Klarinet Archive - Posting 000118.txt from 1994/07

From: Tom Ascher <U15310@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: Toward downloadable files of clarinet music.
Date: Sun, 17 Jul 1994 09:51:29 -0400

My Midiscan manual says (under 2.3.1 Hardware /Software required):

a. Computer
An IBM AT, PS/2 or compatible clone (Intel 80286, 80386, or 80486)
Microsoft Windows version 3.0 or later
4 megabytes of RAM
A Windows-compatible video card and mouse
a. Scanner (The following items are normally bundled)
A full-page (flat-bed or edge-feed) or hand-held
*******MY COMMENT: Hand-held only with qualification that it would involve
a GREAT DEAL more bother and work. So, FULL-PAGE required.*********
The scanner must output a black-and-white (1 bit-plane binary) image
with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi (dots/inch).
A scanner controller card installed in the PC.
Imagging software that can output and save TIFF (Tagged Image File
File Format) image to disk.

One caveat, you need a little over 1MG of disc space for each page scanned.
But, once you convert from TIFF to MNOD files, you can throw away the TIFF
files and your space requirements go down significantly. Also, you need at
least 4MB RAM.

There's still a bit of bother scanning each page to a TIFF file, then convertin
to a MNOD file, editing the MNOD file as needed to correct any errors, and
then converting the MNOD to a MIDI.

If you order directly getting the educational price, it's something like $180.
You might get even a better price from Soundware,200 Menlo Oaks Drive,
Menlo Park, CA 94025. 1-800-333-4554 or 1-415-328-5773.

Suggest you call the Midiscan distributers for more info, and also for
DEMO. The Customer Service # for Musitek (distributers) is: 1-805-646-8051.
I believe you can get a DEMO for $10.

Warning. There is still considerable bother in scanning the image, feeding it
through the various stages of software, making corrections, etc. But, the
new version 1.1 DOES work quite well and surpisingly accurately. I believe
also that this is the only existing software for scanning in music.

Suggest ordering demo first and then when ordering actual product be sure you
can return within so many days if not happy. I have to say that I was quite
unhappy and frustrated with the first version, but that I find the version 1.1
quite servicable. But, this might just be in comparison with all the problems
with 1.0.

Good luck. Happy midi'ing, transposing, parts scoring, etc.