Anyone else got this super annoying issue with Epson Scan software?

fabulousrice · Feb 17, 2021

I use Epson Scan for Mac version 5.1.

If I select the areas of my film I want to scan and click "Scan", the camera starts scanning the pictures I outlined.
But if I go on the internet or put any app at the front of the Epson Scan digitizing progress window, the app stops responding.
Not only does the digitizing progress window have to stay atop all the other ones, but I have to jiggle the mouse pointer otherwise the app just becomes unresponsive.

So I usually use Jiggler for mac (great, free app), that does just that: it jiggles the mouse pointer and prevents the Epson Scan app from going to sleep.

And all the while the app is scanning, I can't really use the computer to do anything else...

I've given VueScan a try in the past but really can't make sense of the interface - it's just not intuitive for me. And the scanner digitizes much faster with the epson software from what it seems.

radiant · Feb 17, 2021

Yes I had the same issue when I used my Mac to scan.

Download the new scan tool (Epson Scan 2 or something?) - it seemed to work fine on Mac.

SchwinnParamount · Feb 17, 2021

You should toss your Mac and buy a real computer. A Windows 10 box. Ok. I'm about half-kidding.

I was a Microsoft engineer for 12 years so I have a little bit of bias.

fs999 · Feb 17, 2021

Epson scan drivers often block applications...
If you scan, do only that and you will not have problems.

logan2z · Feb 17, 2021

There was a bug in earlier versions of EpsonScan that caused this issue. It was fixed in a later version of the software, even before EpsonScan 2 was released. Upgrade to the latest version available on Epson's site and you should be good.

Wallendo · Feb 17, 2021

Which scanner are you using? If it is a V550 or V600, you can download a free copy of SilverFast. It's not a simple straight forward program, and if you don't like the VueScan interface, you likely won't like this either, but it is worth a try.
EpsonScan 2 on the Mac is a mess. I installed it but it seemed very buggy (which I suspect is why Epson is giving away free copies of SilverFast). Also EpsonScan 2 deactivates Digital ICE (if that is important to you).

logan2z · Feb 17, 2021

Wallendo said:
Which scanner are you using? If it is a V550 or V600, you can download a free copy of SilverFast. It's not a simple straight forward program, and if you don't like the VueScan interface, you likely won't like this either, but it is worth a try.
EpsonScan 2 on the Mac is a mess. I installed it but it seemed very buggy (which I suspect is why Epson is giving away free copies of SilverFast). Also EpsonScan 2 deactivates Digital ICE (if that is important to you).

I used Silverfast for a while after I upgraded the OS on my Mac and the original version of EpsonScan stopped working. The interface is horrible and the scans don't look as good. Admittedly, I haven't explored the reasons for the poorer scan quality too deeply so maybe the settings I'm using aren't optimal. But EpsonScan seemed to produce better scans with minimal need for tweaking in Lightroom. I moved from Silverfast to EpsonScan 2 and haven't noticed any major bugs.

Ces1um · Feb 17, 2021

logan2z said:
There was a bug in earlier versions of EpsonScan that caused this issue. It was fixed in a later version of the software, even before EpsonScan 2 was released. Upgrade to the latest version available on Epson's site and you should be good.

Definitely agree with logan2z here- upgrading solved most of my problems with epsonscan. The interface is a bit different though in the new version. It's very bare bones.

fabulousrice · Feb 17, 2021

John M Austin said:
You should toss your Mac and buy a real computer. A Windows 10 box. Ok. I'm about half-kidding.

I was a Microsoft engineer for 12 years so I have a little bit of bias.

I will never understand how someone can call a windows computer a computer... let's not go there... you're happy with your insanely broken vision of the world, I'm happy with my functional one... I used to keep a list of things I find utterly unfathomable on windows computers and copy/paste it to anyone who would hear it but these debates are pointless... let's agree to disagree!

fabulousrice · Feb 17, 2021

Thanks everyone for the pointers, I'll try to get my hands on Epson Scan 2 and give it a shot

grat · Feb 17, 2021

fabulousrice said:
I will never understand how someone can call a windows computer a computer... let's not go there... you're happy with your insanely broken vision of the world, I'm happy with my functional one... I used to keep a list of things I find utterly unfathomable on windows computers and copy/paste it to anyone who would hear it but these debates are pointless... let's agree to disagree!

Ah, going to ring and run, I see... "Your system sucks, but let's not go there!".

Windows has had it's fair share of issues. But some of the absolutely stupidest security bugs I've ever encountered were on a Mac, so if you both start throwing rocks, you'll both be living in a pile of splinters. They, as well as Linux, have reached a point where they're solid choices.

Now, NetBSD on the other hand.... THAT'S a solid, stable, secure OS. But not really a great choice for multimedia work.

SchwinnParamount · Feb 17, 2021

grat said:
Ah, going to ring and run, I see... "Your system sucks, but let's not go there!".

Windows has had it's fair share of issues. But some of the absolutely stupidest security bugs I've ever encountered were on a Mac, so if you both start throwing rocks, you'll both be living in a pile of splinters. They, as well as Linux, have reached a point where they're solid choices.

Now, NetBSD on the other hand.... THAT'S a solid, stable, secure OS. But not really a great choice for multimedia work.

Yep, what you said.

fabulousrice · Feb 18, 2021

grat said:
Ah, going to ring and run, I see... "Your system sucks, but let's not go there!".

Windows has had it's fair share of issues. But some of the absolutely stupidest security bugs I've ever encountered were on a Mac, so if you both start throwing rocks, you'll both be living in a pile of splinters. They, as well as Linux, have reached a point where they're solid choices.

Now, NetBSD on the other hand.... THAT'S a solid, stable, secure OS. But not really a great choice for multimedia work.

My manager was running windows 10 years ago... I had to come to her office everytime she downloaded an attachment because she didn't know where it went... no, she was not 80 years old...
You need to understand that 70% of the world's population are not using computers at your level - because they're either too old, too young, they didn't grow up with one, or they simply don't give a crap...
Imagine guiding someone who's 80 to change their gmail password... over the phone... you should try to give some free technical help to people using windows someday to understand that people are completely helpless with these systems.

I'm actually feeling like desktop computers are soon going to be a technology of the past with people buying tablets or doing everything on their phones nowadays...

Ariston · Feb 18, 2021

fabulousrice said:
I'm actually feeling like desktop computers are soon going to be a technology of the past with people buying tablets or doing everything on their phones nowadays...

People have been saying that for a long time. It's never going to happen. I actually tried (I run a small business). Business users need a real keyboard, a real mouse, a real printer, and a real screen (I use two 32-inch screens).

grat · Feb 18, 2021

Ariston said:
People have been saying that for a long time. It's never going to happen. I actually tried (I run a small business). Business users need a real keyboard, a real mouse, a real printer, and a real screen (I use two 32-inch screens).

The people who think tablets / phones are acceptable replacements for a desktop computer were never the target users for desktop computers in the first place.

fabulousrice · Feb 18, 2021

Ariston said:
People have been saying that for a long time. It's never going to happen. I actually tried (I run a small business). Business users need a real keyboard, a real mouse, a real printer, and a real screen (I use two 32-inch screens).

Depends where you look...

fabulousrice · Feb 18, 2021

grat said:
The people who think tablets / phones are acceptable replacements for a desktop computer were never the target users for desktop computers in the first place.

It's an ever changing landscape. I don't know if computers are here to stay. Things change to fast to say right now.
The economic ecosystem of film photography is very simple in comparison: film needs to be manufactured. Labs need to be able to process film. And that's it!
Now for personal computers to exist for a 100 years at least we'd need... unflinching interest/need from consumers, no matter how often their stuff becomes obsolete or the way you're supposed to use it changes... people willing to develop a wide range of programs without going under because business is bad or piracy or global warming makes governments restrict server usage, etc... antivirus software for the paranoid ones... people making viruses to justify the previous guys' business... an entire ecosystem of networks, servers, cables, antennas, etc - kept up to date and maintained at great cost...
And for smartphones to run applications, these have to be developed on desktop computers... so everything's tied together.

We live in a world where most people don't have access to food, clean clothes, jobs or water they can drink. These are priorities. In the next few years, the climate changes happening right now in Texas will become more widespread, bringing about death and desolation in places that were ok... I'm really, really not sure the priority will be to keep networks and infrastructures updated especially if it's at a loss. Time will tell...

fs999 · Feb 19, 2021

fabulousrice said:
I'm actually feeling like desktop computers are soon going to be a technology of the past with people buying tablets or doing everything on their phones nowadays...

That was a good laugh

Alan Edward Klein · Feb 19, 2021

I can't see on my phone. The screen is too small. It's hard to jump from program to program on the screen if you need to run more than one program. While shooting pictures are OK in a pinch, their ergonomics suck. You can't see the screen in the sun, recorded sound whooshes in a breeze, and I still can't figure out how to hold it, view the scene, and press the shutter at the same time without dropping it.

Now I just bought a Samsung Tab s5e. It works like my phone but the big screen makes it a pleasure to use especially with the keyboard protective cover. Of course, I don't run Lightroom or Premiere on it. But for sitting on the couch, it's fine. Right now I'm on my desktop. I definitely like a full keyboard and mouse and big screen. So there's no way I'll give it up.

ced · Feb 19, 2021

Just tracking all the different passwords are starting to drive me insane. Then another great subject is if and when one can go on holiday which chargers, cables, batteries & adaptors need to be assembled otherwise it is easy to be found wanting...

fabulousrice · Feb 19, 2021

Alan Edward Klein said:
I can't see on my phone. The screen is too small. It's hard to jump from program to program on the screen if you need to run more than one program. While shooting pictures are OK in a pinch, their ergonomics suck. You can't see the screen in the sun, recorded sound whooshes in a breeze, and I still can't figure out how to hold it, view the scene, and press the shutter at the same time without dropping it.

Now I just bought a Samsung Tab s5e. It works like my phone but the big screen makes it a pleasure to use especially with the keyboard protective cover. Of course, I don't run Lightroom or Premiere on it. But for sitting on the couch, it's fine. Right now I'm on my desktop. I definitely like a full keyboard and mouse and big screen. So there's no way I'll give it up.

I agree with you but the truth is that your demographic doesn't make the market.
Choices made at the executive level at apple, samsung, microsoft and google are based on teenagers and people under 50 with the highest buying power.
I'm sorry, I really wish it wasn't so... I would prefer if people learned to use computers, learned to write with a pen and paper, too, really wouldn't hurt... but the age we're living in right now, is going more and more towards a smartphone-ruled digital world.

fabulousrice · Feb 19, 2021

fs999 said:
That was a good laugh

I mean, it's a known fact with easily accessible data, but ok.

fabulousrice · Feb 19, 2021

ced said:
Just tracking all the different passwords are starting to drive me insane. Then another great subject is if and when one can go on holiday which chargers, cables, batteries & adaptors need to be assembled otherwise it is easy to be found wanting...

Definitely a HUGE reason to never shoot digital. Charging batteries makes me sick.
Here's a tip for you: use a password manager. There are some great ones out there - you can try them out during the trial period and then decide.
It literally changed my life. I never have anxiety with passwords, I can log into any of my accounts from any of my devices and all my passwords are 30+ characters long letters/numbers/symbols mish mash.
You'll thank me.

Andrew O'Neill · Feb 19, 2021

I've never had that issue with my mac and epson scanner...MInd you, I usually don't stick any apps in front of it, or go on the internet.

logan2z · Feb 19, 2021

Andrew O'Neill said:
I've never had that issue with my mac and epson scanner...MInd you, I usually don't stick any apps in front of it, or go on the internet.

Either you have a later version of the software without the bug or you've just never noticed the issue. It's been discussed on several forums and was directly acknowledged by Epson:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/epson-v600-scanner-keeps-pausing.2093952/

Anyone else got this super annoying issue with Epson Scan software?

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