BERTL Contex SD4400 User Manual

Contex SD4400 Series

5-10 ips monochrome; 0-3 ips color

Wide-Format Scanner

www.bertl.com

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly prohibited. BERTL accepts no responsib ility for any inaccuracies or omis sions contained in this document.

What’s Inside

Table of Contents

Introduction ..........................................................................................................4

Contex History........................................................................................... 4

Contex SD4400 Series.............................................................................. 4

Contex Family of Scanners....................................................................... 5

Contex Upgrade Policy .............................................................................5

What BERTL Tested .................................................................................5

Setup & Installation..............................................................................................6

Getting Setup............................................................................................6

Scanner Calibration................................................................................... 7

Features & Benefits .............................................................................................8

WIDEsystem

Sharing A Scanner .................................................................................. 10

Nextimage ...............................................................................................11

Nextimage Scanning............................................................................... 11

Nextimage Viewing..................................................................................14

Maintenance..... ..................................................................................................16

Consumables .......................................................................................... 16

Scan Quality......... ..............................................................................................18

Scanner Accuracy ................................................................................... 18

Text Sharpness ....................................................................................... 18

Color Fringing.......................................................................................... 19

Color Accuracy........................................................................................ 19

Line Pair Resolution Test........................................................................ 20

Panchromatic Test ..................................................................................21

Adaptive Thresholding ............................................................................22

Scan Performance.............................................................................................. 23

Scan Speed Tests................................................................................... 23

Black and White Performance ................................................................23

Grayscale Performance .......................................................................... 24

Color Performance.................................................................................. 24

Performance Conclusion......................................................................... 25

Summary ...................................................................................................26

Recommendations .................................................................................. 26

Pros and Cons….................................................................................... 26

Feature Charts ........................................................................................ 27

About BERTL ...................................................................................................29

NET

......................................................................................... 9

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly prohibited. BERTL accepts no responsib ility for any inaccuracies or omis sions contained in this document.

Page 2

Introduction

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Build Quality

BERTL Galaxy© Star Rating

Contex SD4400 Series

Finishing

Ease o f Use

Media Handling

Line Pairs/mm

Sc anni ng A ccura cy

Performance

Image Quality

Features

Price

0.0 1.0 2. 0 3.0 4. 0 5.0

ABOUT BERTL’S GALAXY© STAR RATING

BERTL understands how difficult it is to choose one office-imaging device over another and strives to make this an easier choice for the consumer. That said, how does a consumer decide between two or more devices that carry the same BERTL 3-, 4-, or 5-star rating?

Category Criteria:

Build Quality: An analysis of the construction quality of the major components that the user must interact with on a regular basis (e.g., paper tray, access covers, suppliers, etc.)

Finish: The productivity penalty (punch, staple, booklets) based on tests and finishing specifications and effectiveness based on a sliding scale benchmark when compared to that of other finishing systems found on other devices.

Ease of Use: the documentation, help, control panel, print drivers, and client utilities analysis when compared to a sliding scale benchmark on the ease of use of other devices.

Media Handling: Throughput specifications and evaluations based on a sliding scale benchmark when compared with the handling of special media (e.g., oversize, thick, or coated stock) found on other devices.

Line Pairs/mm: higher the better.

Scanning Accuracy: accuracy if applicable.

Performance: An overall performance index performed over a variety of different modes, e.g., black and white performance, color performance, graytone performance, etc.

Image Quality: based on tests and a subjective rating on the quality of continuous tones (photos) when compared to a sliding scale benchmark based on the continuous tone quality of other devices.

Features: The feature set compared to a sliding scale benchmark based on the feature set found on other devices.

Price: trays/rolls (wide format) configuration.

Ease of maintenance (adding paper, toner, misfeeds, cleaning) and ease of using

A measure of how many lines the scanner can resolve over an inch or mm — the

A measure of both the horizontal and vertical scanning precision and color

The quality of business color images (text, dot, line, halftone, and solid quality)

MSRP of a system configured with network printing, copying, scanning, and media

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly prohibited. BERTL accepts no responsib ility for any inaccuracies or omis sions contained in this document.

Page 3

Introduction

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Contex Corporation released the Contex SD4400 series in June 2008 as a full color and monochrome solution for large-format scanning and copying. It is Contex’s first scanner based on the Contact Image Sensor (CIS), a competing technology to Contex’s Charge Couple Devices (CCD)–based HD scanner. The SD4400 series is available in four different models or configurations, but all are based on the same new core CIS technology. The SD4400 series is a 44” wide scanner with 1200 dpi optical scanning resolution, the highest in the wide-format industry. The four models have basically the same specifications with the exception of the monochrome and color speed. The entry model is the SD4410, which is a fast monochrome scanner. The SD4430 is a color scanner with moderate monochrome and color performance. The SD4450 adds higher color and monochrome performance, and finally the SD4490 has the highest color performance. The SD4400 series is positioned as a range of affordable scanners serving the CAD, AEC, GIS, and reprographics markets.

CONTEX HISTORY

Contex was originally founded in 1923 and was for many years involved in the design and manufacture of inventive and "time-saving" business machines such as printing machines, mechanical and electronic calculators, and electrostatic copiers. These machines were distributed and sold worldwide under the Rex-Rotary and Gestetner brand names.

In the early 1980s, the company repositioned itself and laid the foundation for the establishment of Contex Scanning Technology. In 1986, the company began development of modular scanning technology. In 1988, Contex introduced its first black and white (monochrome) large-format scanner, and presented a complete line of black and white scanners in 1990. Contex introduced its first wide-format color scanners in 1996, and its scanner line now encompasses models with 18", 25", 36", 42", and 54" all-in-one wide scanning capability in both color and black and white. In 2008, Contex released its first scanner based on the CIS technology, offering both of the competing CCD and CIS scanning technologies to the market.

CONTEX SD4400 Series

BERTL tested the SD4400 series, which is offered in nonupgradable version, breaking Contex traditional offering of both a Base and a Plus scanner version of its individual scanner models. The SD4490 is the top model of the SD series and is priced at $13,750, including the scanner ($12,450), the scanner stand ($600), and Contex’s new Nextimage scanning software ($700). The SD4450 is

priced at $11,750, the SD4430 at $10,250, and finally the entry monochrome SD4410 model at $9,550.

The Contex SD4400 series is backed by a two-year warranty, where the first 6 months is on site, the next 6 months is return to depot for both parts and labor, and finally the last 12 months only covers the parts. Contex offers an optional service upgrade for an on-site warranty for as many as 5 years.

The 44” SD4400 series doesn’t fill a gap on Contex’s well developed and mature CCD lines with scanners ranging from 25” to 54”. Instead the SD4400 series represents Contex’s first move into the competing CIS scanning technology. Contex positioned the SD4400 series towards AEC, CAD, and GIS markets as the primary segments, and the lower-end reprographic and graphic segment as secondary, not matching quite the fidelity of the High Definition (HD) and more expensive series. Furthermore the SD4400 series is the first 1,200 dpi optical resolution wide-format scanner on the market, offering twice the optical resolution of any competing scanner. Lastly Contex has developed a new data transfer technology called xDTR over a USB 2.0 interface, getting nearly twice the transfer speed of previous scanner models and enabling scanning at 3 ips in color without overloading the USB 2.0 interface.

The SD4400 series has six approximately 8.5” CIS imagecapturing elements placed in an overlapping zigzag pattern to avoid any gaps in the 44” wide scan line. The SD series also follows the industry trend by offering face up scanning instead of the previous standard face down approach. The CIS element is placed in the top of the scanner, and the controller, interface board, and power supply are located on the right side of the scanner in the operator panel area.

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly prohibited. BERTL accepts no responsib ility for any inaccuracies or omis sions contained in this document.

Page 4

Introduction

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Device Features Summary

List Price

Monochrome Speed

Color Speed

Scanning Method

Optical Resolution

Maximum Resolution

Document Size

Maximum Media Thickness

Interface

1118 mm; unlimited scan length

USB 2.0 with xDTR technology

$9,550-13,750

5-10 ips* at 200 dpi

0-3 ips at 200 dpi

48-bit CIS technology

1,200 dpi

9,600 dpi

Paper width up to 44”/

Up to 0.04”/1 mm

Note: Price includes the scanner, scanner stand, and Nextimage scanning software, plus a 6-month, on-site warranty in the United States. * ips = inches per second.

CONTEX FAMILY OF SCANNERS

The SD4400 series is a family of three wide-format color scanners and one monochrome scanner, all based on the same hardware platform that consists of the SD4410 monochrome scanner, the SD4430 entry scanner performance, the SD4450 faster scanner performance, and the SD4490 with the fastest scanner performance.

To aggressively price position to various segments, Contex spun the SD4410, SD4430, and SD4450 models from the SD4490 model. These scanners are identical in hardware except for the color scanner performance.

The Contex SD4400 series consists of four different 1,200

dpi optical scanners, with no upgrade path and with

different color performance, but aggressive pricing.

Contex offers the new Nextimage scanning software to use in connection with the SD4400 series. This software is Contex’s own scanning software and supports professional scan-to-file, scan-to-print, and viewing operations.

According to Contex, some of the SD4400 series scanners’ advantages include:

• 1,200 dpi true optical resolution

• Up to 10 ips monochrome speed

• Up to 3 ips color speed enable by a USB 2.0 xDTR

technology

• Compact and lightweight design

• Contact Image Sensor (CIS) technology

• Instant-on, scanner-ready technology

• Face up scanning

• 44” color and monochrome scanner

• Maintenance and service friendly

CONTEX UPGRADE POLICY

Contex has a liberal upgrade policy, and customers can freely download and install new software and firmware updates directly from Contex at http://support.contex.com/

.

WHAT BERTL TESTED

BERTL tested the SD4410, SD4430, SD4450 and SD4490 models with the stand and the Nextimage scanning software. The price for the tested equipment ranges between $9,550 and $13,750. Due to the hardware similarities of the four models, they are all described in a single report.

BERTL uses its own standardized test procedure to test all wide-format scanners, ensuring uniform and independent treatment of wide-format scanners across scanner manufacturers.

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly

Page 5

Setup and Installation

GETTING SET UP

The scanner arrives in two cardboard crates containing the scanner and the scanner stand. The scanner stand is easy to assemble, even if you’re alone on the job. The two-page assembly instructions are clear and easy to follow. The next part of the assembly process was placing the scanner on the stand. Weighing in at less than 66 lbs (30 kg), it can be done by one person, but it’s easier for two people to lift the scanner and secure it to the stand. Once assembled, you connect the scanner to the computer using a USB 2.0 interface.

Before you turn the scanner on, install all the three software components: the WIDEsystem containing the scanner drivers, Nextimage scanning software, and the scanner maintenance calibration tool. During installation of these utilities, you can choose from among nine supported languages, including English, Spanish, German, French, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and simplified Chinese.

The computer needs to be rebooted after the installation of all software components. Once the device is turned on, the Microsoft Windows operating system automatically recognizes the scanner. After going through the usual Windows steps in searching for the best scanner driver, your new scanner system should be up and running.

BERTL analysts downloaded the newest, most current scanner firmware available directly from Contex’s Web site. The upgrade automatically finds the scanner and starts downloading the correct new firmware. We were up and running within five minutes.

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tool kit

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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The Quick Getting Started Guide is all you need.

WHAT WE LIKED

• The installation procedure is easy to follow. It can be performed by anyone in an organization who has average experience in installing new software and hardware on a computer.

• Instructions for assembly and installation are easy to follow and understand.

• Typical assembly time is 10-15 minutes.

• Typical software installation time is a total of 10

minutes for Scanner Maintenance, WIDEsystem, and Nextimage.

• Easy and automated firmware upgrade procedure.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• BERTL would like to see an application install manager for installing all the software packages in one operation.

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly

Page 6

Setup and Installation

SCANNER CALIBRATION

After you install the software, you must conduct a series of scanner calibrations in order to ensure that the scanner delivers optimal scanning quality. Calibration is straightforward, especially with the included illustrated setup guide that is designed to provide a language-free visualization of the calibration procedure. The SD4400 series has six CIS elements, and the first step is to ensure that all cameras are aligned correctly both horizontally and vertically.

Before beginning calibration, clean the transparent contact plates located inside the scanner and the surface of the document scanning table. Any dust or dirt on these surfaces may affect the calibration results and the resulting image quality. Also check that the calibration sheet is free of dust or dirt.

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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The Scanner Calibration wizard, which comes with the

scanner, performs the five calibration steps.

After the scanning calibration process, we ran our stitching test chart to detect horizontal and vertical stitching problems. We didn’t observe any horizontal or vertical stitching problems.

The picture below shows a perfect horizontal and vertical alignment between cameras. The 45° angled lines are used for vertical alignment. When vertical alignment is not set properly, it shows up as jagged angle lines. A horizontal stitching problem shows up when the horizontal line is not straight.

The Scanner Calibration wizard is a fully automated tool

for calibrating the SD series of scanners.

The scanner calibration process is handled by a wizard that guides you through the different steps. You only need to load the calibration sheet into the scanner when directed to do so, and the wizard completes the task.

The calibration takes you through five steps:

 Horizontal and vertical stitching  Basic calibration  Graytone calibration  Camera matching  Color calibration

Stitching test chart: We did not observe any

horizontal or vertical stitching problems.

The whole calibration procedure process took about 20 minutes to complete.

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly

Page 7

Setup and Installation

WHAT WE LIKED

• The calibration procedure is the most comprehensive and automated in the wide-format scanner industry.

• The calibration procedure is well documented and easy to perform.

• Typical calibration time is 20 minutes.

• A scanner operator does not need to understand the

various calibration steps, and as such, calibration can be performed by an operator who does not have specific knowledge of color calibration.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• BERTL would like the scanner to automatically detect the need for calibration when it detects degradation in scanning quality, or dust and dirt on the mechanism.

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Page 8

Features and Benefits

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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WIDESYSTEM

WIDEsystem

NET

is a software application that monitors the health of the scanner and allows the scanner operator to control miscellaneous global functions such as stand-by (power saving) and scanner sharing in a local area network (LAN) environment. It also enables the operator to control the one-touch scanner button on the scanner’s control panel.

WIDEsystem

NET

controls:

• The overall status of the scanner.

• Scanner information such as firmware release,

scanner uptime, serial number, scanner model, etc.

• Use of the scanner; for example, it tracks how many

inches have been scanned, how many inches of roller movement have occurred, and the like.

• Set up of which application should be launched when

the scanner operator touches the one-touch button on the control panel.

• The sharing of a scanner between users on the LAN.

Users can share the scanner with other users in the same way that a local attached printer can be shared with other computer workstations and users. This is a great feature when more than one department needs to share a scanner.

It is critical to have easy access to the scanner status and logs in order to facilitate service and estimate the remaining life of the scanner consumable parts (lamps, glass plate, rollers), so that proper replacement parts can be purchased prior to the parts’ failure point, ensuring uninterruptible operation and maximum uptime.

The SD4400 series complies with the ENERGY STAR

®

2007 rating specifications, using less than 5W in stand-by mode. Spending a large portion of time in the low-power sleep mode not only saves energy, but also helps the scanner equipment run cooler and lasts longer.

The Log tab page in WIDEsystem

NET

provide scanning usage information’s which can help plan for schedule maintenance e.g. recalibration.

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Log provide information about Lamp Light on hours and

scanned and roller movement information.

Page 9

Features and Benefits

SHARING A SCANNER

One of the SD4400 series scanner’s major advantages is that it can be shared among different users on the same local area network (LAN).

August 2008

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The picture above shows a typical installation of a scanner in a LAN environment. The scanner is connected to the computer and the Scan Server, via a USB 2.0 connection.

If the scanner operator wishes to share the scanner on the network, they can set it up so that other users can use it, or they can enable scanning to a designated scan folder on to another computer workstation. In the former case, users utilize the scanner similar to how they utilize a shared network printer. In the latter case, the user on the LAN that is configured to receive scanned documents can protect against unauthorized scanning by passwordprotecting the scan folder.

WHAT WE LIKED

• BERTL found WIDEsystem

NET

to be a powerful scanning tool for controlling, monitoring, and sharing the scanner among users and departments.

• WIDEsystem

NET

enables users to quickly see scanner status and view an error log, which is crucial for fast problem resolution.

WIDEsystem

NET

scanner share settings.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• BERTL does not have any recommendations for improvement.

All Rights Reserved. The license under which this document is made availab le and applicable law prohibit an y reproduction or further transmission of any portion of this document. T his document may only be viewed electronically through t he www.BERTL.com Web site and may not be stored in electronic or hard copy format. Any reproduct ion of trademarks is strictly

Page 10

Features and Benefits

NEXTIMAGE

Nextimage has a completely new design and replaces Contex’s older Wideimage and printing software.

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and JETimage

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scanning

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Nextimage can operate in three different modes, which are selected on the Task bar:

 Scan  Copy  File

On the top left is the Menu bar for setting default options and printer options. The top right has the Undo/Redo buttons. Then to left are the preview tools’ buttons like Zoom, Measure, and Reposition the frame. To the right is the Settings panel, in the lower left are the Overview window and Detail view of the image, and finally in the lower right are the main action buttons for scanning: Batch Scanning, Previewing, Canceling, or Printing.

As with all current software, the trend is to avoid pop-up dialog boxes for common settings and instead have collapsible and expanding menu choices, as seen in the panel settings to the right, to reduce screen clutter and allow the users to view the preferred settings.

Although we only tested the Nextimage scanning software, Contex does offer a copy option for scan-to-print functionality, which is sold as Nextimage SCAN+COPY for $1,500. This copy option is seemingly integrated in to the same user interface as Nextimage.

Tools->Options is where you set the default unit of measurement and the default paper types you want to see, such as ISO A & B, ANSI or ARCH, or both.

The Options dialog box is one of the few dialog boxes in

the software, and it is used to set the default options for

the operations of Nextimage.

Nextimage Scanning

The Scan mode of Nextimage operates all scanning activities. The Settings panel changes to accommodate all available settings while scanning.

The scan parameters are logically divided into four areas:

 Preset  Scan  Image Adjustment  Output File

Preset contains a previous defined preset for a list of common documents types, e.g., B/W line drawing, Color CAD and MAP, Color Poster, etc. Initially Contex provides six preset defaults; however the operator can add new presets at his or her discretion. This feature is handy for creating a uniform and standardized scanning operation.

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Page 11

Features and Benefits

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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The Scan box shows the size and the scanning resolution of the document to be scanned, but it also can be further expanded to control all the scanning parameters. This is a very nice feature. Instead of having an all or nothing approach, you can expand the settings levels to different detail views, allowing you to avoid clutter in your monitor and only see the settings that match your need.

Image Type is the color composition of the scanning, e.g., color, black and white, or grayscale. Levels control the brightness, contrast, and gamma, and it has a more advanced level where the black/white point can be set.

The Scan Settings box fully expanded.

The input size is the default set to auto sizing, but the dropdown menu lists all standard paper sizes. If you want custom sizes, you can input the length and width in the expandable mode.

The scanning resolution can be set between 50 dpi and 9600 dpi for the SD4400 series of scanners in steps of one dpi increment.

The Image Adjustment contains all image parameter settings for the scan. Scanning modes include 24-bit color, Grayscale, B/W, Band B/W adaptive. As for the Scan setting, the Image adjustment can be expanded on three levels.

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All the controls are dynamic. We did scan a newspaper and within a few seconds we found the best setting for the white point cleaning up the newspaper scanning and avoid the bleeding through from the newspaper opposite side.

Page 12

Features and Benefits

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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The white point setting is a fast way of cleaning up newspaper scanning.

The Color menu, which only shows up for color scanning, allows you to set the RGB level for each channel and enhanced gray level options.

Sharpen/Smoothen will either sharpen or blur the image. Map scanning usually improves when sharpening increases, making contour lines easy to see.

Rotate/Mirror are rarely used options, but they can allow you scan an ANSI E size (34”x44”) in landscape mode and then rotate it automatically after the scan process.

The Resize option is a nice new feature where you can scale or resize the image after scanning to a fixed standard drawing size like ANSI E (34”x44”). This automates the process of scanning older drawings in different sizes and then standardizing the output of all drawings to the same size.

Output File selects the destination for your scan and the file format. The number of possible file formats has been limited considerably, and now Nextimage only offers the most common standards for file formats:

 JPEG  PDF  BMP  TIFF

For black and white scanning, there are also CALS, and for color there is also the newer JPEG 2000 file format. Nothing more, nothing less. We like the simple approach and the realization that 99% of all users out there will use one of these formats.

Another innovative approach is that Nextimage allows you to automatically generate an output file name, which is very useful for indexing scanned files. When you put your cursor in the file name or save in field, you can hit the Insert button and select a list of Insert fields like time and day or a counter that adds up for every scan.

The Insert Fields option can automatically generate output

file names, a nice feature for batch scanning.

Detail view is another powerful new feature. The idea is that most often we are dealing with documents of C, D, or E-size or even larger. A monitor that displays the whole image will have to scale it down with a factor of 20 to make it fit on the screen. With that kind of scaling, you lose the details. Plus, zooming in and out all the time is a tedious task. Nextimage offers a new feature call Detail view, which shows a detail of part of the drawing that you select in 1:1. You can store as many as 10 detail views and quickly switch between them or between the Detail view and Overview view.

Overview view of a blueprint.

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Page 13

Features and Benefits

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Detail 1:1 view of a critical part of the drawing.

This feature is very useful when using the image adjustment settings to see how it affects the details in various parts of the drawings.

Nextimage Viewing

Nextimage viewing utilizes the same principle and layout as for scanning.

The scanning setting has logically been replaced with the Input File, and an extra Print setting has been added. The Print setting allows you to print out to any printer attached to your computer or on the network. It prints using the Windows driver. For accurate color printing, that is not enough. You would need the Nextimage SCAN+COPY option for that need.

The Input File box shows the properties of the viewing file

and allows you to set cropping.

Image Adjustment and Output File are similar to their counterparts under scanning, which also means that you can automatically create a new output file using the <insert Field> feature.

Print gives you a simple selection feature of which printer to print to, the image quality, and number of copies, giving you a quick and simple control of your printing process.

Simple and easy printing settings

for all the common daily tasks.

WHAT WE LIKED

• Nextimage is the best scanning software we have seen. Simple, logical, and easy to use, yet it offers all the powerful features that you need in the scanning or viewing process.

• Nextimage scanning software is a professional tool that gets the job done.

• The multiple Detail view feature is powerful.

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Page 14

Features and Benefits

• The support of the newer JPEG 2000 standard is good.

• Batch printing is possible with auto-naming field inserts.

• The Options Copy feature is integrated into the same application interface.

• The image adjustment occurs in real time without the need to re-scan the image.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• We would like to see pixel-level precision cropping and alignment of the image.

• We would like to see support of the multiple-page TIFF file format.

• We would like support of mark-up text and simple erasing tool for color images.

• We would like to see support for multiple viewing files.

August 2008

Contex SD4400

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Page 15

Maintenance

CONSUMABLES

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Contex SD4400

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BERTL analysts found it easy to repair the Contex

scanner, with plenty of room for replacing circuit boards.

The main board, interface, and the power supply are on

the right side with plenty of room to access the

components.

Like any other peripheral, a scanner has consumable parts, although they're insignificant compared to wideformat printers’ consumables. With scanners, there are typically three pieces that you should know about: replacement lights, the white background plate, and the scanner glass plate. The SD4400 series uses LED lights that have a lifetime of approximately 50,000 hours, so they are not really of concern. The scanner glass is also easy for the user to replace. With the SD4400 series you can replace the image sensors in a few simple operations.

The SD4400 series has a built-in diagnostic indicator on the back. If all four lights are green, everything is working smoothly. If one of the lights turns off, it indicates a failure of one of the four board internally in the scanner, making diagnostic faster and possible for the end user to perform.

The light indicates the status of all scanner boards,

making it easy to identify faulty boards.

Daily maintenance is simply a matter of cleaning the document and feed rollers in the scanner.

The SD4400 series provides easy access for the

daily maintenance of cleaning the rollers.

BERTL estimated that a typical repair time is around 20 minutes.

WHAT WE LIKED

• BERTL likes the scanner’s use of long-life LEDs for illumination.

• The scanner has easy access for the daily task of cleaning the rollers.

• That glass plate and sensors can be replaced without the need for a technician.

• Four diagnostic lights indicate the health of the scanner.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• BERTL does not have any recommendations for improvement in this category.

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Page 16

Scan Quality

SCANNER ACCURACY

BERTL analysts performed a series of quality tests on the scanners. We used our Applied Image (QA-1) test chart for evaluating the scanner’s horizontal and vertical accuracy. Instead of measuring the accuracy between two end points, we instead only measured a random selection of 6” width. Our test results indicated that:

SD4400 Series Accuracy %

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

Horizontal 0.15

Vertical 0.03

The vertical result is excellent and is well below the vendor’s claimed accuracy of 0.1%. The horizontal of

0.15% is clearly below the 0.1% specification but never the less fully acceptable.

The SD4400 series scanner supports adjustment of vertical precision. You do that by typing in a known distance and then adjusting it for precision.

TEXT SHARPNESS

Text sharpness is another test where we look at the impact of scanning small text size at low, medium, and high resolutions. As the results to the right show, the SD series with its 1,200 dpi optical resolution, has no problem scanning small text characters at low resolutions.

Small text scanned at 400 dpi.

Small text scanned at 600 dpi.

The test result is one of the best we have seen lately, and we contribute this fact to the much higher optical resolution of the SD series compared to other scanners in the industry.

WHAT WE LIKED

• BERTL liked the scanner’s vertical accuracy, which we attributed to the higher geometrical accuracy of CIS technology-based scanners.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• We have not recommendation at this time.

Small text scanned at 200 dpi

.

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Page 17

Scan Quality

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

COLOR FRINGING

Color fringing test result.

As shown, there is no visible color fringing.

SD4400 Series Color Fringing

Test Result None

COLOR ACCURACY

For our Color Accuracy test, we used the well-known ANSI IT8 test chart that is used to calibrate many color devices.

We scanned the test chart at 300 dpi using the sRGB color space and a Gamma of 2.2 (default of sRGB). We then read each patch and compared them with the reference patches of true color value which determines the ∆E value indicating how accurately the scanned colors match the reference chart. The color accuracy score for the SD4400 series is good.

The same image without color fringing.

The Color Fringing test checks how well the RGB channel is aligned. We do this by scanning the Grayscale Applied image test chart (QA-1) in color at the optical resolution to see if there are any visible color-fringing problems.

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SD4400 Series ANSI IT8.7 Color Matching

Test Result ∆E=5.1 Average

∆E=13.2 Worst Case

∆E=9.9 95%

Page 18

Scan Quality

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

LINE PAIR RESOLUTION TEST

Optical resolution is a physical characteristic of a scanner system, and it describes the ability of a system to distinguish, detect, and record physical details. However, there is more to the story than just the sensor in a scanner system. So when considering scanning quality, we also have to consider the optical system, Selfoc lens, CIS, glass plate, and the scanner’s illumination system. Furthermore, when scanning is not performed at the highest optical resolution, we must consider how the scanner performs the actual scaling to the selected scanning resolution. All of these factors introduce errors and reduce scanning quality; therefore, optical resolutions

are an indicator of scan quality, not a measure of it.

We use a line pairs per mm (lp/mm) test as a way to measure spatial resolution. With the lp/mm measure, all quality factors — such as lenses, optical system, scaling, and image processing — are taken into account, making the use of the lp/mm test a better way to measure scanning quality. In connection with lp/mm, we also like to measure how well a scanner maintains rapid change in the image and if it maintains the sharpness instead of just blurring rapid transition in the image. We use the 50% point of the Contrast Transfer function to measure the sharpness of the scanner.

The chart to the right shows the result of the lp/mm test for resolutions between 100 to 1,200 dpi in steps of 100 dpi. As expected, we see that with lower resolutions, the lp/mm goes down, but the curve keeps up fairly well, so that it maintains lp/mm at lower resolutions. We also note that the lp/mm peaks at 14.3 lp/mm optical resolution. This result is excellent, and it is what to expect for a 1,200 dpi optical resolution scanner. When the scanning resolution is decreased, so are the lp/mm results.

Because most scanner users scan between 200 to 400 dpi, the SD series performs at the same level as other scanners in that range, even though other vendors’ scanners are of the same or slightly lower optical resolution.

LP/MM & MTF

16

14

12

10

8

LP/mm

6

4

2

0

100 200 300 400 500 600 800 1000 1200

Dpi

A line pair/mm test at 14.3 lp/mm at optical resolution is

excellent, and the best we have seen in the industry.

SD4400 Series LP/MM

Test Result – Peak 14.3

Test Result – Average 200 -

5.1

400 dpi

LP/mm

Sharpness

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Page 19

Scan Quality

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

PANCHROMATIC TEST

SD series grayscale scanning of a color test chart.

lights when scanning in grayscale, which explains the result.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• A correct panchromatic response.

Correct panchromatic interpretation of color image.

This test is designed to check if the scanner can scan panchromatic correctly. If a scanner has a dedicated panchromatic line sensor, or the grayscale response is formed by combining the red, blue, and green channels, the test reveals a correct response. If, on the other hand, the scanner uses the green color channel to get the grayscale response, it will not detect color that does not reflect with the green color. The result above shows that the SD4400 series does not do a panchromatic right scans of color images in Black & white. This result is not uncommon for CIS technology. BERTL analysts were told that the Contex SD4400 series use the green light LED

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Page 20

Scan Quality

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

ADAPTIVE THRESHOLDING

Adaptive thresholding is a scanning technology that cleans up engineering blueprints and other deteriorated drawings. We test the scanner’s ability to clean up the drawings both in terms of the result and also how easy it is to find the best settings for this process. We try to avoid over-cleaning so crucial information is not lost.

With adaptive thresholding, scoring is based on a subjective scale from:

• Best – The best available in the industry in terms of

clean up and ease of use.

• Good – Good clean-up result, better than average

and easy to use.

• Average – Average clean-up result and average ease

of use.

• Poor – The clean up result is poor, and it is difficult

find the best setting.

• N.A. – Adaptive clean up is not available.

SD4400 series Adaptive Thresholding

Test Result Best

After adaptive scanning.

Original scanned in color.

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With adaptive thresholding.

Page 21

Performance

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

SCAN SPEED TESTS

We performed a series of scanner speed tests for black and white, grayscale, and color scanning. For each test, we measured the scanning speed between 100 to 600 dpi resolutions in steps of 100 dpi. This test range represents more than 95% of all wide-format scanner use and is therefore, representative for a real user environment. Our test drawing size is an architectural E-size (36” X 48”) for both black and white and grayscale performance testing, and for color performance testing we used a 36” X 24” color drawing.

For the performance test, we used a desktop computer running Microsoft Windows XP/SP3 with a Q6600 Intel core 2 quad processor, 3.25GB of memory, and connected to the scanner via the USB 2.0 interface. The test is performed using the supplied scanner software. While this computer is not the fastest available, it represents a typical computer used by a typical scanner customer.

BERTL analysts measured the scanning time by starting a regular stopwatch at the time we pressed the scan button and stopping it when the scanning application finished scanning the image into the destination file. We call this test the "observed scanning speed" for a drawing. For black and white drawings, we use TIFF Group 4 compression, while for grayscale and color scanning, we used JPEG file format. The error in measuring time by hand is approximately 1 second, which indicates that black and white performance tests can show great variation at as much as 25% error for less than 300 dpi scans; at higher resolution, the relative errors converge to less than 5%.

For each scan timed, BERTL analysts also measured the reaction time from the time we pressed the scan button to the time the scanner actually started scanning, and then we measured the end time at the completion of the scan. The reaction time is in the range of less than a ½ second in black and white and grayscale, and approximately 2 seconds in color scanning.

We then graphed the results with both the observed time and the adjusted time, which is the observed time minus the reaction time. This performance is more true to the actual true speed of the scanner. Finally, we graphed the scanner manufacturer's claimed speed time. All measurements are in inches per seconds (ips).

BERTL analysts caution against the absolute interpretation of the performance result because the actual result depends heavily on the computer in use and the scanner interface.

The SD series has different performance specifications as indicated in table below.

SD Series @200 dpi SD4410 SD4430 SD4450 SD4490

B/W

Ips

Graytone

Ips

Color

Ips

10 10 N.A.

5 5 1 10 10 1.5 10 10 3

BLACK AND WHITE PERFORMANCE

The black and white performance after adjustment is just below the manufacturer’s claimed speed. Note, however, that the observed speed is roughly one-third to half the claimed performance. The scanner reaction time is low and below 1 second, and we don’t see any differences between the observed and adjusted scan time. We do notice a dip in performance at 500+ dpi. The green line is the one that should be measured against the manufacturer’s claimed specs (blue line). The red line is the real elapsed scanning speed from the moment we hit the scan button and includes the scanner latency to the time the file has been stored on the computer.

B/W Performance - SD4410, S D4450 & S D4490

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0

IPS

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0 100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Observed

Claimed

Adjusted

Black and white scanning performance for SD4410,

SD4450, and SD4490.

B/W Performance -SD4430

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0

IPS

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Observed

Claimed

Adjusted

Black and white performance for the SD4430.

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Page 22

Performance

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

The SD4400 series scanner actually performed pretty close to manufacturer’s specification, and all models had no problem in delivering the expected speed at all resolutions from 100 dpi to 600 dpi.

GRAYSCALE PERFORMANCE

Technically speaking, the scanner speed in grayscale and black and white should be identical. Again the performance is close to the manufacturer’s specification. The scanning performance is the same speed as with black and white.

Gratyone Performance -SD4410, SD4450 & SD4490

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0

Ips

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0 100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Observed

Claimed

Adjusted

Grayscale scanning performance for the SD4410,

SD4450, and SD4490 scanner.

Gratyone Performance -SD4430

10.0

9.0

8.0

7.0

6.0

5.0

Ips

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0 100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Observed

Claimed

Adjusted

Grayscale scanning performance for SD4430.

For graytone scanning, the scanners delivered the promised speed and there is no USB 2.0 bottleneck in the systems. We contribute this to the Contex USB 2.0 xDTR technology that increases the USB 2.0 throughput from approx 18MB/sec to 32MB/sec, which is the fastest USB

2.0 connection we have seen among wide-format scanners.

COLOR PERFORMANCE

Contex’s improved USB 2.0 connection speed helps in reaching the claimed performance for the SD series. Even for the top-of-the-line SD4490, we saw virtually no problem in the scanning ranges from 100 dpi to 600 dpi. Our conclusion is that with a fast enough computer, you can drive these scanners to their maximum performance.

The overall speed result for the SD4400 series is excellent, and only at 600 dpi with the scanners at full speed did we see a little drop in performance.

Color Performance - SD4490

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1. 5

1. 0

0.5

0.0

100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Obser v ed

Clai med

Adjust ed

Color scanning for SD4490.

Color Performance - SD4450

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

Ips

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0 100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Observed

Claimed

Adjusted

Color scanning for the SD4450 scanner.

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Page 23

Performance

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

Color Performance - SD4430

PERFORMANCE CONCLUSION

The SD4400 series delivers optimal performance thanks

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0

100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

Obs er ve d

Cl aimed

Adjusted

to the very fast USB 2.0 with xDTR technology. To assess realistic black and white performance, you must take into account the scanner reaction time. The reaction time for the SD4400 series scanner is less than a second. For grayscale and black and white scanning, this reaction time has little impact, and for color scanning it’s negligible above 200 dpi. Also, the higher the scanning resolution, the less impact the reaction time has.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND

• BERTL recommends that you strongly consider

Color scanning for the SD4430 scanner.

Color Performance - SD S eries (Actual Perfor man ce)

investing in a top-of-the-line computer with high performance to get the most out of your scanner and to match the very fast USB 2.0 xDTR connection that Contex offers.

5.0

4.5

4.0

3.5

3.0

2.5

Ips

2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0.0 100 200 300 400 500 600

dpi

SD4490

SD4450

SD4430

Actual color performance from the SD4490,

SD4450, and SD4430.

The above diagram shows a direct comparison between the SD series models’ actual color performance. As shown, there is no significant color performance difference between the SD4430 and SD4450, and the SD4490 delivers twice the performance of the SD4450 in the scanning range of 100-500 dpi.

With a price differences between the SD4450 and SD4490 of $2,000 and between the SD4430 and SD4450 of $1,500, it’s clear that you get very little extra in terms of color performance with a SD4450 versus the SD4430.

The excellent result is due, among other things, to the good performance of the attached computer, which did have a 3.25 GB memory and was driven by an Intel Core 2 quad Q6600 processor at 2.4GHz. The result further underscores the fact that if you want to take the scanner’s performance to its limit, you have to connect it to a powerful computer.

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Page 24

Summary

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

RECOMMENDATIONS

The SD4400 series with Nextimage software is a fully featured 44” wide-format color scanner, and it clearly provides high-end scanning quality, displaying excellent performance in BERTL's tests to a reasonable price level. Contex’s new Nextimage scanning software is state of the art and easy to learn when used together with its professional features to get the job done quickly. With a 1,200 dpi optical resolution, you have very high quality scans and performance that is among the fastest in the industry.

This is Contex’s first scanner model utilizing the CIS technology, and although not as high in color capture accuracy, the Contex SD series can easily meet the vast majority of all customer requirements.

Taking advantage of the increasing processing power of a computer, Contex has switched a lot of processing from the scanner to the computer. This has also reduced the complexity in the scanner, and with a 26-second startup time from cold, it is truly an “instant on” scanner.

Due to its high optical resolution, this scanner is a perfect fit with the GIS market, but also CAD/AEC and the reprographics industry are clear candidates for this scanner.

The best value is the SD4430 color entry model, where its relative low price, caused it to score high on our value/price index. For the SD4450 and SD4490, you do pay a premium for increasing color performance, but they are still priced attractively against competitors.

The SD4400 series operates smoothly, and with the scanner's high reliability, it should provide trouble-free operation for years. A starting price below the magic $10,000 for a 44” color scanner is a bargain. The scanner is therefore, a Outstanding choice for the reprographic, photographic, corporate graphic, GIS, AEC, and CAD markets, and BERTL is proud to award this scanner a 4.5star, Outstanding, rating.

PROs CONs

Highest optical resolution in the industry

Highly productive, very fast black and white and color scanning speed.

High color-capture and geometrical accuracy.

Feature-rich and state-of-theart Nextimage software has the best adaptive thresholding for cleaning up difficult drawings.

Price starts below the $10,000 mark.

Horizontal accuracy is below specification.

Panchromatic scanning is not accurate.

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Page 25

Summary

V

l

m

d

V

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

SD4490 Score Range Feature Score

Scanning software 5 0..5 Image feature 4.5 0..5 Previewing 3 0..3 Automated 8-bit color scanning 4.5 0..5 Thick media handling 0 0..2 Easy replacement of consumarables 4.5 0..5

Sub Total 21.5

Quality Score

Scanner Accuracy 4 0..5 No Color Fringing 5 0..5 Color Accuracy 4 0..5 LP/mm 5 0..5 Panchromatic 2 0..2.5 Adaptive Quality 5 0..5

Sub Total 25

Performance Score

Black & White Performance - Claimed 4 0..5 Graytone performance - Claimed 4 0..5 Color Performance - Claimed 5 0..5 Black & White Performance - Observed 2.6 0..5 Graytone performance - Observed 2.65 0..5 Color Performance - Observed 4.3 0..5

Sub Total

22.55 0..30

0..25

0..27.5

SD4450 Score Range Feature Score

Scanning software 5 0..5 Image feature 4.5 0..5 Previewing 3 0..3 Automated 8-bit color scanning 4.5 0..5 Thick media handling 0 0..2 Easy replacement of consumarab

Sub Total 21.5

Quality Score

Scanner Accuracy 4 0..5 No Color Fringing 5 0..5 Color Accuracy 4 0..5 LP/mm 5 0..5 Panchromatic 2 0..2.5 Adaptive Quality 5 0..5

Sub Total 25 0..27.5

Performance Score

Black & White Performance - Clai Graytone performance - Claimed 4 0..5 Color Performance - Claimed 3.5 0..5 Black & White Performance - Obs 2.6 0..5 Graytone performance - Observe Color Performance - Observed 3.9 0..5 Sub Total 20.65 0..30

4.5 0..5

0..25

4 0..5

2.65 0..5

Total Score 69.05

Price Factor adjusted

alue Price index 521

13.25

0..85

Total Score 67.15 0..85

Price Factor adjusted 11.25

alue Price index 597

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Page 26

Summary

l

m

d

V

l

m

d

V

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

SD4430 Score Range Feature Score

Scanning software 5 0..5 Image feature 4.5 0..5 Previewing 3 0..3 Automated 8-bit color scanning 4.5 0..5 Thick media handling 0 0..2 Easy replacement of consumarab

Sub Total 21.5

Quality Score

Scanner Accuracy 4 0..5 No Color Fringing 5 0..5 Color Accuracy 4 0..5 LP/mm 5 0..5 Panchromatic 2 0..2.5 Adaptive Quality 5 0..5

Sub Total 25

Performance Score

Black & White Performance - Clai Graytone performance - Claimed 1.5 0..5 Color Performance - Claimed 3 0..5 Black & White Performance - Obs 1.05 0..5 Graytone performance - Observe Color Performance - Observed 2.8 0..5

Sub Total

Total Score 57.4

Price Factor adjusted

alue Price index 589

4.5 0..5

0..25

0..27.5

1.5 0..5

1.05 0..5

10.9 0..30

0..85

9.75

SD4410 Score Range Feature Score

Scanning software 5 0..5 Image feature 4.5 0..5 Previewing 3 0..3 Automated 8-bit color scanning N.A. Thick media handling 0 0..2 Easy replacement of consumarab

Sub Total 17

Quality Score

Scanner Accuracy 4 0..5 No Color Fringing N.A. Color Accuracy N.A. LP/mm 5 0..5 Panchromatic 2 0..2.5 Adaptive Quality 5 0..5

Sub Total 16

Performance Score

Black & White Performance - Clai Graytone performance - Claimed 4 0..5 Color Performance - Claimed N.A. Black & White Performance - Obs 2.6 0..5 Graytone performance - Observe Color Performance - Observed N.A.

Sub Total 13.25 0..20

Total Score 46.25

Price Factor adjusted

alue Price index 511

4.5 0..5

0..20

0..17.5

40..5

2.65 0..5

0..57.5

9.05

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Page 27

Summary

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

WHAT WE LIKED

• The installation procedure is easy to follow. It can be performed by anyone in an organization who has average experience in installing new software and hardware on a computer.

• Instructions for assembly and installation are easy to follow and understand.

• Typical assembly time is 10-15 minutes.

• Typical software installation time is a total of 10

minutes for scanner maintenance, WIDEsystem

NET

,

and Nextimage.

• Firmware upgrade procedure is easy and automated.

• The calibration procedure is the most comprehensive

and automated in the wide-format scanner industry.

• The calibration procedure is well documented and easy to perform.

• Typical calibration time is 20 minutes.

• A scanner operator does not need to understand the

various calibration steps, and as such, calibration can be performed by an operator who does not have specific knowledge of color calibration.

• BERTL found WIDEsystem

NET

to be a powerful scanning tool for controlling, monitoring, and sharing the scanner among users and departments.

• WIDEsystem

NET

enables users to quickly see scanner status and view an error log, which is crucial for fast problem resolution.

• Nextimage is the best scanning software we have seen. Simple, logical, and easy to use, yet it offers all the powerful features that you need in the scanning or viewing process.

• Nextimage scanning software is a professional scanning tool that gets the job done.

• The multiple Detail view is a powerful feature.

• The support of the newer JPEG 2000 standard is

good.

• The scanner enables batch printing with auto-naming fields inserts.

• The Options Copy feature is integrated into the same application interface.

• The image adjustment occurs in real time without the need to re-scan the image.

• BERTL likes the scanner’s use of long-life LEDs for illumination.

• The scanner enables easy access for the daily task of cleaning the rollers.

• That glass plate and sensors can be replaced without the need for a technician.

• Four diagnostic lights indicate the health of the scanner.

• BERTL liked the scanner’s vertical accuracy, which was attributed to the higher geometrical accuracy of CIS technology-based scanners.

• BERTL recommends that you strongly consider investing in a top-of-the-line computer with high

performance to get the most out of your scanner and to match the very fast USB 2.0 xDTR connection that Contex offers.

WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE

• BERTL would like to see an application install manager for installing all the software packages in one operation.

• BERTL would like the scanner to automatically detect the need for calibration when it detects degradation in scanning quality, or dust and dirt on the mechanism.

• We would like to see pixel-level precision cropping and alignment of the image.

• We would like to see support of multiple-page TIFF file format.

• We would like support of mark-up text and a simple erasing tool for color images.

• We would like to see support for multiple viewing files.

• We would like to see a correct panchromatic

response.

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Page 28

Summary

About BERTL

August 2008

Contex SD4400

www.bertl.com

BERTL Services

The success of an organization depends on its ability to manage its information and assets. An effective workflow process requires the complex integration of information, devices, software, and people.

IT managers, office managers, and other knowledge management professionals need to know what digital imaging devices would best serve their specialized workflow processes.

BERTL’s services are designed around this real-world framework, delivering business consumers the independent analysis and insight needed to make critical decisions about digital imaging’s role in their organization.

Independent Analysis and Insight

BERTL’s reports, comparative data, and strategic guides look at digital imaging through the eyes of the business user. The research examines not only the technical features, but also vertical market applications, and business benefits. The impact on worker productivity is a primary concern.

BERTL is 100-percent independent. It receives no funding from manufacturers, and all product evaluations and reports are published at BERTL’s own expense for its subscribers. Business users worldwide trust BERTL for objective, unbiased analysis of digital imaging systems.

Reports and Star Ratings

BERTL analysts provide detailed reports on the technical and practical benefits of thousands of color and monochrome workgroup, office, graphic arts, and production devices.

Product Specifications

DataCheck Gen II provides the most current competitive data on printers, copiers, MFPs, fax devices, wide-format printers, scanners, and more.

News, Interviews, and Analysis

The ITchat online magazine provides insight into the dynamics and trends of the digital imaging marketplace through interviews, feature articles, and software reviews.

BERTL Awards

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BERTL Contex SD4400 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual