car that works on media sticks without the computer...or a laptop with enough of a power source to do the job.

In cases where I could drop the package without it, I have called the SS, TC, Lender contact as appropriate and asked: "Do you want the package dropped without the ID copy and I'll fax/email it to you, or do you want me to delay until tomorrow morning to drop WITH the ID copy. " Usually, the answer is to wait until the following day and send the ID picture with it.

Reply by PA Notary on 1/24/05 9:59am
Msg #17876

I use a Polariod Spectra camera with a close-up lens box. The camera mounts to the box with a set screw. Costs about $125 for the camera and the close-up attchment is reasonable. The film ends up costing about $1.00 per shot (tax deductible) and the pictures are so good that you can't tell them from the actual license. Better than the best digital I've ever used.

Reply by Paul-CA on 1/24/05 10:03am
Msg #17877

Thanks, everyone, for the info on using digital cameras to make copies.

Reply by Paul-CA on 1/24/05 10:08am
Msg #17878

ANY SIGNING AGENTS HERE USING A Mac???

... or tried using one and found it couldn't handle some eDocs and/or the doc viewers?

Reply by Claudia-NJ on 1/24/05 12:09pm
Msg #17885

Re: ANY SIGNING AGENTS HERE USING A Mac???

Hi Paul,

I use a MAC and have not had any problem. I am running Panther and I also have a Microsoft Suite with Word/Excell/Etc. most of the viewer programs that are out there for Windows are also out there for MAC.

I have yet to run into a problem where i have not been able to download.

Hope this helps...

Reply by Paul-CA on 1/24/05 1:32pm
Msg #17897

Re: ANY SIGNING AGENTS HERE USING A Mac???

Thanks, Claudia! The idea of having to buy a Wintel machine (and then use it!) wasn't, ... how should I put this? ... very appealing?