Why do my scans look like this?
 

http://home.csumb.edu/f/frenchryan/world/scan.jpg

See how it's all textured, almost like canvas? This always happens when I scan a DVD cover. Anybody know why it does this or how I can avoid this happening? I'm using an HP 2110 scanner.

Can you change/increase the setting for DPI?
Maybe it's set too low.

Its set to 300, I forgot to mention that. That's pretty much the standard for print quality, right?

You have halftone dots my friend. Gaussian blur and Unsharp mask. Use it. Not your scanners fault, it's just the way it is.

If you have a descreening option when you scan, use it. Put it to one of the higher settings.

(by "higher settings", I mean ~175 lpi. It'll say.)

I remember reading about these in the DVDCA scanning tutorial. Would you (or anybody) remember the amount of blur and mask they recommended?

Gaussian Blur radius ca 1, Unsharp Mask Amount 50, Radius 2 times the value used on Gaussian Blur.

Thanks.

I tried it. It looks good from a distance, zoomed in to 100% you can tell it's slightly blurred. If that's the standard technique, though, I'll go with it and see what it looks like printed.

I have the DVDCA tutorial that explains all of this stuff in detail if you want me to send it your way. Btw, if you want a really high-quality scan you might want to try scanning at 600 dpi instead. Then hit it with Gaussian Blur (radius set between .50 - 1.00), and then if you want to regain some of the sharpness, then hit it with Unsharp Mask (radius between 1.00 - 2.00). Then down-convert your image to 300 dpi. Just make sure you clean your scanner bed and source image real good first to remove all the dust/dirt or you'll be spending a lot of time cleaning up all the blemishes.

could someone please send me the scanning tutorial? I'm still a newbie into cover designs, but would like some direction/advice into scanning pictures. Fortunately, I have a nice stash of old mags to flip through for good patterns/textures etc.


<b>tutorial received. Thanks joliom!!</b>

Autotelik - YGM.

[email protected] too is you can joliom :) (your doing a great job sending stuff to people in different threads i see! way to go!)

my guess
 

I have that too its hard to scann DVD covers. I think its either a copywrite divice to avoid black market DVDs ( i'm not surggesting you are .. ) and scanners take the colour and recreate the object(s) its scanning by working out the colours and recreating them for your end result. To avoid this i don't know sorry.

It's not a copyright device. It's just the way it is. The DVD covers are PRINTED like that, so when you scan them in, you get exactly what was printed. If you scanned a DVD cover, and then printed out your scan, doesn't it look just like your original?

They look fine when I print them. My problem with the texture on the scans is I can't get covers accepted to cover sites when they look like that.

There's nothing wrong with dots on scans if you can also see them on the original. What you don't want to do is introduce lines and moire patterns (spiral-effects) in the scanning process. Dots you see onscreen with your scans will often flow together nicely when being printed on an inkjet printer.

You guys, re-read the above posts regarding half tone dots. That's what happens when you scan printed material like a DVD cover. You need to apply a Gaussian Blur, that's all. It's not a copy-protection mechanism and it's not uncorrectable. Like I said previously, I have a tutorial saved that explains all of this in greater detail, and I'd be happy to send it out to any of you who want it.

rionandvord - YGM.

can someone please send me this tutorial.
thanx
[email protected]

Descreening might clear this up BEFORE you ruin the image by blurring and unsharp masking it.

Bowdrinker - YGM.

If someone could send the scanning tutorial over to me I'd appreciate it.
Thanks
[email protected]

cmatherne - YGM.

I'd love the tutorial too ([email protected])

Many thanks joliom.