plustekLarge Format Flatbed Scanner OS 1180 - A3 / Tabloid/Legal Size scan, Up to 1200 DPI scan Resolution for Blueprints and Document. Design for Library, School and Soho, Support Mac and PC

replaced a 17 yr old Mustek. Works great, very fast & scans independant of software, choice of output format

I absolutely love this scanner. I have been working to diminish my stuffed file drawers by throwing away what I don't need and scanning what I want to keep. Some of the keepers were newspaper clippings and other larger items that my other scanner couldn't accommodate--other than scanning them in pieces. Thus began my search for a large-format scanner.Is this the best large-format scanner on the market? That depends on your criteria and how much you're willing to spend. Here's why it is the best for me.1) If you compare the prices of large-format scanners, this is an unbelievable bargain. If you're trying to scan fine art, it may not be what you need. For my purposes of having high-def, clear copies of precious but mundane items, it was a screamin' deal.2) This has a great user interface and is fairly intuitive and easy to use. It took me a little while (maybe 20-30 minutes) to figure out exactly how everything worked, which I consider not bad at all. It also has excellent instructions.3) It offers a lot of fine tuning, with options of color/BW, level of definition/dpi, JPG/PDF, etc.4) I initially couldn't get it to work and was ready to send it back. I called tech support, and I got a human. Not a human after a recorded menu. A real human answered the phone. The kind and knowledgeable tech support rep who answered the phone walked me through troubleshooting, and I discovered a huge, embarrassing, total rookie error. I hadn't fully plugged in the USB cable. The rep was totally kind about it.5) Most importantly, this scanner creates clear, high-quality scans. Yay! Mission accomplished.(If you found this review helpful, I'd really appreciate if you would click the "Helpful" button. Thanks so much for reading! Liz)

Installation of software only took a few minutes. I have an Acer intel core 15 with windows 10. Abbyy Finereader 12 Spint made a quick access folder on my desktop so I just click it open to start the software. The scanner is lightweight but takes a lot of desk space and needs to be by both an outlet and your computer. Once the power is on it’s a lift flap to put item to be scanned on the flatbed. You can remove the hinges if needed and they go back in easily.The software feels ancient with limited options such as only 300 dpi or 600dpi. There’s not a lot of adjustment except brightness. There is either black and white, grey, or color.You get the choice of previewing before scanning which is nice and you can place multiple pages into one scan (but you have to place them each on the flatbed individually). You can scan to make a pdf, an image pdf, an image file (mine makes jpegs), word, etc.I’m using this for my scrapbooks which are 12 by 12. I’m making digital files in a pdf format and have made some into jpegs. You lose some of the quality but they look decent. The files start getting pretty large so I’ll probably need a hard drive for back up and storage.I’ve uploaded some of the massive jpegs to Shutterfly. I’ll update on how the prints look considering this is def like taking a picture of a picture the uploading and then printing so we shall see how that looks.Overall I’m happy with the quality and ease of use. It does sound similar to a fax machine at times when it’s scanning. Def not a silent machine. I love the size and capability and everyone in my family is already begging to use it. I’m happy with the price point as well since I priced out a company to scan my scrapbooks and it was 2.99$ a page plus other fees. Ten years of scrapbooks would cost a small fortune so this has saved me a ton. Plus I prefer to have the control even though it’s a time investment.I’ll update with any issues or concerns as I continue to use the Plustwj OpticAlim 1180 scanner. Questions welcomed.

The Scanner works very well now that I have figured out how to use it. Using the scanner is not totally intuitive. There are some quirks but I strongly encourage using Chat if you are stumped. Gerardo came on the line quickly, was patient and explained everything very well. From here I can figure out everything else I need. I recommend the scanner and Chat if you have issues.

I scan lots of sheet music as an orchestra librarian, and lots of those parts are printed on oversize paper. This scanner was a good add on to my office in many regards.The good: Scan quality of printed materials was very good. I can understand that for graphic artists/ photographers, the quality of scans may not be precise enough, but it certainly met my needs. Scanning was quick, and fairly quiet. The scanner itself was pretty much a plug and play item. Since the time I bought this device, (July 2022) I have scanned several thousand pages of sheet music. But now the scanner is not recognized by any of my computers and/ or scanning software apps. I had not needed to contact Plustek tech support before this, but I can say they responded quickly and worked to diagnose the issue in short order.The bad: The scanner is just over a year and a half old, and is dead.I am faced with the decision whether to spend $170 for a flat rate repair, plus one way shipping, or buy a new one for not that much more (even their tech support admits the cost difference may make the cost of repair not a good idea).I knew at the time I purchased this unit that I was buying in the bargain basement price range of scanning equipment, and that this outcome (failure not that long after the warranty is done) was a possibility. So if you happen to own one of these, and it's lasted longer, I'm happy for you.For myself, I'll be looking into a different (translation: more $) scanner.Not the worst experience, just wish it had worked successfully for a longer time.As always, caveat emptor.