Looking for a driver for a Linotype-Hell Topaz Scanner

Q:

Drivers, Scanners, Mac, Linotype-Hell Topaz

This is a follow up (of sorts) to this question The fine people at the Apple store referred to my old Mac as "vintage" - translation - they can't fix it. So I went to plan "B". I installed a PCI SCSI card in a WIN XP machine. The computer recognized and loaded drivers for the card. I then connected the Linotype-Hell Topaz Scanner that used to be connected to the Mac. Windows said it needed a driver for the device but it did recognize it as a Topaz scanner!. I can't seem to find a driver for this scanner. The scanner is a Linotype-Hell Topaz flatbed scanner. Does anyone have any idea where I can find a driver for this dinosaur?

ASKED: Sep 23 2008 3:11 AM GMT

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Actually, the machine originally ran on LinoColor for the Macintosh only, until they went with NewColor 7000, which
runs on PCs and Macs. A more modern software, Silverfast, runs on both PC and Mac as well. Silverfast is modern
and much more robust. I own a 3240-2 and have it working perfectly with a Pwr Mac 9600 and LinoColor 5.0.

I hope you have the Topaz II model 3240-3 or the 3240-2 with the "Golden Memory Card". The Topaz I(3240) only
has 3x6000 CCD elements, otherwise the Model 3240-2, 3240-3 the iX and Robot all have 3x8000 CCD
elements.

If you have the 3240-2 your version of LinoColor will have to match up to the firmware version on your
"Golden Memory Card". If you have the 3240-3, it won't matter which software you choose. Models after the 3240-2
no longer used memory cards. So the 3240(the first model made) is OK, but about as resellable as a brick,
maybe just for parts. Like the hard to get NEC FL15AD-70 lamps. There are people selling these lamps for as
much as $100 !!! If you have a burnt out lamp, let me know, I'll share a good trick with you. I prefer not to tell the
lamp scalpers how badly we don't really need them. If you get initialization errors, let me know too.

Software:
LinoColor is 8-bit software(Mac) ver4, 4.x...6.x CHEAP ($200-$300)
NewColor is 16-bit software(Mac+PC) ver. 7000 (NOT 5000) (hard to get, about $1500)
Silverfast is 16-bit software(Mac+PC) 6.x (about $2500)

Yes, its a Dinosaur, but it is built like a tank and gives me the best scans ever, short of a drum scan. That's right,
I think the only thing that scans better than this league of flatbed, would be a drum scanner. I think its comparable
to other high-en flatbed scanners, but like I said earlier, drum scans are the best.

About Silverfast, you should try and use one of their proven Firewire to SCSI adaptors, if you want to avoid
headaches. I'm a photographer and a computer/telecom consultant, so I was able to get the machine up
scratch. Save yourself money and frustration, get what you can afford and get it right or you will end up with
what you think is an antique boat anchor that nobody would wants to pay freight on. 330 pounds!!!

Go here:
http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfast-heidelberg/en.html

Forget about a downloading some kind of driver for the scanner, there only exists initialization software(s) as listed
above.

Good Luck

Last Answered: Sep 30 2008 11:16 AM GMT by Codiau

30 pts.

Latest Contributors: Flame

14495 pts.

View History

A:

Actually, the machine originally ran on LinoColor for the Macintosh only,  until they went with NewColor 7000, which
runs on PCs and Macs. A more modern software, Silverfast, runs on both PC and Mac as well. Silverfast is modern
and much more robust. I own a 3240-2 and have it working perfectly with a Pwr Mac 9600 and LinoColor 5.0.

I hope you have the Topaz II model 3240-3 or the 3240-2 with the "Golden Memory Card". The Topaz I(3240) only
has  3x6000 CCD elements, otherwise the Model 3240-2, 3240-3 the iX and Robot all have 3x8000 CCD 
elements.

If you have the 3240-2 your version of LinoColor will have to match up to the firmware version on your 
"Golden Memory Card". If you have the 3240-3, it won't matter which software you choose. Models after the 3240-2
no longer used memory cards. So the 3240(the first model made) is OK, but about as resellable as a brick,
maybe just for parts. Like the hard to get NEC FL15AD-70 lamps. There are people selling these lamps for as
much as $100 !!! If you have a burnt out lamp, let me know, I'll share a good trick with you. I prefer not to tell the
[B]lamp scalpers[/B]  how badly we don't really need them. If you get initialization errors, let me know too.

Software:
[B]LinoColor is 8-bit software(Mac) ver4, 4.x...6.x   CHEAP ($200-$300)
NewColor is 16-bit software(Mac+PC) ver. 7000 (NOT 5000) (hard to get, about $1500)
Silverfast is 16-bit software(Mac+PC) 6.x (about $2500)[/B]

Yes, its a Dinosaur, but it is built like a tank and gives me the best scans ever, short of a drum scan. That's right,
I think the only thing that scans better than this league of  flatbed,  would be a drum scanner. I think its comparable
 to other high-en flatbed scanners, but like I said earlier, drum scans are the best.

About Silverfast, you should try and use one of their proven Firewire to SCSI adaptors, if you want to avoid
headaches. I'm a photographer and a computer/telecom consultant, so I was able to get the machine up
scratch. Save yourself money and frustration, get what you can afford and get it right or you will end up with
what you think is an antique boat anchor that nobody would wants to pay freight on. 330 pounds!!!

Go here:[A href="http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfast-heidelberg/en.html"]
http://www.silverfast.com/show/silverfast-heidelberg/en.html[/A]

Forget about a downloading some kind of driver for the scanner, there only exists initialization software(s) as listed
above.

Good Luck

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Flame 14495 pts. | Sep 30 2008 5:05PM GMT

The Topaz scanner that he has is one of the old Topaz 3240. The “solution” we came up with was to purchase an old Mac G3 (Beige, not Blue) on ebay and use the drive from the old computer in the “new” system. He loves the Topaz and has been using it for years, and like you, he says it is a fair match for a drum scanner for the type of work he does. Do you know if the LinoColor 8 bit software run on MAC OS 9.X?

Thanks for the info!
-Flame
**************************************

Typestar 10 pts. | Nov 1 2008 12:26PM GMT

Hi Flame,

as written above and correctly described by Codiau:

LinoColor is 8-bit software for the Mac.
You can install it on OS 9.22 — so the latest OS 9.x
I run it myself, so I can say this.
You would need a special firmware-card for your Linotype Topaz 1.
I can provide you ALL of this: Linocolor 6.04 — which is the LATEST available,
new price was about USD 2400.- — you can have it for 280.- USD

I can also sell you NEW, totally incl. SCSI-to-Firewire-Adapter
Silverfast Software, which is 16-bit software( runs both Mac+PC) 6.5/6.6
Retail Price in Germany is about 2800.- EUR (!), without firewire-adapter
I would sell the complete official OriginalVersion incl. adpter for only 890.- EUR incl. shipping …
I have experience with your scanner and feel free to mail me: <a href="mailto:typestar@aon.at" title="mailto:typestar@aon.at">typestar at aon.at</a>

Best wishes and good luck,
typestar

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