ScanMate drum scanner DIY maintenance, troubleshooting, mods

My slides looks like a bit out of focus. I share with you my entire workflow. If someone could help me, please PM me.

https://youtu.be/Cop-3G9pYLk

Didn't see all the way since the video is too long, but I guess two options:

a) focus needs to be adjusted via calibration program (see the repair manual)
b) focus motor sensor maybe bad? Then usually you get "random" focus points as you autofocus
 
So all those ScanMate specialists - I have a problem and I need your help - I lost my DB25 adapter and my VT terminal (proper hardare oldschool terminal!) was left to my old workplace. Those always worked to calibrate my ScanMate 11000 couple of years ago I last did it.

Ditto meanwhile I've changed from mac to PC meanwhile on ScanMate CQ workflow. A bit too many changes for me.

Now I need to build a new RS-232 (serial/COM/DB9) to RJ-45 (ethernet/LAN) cable myself. I just soldered one together, but I get no scanner response from TeraTerm on Windows 10.

EDIT: got response. I remade the cable, the correct pin positions are as follows:

RJ45 - RS232
2 - 3
3 - 2
4 - 5

See post here for detailed instructions who needs it.
 
Last edited:
I've been told that this board works as an extender board to make it easier to get to the test points. I didn't see it posted here so here ya go. I'm waiting for mine to arrive.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/...EXT-LF/2137335

Let us know if it fits. Would make the job much easier indeed. This far I've used thin wires with hooks to measure each channel.


Other question I've always had related to this: what do the PMT Gain constraints adjustment really do, anyone knows more detail about it?

They do not follow the same "3 volt" PMT Gain rule, instead the voltages go "overboard" as you go bigger apertures when I measured voltages from the board on each channel. Seems like it's nearly impossible to adjust them right unless you have some exponential (graph-) table calculated for their exact values for each channel and aperture?
 
I have Scanmate serial cable for running service tools plus below SCSI cable, black are for Adaptec PCMCIA to SCSI adapter. PM me if you need: jzagaja gmail
 

Attachments

  • photo116178.jpg
    photo116178.jpg
    161.9 KB · Views: 2
  • photo116179.jpg
    photo116179.jpg
    183.4 KB · Views: 2
  • photo116180.jpg
    photo116180.jpg
    244.5 KB · Views: 2
Hello, i'm having some weird lines on my scans. I have a SM11000 scanned with CQ on Win10. Mylar is new, and i don't know why i'm getting this lines. I attach you some photos of my negatives, wet mounted on the drum. Are they on the right position? Or must is flip 90º ? The lines appears mostly on dark areas.

Thank You
 

Attachments

  • photo116303.jpg
    photo116303.jpg
    288.2 KB · Views: 6
  • photo116304.jpg
    photo116304.jpg
    846.9 KB · Views: 6
  • photo116305.jpg
    photo116305.jpg
    145.1 KB · Views: 5
  • photo116306.jpg
    photo116306.jpg
    130.3 KB · Views: 5
Hi Everyone,

first of all thanks for this awesome detailed 1000 post long collection of invaluable information! This has been a incredible source of knowledge so far :).

I recently got a super cheap ScanMate Plus (the old old thing) and am running into a few issues, I'll put the SCSI part aside since that's hopefully resolved with finding the right SCSI card / OS combo (search ongogin) but while I wait for a card to arrive I have been experimenting with the serial console.

The ScanMate Plus has a DB9 serial console, the the RJ45 the the newer models have, I think I've nailed the pin layout (it seems to be a null model serial cable with two db9 plugs) but I'm a bit stuck with the output. the 9600 bound 8.n.1 configuration suggested for newer models doesn't seem to work, putting a osciloscope on the channel suggests the boudrate is about 4000-4200 but neither 3600 nor 4800 give any readable output, does anyone, by any chance have gotten this to work before?
 
Small update in case someone else runs into this:

The ScanMatePlus uses an serial with a custom pinout (db9 to db9) at 4200 bound 8.n.1 configuration, to get a clear rendering of the newlines you got to enable CR (add LF) and LF (add CR).

I'm not sure about all pins
PCScannercertenty
1-Not
23Certain (recv)
34Certain (send)
4-Not
55Somewhat Certain (ground)
6-Not
7-Not
8-Not
9-

With these settings the scanner's firmware shows clearly on the console and lets you enter commands, they're limited and `w` seems to just re-boot the prompt but they are there!

EDIT: It's not a null modem cable, updated to also get write direction
 

Attachments

  • scanner.jpg
    scanner.jpg
    107 KB · Views: 2
So another update on this journey as it hasn't been mentioned before. ATTO SCIS cards seem not to be working with the ScanMate Plus (can't speak to others). I tried the UL3D on a G5 mac and the UL5D on Windows 10, and neither of those recognize the scanner.
 
So a step further and stuck again, I got one of the tested adapters, an Adaptec 2906 (PCI) and a PCIe to PCI extension. The card is recognized and shows up in the device manager in win 11, the scanner however still does not.

The scanner boots into "on" and "ready"

Running the CQscan tool (v 5.2) the "No scanner found" message comes up and I can see the "operating" LED blink up for a fraction of a second. If I let the program just sit for a second and then press retry, the process takes quite a while (2, perhaps 3 seconds) and the scanner "operating" lamp turns on constantly.

This leads me to believe that there is some SCSI communications even if no device shows up in the device manager, so I assume the card and cable at least are working.

My theories so far are:
- the scanner is toast (I hope not :D)
- That CQ 5.2 is too new for ScanMate Plus? It is after all a very old scanner and I've not managed to find many users of it. Any chance someone has an older version for windows lying around I could give a shot?

EDIT:
Or an old color trio turns out color trio 1.1 (found that somewhere here and got it installed in an XP VM) is too new for the ScanMate Plus, turns out it only supports the ScanMate Magic Plus and ScanMate Plus II

Does anyone have an idea what software is needed?
 
Hello
I shoot 8x10 and 4x5 and I have purchased a ScanMate 5000. While I am waiting for the scanner to be delivered, I am trying to learn about ColorQuartet 5.2 and the appropriate settings for previewing and scanning. I hope I can learn from some of the experienced users here, about their preferred "Preview" and "Scan" settings. What to do and perhaps more importantly what not to do.
Thanks for your time and for your help!
 
Hello
I shoot 8x10 and 4x5 and I have purchased a ScanMate 5000. While I am waiting for the scanner to be delivered, I am trying to learn about ColorQuartet 5.2 and the appropriate settings for previewing and scanning. I hope I can learn from some of the experienced users here, about their preferred "Preview" and "Scan" settings. What to do and perhaps more importantly what not to do.
Thanks for your time and for your help!
Hi, I am not the most experienced user here but will write a short summary later today. In the meantime: do you have the manual to review? I suggest to read this first.
 
Hi, I am not the most experienced user here but will write a short summary later today. In the meantime: do you have the manual to review? I suggest to read this first.
Thanks so much. I actually decided to get a different scanner instead of ScanMate so will not need advise about CQ personally. But I am quite sure a writeup would be beneficial to the purpose of this thread and helpful to someone else in my position.
 
I reached out to ABC scan in Denmark, and received the software. I got everything working now (still having problems with the PCI Serial port and the dongle), and using run as date to get it to work. The scanner works now, took a bit of effort.

In the meantime, i got a second scanner with a mac and a dongle to have a backup scanner for parts.

This 'new' scanner i got, unfortunately it started showing stripes with the previous owner, and he had a 'technician' take a look at it, and since then, it only shows black images when doing preview/scan. This technician had taken it apart - so my guess is that he didn't align the light bulb correctly to the PMT 'sensor', hence not getting an image.

Before i start taking it apart to check if i can correct the alignment, (if that is even the case), anybody does have any tips how to go from here? The scanner is correctly recognized, and spools perfectly, does everything as my proper working one does.

appreciate the help! :)
Please post the original zip file here, i can host it!
 
I've been told that this board works as an extender board to make it easier to get to the test points. I didn't see it posted here so here ya go. I'm waiting for mine to arrive.

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/twin-industries/8196-EXT-LF/2137335
I think thats a DIN 41612 connector. You can get those from aliexpress.


So if you don't want to pay 100$ for that, you can get these connectors and solder wires to make your own extender.
 
So a step further and stuck again, I got one of the tested adapters, an Adaptec 2906 (PCI) and a PCIe to PCI extension. The card is recognized and shows up in the device manager in win 11, the scanner however still does not.

The scanner boots into "on" and "ready"

Running the CQscan tool (v 5.2) the "No scanner found" message comes up and I can see the "operating" LED blink up for a fraction of a second. If I let the program just sit for a second and then press retry, the process takes quite a while (2, perhaps 3 seconds) and the scanner "operating" lamp turns on constantly.

This leads me to believe that there is some SCSI communications even if no device shows up in the device manager, so I assume the card and cable at least are working.

My theories so far are:
- the scanner is toast (I hope not :D)
- That CQ 5.2 is too new for ScanMate Plus? It is after all a very old scanner and I've not managed to find many users of it. Any chance someone has an older version for windows lying around I could give a shot?

EDIT:
Or an old color trio turns out color trio 1.1 (found that somewhere here and got it installed in an XP VM) is too new for the ScanMate Plus, turns out it only supports the ScanMate Magic Plus and ScanMate Plus II

Does anyone have an idea what software is needed?
Did you run QC in administrator mode? It needs to be run that way to work.
 
Here are the latest ColorQuartet install files, and all the extra stuff in one ZIP. Lets try to keep it up.

Here are all the firmwares, this includes the latest working ScanMate11000 firmware that you sometimes might need for using CQ5.2

Field service manual for ScanMate 5000 & 4000 :

Service Manual for ScanMate 11000
 
Last edited:
Back
Top