Scanning To .PDF

[Mark]

Set up an AOL email account, and give EVERYONE IN THE BAND the password.

(Ab-)use it as a "file-sharing" system. The "emails" won't even have to be "sent"...
They can just be stored in "drafts".

Or use the free DropBox account.

[Rick F]

I think a real easy way to share pdf files is through 'Box.com'. You can get 10 gig of storage for FREE and upload pdf files, mp3 files, images, etc. You don't need to share authority over these files, but can share a link so anyone who has the link can view, download or stream (in the case of mp3 files). I do this with Symphonic Band and section mates. It's been working well for many years for us.

I just created a folder today as an example and put one pdf file there (public domain). You can preview it, download it or print it from there.

Example:
https://app.box.com/s/ndci03b7armk8z4rsd18lva7e0801gz9



10 gig is a lot of room for pdf files. You should never run out and it's FREE.

[Mark]

I thought your per-page size seemed large, so I just scanned 6,617 PDF files, all sheet music, using PDF Explorer. Here are the stats:

Files: 6,617
Average number of pages: 24
Average size per page: 83,019 bytes (about 82K)
Largest file has 925 pages and is 46,803,773 bytes for an average of 50,599 bytes per page.
Smallest file is 1 page and 3,364 bytes.

I used Adobe Acrobat to scan most of these files at either 300 ppi or 600 ppi. Most are black and white, but a few of these files are grayscale or color. And a few of them also have sound (mostly WAV files) embedded in them. I didn't analyze the page size, but I'd say the majority are 9 x 12 inches, with some larger and some smaller.

I'd say the software you are using is a large part of the problem. Acrobat is pricey but good. I also highly recommend PDF Explorer (http://www.rttsoftware.com/) if you are working with a lot of PDF files.

[Dan Schultz]

Downloaded 'softi scan wiz' this afternoon. Good resolution yields a page of music that's only about 80kb instead of 300kb.

Here's a comparison of file size using the HP 3050 scan software and the softi Scanwiz. Both were configured for black and while at 300dpi.

For one page of music:
HP at low res (smallest file size) - 316kb
HP at high res (largest file size) - 2.83MB

softi scanwiz low res (smallest file size) - 70.5kb
softi scanwiz high res (largest file size) - 71.6kb

The softi scanwiz license is $59. Seems to me to be a small price to pay for something that actually works.

SHAME ON YOU, HEWLETT-PACKARD The scanning software you supply with your all-in-one printers SUCKS!

[joh_tuba]

I never emails pdfs or mp3s anymore. It's much easier to upload into a google drive(or similar file sharing service) and email the link.

The file sharing services don't care as much that your files are huge.

[Dan Schultz]

Though I'm sure google knows everything about me, I'm not particularly interested in handing them all of my information via their main entrance......

I don't do file sharing via any of the sites like Google or Dropbox. I much prefer to keep my stuff to myself and those I choose to share it with.

[joh_tuba]

Of course.. do as you feel comfortable..

The idea that an email is a secure closed loop is an illusion.. it passes through many servers on the way to the destination.. many of which are owned by google, amazon, etc.

From a practical standpoint no more(or less) people have access to the file either way. You can choose in settings WHO has access to the file and how and what they can do with that file. It is uploaded ONCE on your end and downloaded ONCE on their end and sits on a server until you choose to delete it.

File sharing services are arguably a more 'secure' and elegant solution.

IF this is really true:

Though I'm sure google knows everything about me, I'm not particularly interested in handing them all of my information via their main entrance......

I don't do file sharing via any of the sites like Google or Dropbox. I much prefer to keep my stuff to myself and those I choose to share it with.

The correct solution would be to establish an FTP server at your home that ONLY you control. Have those that want that file FTP into your secure server in your home and access the file directly.

[pgym]

The idea that an email is a secure closed loop is an illusion.. it passes through many servers on the way to the destination.. many of which are owned by google, amazon, etc.

[snip]

The correct solution would be to establish an FTP server at your home that ONLY you control. Have those that want that file FTP into your secure server in your home and access the file directly.

The idea that FTP is a secure closed loop is also an illusion. In fact, if anything, FTP is LESS secure than email since ALL transactions and data, including login credentials, are sent as cleartext, which passes through many servers on the way to the destination … many of which are owned by google, amazon, etc.