HP Scanjet 4c - SCSI

[Paul Terry]

I have an HP Scanjet 4c (ISA version with SCSI card) which has produced
good enough results for me on the relatively few occasions I need it.

However, we have upgraded both of our computers to Dell Dimensions (one
running WinXP Home, the other WinME) and no longer have an ISA slot for
the SCSI card.

I am keen to continue using the Scanjet 4c if it seems practical.

Am I right in thinking that we will need a USB-to-SCSI adapter in order
to connect the Scanjet to a USB port on one of our machines?

If so, do the experts here have any tips - these adapters seem
expensive, so are there any recommendations for a particular make?

And is the adapter/cable all I am likely to need, or could I also run
into difficulties finding suitable drivers for the Scanjet 4c?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Jim]

Why not use a PCI SCSI card?
Jim

 

[RSD99]

"Paul Terry" posted:
"...
and no longer have an ISA slot for the SCSI card.

<snip>

Am I right in thinking that we will need a USB-to-SCSI adapter in order
to connect the Scanjet to a USB port on one of our machines?
...."

Why not just get a comparable SCSI card for the type of interface slot (PCI?) that your
new machines has open / available?

 

[Mac McDougald]

I have an HP Scanjet 4c (ISA version with SCSI card) which has produced
good enough results for me on the relatively few occasions I need it.

However, we have upgraded both of our computers to Dell Dimensions (one
running WinXP Home, the other WinME) and no longer have an ISA slot for
the SCSI card.

I am keen to continue using the Scanjet 4c if it seems practical.

Am I right in thinking that we will need a USB-to-SCSI adapter in order
to connect the Scanjet to a USB port on one of our machines?

If so, do the experts here have any tips - these adapters seem
expensive, so are there any recommendations for a particular make?

And is the adapter/cable all I am likely to need, or could I also run
into difficulties finding suitable drivers for the Scanjet 4c?

Thanks for any advice.

I'd say you have 25pin cable from that old card?
Adaptec 2906 PCI SCSI card same pin config, pretty cheap on eBay,
generally even brand new ones there.

Mac

 

[Lunaray]

Hi Paul!

Before I retired, I purchased a USB to SCSI adapter for the HP 4C that I
used at work and it worked great! It was a small adapter with a SCSI
connector on one side and a USB cable on the other side (all one piece) and
I paid around $50 for it I think, maybe a little more. However, I did have
to buy another adapter for the HP to convert the SCSI connection to a High
Density connection, I think that was another $15. You can also do what
others have suggested and get a PCI SCSI card, but this will of course use
up one of your PCI slots; if you go this route you'll probably still need
the high-density adapter, I think that all SCSI cards have moved away from
the old 50 pin Centronics connector. Hope this helps, good luck!

Ray

 

[Mac McDougald]

Hi Paul!

Before I retired, I purchased a USB to SCSI adapter for the HP 4C that I
used at work and it worked great! It was a small adapter with a SCSI
connector on one side and a USB cable on the other side (all one piece) and
I paid around $50 for it I think, maybe a little more. However, I did have
to buy another adapter for the HP to convert the SCSI connection to a High
Density connection, I think that was another $15. You can also do what
others have suggested and get a PCI SCSI card, but this will of course use
up one of your PCI slots; if you go this route you'll probably still need
the high-density adapter, I think that all SCSI cards have moved away from
the old 50 pin Centronics connector. Hope this helps, good luck!

Ray

Even the old proprietary ISA SCSI cards supplied by HP for the
IIcx (Symbios Logic chipset), have 25pin connector on the card, not
Centronics.

Mac

 

[Lunaray]

I can't remember the exact reason I needed the 50 pin Centronics to HD
adapter but I think it was because I had a SCSI Zip drive connected to the
25 pin connector on the card and the HP scanner was daisy-chained off of the
Zip drive. I think Paul's best bet is to just adapt his HP SCSI to USB, it
worked great for me!

 

[Lunaray]

I stand corrected on the Centronics 50 pin connector (a la, Mac), a new SCSI
card will have something else, I think mine was a 64 pin?? something really
small! I had to adapt the Centronics connector somewhere else in the
chain, but you still may have to adapt your HP scanner cable to whatever
type of connector is on the SCSI card you buy!

 

[Mac McDougald]

I stand corrected on the Centronics 50 pin connector (a la, Mac), a new SCSI
card will have something else, I think mine was a 64 pin?? something really
small! I had to adapt the Centronics connector somewhere else in the
chain, but you still may have to adapt your HP scanner cable to whatever
type of connector is on the SCSI card you buy!

His existing cable from the HP supplied ISA SCSI card should be 25 pin on
the computer end, which will work fine with an Adaptec 2906 PCI card,
generally about $20 on eBay.

Mac

 

[Paul Terry]

I'd say you have 25pin cable from that old card?

Yes, that's correct.

Adaptec 2906 PCI SCSI card same pin config, pretty cheap on eBay,
generally even brand new ones there.

Many thanks to you and everyone else ... I shall try the Adaptec 2906
route.