Just purchased imacon precision ii - what do I need to work with mac

Shortpballer

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Hello,
I just purchased a used imacon precision. Doesn't come with anything besides an ac adapter.

What do I need to get it to work with my 2009 Mac Pro? I've seen some scsi to USB 2.0 adapters. Would this work? Or do I need to buy an older Mac to work the scanner? Any help would be awesome! I'm excited about scanning myself!
 

samcomet

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I've had success with the same Mac and a SCSI card when using a Polaroid film scanner. This may work for you too. Good luck!
cheers,
Sam
 

samcomet

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It's a SCSI card that fits into the internal bay of the computer. If you look at the rear of the box you'll see several cutouts that serve as access points for cables attached to the internally mounted expansion cards............check this out:

Dead Link Removed

cheers,
sam
 
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Shortpballer

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So it is a card that will mount to pci-e? I don't think I have any 16-pin pci left.

 

samcomet

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To be honest with you I do not know, but I would suggest a search on the net to find a manufacturer/seller of SCSI cards and check with the specs to see if you can't find a compatible one ............sorry I cannot be more specific.

Best,
Sam
 
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Shortpballer

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Is there anyone out there that has a precision ii and is using it with Mac OS? Even if I need to buy a G4 G5 or an older laptop, I don't mind, just want to know the best way to get this thing working!
 

Patrick Robert James

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I would start with a SCSI card that will work with your scanner then find a computer that will run it, which if you are in luck might be the one you already have. RATOC made a SCSI-Firewire converter, but those are rare now and the price has climbed accordingly.

There is a Yahoo group called high end scan or something like that. You can get an answer for sure there.
 
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Shortpballer

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So I've been trying to do research for the past 6 hours or so. It seems that the most efficient way is with the SCSI-FIrewire converter. As you said they are quite expensive. If I were to just use a SCSI card, I would be stuck with a G4 or a very old computer.

My other option is to buy a Mac mini or a MacBook Pro that supports snow leopard (the newest OS I can have that supports SCSI). So these basically means that I can't use my Mac Pro tower since I run Sierra.

Do you think it is better to just get an older Mac computer and run a SCSI card over buying the adapter and a Mac mini or a MacBook Pro?


 

Patrick Robert James

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Like I said, if you can find a SCSI card that will work with your scanner, that would be the place to start. It will be much easier to find a computer that will work with the SCSI card. I keep an old 2004 Powerbook around just in case I ever get an old scanner like a Creo. I hope I do. I know the Powerbook will run the software needed although the interface might be a problem. From what I can remember you will need a Motorola processor to run a SCSI card. I may be wrong on that, but it would be a safe bet.

Since you are basically starting from scratch, don't rule out a Windows machine. Again, like I said, finding a SCSI card or converter will be the issue. If you can find the firewire converter, that opens up a lot of options you won't have with a SCSI card. I have also seen a PCMCIA/Firewire converter. That would work with an old laptop, but those are probably far rarer than a RATOC converter.

Kinda s*cks that all the good old scanners are such a pain to use these days! You would think all the advancements in technology would have given us something better by now.

Good luck to you.
 
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Shortpballer

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Yea it is really crazy there are no simpler options!


 

samcomet

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Shortpballer said:
Yea it is really crazy there are no simpler options!
Click to expand...

Had a look at my SCSI card. It's an Acard 67162 and I've seen a few on eBay although I cannot say for sure it'll work in your situ but good luck.
Sam
 

Frank53

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Maybe a bit late, but I did not see this thread before.
A few years ago I bought the same scanner.
Long story short, I tried everything you can think of and the only thing that works for me is using the scanner with a Ratoc scsi to firewire converter on an older mac, in my case a G5 iMac. Be sure to switch on the scanner first and switch it off after the computer, otherwise you may have configure the whole thing all over again.
There is a manual about this on the internet, which is very helpfull. I can send you the link if you’re still interested.

Forget about scsi cards on a newer Mac. Apple stopped supporting scsi years ago and the Imacon software only works on 10.4 or earlier, which you cannot install on a newer Mac. If you have a G3 or G4 lying around, you could try that with the older 9.1 and scsi. Thats what it was originally made for.

Great scanner by the way.


Regards,
Frank
 

jd callow

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Frank53 said:
There is a manual about this on the internet, which is very helpfull. I can send you the link if you’re still interested.

Regards,
Frank
Click to expand...
Frank, Can you post the link?
 

Bob Carnie

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I switched to a PC for my Imacon Precision 11 old one.
it works much better now than it ever did working with the Mac..{ I had a lot of issues with the old mac setups}

but for detailed info I am the wrong person- I hire a tech who was really good on both systems and to date have been very happy.
 
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