HP ScanJet 5400cse Scanner

The HP ScanJet 5400Cse Scanner provides resolutions up to crisp 2,400 dpi with vibrant 48-bit color depth. Not only does it allow you to easily scan and post photos or documents via e-mail or the Internet, it also works with your color printer to make color and black-and-white copies.

Beginning and advanced users alike will appreciate the 5400Cse's eight one-touch buttons that are configured for common scanning tasks. These buttons include Scan (which scans documents, photographs, and articles), Copy (to easily copy documents or get instant reprints of pictures with your printer), E-mail (attach scanned documents and photographs to messages), Share to Web, Power Save, Photo Reprint, View Options, and Cancel. Also for copying, there are buttons to specify the number of copies and to specify color or monochrome; an LCD shows the current number of copies selected.

The generous software bundle includes HP Precisionscan Pro 3.1, Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.05, HP Photo Printing, Corel Print Office 2000 (a suite of document publishing tools and templates), ACDSee (image viewing, browsing, enhancing, and managing), eFax Messenger Plus, Trellix Web Site Builder, and ArcSoft PhotoFantasy (image enhancement with fantasy backgrounds and effects).

The 5400Cse expands to scan 35mm negatives and slides with an optional transparency adapter. The scanner is compatible with Microsoft Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, and XP operating systems, as well as Windows NT and Mac OS 8.6 to 9.1. It is backed by a one-year limited hardware warranty plus one year of phone support and 24-hour Web support.

1 Great Scanner!
I bought this scanner a couple of months ago and I've been very happy with it. Although it has some weak points the scanner itself is so good that you won't even notice it.

Good points:

- It's fast as long as you are not using 1200 or 2400 ppi. It really slows down on those resolutions when scanning in color.

- Great images. The photos scanned with the 5400c are sharp, crisp and vivid. Sometimes when you get an image which is too bright or too dark you can easily correct it from the driver.

- The installation is a breeze. There is an illustrated poster which helps you setup your scanner and in a couple of minutes you're ready to scan your image.

- The software is great. Although it lacks some advanced color settings I think is good enough for everyone. And I don't know why is Mike saying in his review that you cannot specify output format. In fact there are many formats that you can save to:

- tiff
- gif
- jpg
- bmp
- pdf
- html
- fpx
- pcx
- png

- rtf

- There is an option to send your results to MS WORD, Excel, Adobe photoshop, etc

WEAK POINTS:

- If you want to scan with 48 bit color mode you have to choose it every time from preferences setting - it's also rather hard to find it.

- slow on 1200 & 2400 ppi modes.

- no printed manual

- the ocr software is also not the best.

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I think it's a very good scanner for the price - buy it and you won't be disappointed. If you have any questions, please mail me: ...

2 Great scanner for the price, NO trouble with ANYTHING
I have recently bought an entire new computer system: monitor, CPU, printer and scanner. I was interested in a lower model scanner at first until I was talked into buying this model. I have NEVER regretted this purchase. I am a photographer and have prints from just about everything that need cropping after being scanned and this scanner does the job well. Scan resolution on this is great and the print quality when it comes out is just as sharp. I couldn't ask for more:)

In the market for a complete system like me??? Read my other reviews on: HP 753n computer, HP mx70 monitor, and HP 7350 printer.

3 For [the price], you get a very solid Scanner
I Searched for a scanner with a [price limit] I seen them all and got this one. very easy to use, a nice bundle of software. "HP" did good with this one.

4 hp scanjet 5490
this model comes with the 25 page ADF and transparency adapter. The scanner is technically impressive -- when it works. I had to return the scanner itself 30 days after I purchased it, with only light usage-- and it was replaced with a remanufactured model. So far (30 days later) the scanner still seems to be working, but the ADF failed--was sent a new one--which never worked, and am now waiting for a third one.

Very disappointed with "the new HP"

5 Great Scanner, Horrible Software
I have tried many HP scanners over the past year. While all of them are very good mechanically wise, the software (HP Precisionscan and Pro) leave MUCH to be desired.

One point is the ability to have the scanner automatically detect regions. It's a great feature but if it detects a Color Photograph as black and white and you are in the middle of a batch scan job, expect to take about an extra minute or two for each one where that happens. There is no "Always output in color" selection, and there is no way to specify what kind of file you wish to have output (jpg, bmp, gif, etc.).

Another huge problem is the "Scan To" destination box. While in the help it says that there are "updates" to add more programs as destinations, I could not find a single reference to it on the hp.com site which the Help file referenced as where to find them. There is no simple way of adding destinations to this program and as such, you will find it extremely frustrating if you want to have it scanned into other than default destinations.

So if you are in the market for a good scanner with bad software, and only plan to scan into the pre-programmed into destinations (which are few and unhelpful) you MIGHT consider getting this scanner. Otherwise get an Epson or Microtek scanner...