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Date:         Fri, 9 Oct 1992 13:38:39 CDT
From:         "VIRGINIA M. SCHESCHY" <9407SCHESCHY@VMS.CSD.MU.EDU>
Subject:      Microcard printed images

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
A colleague here at Marquette University has asked me to forward this
message to PACS-L.  For those of you interested in responding, his name
and e-mail address are appended to the end of this posting.

virginia M. Scheschy
Marquette University Libraries
9407scheschy@vms.csd.mu.edu



          PRINTED COPY FROM READEX MICROCARDS (Early American
Imprints, etc)

          We have just been successful in getting printed copy
using an HP LaserJet III printer from Readex micro opaque cards.
Since the entire cataloging record for Evans, Early American
Imprints 1639-1800, has been tape loaded into the Marquette online
catalog  this set of microcards in particular has attracted a large
number of readers. No reader-printer is currently on the market and
an offer to copy (Univ of Missouri) has been noted. Perhaps other
libraries are attempting to produce from video or have in fact
already accomplished it.  The image is fuzzy, although readable in
large print, averaging one half page of original text to a single
page print out-put. The following equipment and software is being
used:

          An IBM clone 386 microcomputer with SVGA color monitor

          A TeleSensory Voyager XL CCD video camera with
          4x-60x zoom, macro lens. This camera is normally used
          in low vision reading stations.

          A TeleSensory black and white analog (VTEK) l9" display
          monitor (external monitor)

          A Data Translation (Model DT2855-60HZ) framegrabber
          processing board mounted in the PC with "Quick Capture"
          software.  This is one of a number of framegrabber cards
          made by this company.

          "Pizazz Plus" (Application Techniques, Inc) image
           printing software.

          HP LaserJet III printer with 5120K of RAM memory.

          The process of printing an image from an individual page
on the micro card is done in four steps.

          1.   Find, place, and focus a single frame on the
external monitor.  Using Quick Capture, "Freeze" it.

          2.   Store the image on the hard drive as a TIFF or PCX
file and give it a file name.

          3.   Call up Pizazz Plus from the hard drive and convert
the image to a PZI, printable image.

          4.   Print the image from the converted file.

          Given the limitation of the original print size, the
magnification on the camera and the required readability level it
does not seem possible yet to get more than half a page from an
original page in an individual printable file. This may pose a
severe limitation when copying from other microopaque sets (i.e.
Hansard Debates, American State Papers, etc) where large page
format with compact, concentrated print is the norm.  Every screen
image is a saved file and each must be done one by one, although
each file can be saved in sequence in Quick Capture and Pizazz
Plus.  It is possible in this way to save a series of pages.
Nonetheless, the entire process is very labor intensive in
achieving minimal images. Once the image is captured and saved, it
is possible to transport it to other printing packages, such as
AldusPageMaker in either the Mac or IBM environment.  We have done
this successfully also.

          There may be other experimentation in this process going
on in the MacIntosh environment.  Other than a question about it
several months ago, I have seen no reports of successful
applications.  Has anyone heard otherwise?

          Installing the framegrabber and using Quick Capture is
very straight forward, but using Pizazz Plus is not and required
several telephone sessions with Applications Techniques technical
support staff.  We can provide additional information for anyone
who may be interested. Please contact me directly.

          Michael Pate
          Marquette University Libraries
          (414) 288-7214
          9566patem@vms.csd.mu.edu
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU