Tuesday, June 25, 2019

June 25, 2019 | Posted in by Daiki | No comments

Brother Wireless Mobile Color Page Scanner, DS-920DW, Wi-Fi Transfer, Fast Scanning Speeds, Compact and Lightweight, White

Brother Wireless Mobile Color Page Scanner, DS-920DW, Wi-Fi Transfer, Fast Scanning Speeds, Compact and Lightweight, White

I bought this to reduce the amount of paper we had in our filing cabinet. Wanted to be able to easily retrieve digital copies of our old bills rather than pull up paper.
PROs:
1) Scans relatively quickly. It's no speed demon, but it's better than using a flatbed scanner
2) Images look very good
3) Scans duplex easily
4) Can scan beyond legal length paper
5) Colors come out good
6) Can do JPG or PDF
7) Battery lasts a LONG time. I literally scanned for 3 straight hours on a single charge.
8) Controls and interface are very simple to use.
CONs:
1) Has a tough time with certain types of papers and will pull them left or right regardless of how you set the edges
2) SAYS it's Linux compatible, but I have yet to be able to make it WORK with my linux based PC. I've tried 4 different distros (Ubuntu based, Suse based, Fedora based, and Arch based). The files that you make will open, but the actual scanner doesn't seem to "appear" to your PC. I looked over and over the entire site for drivers for the scanner to no avail, so even though it states it will work, I couldn't make it. I reduced a star for that, as I bought this specifically for the Linux compatibility.

I'm still happy with my purchase. It works great and allowed me to get rid of a TON of unnecessary waste.

The feature list of this scanner is impressive for the price. While it works well and delivers the features promised, I found the overall convenience level disappointing. The WiFi feature is not as useful as it sounds; rather than being able to connect to an existing network, and act as a file server, the scanner creates its own wireless network, meaning that to connect to the scanner, you have to disconnect from your regular network. You can scan to the SD card and then transfer scans to your computer over USB -- the scanner shows up as if it were a digital camera -- when scanning, the scanner takes itself "offline" before scanning and back online after scanning, each of which takes a long time -- so accessing scans in this mode is not so convenient either. In the end the easiest thing to do is probably plug the SD card into your computer after you are finished scanning, and retrieve the images that way, but this is less convenient than I'd hoped for.

After spending few days with the scanner I come to the conclusion that it is a good device for the money I paid, with some quirks to be aware, and workarounds available. You can probably get something better but for much more money. I also like how portable it is and that it can take care of scanning without being hooking up to a computer. It is also easy enough to use that even my kids can do it. Think how helpful that could be ;-).

What I want to give you is all the ins and outs of this device so you do not have to get frustrated setting it up, and know exactly what you're getting. I'm a technology savvy person and I'm writing this so you do not have to be.

Here is list of issues I found while reading other reviews and my related findings:

1. I can't connect it to my WiFi network. The device works only as access point so I lose internet access while remotely connected to it.
This is not accurate. You can connect the device in infrastructure mode to your network. It only works with 2.5GHz, and not 5 GHz band. Setting this up allows you remote file access using web interface, or better yet, by using FTP tool like FileZilla. With FPT you can download your files fast in bulk without having to swap SD card. You will need to use the admin username and password you used during device setup to gain access and make connections.

2. I can see some background color during scanning on the duplex side in otherwise white areas.
There is some bluish or grayish tint added during scanning on the duplex side but it is minimally visible in some areas, and it is almost not visible in print. It can be also completely removed adjusting contrast and white balance in scanning software. This is just a side effect of the default setting on the device which are unfortunately not configurable for SD card scanning. It only affects document scans. I believe the default setting is aimed for better color representation for picture scanning instead of giving the documents perfect white background.

3. I can't scan multiple pages into single file.
You can only scan multiple pages by using accompanied software. Scanning into SD card in stand alone mode will always generate multiple files. Look for configuration option on main screen of bundled software to change dropdown setting File Format: Select Multi-page PDF

4. Battery is not keeping charge. Poor battery performance.
It appears that while WIFI is enabled the battery will slowly discharge even if you connect scanner to external power source. You should only enable WIFI mode to transfer the files off of the device SD card and then turn it off. Without WIFI enabled the battery will last for a long time and you will not experience this issue.

5. PDF generated scan documents are not searchable.
This is correct. To make document searchable you would have to run it through OCR (optical character recognition) software. Such processing requires considerable computing power. You're not going to find it on a battery operated scanner like this. What is surprising is that accompanying software does not have this feature either. Luckily there is an easy way to fix that. Look below for more information on how.

Device quirks:

1. I found some additional quirks about this product like the fact that you need to power off the device after you change WIFI admin username and password during initial setup. After changing password it is prompting you to log in and it will fail unless you power it off and on. Most people might just return the device thinking it is defective.

2. Another quirk was the fact that somehow time setup got messed up where timestamp on generated files on SD card would have a proper month and day but wrong year. I tried setting the year to 2020 instead and I got the proper year 2018 to be used on file dates. Maybe it happened because I had to hard reset the device few times while trying to troubleshoot the WIFI password issue after the year was already configured. Since I found a way to make it use proper year it is not an issue for me. You might not experience this problem.

3. One more quirk with this is that the Access Point WIFI mode can't be disabled. Once you have hooked up the device to your WIFI network you should be able to turn off AP mode since configuration is done. You do not need another WIFI device unnecessarily broadcasting in your house creating WIFI noise. This is probably the reason why battery drains even while being supplied external power and why device will get really how while in WIFI mode. The fix is to just enable the WIFI when you need to transfer files from the device and then turn it off.

Tips, Tricks and my recommendations:

1. Easiest way to get files from scanner is to turn on WIFI and use free FTP client software like Filezilla or WinSCP. You will need to configure WIFI Infrastructure mode and configure admin user name and password (need to turn on and off device to use new user pass combo). Make a note of the IP address the device shows in configuration screen, you might want to use your WIFI router's static DHCP table to make sure the scanner always gets the same IP address. You depend on knowing the IP address to be able to connect to it. DHCP will give your device another IP after lease expires in 3 day of device WIFI inactivity.

2. I found that best way to scan is to scan into JPG images using 300 dpi for documents 600 dpi for pictures only. The JPG have advantage of being easily convertible into other formats, including multi page searchable PDF files. However if you want to go the other way around it is much harder. It also makes it easy to flip through images looking for something specific using picture viewer or just thumbnail images (vs. viewing multiple PDF files equals pain).

3. Search multiple PDF files can be done using Adobe Acrobat. Just google search for "How to Search for Text Inside Multiple PDF Files at Once" and you will find instructions on how to do this. This of course only works if your PDFs are of searchable kind.

4. Never delete the last scanned file from SD card. This will cause the next scanned image to be named with 0001 again and so on, which in turn will cause you grief when you realize some files now have duplicate file names. Leaving the last numbered file will ensure the incremental numbering will continue.

5. Think ahead on how you're planning to archive files. Specifically how you're going to create directory structure so you can easily find what you need. What worked well for me is to just create a category folder like BankStatements and then create year (2018, 2019 …) subfolder for documents for that given year only. 10-20 years from now you will thank me.

6. Get the right software for the job. Included software, well is not good enough to put it politely. Luckily there are some free alternatives. After spending half a day looking I chose the "Not Another PDF scanner 2". Just google search for it. You should be able to find the download link on SourceForge website. This is reputable source of free software. If you like it, make sure you donate couple of bucks to the author so he can continue making good stuff. What you need to do is install the included driver software first then install "Not Another PDF scanner 2". After installation, from within the app, you will need to download language pack for OCR capability and create profile for your scanner. Now you should be able to just drag and drop JPG images and save them as a single searchable PDF file. Since this software also allows you to replace the scanning software that comes with the scanner you can readily use it that way. It has much better range of controls on top of the built in OCR capability, which the bundled software does not have. That's what I call a win win situation.

There are also other options to make your documents searchable and converted but the one I'm recommending seems by far the easiest way to go. If you google search for "The 3 Best Free OCR Tools to Convert Your Files Back Into Editable Documents" you will find an article that covers some of the options like google docs and other free methods etc.

I personally have a QNAP NAS that has OCR converter app. It took me about 1 minutes to install the app and 5 minutes to setup a daily job that converts JPG or PDF into a searchable PDF and/or text based on folder they are located in. So I just drop my files into the NAS subfolders and let the software automatically take care of the OCR process each night so it is ready when one day I want to search for some specific document I care about.

If you can look past the few quirks, lacking documentation and lacking bundled software, this is a great portable scanner.

If you have any question about this review, or if you want me to add anything please leave a comment.

Thanks.

I'm pleased with this scanner. I have few complaints.

My use: I usually scan into ReadIRIS for MacOS X.

I typically use the SD card and then move the SD card to the Mac and then take the PDF or JPG files into ReadIRIS Pro*.

I usually don't scan over USB and I rarely use the WiFi feature -- WiFi is ok but not really that useful a feature but not terrible to have. When I scan duplex over USB, sometimes the back page comes in with the white inverted to black and vice-versa which is rather annoying. So I usually just can to my heart's delight to the SD card -- it's VERY easy. It's trivial to switch from simplex to duplex scanning. And it's easy to switch JPG or PDF, too from the buttons on the scanner. I tend to just do JPG. The reason I don't do PDFs on the scanner is that the PDFs aren't OCR'd until I run them through OCR software like ReadIRIS* and I don't want to be lulled into believing that the PDF is searchable when it's just an image and non-searchable. Hence, I tend to use the JPG when I scan. ReadIRIS Pro is able to easily convert JPG scans into PDF. So part of the reason I scan is because I want to use Optical Character Recognition (OCR) in order to make the document electronically searchable! Then I can potentially find them by their word content!

What do I most scan? I scan a lot of bank and medical/insurance documents that I get for taking care of my dad. This saves me a lot of storing/filing. Unfortunately, many of these docs aren't available or are difficult to get digital versions. It also makes it easier to share with my siblings who live many hours drive from me.

Battery: it's OK. If I were scanning several 10's document per day, I might be more annoyed but it's not a big deal when I scan 5-10 every few days. I charge the battery every few weeks over USB.

Size/weight: nice! I like it. Easy to store & handle.

feeding issues? Not too bad. It's slightly sensitive but it does come with a plastic paper holder which could be useful when the paper is a little mangled or oddly shaped.

*ReadIRIS Pro scanning software is a separate purchase

Having owned this for over 2 years now, I'm still impressed with the versatility and quality of the scans. I've scanned at least a thousand documents to date, including both color and B&W. The quality for color scans in particular are not quite up to par with your average all-in-one printer, but it does just fine. B&W scans are impeccable.

I'll say this right now. If you plan to use the wireless functionality, find another scanner. This product is best used standalone. Just pop in your favorite SD Card, scan away, and then put the card into your PC and copy the scanned images off. Save yourself the hassle, honestly. I haven't tried, but I believe you can plug the scanner via USB into your PC and copy them off that way. Still better than fidgeting with the wireless setup.

This product is durable. The battery life is good, but not great. You can probably get away with an hour or 2 in a scanning session (say 200 pages) before the battery gets weak. It does take a few hours to charge back up.

After a while (just now after 2 years in fact) I noticed yellow tinting in my color scans. All it took was a quick calibration with the provided sheet, and it was back to new! I almost threw it away, so SAVE THE CALIBRATION PAGE! It is a half white/ half black miniature sheet of paper.

I tried another wireless scanner product (a no-name) which is no longer sold on Amazon, and had poor luck with it. Brother sure knows their stuff!


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Feature Product

  • WIRELESS MOBILE PAGE SCANNING: The Brother DS920W is a wireless mobile color scanner that offers multiple connectivity options.
  • WI-FI TRANSFER SCANNED DOCUMENTS: The DS-920W mobile scanner can wirelessly send scanned documents to your computer or mobile device(1).
  • COMPACT & LIGHTWEIGHT: The DS-920W has a sleek design, measuring 12.5″ long and weighing just over 1 pound.
  • PRECISION SCANNING: The Brother DS-920W Mobile Color Page Scanner can produce black & white or color scans up to 600 × 600 dpi resolution.
  • MULTIPLE POWER SOURCES: The Brother Wi-Fi mobile scanner is powered by a rechargeable Li-ion battery or a USB cable.

Description

The Brother DS-920DW is an exceptional wireless color mobile scanner, perfectly designed for the business professional on the go who demands quality in their office equipment. Measuring just under 12.5″ long and weighing just over a pound, the DS-920DW is perfect for the mobile professional who needs a powerful scanner that will slide right into a briefcase or business bag. It’s ideal for capturing two-sided business documents, receipts, business cards, laminated identification cards, invoices, photographs, and more. It can operate altogether wirelessly thanks to the Wi-Fi interface and included rechargeable lithium-ion battery, enabling Wi-Fi transfer of scanned documents to a computer or compatible mobile device(1).

The DS-920DW provides users with the option of scanning to different destinations to help manage documents and workflow. Using the included scanning software, you can scan documents to a local file or image, a shared folder, email, FTP, or a printer, making it easy to save, distribute, and share information(2). Wi-Fi connectivity and the included 4 GB SD memory card provide users the flexibility to scan documents to Wi-Fi enabled computers and to Apple or Android mobile devices. The easy-to-use LCD display and dedicated scan-settings keys make operation and customization of commonly-used scanning options intuitive, saving you valuable time.

The Brother DS-920DW scans at resolutions up to 1200 × 1200 dpi interpolated and 600 × 600 dpi optical, with fast color and black scan speeds of up to 8ppm, or 5ppm in duplex scanning mode(3). Its small size, flexible USB or battery power, and valuable suite of scanning software make it a great fit for home offices and desks with limited space as well.

(1)Scanned materials can only be wirelessly transferred to Wi-Fi enabled computers and mobile devices with Internet browsers, as well as Apple and Android mobile devices via free MIWAND app. MIWAND app available for download from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. (2)Scan-to options accessible via included Button Manager V2 software (Windows) or DSmobileCapture application (Mac & Windows). Scan-to e-mail, FTP, shared folder, and print options not supported by Mac OS. Scan-to OCR via included PaperPort (Windows) or PageManager (Mac) software. (3)Color and monochrome scan speed with all advanced features turned off, LTR at 300dpi. See manufacturer’s website for details.



my favorite part of this scanner is not having to use bloated manufaurer's software. scans are saved to an SD card, which you then can save to your computer, and edit in your own favorite pdf/jpg editors. i've been using this nonstop for months and i have not even loaded the brother disk into my computer. files are saved automatically into pdf or jpeg, with no intermediate steps necessary. each page gets its own file, which you can combine later or leave as is. images are crystal clear, and the scanner fits into a small drawer. i've already scanned and shredded so much old paper and photos.

Excellent refurbished product. I was reluctant to spend full retail on this full-featured duplexing scanner but as a refurb it was an absolute bargain. I have a variety of devices that I use this with. Some do not have SD card reader so the built-in WiFi comes in very handy. While the instructions for setting up the WiFi are a little vague, with a few minutes of on-line research I figured out how to use it as a 'pass-through' WiFi device. This does eat up the battery charge fairly quickly, so when I have a SD card reader I just remove from the scanner and insert into device. The performance of the unit more than makes up for a somewhat outdated interface, but overall works very well.

Omg !! Lot impressed by this scanner. Almost everyday we use this scanner at home.

Our main purpose initially to buy this was to scan some important documents before losing them somewhere. But now we are using it for almost everything like shopping receipts, documents,bills etc. When we had to return the items usually most of the times we forget the receipt and end up not returning. After purchasing scanner , life is easy.
We use Dropbox to search the receipt and complete the return with no issues.

I highly recommend this product. Good Buy.

man! this thing is da bomb! portable, small, fits in my document tube while traveling! i take it everywhere and scan EVERYTHING! especially those heat transfer receipts that disappear long before the warranty does! you just load the SD card in and connect to computer or not. you can them sort files on computer. i do ALL receipts even those mile long ones from kmart! (paperless now). but seriously, all documents, bill receipts, contracts... no more not knowing, just go to the documents on your computer, click on it and print if need be!

So far, so good. I am trying to archive photos and documents, and it seems to be working nicely.

I purchased a refurbished unit, and it appeared to be brand new when I opened it. I was pleasantly surprised.

I am using the built-in SD-card and occasionally wifi to verify important scans. I am not using any additional software, so I suppose my experience could be better, but I plan on organizing the files in bulk at a later time.

I did some research, and this seemed to be the best bang for my buck, with most of the features I was looking for (double-sided scanning, wifi, SD-card, portability).

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