The utilities on the bundled CD-ROM include PC and Mac versions of the IJ Scan Utility just mentioned the scanner drivers and a set of single-function utilities that includes Auto Scan, Document Scan, Photo Scan, Custom Scan, Stitch Scan, and OCR (optical character recognition) for converting scanned text to editable text.
You may be asking yourself, how do the scanner and supporting software know what to do with your scans? Everything the LiDE 400 does is configured and initiated with Canon's IJ Scan Utility that comes bundled with the other software utilities on the included disk.
The computer (depending on what you do) starts a new multipage PDF to hold this session's scans, or (if you press Finish after the first scan) it saves the page to a single-page PDF. Then, the scanner pauses, waiting for you to either swap out the page on the platen or press the Finish button. Start scans the document on the platen (glass scanner bed) and sends the scan to the computer.
Each button initiates a series of actions on the computer the scanner is tethered to, as follows: Meanwhile, the five buttons on the front of the scanner are Start, Finish, Auto Scan, Copy, and Send. A direct USB connection does not provide that. Otherwise, the scanning device must have a connection to the internet, or at best a network, to support many mobile and remote scanning features. The scanner lacks support for wireless or wired networking, mobile connectivity, mobile apps, and remote scanning, though you can send scans to the cloud by having the LiDE 400's software save them in a folder that syncs with a cloud site. No matter which option you choose, though, it's important to note that the LiDE 400 connects to and communicates with only one device, a single computer connected to the scanner via the USB cable that comes in the box. We'll talk about the software interface and features in a moment. As with most scanners, regardless of size and type, the software provides a much more versatile set of scan configuration and destination options than the control panel. You can operate the LiDE 400 from its five-button control panel on the front edge, or from the software bundle on the CD-ROM that comes in the box. For the 20 bucks you save when buying the LiDE 300 instead of the 400, you give up half the maximum resolution (2,400 by 2,400dpi versus 4,800 by 4,800dpi) and a few other features, including the kickstand. (Opens in a new window) Read Our Brother ADS-1700W ReviewĬanon offers a slightly less robust version of this scanner, the LiDE 300. The LiDE 400 compensates for this with a plastic kickstand-like pedestal that holds the scanner upright, instead of lying flat on your desk. In other words, neither model will take up more or less desktop real estate than the other. Space-Saving ScanningĪt 1.7 by 14.5 by 9.9 inches (HWD) and weighing only 3.6 pounds, the LiDE is not only the same size and girth as the LiDE 220, but also surprisingly close to the Epson Perfection V39 ($119.99 at Amazon) (Opens in a new window).
Without question, the LiDE 400 usurps the 220's Editors' Choice. This time around, the standout feature is the supporting software, which has made significant strides in speed and accuracy since 2015. In addition to doing a terrific job of scanning photos, though, the LiDE 400 focuses a lot more on text document scanning and processing than the previous model, making it much more adept at converting scanned text to editable text.
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