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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating - Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 14 reviews
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Product summary
The good: Easy to use; pleasing overall scan quality; supports both USB and parallel-port connections.
The bad: Somewhat slow; no printed manual; limited scanning area.
The bottom line: The ScanJet 5400c's ease of use and good image quality should appeal to home- and small-office users despite its merely moderate scanning speed.
Specifications: Type: Flatbed scanner - Desktop ; Optical Resolution: 2400 dpi x 2400 dpi ; Scanner interface type: USB ; See full specs
CNET editors' review
- Reviewed on: 03/06/2002
- Updated on: 01/09/2003
Hewlett-Packard's latest scanner is a midpriced system that should appeal to families and small businesses alike. The ScanJet 5400c is easy to use and captures attractive, high-quality images at 2,400x2,400dpi (dots per inch) in 48-bit color. With extra-cost options, you can expand this scanner's repertoire to include a transparency adapter for scanning negatives and slides, as well as an automatic document feeder for handling large stacks of documents. Unfortunately, the ScanJet 5400c's biggest drawback is its somewhat tepid scanning speed.Hewlett-Packard's latest scanner is a midpriced system that should appeal to families and small businesses alike. The ScanJet 5400c is easy to use and captures attractive, high-quality images at 2,400x2,400dpi (dots per inch) in 48-bit color. With extra-cost options, you can expand this scanner's repertoire to include a transparency adapter for scanning negatives and slides, as well as an automatic document feeder for handling large stacks of documents. Unfortunately, the ScanJet 5400c's biggest drawback is its somewhat tepid scanning speed.
Easy start-up
Getting the ScanJet 5400c to run was a breeze. HP doesn't provide a printed manual, but you do get a setup poster and an electronic PDF manual, which cover the scanner's installation and software adequately. The ScanJet 5400c supports Windows 95, 98, NT 4.0, Me, 2000, and XP, as well as
Mac OS 8.6 through 9.1 (support for OS X remains under development). The included CD-ROM contains the scanning software and other image-editing applications, plus brief visual demonstrations on connecting the scanner.
A few nice touches grace the ScanJet 5400c, along with a slight design problem. Though the scanner is only 12.5 inches wide by 3.5 inches high, it's so long (22 inches) that in order to open the lid, we had to rearrange our workspace. In a tight office cube, it might not fit under your shelves. The lid raises on its hinges to make room for thick documents and lifts off completely for really bulky objects. Also, HP designed a simple shield that blocks the power port until you unlock the scanner--saving hasty new users from damaging the motor. The ScanJet 5400c's engine has two arrays of image-capture elements, one for scanning at resolutions up to 600dpi and another for scanning at higher resolutions. The dual-array design is intended to speed low-resolution scans because it has fewer pixels to capture. Rounding out the scanner are one-touch buttons along the front edge; you can use these to send scans directly to your e-mail, printer, Web site, or HP's PrecisionScan Pro software.
A laundry list of software
HP provides a good software bundle with the ScanJet 5400c. It begins with HP's PrecisionScan Pro, which lets you resize scans, adjust the resolution, and change the color settings. It also provides fairly comprehensive image-correction tools, such as exposure and gamma controls. The program then allows you to send the completed scan off to a graphics program, the built-in OCR engine, or another application. Other image-editing tools include HP's Photo Printing 2.6, for creating prints or albums, and ArcSoft's PhotoFantasy 3.0, which is designed for combining scanned faces with wild background scenes. Rounding out the bundle is ACDSee 3.1, for storing scans; Corel's Print Office 2000 5.0, for small businesses; eFax Messenger Plus 2.0, for send-only faxing; and the Trellix Web-site builder.
HP also sells various options for the ScanJet 5400c that expand its appeal. For $80, you can add a transparency adapter for scanning slides and negatives; an extra $250 buys you an automatic document feeder, which should keep the paper flowing in any small office.
Mixed results
The ScanJet 5400c was a bit slow in CNET Labs' tests. It took the device 33.3 seconds to scan a full-page color document, whereas the Epson Perfection 1650 whipped out the same scan in only 17.1 seconds. The spread on grayscale scans was less dramatic; the ScanJet 5400c took 18.5 seconds, compared to 16.5 seconds for the Perfection 1650.
Overall, we were pleased with the ScanJet 5400c's scan quality. The images came out detailed and focused, even where dark colors overlapped. Bright colors, however, looked somewhat faded or undersaturated. Fortunately, that's the easiest problem to fix with image-editing software. Grayscale scans captured minute gradations in shading and exhibited excellent detail; however, solid blacks appeared gray.
The ScanJet 5400c comes with a reasonable one-year warranty. HP also offers generous phone support, but unfortunately, it requires a toll call. You can phone Monday through Friday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. PT. The HP Web site contains lots of valuable information, including drivers, manuals, FAQs, and a searchable knowledge base.
Despite its somewhat slow scan speeds, the ScanJet 5400c offers attractive color and grayscale scans at a reasonable price. It also features an intuitive and easy-to-use interface that even kids could use, while still offering an attractive software bundle for small offices. However, if you want to scan film or slides, you'll need to spring for the $80 transparency adapter.
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Scanner speeds Time, in seconds, to scan in image (shorter bars equal better performance)
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| The ScanJet 5400c was a bit slow, taking 33.3 seconds to scan a full-page color document, while the Epson Perfection 1650 whipped out the same scan in only 17.1 seconds. The spread on grayscale scans was less dramatic; the ScanJet 5400c took 18.5 seconds, compared to 16.5 seconds for the Perfection 1650. However, the HP managed to keep pace with the Epson in scanning quality. Note: The ScanJet 5400c was tested without the transparency adapter for scanning slides and negatives. |
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 14 reviews
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