[GLLUG] connecting and configuring SCSI HP ScanJet IIC

[Marr]

On Saturday 12 April 2003 12:26am, Eric Miller wrote:
> I picked up a working (I hope) scanner from the MSU Surplus yard today
> along with an Adaptec AHA-2940W SCSI card and cable.
>
> I've never worked with a SCSI device before. Does anyone know if this
> scanner needs a SCSI terminator? 

Disclaimer: I don't have the IIC model -- mine is a ScanJet 3c. I think 
they're very similar, though. 

There should be a little black SCSI terminator switch on the back, labelled 
"TERM", just to the right of the SCSI address indicator/switch. It's hard to 
read, but there's a 'O' and a '+' legend etched into the metal.  Mine is set 
to '+', which is the right-most position as you're looking at it from the 
back of the scanner, indicating that termination is enabled. You don't need 
an external SCSI terminator device (e.g. the big Centronics 50-pin 
"plug"/"block").

On Saturday 12 April 2003 01:48am, Ben Pfaff wrote:
>
> Every SCSI bus requires three terminations: one at one end, one
> at the other end, and one goat:
>
>   * First end: If you are connecting only a single device to your
>     SCSI controller, then you want to enable termination on the
>     controller itself.

I didn't remember having to do anything special on my Adaptec AVA-2906 (uses 
AIC-7850 chipset) SCSI host adapter (controller), so I dug out the manual -- 
it uses "Automatic" termination by default. 

However, I'm sure Ben's experience with SCSI is broader than mine, especially 
since I've never done the "goat sacrifice", so heed his words. ;^)

>   * Second end: You need termination at the scanner.  How to do
>     this depends on how the scanner's connectors are set up.

Already described above....

> I suspect that this scanner has a DB-25 SCSI connector and a
> Centronics 50-pin connector.

If it's like my ScanJet 3c, then this is correct. Additionally, my scanner 
came with a cable that has a DB-25M at one end and a Centronics 50-pin at the 
other. This makes it conveniently-attachable to a SCSI host adapter of either 
type. In other words, if your SCSI host adapter uses Centronic-style, then 
you plug the DB-25M end of the cable into the DB-25F plug on the scanner 
(vice-versa if your SCSI host adapter comes with DB-25F plug, like my Adaptec 
AVA-2906).

On Saturday 12 April 2003 12:26am, Eric Miller wrote:

> Any advice for getting K12LTSP 3.0 to recognize it?

Haven't used K12LTSP, but I use my ScanJet 3c with the aforementioned Adaptec 
AVA-2906 host adapter and SANE/Xsane with no problems at all. 

FYI: The specifications section of the manual for the ScanJet 3c says 
"Interface: SCSI-2".

Aside: It's wise that you're not using the SCSI interface card that comes with 
these scanners. On and off over the years, as recently as Feb 2003, I've 
tried to get the HP-supplied ISA-bus Symbios Logic (NCR 53C400A chipset) SCSI 
card working under Slackware Linux. I've never had any success.

Feel free to contact me directly if you want/need more help.

Bill Marr