Plustek OpticSlim M12 User manual

 Installation
 Usage & Maintenance
 Troubleshooting

© 2007. All rights are reserved. No portion of this document may be reproduced without
permission. All trademarks and brand names mentioned in this publication are property of
their respective owners.
While all efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of all contents in this manual,
we assume no liability for errors or omissions or by statements of any kind in this manual,
whether such errors are omissions or statements resulting from negligence, accidents, or
any other cause. The contents of this manual are subject to change without notice.
The scanning of certain documents, for example checks, bank notes, I.D. cards,
government bonds, or public documents, may be prohibited by law and/or subject to
criminal prosecution. We recommend you to be responsible and respectful of the
copyrights laws when you are scanning books, magazines, journals and other materials.
The product is designed and produced to achieve sustainable environmental
improvement. We strive to produce products in compliance with global environmental
standards. Please consult your local authorities for proper disposal. The product
packaging can be recycled.
Attention to recycling (For EU country only)
Protect your environment! This product should not be thrown into the household waste
container. Please give it to the free collecting center in your community.
The screen shots in this guide were made with Windows 2000. If you are using Windows
XP or Vista, your screens will look somewhat different but function the same.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
How to Use This Guide...............................................................................................1
Conventions of This Guide...................................................................................................2
A Note about Icons...............................................................................................................2
Safety Precautions......................................................................................................2
System Requirements ................................................................................................3
Box Contents ..............................................................................................................4
The Scanner’s Features .............................................................................................4
Product Information ....................................................................................................5
CHAPTER I. INSTALLING THE SCANNER....................................................................6
Software Installation Requirements............................................................................6
Hardware Requirements.............................................................................................6
Installing and Setting up the Scanner.........................................................................7
Step 1. Connecting the Scanner to Your Computer.............................................................7
Step 2. Installing the Software..............................................................................................8
Step 3. Testing the Scanner................................................................................................. 9
Software Setup Troubleshooting ..............................................................................10
Installing Additional Software....................................................................................10
CHAPTER II. USAGE AND MAINTENANCE............................................................... 11
Operating the Scanner..............................................................................................11
DigiScan ...................................................................................................................12
Configure SCAN Settings...................................................................................................13
Configure CUSTOM Settings .............................................................................................15
Using the Scanner Buttons.......................................................................................18
Scan Button........................................................................................................................19
Custom Button....................................................................................................................20
Functions Features...................................................................................................20
Scan tab..............................................................................................................................20
Custom tab .........................................................................................................................24
Scanning Tips...........................................................................................................26
Status Indicator.........................................................................................................27
Scanner Connection.................................................................................................27
Maintenance.............................................................................................................29
Calibrating the Scanner......................................................................................................29
Cleaning the Scanner.........................................................................................................29
Usage & Maintenance Tips.......................................................................................30
Storage of the Scanner.............................................................................................30
Using the Base Stand.........................................................................................................31
Using the Wall Holder.........................................................................................................31
APPENDIX A: TROUBLESHOOTING........................................................................ 33
Scanning Problems...................................................................................................33
Common -How-to- Questions ...................................................................................36
APPENDIX B: SPECIFICATIONS........................................................................... 38
APPENDIX C: CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WARRANTY............................................... 39
Statement of Limited Warranty .................................................................................39
FCC Radio Frequency Statement.............................................................................40

CONTACTING PLUSTEK ....................................................................................... 42

Introduction
Welcome to the world of Plustek scanners – the ultimate in computer imaging.
Your new scanner will improve the professionalism of your day-to-day computing tasks
by allowing you to input images and electronic text into your computer system.
Like all of our products, your new scanner is thoroughly tested and backed by our
reputation for unsurpassed dependability and customer satisfaction.
Please remember to register your scanner. Registration may be completed in one
of three ways:
1) By registering online via Plustek’s Web Site;
2) By printing out and faxing a completed registration card to Plustek’s customer
service center;
3) By printing out and mailing the registration card directly to the Plustek office
nearest you.
See the last page of this user’s guide for a complete list of Plustek offices
worldwide.
As a registered customer, you will receive customer support, new product
information and software upgrades.
Thank you for choosing us as your scanner supplier. We hope you will continue to
turn to us for additional quality products as your computing needs and interests grow.
How to Use This Guide
This User’s Guide provides instructions and illustrations on how to install and
operate your scanner. This guide assumes the user is familiar with Microsoft Windows
XP, 2000 and Vista. If this is not the case, we suggest you learn more about Microsoft
Windows by referring to your Microsoft Windows manual before using your scanner.
The Introduction section of this manual describes the box contents and minimum
computer requirements to use this scanner. Before you start installing your scanner,
check the box contents to make sure all parts are included. If any items are damaged
or missing, please contact the vendor where you purchased your scanner or our
customer service directly.
Chapter I describes how to install scanner’s software and connect the scanner to
your computer. Note: The scanner connects to your computer through the Universal
Serial Bus (USB). If your computer does not support USB technology, you will need to
purchase a USB interface card to add USB capabilities to your computer, or buy and
install USB connectors if your motherboard has USB capabilities. This guide assumes
that your computer is USB-ready and has a free USB port.
Chapter II describes how to use, maintain and clean your scanner.
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Appendix A contains technical support information that can help you solve simple
problems. Before calling for help, please read through Appendix A: Troubleshooting.
Appendix B contains the Specifications of the scanner you purchased.
Appendix C contains our limited warranty agreement and FCC statement
concerning the product.
C
Co on nv ve en nt ti io on ns s o of f T Th hi is s G Gu ui id de e
Bold — Important note or first use of an important term in a chapter.
“XXX”— Represents commands or contents on your computer screen.
A
A N No ot te e a ab bo ou ut t I Ic co on ns s
This guide uses the following icons to point out information that deserves special
attention.
Danger
A procedure that must be followed carefully to prevent injury, or
accidents.
Caution
Information that, if not followed, may result in data loss or
damage to the product.
Attention
Instructions that are important to remember and may prevent
mistakes.
Safety Precautions
Before using this device, please read the following important information to
eliminate or reduce any possibility of causing damage and personal injury.
1. Moisture condensation may occur inside this device and cause malfunction at
these conditions:
• when this device is moved directly from a cold to a warm location;
• after a cold room is heated;
• when this device is placed in a damp room.
To avoid the moisture condensation, you are recommended to follow the
procedure:
i. Seal this device in a plastic bag for it to adapt to room conditions.
ii. Wait for 1-2 hours before removing this device from the bag.
2. Do use the USB cable provided with the scanner. Use of other cable may lead to
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malfunction.
3. Avoid using the scanner in a dusty environment. Dust particles and other foreign
objects may damage the unit. If you will not use the scanner for some time, please
place it in the travel pouch.
4. Do not subject the scanner to excessive vibration. It may damage the internal
components.
5. Unplug this device if you don’t need to use for a certain period of time, such as,
during night or long weekend, to avoid any risks of causing fire.
6. Do not attempt to disassemble the scanner. There is danger of an electrical shock
and opening your scanner will void your warranty.
System Requirements1
 Windows/Intel Compatible Personal Computer
 Pentium CPU or above
 CD-ROM Drive
 64 MB RAM (128 MB Recommended)
 400 MB Free Hard Disk Space (450 MB Recommended)
 USB Port
 Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional/ XP/ Vista compatible
NOTE: Windows NT 4.0 does not support Universal Serial Bus (USB) connectivity.
 Video card that supports 16-bit color or greater
1Higher requirements might be needed when scanning or editing a large quantity of image data.
The system requirements here are only a guideline, as in general the better the computer
(motherboard, processor, hard disk, RAM, video graphic card), the better the results.
3

Box Contents2
1. Scanner
2. USB Cable
3. Quick Guide
4. Setup / Application CD-ROM
5. Calibration Sheet
6. Cleaning paper
7. Travel Pouch
8. Wall Holder
9. Two Screws
10. Base Stand (also serves as a Cable Container)
The Scanner’s Features
2Save the box and packing materials in case you need to transport this scanner in the future.
The product packaging can be recycled.
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1. USB port: It connects the scanner to a USB port on your computer by the included
USB cable.
2. Alignment arrow: Always align the edges of your documents to this arrow sign.
3. Page feed slot: Feed the document into the scanner from this direction. You can
feel the document being grabbed by the scanner.
4. CUSTOM button: Press this button to convert your document into text file.
5. LED indicator: It indicates the scanner’s current status.
6. SCAN button: Press this button to start scanning and processing an assigned
task: saving the scanned image(s) to your hard disk, sending to E-mail program,
printer or other image editing software.
Product Information
Please fill in the following information for your own records. You will need it when
you contact your dealer or our service center in the future.
Serial Number: 
(Located at the bottom of the scanner)
Date of Purchase:  -  - 
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Chapter I. Installing the Scanner
Before installing your scanner, please verify that you have all of the proper
components. A list of the package contents is provided in the Box Contents section of
this guide.
Software Installation Requirements
Your scanner comes with the image-editing software, OCR software, document
management software, the scanner’s driver, and the DigiScan software. All of these
software applications use approximately 400 megabytes of hard disk space after they
are installed into your computer. To ensure ample room for the installation, as well as
for scanning and saving images, a minimum of 450 megabytes of hard disk space is
recommended.
The USB scanner can only operate under the Windows 2000 Professional/ XP/
Vista operating system.
Attention
Please do not use multiple USB scanners in Windows XP
simultaneously! For more information, please refer to the following
URL...http://www.microsoft.com
Hardware Requirements
This scanner connects to your computer through the Universal Serial Bus (USB),
which supports hot Plug and Play. To determine whether your computer is USB-
capable, you must check the rear of your PC to locate a USB jack that looks the same
as the one pictured below. Note that on some computers, the USB port at the rear of
the computer may be occupied and additional ports may be found on the monitor or
keyboard. If you are having trouble in locating the USB port on your computer, please
refer to the hardware manual that came with your computer.
Upon examination, you should find one or two rectangular USB ports, which
usually appear as shown below.
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USB Connector(s)
If you don’t find such USB ports on your computer, then you need to purchase a
certified USB interface card to add USB capabilities to your computer.
Installing and Setting up the Scanner
Please follow the step-by-step procedures described below to install the Plustek
scanner.
S
St te ep p 1 1. . C Co on nn ne ec ct ti in ng g t th he e S Sc ca an nn ne er r t to o Y Yo ou ur r C Co om mp pu ut te er r
1. Plug the square end of the included USB cable to the USB port of the scanner.
2. Plug the rectangular end of the USB cable to the USB port on the back of your
computer.
Note: If there is another USB device connected to the computer, connect the
scanner to an available USB port.
3. If you plan to connect your scanner to a USB hub3, make sure that the hub is
connected to the USB port in your computer. Next, connect the scanner to the
USB hub.
3The USB hub is not included with the scanner. If using a hub, you are recommended to use a
hub with its own external power adapter.
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Note: If you do not have a USB port available, you might need to buy a USB port.
S
St te ep p 2 2. . I In ns st ta al ll li in ng g t th he e S So of ft tw wa ar re e
1. If the USB components on your computer are functioning correctly, they will
automatically detect the scanner causing the “Add New Hardware Wizard” or
“Found New Hardware Wizard” to be launched. Note: If your computer was off
when you connected the scanner, the “Add New Hardware Wizard” message will
be displayed when you turn the computer on and when Windows starts.
2. For Windows 2000
a. Click on the ”Next” button when the “Add New Hardware Wizard” window is
displayed.
b. Select “Search For The Best Driver For Your Device [Recommended]” and
click on the “Next” button.
c. The next window will ask you where to search to find the drive. Select “CD-
ROM drive”, and deselect “Floppy disk drives” if it is checked.
d. Insert the Setup/Application CD-ROM, included with your scanner, into your
CD-ROM drive and then click on the “Next” button.
e. Click on the “Next” button in the window that appears.
f. During the process of the installation, a message “Digital Signature required”
might be prompted. Please ignore it, and click on “Yes” to continue the
installation without any misgiving at your scanner functioning. Afterwards,
please skip to Step 5.
3. For Windows XP
a. Insert the Setup/Application CD-ROM, included with your scanner, into your
CD-ROM drive.
b. Select “Install The Software Automatically [Recommended]” and click on the
“Next” button.
c. Click on the “Next” button in the window that appears. Afterwards, please skip
to Step 5.
4. For Windows Vista
a. Select “Locate and install driver software (recommended)” when the “Found
New Hardware” window is displayed.
b. Click on the [Continue] button when the “User Account Control” dialog pops up.
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c. Insert the Setup/Application CD-ROM, included with your scanner, into your
CD-ROM drive when the system prompts you “Insert the disc that came with
your USB Scanner”, and click on the [Next] button.
d. During the process of the installation, a message “Windows can’t verify the
publisher of this driver software” might be prompted. Please ignore it, and click
on [Install this driver software anyway] to continue the installation without any
misgiving at your scanner functioning.
5. When the system completes the installation, click on the “Finish” button.
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to install all software that your new USB scanner
requires.
7. After the software is installed, close all open applications and click on the “Finish”
button to restart your computer.
8. After the computer is restarted, you will be prompted to perform the scanner
calibration.
9. Insert the special calibration sheet, included with the scanner, face down into the
page feed of the scanner.
10. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the scanner calibration.
Attention
If the scanner installation is not started and displayed automatically on
the screen, click “START”, select “Run” and type in “D:\Install” (where
D: is the drive letter assigned to the CD-ROM drive of your computer.)
S
St te ep p 3 3. . T Te es st ti in ng g t th he e S Sc ca an nn ne er r
The following test procedure checks to see if the scanner is properly functioning
with your computer and the scanning software. Before testing your scanner, double
check to make sure that all connections are securely fastened.
To properly test your scanner, please perform the following steps:
1. Insert the document face down into the scanner. Align the document to the
arrow sign on the right of the scanner.
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2. Press the SCAN button on the scanner. The scanning starts immediately.
3. When the scan completes, click My Document folder on your desktop to find a
folder named as DigiScan.
4. If an image is saved in the DigiScan folder, your scanner is working properly.
Attention
If the test failed in any way, please refer to “
A
ppendix A:
Troubleshooting” section of this manual and follow the instructions
therein.
Software Setup Troubleshooting
Carefully review the steps outlined in this guide and the Quick Guide that
accompanied your scanner.
If you are still having problems, please check that:
 You have 450 MB of free space on your hard disk drive.
 The scanner is plugged in and has power.
 You are using the USB cable supplied with the scanner.
 The square end of the USB cable is plugged into the rear of the scanner.
 The rectangular end of the USB cable is plugged into the back of your
computer.
If you deviated from the installation procedures defined in this manual, please
unplug the USB cable from the scanner and reinstall the software from the CD-ROM.
To reinstall your scanner’s software, click “Start”, “Run”, then type “D:\Install (where D
represents the letter of your CD-ROM drive)”. Carefully follow all the installation
instructions presented in the Setup Wizard. Reboot your computer when prompted,
and plug the USB cable back into the scanner while your computer is still turned on.
Installing Additional Software
Your scanner is TWAIN compliant and functions with virtually all available TWAIN
compatible software. If you purchase additional software to be used with your scanner,
please make sure that it conforms to the TWAIN standard.
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Chapter II.
Usage and Maintenance
Operating the Scanner
Your scanner accepts documents as small as business cards and as large as
Legal size documents. However, some software programs have limitations as to the
information they can handle. The capacity of the computer’s memory and free space
on your hard drive can also limit the physical size of the document that you scan.
There are two different ways to operate the scanner:
1. From within an image-editing program that can acquire images from the
scanner.
2. By pressing either of the two action buttons on the scanner. You may
configure the button settings individually to your personal needs within the
DigiScan program that is automatically installed as your scanner software.
Your scanner needs to be driven by some type of software program. Since all
documents or images (whether text or pictures) that are acquired from the scanner are
treated by your computer as images, most scanning will probably be done from an
image-editing program where you can view, edit, save and output the scanned images.
An image-editing program has been bundled with your scanner on the included
Setup/Application CD-ROM. It will allow you to alter and correct any scanned images
by using a variety of filters, tools and effects.
What about scanning text documents and editing them in a word processor? This
is the role of Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. OCR software converts
the image files that are created from scanning text documents into text files that can be
viewed, edited and saved by word processors. An OCR program has also been
bundled on the included Setup/Application CD-ROM, and if you wish to use the
scanner in this way you should install the OCR software that is included.
What about scanning business cards and managing them in a more convenient
way? This is the role of BCR (Business Card Recognition) function that can scan
various business cards to BCR Database. BCR software can index the scanned
images into business cards album, recognize and convert respective personal
information contained in the scanned images into an address database for your further
management. This function may or may not be available depending on the scanner
model you purchase.
DigiScan is a program that allows you to conveniently scan images and text
without the need to work directly within any image-editing application (i.e. Presto!
11

ImageFolio). DigiScan also includes features to allow you to use your scanner as a
copy machine4and to scan documents or photos for e-mail.
DigiScan
You may configure the scanning properties for each individual scanner button
within the DigiScan window.
There are two ways to access the DigiScan window:
1. Double-click the DigiScan icon in the Windows system tray.
2. Single-click or right-click the DigiScan icon in the Windows system tray, and
then choose Properties in the pop-up menu that opens.
The DigiScan program comprises several scanner button functions. More than
that, if you have installed the bundled software (e.g. PageManager) to your system, the
DigiScan program may enable more functions. All functions are designed to two
accessible tabs: SCAN and CUSTOM. (Refer to the section of “Using the Scanner
Button”.)
Attention
Changes you make in the DigiScan window are automatically saved
immediately after you close the DigiScan window. Afterwards, with a
single touch of the button, you can have the scanner complete your
scanning jobs by the settings you configured within the DigiScan
window. If you decide to quit DigiScan program entirely, the same
settings can be enabled for your quick access next time you open the
DigiScan window.
4A printer is required for the copy function.
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C
Co on nf fi ig gu ur re e S SC CA AN N S Se et tt ti in ng gs s
There are several functions available in the SCAN tab. You may configure them,
as you like to shape the settings for later scanning.
• Save to File
• E-mail
• Copy
• Other Image Editing Functions (e.g. Presto! PageManager)
Select SCAN tab to from the opened DigiScan window to start the configuration
according to your desired. The configuration steps of the functions are largely identical
but with minor differences. So, we’ll give you a typical example for your reference:
Configure Copy Function
1. Select the Copy (Save to File, E-mail or Image Processing) from the
Purpose drop-down menu.
2. Specify a destination file path by clicking the Browse button at the right end of
the Save option, enter a File Name Prefix and select a File Format
accordingly.
3. Check the boxes of Auto Crop, Auto Deskew and/or Descreen, if desired.
13

4. Adjust the Scanning Attributes (Size, Mode, Resolution, Brightness,
Contrast and Gamma).
5. Select a printer from the Printer drop-down menu; drag the Scaling Slider Bar,
check the Fit-in box or check Center on Page box, if appropriate.
Note: The Printer menu is enabled only for the Copy function. If you select
other functions, please skip to the step7.
6. Click the Default button if you desire to return to the default settings.
7. Click the Close button to save the final settings and exit the DigiScan window.
Add Other Image Editing Software
To add more image editing functions for the SCAN button, follow the steps
described below:
1. Click the button at the far right end of the Purpose drop-down menu.
2. Click Add button in the prompted out window to select an existing application
from your system.
3. The program name you have chosen displays in the list.
Note: You are allowed to add at most 3 image editing software in this list.
4. Click Edit button to rename the displayed name of the application, if desired.
5. Click Remove button to remove the option you have created, if necessary.
6. Click Close to accept the changes and close the window.
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C
Co on nf fi ig gu ur re e C CU US ST TO OM M S Se et tt ti in ng gs s
There are various file formats for your choice, which could be supported by
different BCR and OCR. The scanned image(s) may be transferred into the following
file format. The availability of the programs and data formats may vary depending on
the scanner model you purchase.
• Acrobat PDF-image (*.pdf)
• Acrobat Searchable PDF (*.pdf)
• Microsoft Word (*.doc)
• Microsoft Excel (*.xls)
• HTML (*.htm)
• Plain Text (*.txt)
• Rich Text Format (*.rtf)
Select CUSTOM tab from the opened DigiScan window to begin your
configuration as your need. The principle to configure each option within Custom tab is
basically identical with a few differences. We’ll introduce two ways to you to select your
preferable to shape the settings for later scanning.
Example: (Only available for Advanced Model)
 Select Readiris From the Purpose drop-down menu:
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1. Select the Acrobat PDF-image (Acrobat Searchable PDF, Microsoft Word,
Rich Text Format or HTML) from the File format drop-down menu.
2. Select the Save each page as a separate file or Save all pages to one file
according to your scanning needs.
3. Specify a destination file path by clicking the Browse button at the right end of
the Save option.
4. Enter the file name in File Name Prefix section.
5. Select Open after saving to review the result or Save to File to save the
result or Send by e-mail to send out the result as attachment.
Note: The Send by e-mail option is unavailable when you select the
FineReader from the Purpose menu.
6. Adjust the Scanning Attributes (Mode, Resolution, Brightness, Contrast and
Gamma).
7. Select proper settings in OCR Setting section (Create Bookmarks, and
Deskew page).
8. Click Advanced button to set more settings for Graphics in the coming out
window.
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