what computer specs for making large prints form 4x5 and 6x6 slides

recently purchased an epson 4900 scanner for some of my 4x5 and 6x6
slides. My old dell computer (about 5 years old) freezes up with file sizes
over 600k. If I would like to make large prints (30 or 40 or bigger) from
scanned slides what would I need or look for in a new computer to handle
such large file sizes. I am guessing file sizes up to 500mb. Any help or
suggestions are appreciated.

Ed M
www.traquilimages.com

Ed M writes ...

recently purchased an epson 4900 scanner for some of my 4x5 and 6x6
slides. My old dell computer (about 5 years old) freezes up with file sizes
over 600k. If I would like to make large prints (30 or 40 or bigger) from
scanned slides what would I need or look for in a new computer to handle
such large file sizes. I am guessing file sizes up to 500mb. Any help or
suggestions are appreciated.

How much RAM does your computer have? Are you scanning stand-alone or
scanning via the Twain interface into a program like Photoshop?

I'm able to scan 550 MB sized files (4,000 dpi on 6x7 cm at 16
bits/channel) without any problems on systems with 1.5 and 2 GB of RAM.
Runs better stand-alone than thru Photoshop since Photoshop wants a
lot of the RAM resources too. Perhaps you can get this to work by
adding more RAM, which would be cheaper than buying a new computer ...

Bill

"Bill Hilton" :

How much RAM does your computer have? Are you scanning stand-alone or
scanning via the Twain interface into a program like Photoshop?

Bill, have you found any limitations due to the printer's RAM? I'm puzzled
how they can (apparently) take an arbitrarily sized image. How does it work?
Does the computer do the buffering in cooperation with the printer, or what?

Honestly, I think I know the answer... but... well, you have been there. I
have not.

Old discontinued ram can be very expensive. He is probably better off
buying a new computer.


"Bill Hilton" wrote in message
ups.com...
Ed M writes ...

recently purchased an epson 4900 scanner for some of my 4x5 and 6x6
slides. My old dell computer (about 5 years old) freezes up with file
sizes
over 600k. If I would like to make large prints (30 or 40 or bigger) from
scanned slides what would I need or look for in a new computer to handle
such large file sizes. I am guessing file sizes up to 500mb. Any help or
suggestions are appreciated.

How much RAM does your computer have? Are you scanning stand-alone or
scanning via the Twain interface into a program like Photoshop?

I'm able to scan 550 MB sized files (4,000 dpi on 6x7 cm at 16
bits/channel) without any problems on systems with 1.5 and 2 GB of RAM.
Runs better stand-alone than thru Photoshop since Photoshop wants a
lot of the RAM resources too. Perhaps you can get this to work by
adding more RAM, which would be cheaper than buying a new computer ...

Bill

Recently, Lorem Ipsum posted:

"Bill Hilton" :

How much RAM does your computer have? Are you scanning stand-alone
or scanning via the Twain interface into a program like Photoshop?

Bill, have you found any limitations due to the printer's RAM? I'm
puzzled how they can (apparently) take an arbitrarily sized image.
How does it work? Does the computer do the buffering in cooperation
with the printer, or what?

Printier RAM won't be an issue while *scanning* an image.

Whether RAM is an issue while printing depends on the kind of printer.
Most printers (e.g. the typical ink-jet printer) rely on the computer to
pre-process the file and send printer data in small "chunks", perhaps as
small as a single line, so there is little need for RAM in the printer.
OTOH, PostScript printers must rasterize the entire page before printing
begins, and therefore RAM can limit the page size and/or complexity.

Regards,

Neil

In article ,
"Neil Gould" wrote:

Printier RAM won't be an issue while *scanning* an image.

To clarify for the OP: if the software does not have access to adequate
ram the program (PhotoShop or other) can't acquire the image.

Also if the clock speed of the computer is too slow for the printer
the printer won't do it (Print the file).

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Art wrote:

Old discontinued ram can be very expensive. He is probably better off
buying a new computer.

There is a second hand market for old computer parts...

A bigger problem may be maximum memory that the mobo can take.

-- Lassi

Lorem Ipsum writes ...

Bill, have you found any limitations due to the printer's RAM? I'm puzzled
how they can (apparently) take an arbitrarily sized image. How does it work?

The 550 MB sized file I mentioned was for scanning 6x7 cm @ 4,000 dpi,
16 bits/channel. This would always get converted to 8 bits before
printing so it quickly gets cut to half that size, and typically
resampled down as well for small prints. The largest I typically print
at home on my Epson 4000 is 16x20" and a 360 ppi file at this size is
about 285 MB, which the printer handles easily when printed thru
Photoshop.

If the OP is scanning 4x5 sheet film at high rez he'll have even larger
files, I think up to 2 GB (!).

Bill

In article .com,
"Bill Hilton" wrote:

The 550 MB sized file I mentioned was for scanning 6x7 cm @ 4,000 dpi,
16 bits/channel. This would always get converted to 8 bits before
printing

Hee hee snip

You could with a 16 bit file "up size" it to double its physical size
and then down sample to 8 bits where by leaving you with the same
size file.

--
LF Website @ http://members.verizon.net/~gregoryblank

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the President,
or that we are to stand by the President, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable
to the American public."--Theodore Roosevelt, May 7, 1918

Gregory Blank writes ...

Also if the clock speed of the computer is too slow for the printer
the printer won't do it (Print the file).

Where did you hear this? The old parallel port (Centronics) interface
is so slow even the original 4 MHz IBM PC's were faster (I used to
design interfaces for it). Most printers today have USB 2 or 1394
interfaces in addition to the parallel port, but any computer modern
enough to support USB or 1394 will be able to send across data much
faster than any printer can handle it.

Bill