HP Scanjet 3900 series / News: Recent posts

Ubuntu users couldn't use this release due to binaries were corrupted for unknown reasons. Problem is fixed and package (with same version 0.12) is ready to download.

Thanks to users who reported this issue

I've released a new version of hp3900-series because there are some important changes and fixes. This version supports a new scanner (HP ScanJet G2710), I've solved a problem related to grayscale emulation and made some improvements in compile and install scripts for machines supporting 64-bit architecture. In stand-alone application I've added --qbuttons argument to query a scanner's button returning its code before exiting application.... read more

Due to a grave bug in 0.10 version, I've released this one to fix it. Such bug made slide/negative scans unusable.

There is a new version available about hp3900-series (0.10). Due to some chipsets don't implement an eeprom, backend now checks whether chipset supports operations with such memory. Those people who use to work with stand-alone application, can use a simple GUI (hp3900.kmdr). This version emulates white shading correction so images should have better quality. Grayscale is now supported by hardware and emulation remains as optional. Last major improvement is that lineart scans generate 1 bit depth images.... read more

Here comes 0.9 version before going on holidays. These are changes and improvements:

• Added support for scanner: HP ScanJet G3010 (similar to hp4370)
• Added initial support for scanner: BenQ 5550T (New chipset: RTS8823L-01E).
• Fixed bug related to stepper motor, programming smearing curves for backtracking.
• Implemented algorithm to detect installed RAM type.
• Implemented a better code to read/write in DMA.
• Added some scripts for users, to update, compile and install sources (please read README.en).... read more

After almost three years of intensive tests, my hp 3970 scanner is definitively dead. If anyone wants to donate a similar scanner to continue developing this project, please contact me at jkdsoft@gmail.com

Also, there are other scanners that can be donated to give support such as:

UMAX Astra 4900 or 4950 (use CIS sensor)
BenQ 5550T (support is not complete)

After seven mounths a new release is coming. The more important improvements are the following ones (See changelog for a complete list of features):

• Added support for a another scanner: HP ScanJet 3800 (Realtek RTS8822BL-03A)
• Added buttons support like avision backend to work with KScannerButtons frontend.
• Negative scans invert colours by default.
• If gamma is enabled, scans are always made in 16 bits depth and then converted to the selected depth (default 8) to improve image quality.
• RTS8822 chipset saves the number of scans made. Now user can see that counter and more information like chipset name and ID from sane version.... read more

This version includes:

• Identified some usb commands involved in DMA and EEPROM operations which makes code a bit cleanner.

• Identified usb command to reset RTS8822 chipset
  Added option --chipset-reset in standalone application.

• Added option --help-debug to show debugging options in standalone application

• Some new debugging argumments have been added in standalone application. Use them carefully. Most important argument is --model, which lets you to test your devices's behaviour using one of supported models.... read more

hp3900 backend has been included in libsane-extras package on debian (unstable). At this moment it's an external backend. I'm working to improve code stability. So, may be next version will be included in official SANE project.

This new version includes next features:

• Added option "--inches" in stand-alone application to let users set coordinates in inches unit.
• Added option "--chipset" in stand-alone to show chipset's information.
• Application uses different scanning areas when scanning slides, depending on device used (hp3970c or hp4070).
• Slide/negative process use the right lamp now.
• Cleaning up code.
• Identified register which manages scanner buttons' status.
• Some calibration functions implemented
• Fixed bug which generates bad images in lower resolutions after scanning in 2400dpi.
• Adding some options for debugging purposes in stand-alone application.... read more

This version includes important features:

• Fixed bug when creating RGB triplet in 2400 dpi scanning process.
• Coordinates in stand-alone application must be given in milimiters.
• Implemented gamma correction, emulated in software.
• Implemented scanning in "Gray" color mode, emulated in software.
• Implemented scanning in "Lineart" mode, emulated in software.
• Stand-alone app saves scanned image in TIFF format now.
• Fixed scanning process in 16 bit depth.
• Set 8 bit depth by default in SANE backend due to Kooka doesn't support 16 bit depth.
• Scanner is detected now as "Hewlett-Packard RTS8822 chipset based flatbed scanner" instead of "Hewlett-Packard HP39xx Flatbed Scanner"... read more

HP Scanjet 3900 series has been migrated from CVS to Subversion so files in CVS won't be updated anymore.

Useful links:

https://sourceforge.net/svn/?group_id=150599
http://svn.sourceforge.net/viewcvs.cgi/hp3900-series/

There is a new version available. This version fixes some bugs that crashed any frontend when scanning in 2400 dpi.

Kooka frontend works now. This frontend freezes in previous versions because it tries to make preview scans in 75dpi. This resolutions wasn't supported by 0.3.alpha version.

Some functions have being added to send/get gamma values to/from scanner and to resize image to non standard resolutions. So this version adds more resolutions in the backend.... read more

Ok, new release. These are changes:
- Renamed .h files to .c files
- Improved color in scanned images
- Fixed all warnings when compiling as SANE backend
- Fixed all illegal symbols
- Reimplemented DBG function for debugging process in standalone application.
- Fixed a bug that crashes backend when scanning in 2400 dpi twice.
- README explains how to use scanner from a non root acount.
- More improvements in internal code.

Some users are reporting that their hp4070 scanners seem to work with hp3900 backend. So at this time, two scanners work with this backend.

• HP Scanjet 3970c
• HP Scanjet 4070 Photosmart

There is another one using a diferent model of RTS8822 chipset (HP Scanjet 4370) but until now, I've no reports about it.

As you can see, there is available a new version. I've split release in four files. Two files (binary / source) belong to standalone application for those who don't have SANE installed. And the other two files belong to SANE backend.

This release is still unstable. The main purpose of this release is to give the opportunity to test scanner under SANE applications.

Merry Christmas :)

I've added a new document with information about Realtek RTS8822L-01 chipset's internal registers.

You can find it in Docs section, Developers group.

Well, this released version is still in development status. So a lot of things must be done. Despite of this project is GPL I prefer to release binary package until application's code will be more stable and less uggly. Basically only preview scans work and no calibration is applied on scanned image.