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Author Topic: trouble with imacon scanner  (Read 27722 times)

mcnally

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trouble with imacon scanner
« on: March 29, 2008, 05:16:44 pm »

I am not sure if this is the correct discussion for this question. I have a Imacon Flextight Precision III scanner. This is an old scanner and was originally connected to a computer via a scsi connection. I currently have the scanner connected to my g5 which is running MAC OSX 10.4.11 via an adaptor (FR1SX) which  allow the scsi connection to talk to a firewire connection. I turned my G5 off, turned on the scanner and restarted the computer. I then started FlexColor 4.04 and the scanner didn't respond. This is what has worked in the past. I checked all of my connections, checked that the firewire port was working and checked that the adaptor was showing up in system profiler. Has anyone had any experience with Imacon scanners and if so do you have any ideas about what could be causing this problem? I have a freelance job that needs to be completed the week. If this isn't the correct place for this question could you please point me in the right direction. Thank you for your help, Mary Pat McNally
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Nick Rains

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trouble with imacon scanner
« Reply #1 on: March 30, 2008, 04:36:32 am »

Quote
I am not sure if this is the correct discussion for this question. I have a Imacon Flextight Precision III scanner. This is an old scanner and was originally connected to a computer via a scsi connection. I currently have the scanner connected to my g5 which is running MAC OSX 10.4.11 via an adaptor (FR1SX) which  allow the scsi connection to talk to a firewire connection. I turned my G5 off, turned on the scanner and restarted the computer. I then started FlexColor 4.04 and the scanner didn't respond. This is what has worked in the past. I checked all of my connections, checked that the firewire port was working and checked that the adaptor was showing up in system profiler. Has anyone had any experience with Imacon scanners and if so do you have any ideas about what could be causing this problem? I have a freelance job that needs to be completed the week. If this isn't the correct place for this question could you please point me in the right direction. Thank you for your help, Mary Pat McNally
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It's almost certainly a SCSI issue. I cannot get my Flextight Photo to work on my XP machine even though Flexcolor4 will run under XP - it's the SCSI card and drivers that are the problem so I'm stuck with an old W2000 box dedicated to the scanner.

This doesn't help you though I know, but all I can suggest is a good look at the SCSI card and drivers. That adapter sounds like a possible culprit.

I'd advise keeping any machine that successfully runs the scanner and buy another machine for other tasks.
« Last Edit: March 30, 2008, 04:36:49 am by Nick Rains »
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mcnally

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trouble with imacon scanner
« Reply #2 on: March 30, 2008, 06:35:18 am »

Quote
It's almost certainly a SCSI issue. I cannot get my Flextight Photo to work on my XP machine even though Flexcolor4 will run under XP - it's the SCSI card and drivers that are the problem so I'm stuck with an old W2000 box dedicated to the scanner.

This doesn't help you though I know, but all I can suggest is a good look at the SCSI card and drivers. That adapter sounds like a possible culprit.

I'd advise keeping any machine that successfully runs the scanner and buy another machine for other tasks.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=185352\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

The scanner has worked until recently. I haven't used the scanner for several months because I have been using a digital camera. When I went to turn the scanner on the green light blinks but nothing happens, the light doesn't stop blinking when I open Flexcolor. Mary Pat
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Nick Rains

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« Reply #3 on: March 30, 2008, 06:58:26 am »

Quote
The scanner has worked until recently. I haven't used the scanner for several months because I have been using a digital camera. When I went to turn the scanner on the green light blinks but nothing happens, the light doesn't stop blinking when I open Flexcolor. Mary Pat
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Don't know Macs but if it were me I'd uninstall and reinstall the software and see what happens.
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Nick Rains
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mistybreeze

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trouble with imacon scanner
« Reply #4 on: March 30, 2008, 10:18:41 am »

You may want to try trashing the scanner Preferences and related folders in Library and then see if the software recognizes the scanner.
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bowenbob

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« Reply #5 on: April 15, 2008, 01:16:32 pm »

Hello Nick and Mary Pat,

Oddly I seem to be having the same problem that you had with my Imacon Flextight Precision II scanner (that blinking green light issue and a "scanner not found" error message).  Mine was originally a SCSI scanner that I converted to firewire using a RATOC firewire adapter.  It was working fine that way when I last used it but like you I hadn't used it in several months and during that time I foolishly upgraded the OS from (I think) 10.2.3 to 10.4.11.  I'm wondering if you got yours working and if so how you did it.

Here's some background:

I'm running it on a G4  (with the firewire connection card from RATOC (firmware 1.33) using flexcolor 4.1.1.  I think when we converted it I tried a SCSI card first but got nowhere with it and ended up with the firewire converter (it plugs right into the back of the flextight and it needs it's own power as well).

I checked with RATOC and I think I have properly upgraded drivers and utilities there.

I installed 10.2 again on another partition and tried Flexcolor 3.66, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, 4.5.2, 4.8.5 (on both versions of OSX). Both vers. of OSX see the firewire converter according to the system profiler.

Now I'm thinking about trying to install classic and going at it again.  This scanner is a valuable resource for me and this process is maddening - any hints would be appreciated - Bob
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bob carnie

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« Reply #6 on: April 15, 2008, 01:57:36 pm »

We have a flextight as well, you need to put your computer to sleep first then turn on the scanner. Frustrating but works for us.
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bowenbob

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« Reply #7 on: April 17, 2008, 05:17:00 pm »

I just tried that but to no avail.  What OS and Flexcolor software combination are you using?
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hubell

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« Reply #8 on: April 17, 2008, 05:30:11 pm »

You need to use the "older" firmware that ships on the CD with the FR1SX. Try going into the FR1SX Utility and loading the older firmware in. Then, shut down the computer, turn on the scanner, restart the computer and open Flexcolor 4.04. This worked for me with 10.4. I am on 10.5 now and not sure it still works.
Good luck.

mcnally

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« Reply #9 on: April 18, 2008, 07:29:55 am »

Downgrading to older firmware worked for me as well. I am using FlexColor 4.04. My scanner is working after downgrading. Mary Pat
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bowenbob

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« Reply #10 on: April 18, 2008, 08:41:31 pm »

Hello hcubell and Mary Pat,

I tried what you suggested and am still getting the "scanner not found" error message.  (I'm now using FlexColor 4.04 and I've reinstalled the firmware for the FR1SX from the original CDROM: FRO133.bin).  There is another one on the CDROM marked "old firm" that I could alternately load with the FR1 Utility but apparently that one is for OS9.

There's one thing that seems a little odd to me which is that when I open the Flexcolor driver app and it defaults to the "virtual camera" settings -  and I see the 2 other options:  the virtual Flextight Precision II scanner (which I can select ) and something called NC Flextight (and then the serial number of my scanner) that it won't allow me to select.  I presume you are both using the "virtual flextight scanner" and that you always have to switch from the virtual capture mode?

I'm thinking that the next thing for me is to reinstall classic (OS9) and try to get it working there.

I also tried switching my firewire cable which didn't help.

Right now I am using OS 10.4.11.  I have 10.2 on another partition right now but I didn't have any luck with that either but of course I may not have tried every software/firmware permutation.

I also wonder if there could be a different (newer, better?) ultraSCSI firewire converter device that I could buy that might work help?

And I wonder if using different flexcolor drivers made chnage/upgrade the firmware somewhere in the scanner?

Thanks, Bob
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Jonathan Wienke

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trouble with imacon scanner
« Reply #11 on: April 18, 2008, 10:00:00 pm »

Have you considered the possibility your scanner has a hardware problem?
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bowenbob

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« Reply #12 on: April 19, 2008, 10:26:46 am »

Quote
Have you considered the possibility your scanner has a hardware problem?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=190528\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


That's an interesting thought.

When I turn on the scanner I get a blinking green light and the main white light under the glass where the film holder goes is on as well.  But there are no internal noises of the scanner preparing itself to scan as there have been in the past.  I wonder if this could mean that there is some broken belt or whether nothing is happening  simply because it is not connecting to the computer via the SCSI/firewire interface?

Does anyone know if Hassleblad does maintenance on these older Flextight Precision II scanners or I wonder if there is someone else out there who does it?
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hubell

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« Reply #13 on: April 19, 2008, 05:20:19 pm »

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Hello hcubell and Mary Pat,

I tried what you suggested and am still getting the "scanner not found" error message.  (I'm now using FlexColor 4.04 and I've reinstalled the firmware for the FR1SX from the original CDROM: FRO133.bin).  There is another one on the CDROM marked "old firm" that I could alternately load with the FR1 Utility but apparently that one is for OS9.


I also wonder if there could be a different (newer, better?) ultraSCSI firewire converter device that I could buy that might work help?

And I wonder if using different flexcolor drivers made chnage/upgrade the firmware somewhere in the scanner?

Thanks, Bob
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=190523\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


That's the wrong firmware. You should be using FR123. Try loading that.

DesW

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trouble with imacon scanner
« Reply #14 on: April 19, 2008, 05:28:34 pm »

Quote
That's an interesting thought.

When I turn on the scanner I get a blinking green light and the main white light under the glass where the film holder goes is on as well.  But there are no internal noises of the scanner preparing itself to scan as there have been in the past.  I wonder if this could mean that there is some broken belt or whether nothing is happening  simply because it is not connecting to the computer via the SCSI/firewire interface?

Does anyone know if Hassleblad does maintenance on these older Flextight Precision II scanners or I wonder if there is someone else out there who does it?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=190601\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Hi,
We Just had our 949 serviced by:

William Moody
15209 N.E.95TH Street
Redmond Wa. 98052

Phone:425-861-6434 Ext. 127

Top Bloke Top Job

He'll look after you.

Des W
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bowenbob

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« Reply #15 on: April 22, 2008, 04:50:11 pm »

My Imacon Flextight Precision II scanner is finally working again.

I went through so many permutations of software, firmware, OS's, SCSI/firewire ports and cables - nothing would work.

What finally did work was to just move the damn thing from my older G4 (where it had happily lived and worked for over a year) to my other dual 1.5 G4 (both machines were running 10.4.11) where it just immediately worked . (BTW I'm using Ratoc FR1.2.3 firmware and Flexcolor 4.0.2 scanner software.) There were two firewire ports on that old G4 and I kept trying both of them.  I still can't figure out why that other machine just stopped talking to the scanner (The ever-annoying error message was "scanner not found").

Anyway a big thank you to everyone in the community who offered suggestions.

Bob
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mats

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« Reply #16 on: April 25, 2008, 07:16:43 am »

Would just like to chime in and confirm that I have just been able to get my Imacon Photo to work with my G5 using a Ratoc adaptor.
At first it would not work at all but after finding this discussion I changed the firmware to FR123 (the old one on the disk) and suddenly everything works great.
I am using osx 10.5 and flexcolor 4.04. I did try a newer flexcolor (4.8) but that still does not work.
Thanks for good information and I hope this helps someone else.

Mats
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mcnally

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« Reply #17 on: April 25, 2008, 08:21:33 am »

According to Imacon technical support Flexcolor 4.04 is the latest application to work with the older Imacon scanners. Mary Pat
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Armando Yslas

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« Reply #18 on: November 19, 2008, 02:17:06 pm »

Were you able to get it to work?  I had the same issues- worked fine for a while, then after shutting it down for a night the mac g4 would not recognize the scanner- tried every combination of firmware, cables, startup procedures, chants, invectives, and threats but it still would not see the scanner. Any clues from anybody?

Help!


Armando



Quote from: bowenbob
Hello Nick and Mary Pat,

Oddly I seem to be having the same problem that you had with my Imacon Flextight Precision II scanner (that blinking green light issue and a "scanner not found" error message).  Mine was originally a SCSI scanner that I converted to firewire using a RATOC firewire adapter.  It was working fine that way when I last used it but like you I hadn't used it in several months and during that time I foolishly upgraded the OS from (I think) 10.2.3 to 10.4.11.  I'm wondering if you got yours working and if so how you did it.

Here's some background:

I'm running it on a G4  (with the firewire connection card from RATOC (firmware 1.33) using flexcolor 4.1.1.  I think when we converted it I tried a SCSI card first but got nowhere with it and ended up with the firewire converter (it plugs right into the back of the flextight and it needs it's own power as well).

I checked with RATOC and I think I have properly upgraded drivers and utilities there.

I installed 10.2 again on another partition and tried Flexcolor 3.66, 4.01, 4.02, 4.03, 4.04, 4.5.2, 4.8.5 (on both versions of OSX). Both vers. of OSX see the firewire converter according to the system profiler.

Now I'm thinking about trying to install classic and going at it again.  This scanner is a valuable resource for me and this process is maddening - any hints would be appreciated - Bob
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Armando Yslas

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« Reply #19 on: November 19, 2008, 02:30:34 pm »

Mary

Did you ever get the thing to work?  I am having the exact same problem- Scanner worked perfectly then when I shut it down and tried to start it up it wouldn't see the scanner. My system is a mac g4 running 10.4.9

If you have a solution I would really appreciate an email-

armando.yslas@gmail.com

Thanks again

Armando
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