SCSI / Scanner

[dusk2dawn]

I have an old AGFA Snapscan 310 flatbed scanner with a Adaptec 1505 SCSI card that will not fit in my new comp.
Can I use any type of SCSI (ver 2 etc.) card or ..?

[ExSimGuy]

D2D,

The SCSI "standard" has been with us for about 12 to 15 years, and was a great idea. You could "daisy-chain up to 7 peripherals (hard drives, scanners, 12" writable ROMs, etc) on it and just give each one a different address.

Unfortunately, everyone had their own "interpretation" of it, and very often one device would not work with a given SCSI adapter (even before the advent of SCSI2 and later variants) and I have seen computers where 2 SCSI cards had to be installed for 2 SCSI peripherals - and both were a headache to set up!

I know it's not logical, but unless your old scanner has "wonderful powers" (like A3 scanning or incredible resolution) it will be cheaper to buy a new scanner (prices are way down these days) than to buy a new SCSI adapter card, and you eliminate the headaches of trying to get your scanner to work with the SCSI card that you buy.

Unless of course there's someone out there with exactly the same configuration who has done it and got it working . . . ?

[MegaTop744]

Yes, you can buy any modern PCI SCSI card for your scanner (all cards are backwards compatible with SCSI2-). I recommend the Adaptec AHA-2904. This costs about 40 pounds and will suit your needs just fine. The connector type may be different, so all I would do, is to take the Scanner to SCSI card cable to your computer store. They should be able to sort you out with the required connector.

[dusk2dawn]

Thanks, gents.

Well, I did buy a Tekram Ultra-SCSI DC-395U board and it actually does work OK with the scanner.

On the other hand, the Tekram drivers promptly destroyed the ADSL TCP/IP control.

Now I'm in real troubles :)