Tag: Scan

September 22, 2011

Florida Aperture Card Scanning

Aperture card scanning is the process of digitizing PC cards that contain a rectangular cutout with film pasted in it. Generation Imaging is a Florida aperture card scanning solution, although we accept aperture card scanning projects from all over the world.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far away, PC cards containing microfilm was a great way to store and retrieve drawings, blueprints, maps, technical schematics, and other documents or records . However, in today’s digital world where having a computer is commonplace, the continuing use of apertures is impractical.

Generation Imaging uses industry leading equipment and software to create the best image quality possible from aperture card scanning. Images can be converted to PDFs, TIFFs, or JPEGs; bi-tonal or greyscale; multi-page or single page.

Once the apertures are converted to digital images they can be stored on a server or CD/DVD/hard drive. The images can also be processed with an optical character recognition (OCR) if necessary, or have a database built from the Hollerith code punches or data on the header or image.

Why aperture card scanning is a good idea:

It reduce retrieval time
Its creates office space s
Individuals can quickly find specific images
It gives instant access to an entire collections
Users can access documents over on intranet, e-mail, or internet

If your company is in South Florida and local (Broward County, Miami-Dade County, Palm Beach County), and you prefer to do business with a local company, than Generation Imaging is a great Florida aperture card scanning solution for you. If you are not in the area, keep in mind that the bulk of Generation Imaging’s clientele is out of state, and your business is welcomed.

September 17, 2011

Computer Output Microfilm

Computer Output Microfilm is the rarest of 16mm roll film types (ironically Computer Output Microfilm is a very popular form of microfiche). Because of the nature of most COM reels not having regular edges like normal 16mm roll film, converting COM rolls into digital image can be quite a challenge. Thankfully, Generation Imaging has tons of experience working with all kinds of Computer Output Microfilm.

An example of Computer Output Microfilm

If the COM roll is blipped (small markers on the outside of the frames) and the frames have fixed sizes and are equidistant from each other, although the scanner operator must be highly experienced and the setup time is lengthy, it is theoretically possible to scan the Computer Output Microfilm without problems.

If the COM roll does not have blips, the highly skilled scanner operator must used advanced detection algorithms to attempt to find a sense area and setting to capture each frame by itself. Again, the Computer Output Microfilm must pretty much be perfect to pull this method off.

If none of the above methods will work, the expert scanner operator will have to scan the COM images as strips of frames. By padding an overscan and setting the backup, the operator can assure that no frame is missed. However this method requires post-processing: the frames must be manually cropped or split to create individual frames.

Generation Imaging offers scanning solutions for converting COM reels to PDF, TIFF, or JPEG. Please contact us today if you need this type of roll film to be converted to digital images.

September 13, 2011

Reselling Microfiche Scanning Services

Reselling microfiche scanning services is an excellent way for your company, organization, or you to have access to a stream of revenue without investing in equipment, labor, office space, training, or liabilities. For example, let us say you work for a litigation company and one of your clients- in addition to needing documents converted to PDF- also has a collection of microfiche containing payroll records. Let us also assume that the set of fiche contains 1,000 cards.

It doesn’t make sense to perform the microfiche scanning on your own for the following reasons:

Cost. Why buy a new microfiche scanner for $65,000 to digitize something worth around $4,000?
Inferior scanners. There are scanners that are cheap (like $10,000) but what type of quality would you expect from low level camera technology?
Labor, training, workflow. Do you really want to incur money up front costs to expand your company just to handle 1000 COM fiche?

Anyway, after you spend some time investigating all of these options and have meetings about the feasibility of your company doing the microfiche scanning, you will realize that it is more efficient to outsource the microfiche scanning.

Since Generation Imaging is a wholesale service bureau you will get a below market conversion price, which will give you room to add on to the price to your end client, i.e. reselling the microfiche scanning service. After all you are the one responsible for taking care of your end client, you are taking the risk, and you will be the one servicing the end client.

Generation Imaging can be your silent partner for reselling microfiche scanning services, or if you totally don’t want to get involved you could simply have us go direct and we’ll give you a commission- it’s your choice.

September 8, 2011

Digitize Negatives Could Help The National Archives

The National Archives hold information military service, family information, a personal history questionnaire, affidavits of comrades-in-arms, relatives, neighbors and medical, just to name some. Many of these files are in some form of negative microfilm. To digitize negatives and create digital files from this information will require a microfilm scanning conversion. Why would you want to digitize negatives? Well, by doing so, you can create an digital system that could hols all the information on computers. Organizations like these would like to digitize negatives but have not done so, in many cases, for monetary reasons.

Historians also like to digitize negatives because they spend a great deal of time researching records in libraries and going through books. When we digitize negatives, we create a file that is much more accessible than a hardcopy book. We Like helping historians and other people that like to look for old records, like people looking for ancestor’s information. After we digitize negatives from microfiche cards of microfilm rolls, their work becomes much easier and they appreciate it so much that they let you know about it.

After we digitize negatives, the digital files that are created can be viewed on one computer or multiple computers at the same time, depending on the network setup. Another benefit to digitize negatives is that digital images can be e-mail and shared through the internet just like any other digital picture. This really helps people that are interested in working on the same project but are not in the same location. If you an interest to digitize negatives for your own work, microfilm scanning can really help you.

September 2, 2011

Florida Microfilm Scanning

There are quite a few Florida microfilm scanning companies. It goes without saying that the state is big and has many different regions and cultures. The bigger the city, the more digital conversion bureaus. Generation Imaging is a Florida microfilm scanning company situated in Dade County.

What factors go into making a decision about which Florida microfilm scanning company to use?

1- Location. For many Floridians, to be within driving distance is an important factor. In fact the first thing organizations who need roll film digitized check is for conversion companies in their area. The mentality is usually based on the fear of lost shipments, shipment costs, or having the film nearby.

Although these seem like valid concerns, much of the fear in not justified. First, USPS has tremendous competitive rates compared to Fed-Ex and UPS. More and more clients use and request USPS than ever before.

The risk of losing film in the mail may be pretty much the same of having an airplane crash. The chances of getting into a car accident on the way to the local company may be greater.

As far as having the film nearby, well there are many services people use that aren’t nearby and require sending things in the mail. Converting roll film is not like bringing your automobile into the mechanic.

2- Arguably, price is the most important element of choosing a Florida microfilm scanning service bureau. Generation Imaging has the lowest price structure for various reasons, including knowing the market, keeping overhead low (you know, like not spending an $8,000 monthly rent), and not engaging in corporate waste (such as paying employees to “keep them busy” or buying lunch for upper management every day. Generation Imaging is a wholesale Florida microfilm scanning company: no middle-men, no subcontracting, and no mark-up costs.

3- For clients that have been through the ringer of using multiple conversion companies, reputation of quality of service may actually supplant pricing. If you are tired of missed deadlines, poor quality images, bait and switch quotes, lack of communication, and up front money demands, give Generation Imaging a try for Florida microfilm scanning. Dan Gandul and Damian Hospital’s faces, phone numbers, and e-mails are all over the internet. They have nothing to hide. Their company is G.I. Partners, LLC, which handles Florida microfilm scanning. Dan and Damian will either supervise, manage, quality control, or in some cases actually digitize your roll film project. G.I. is 100% accountable and takes full responsibility for your project.

What exactly do you have to lose by switching Florida microfilm scanning companies by at least giving Dan and Damian a chance? Loyalty or habit? If you are truly satisfied with your current Florida microfilm scanning company- that’s fine. But if you’d like to at least see if you can save money on a Florida microfilm scanning quote, please feel free to contact us.