special USB cables?

[friesian]

I just bought a Canonscan 4200F scanner, and the manual specifies that
it must only be used with that USB cable. Knowing how much of a pain it
would be to plug it into the back of the computer (no USB port up
front), I first tried using it with the USB extension cable. Didn't
work. So, I hooked it up to the actual port, and it works great.
Special cord is indeed required.

So, is this special cord something that must be purchased from Canon,
or is it just a newer type of USB cable? I plan to use this scanner
with 2 different computers, and I really don't want to crawl on the
floor everytime I need to plug it in or unplug it from the one
computer. I would much rather have a cable for each computer and leave
them plugged in.

I sent an email to Canon, but I haven't heard anything back. I'd like
to go ahead and get another cable if I can.

 

[Alexander Mcleod]

I just bought a Canonscan 4200F scanner, and the manual specifies that
it must only be used with that USB cable. Knowing how much of a pain it
would be to plug it into the back of the computer (no USB port up
front), I first tried using it with the USB extension cable. Didn't
work. So, I hooked it up to the actual port, and it works great.
Special cord is indeed required.

So, is this special cord something that must be purchased from Canon,
or is it just a newer type of USB cable? I plan to use this scanner
with 2 different computers, and I really don't want to crawl on the
floor everytime I need to plug it in or unplug it from the one
computer. I would much rather have a cable for each computer and leave
them plugged in.

I sent an email to Canon, but I haven't heard anything back. I'd like
to go ahead and get another cable if I can.

What about a hub?

 

[friesian]

The idea is to plug the computer into two different computers that are
not in the same area of the house. Right now, I have one cable, so the
cable has to be removed from one computer and put onto the other
computer. I have other USB cables, but they do not work with this
scanner.

 

[Alexander Mcleod]

I see. Obviously my simple idea is not feasible. Hmmmm....back to the
drawing board.
...

 

[Meghan Noecker]

I see. Obviously my simple idea is not feasible. Hmmmm....back to the
drawing board.
..

I had hoped to go down to the computer store today, but it closed
earllier than expected. Target had no selection, and nothing else was
open. The cord that came with the scanner has the regular connections,
but has the cylinder things (capacitors?) that some cables have. I can
photograph it if that helps.

Basically, my parents borrowed my scanner and fried it. They moved it
and didn't move the corresponding power cords, so my notebook power
cable and my scanner cable were reversed. The notebook survived. The
scanner did not. So, my dad and I split the cost of a new, better
scanner, and we will share it for now. His computer does not have USB
ports on the front, and the tower is kept on the floor under the desk,
so it is a pain in the butt to hook stuff up. I got an extension cord
and just plug everything into that.

 

[Robert Feinman]

I had hoped to go down to the computer store today, but it closed
earllier than expected. Target had no selection, and nothing else was
open. The cord that came with the scanner has the regular connections,
but has the cylinder things (capacitors?) that some cables have. I can
photograph it if that helps.

Basically, my parents borrowed my scanner and fried it. They moved it
and didn't move the corresponding power cords, so my notebook power
cable and my scanner cable were reversed. The notebook survived. The
scanner did not. So, my dad and I split the cost of a new, better
scanner, and we will share it for now. His computer does not have USB
ports on the front, and the tower is kept on the floor under the desk,
so it is a pain in the butt to hook stuff up. I got an extension cord
and just plug everything into that.

Probably you just need a cable that is specfied to work with USB2.
They look the same as the USB1 cables but have different electrical
characteristics. Just look on the package for details.
There may also be length restrictios. You documentation that came with
the scanner should say if it is USB1 or 2.

 

[Wayne Fulton]

Probably you just need a cable that is specfied to work with USB2.
They look the same as the USB1 cables but have different electrical
characteristics. Just look on the package for details.
There may also be length restrictios. You documentation that came with
the scanner should say if it is USB1 or 2.

USB 2.0 cables are not different than USB 1 cables. Instead they are just
well built, not shoddy, actually meeting original USB 1 specifications.
There is no seperate specification for a 2.0 cable.
See http://www.usb.org/developers/usb20/faq20.

It is puzzling why the OPs scanner only worked with the original cable.
Extension cables might always be suspect, and there are maximum length
specifications, but the scanner really should work with any good cable.

I think the answer is to try a different cable without the extension.

Manufacturers sometimes provide a cable with a molded RF choke suppessor on
it (a large cylinder, about an inch diameter and about an inch long, at the
scanner end of the cable) to be able to meet the FCC noise radiation
specifications for home use. This choke is just a ferrite core with a hole
through it for the cable to pass through. It is not electrically attached to
the wires and has no effect on the scanner. It simply keeps RF noise (Radio
Frequency electrical noise) inside the scanner (the scanner is not shielded
either, but at least now the cable doesnt act as an antenna to radiate the
noise).

The manufacturer probably does say "use only this cable", because only that
cable will meet the FCC noise rating used on the label for home use. That
cable will interfere less (electrical noise) with your radio and TV, and it
makes the FCC happy, but the scanner should work with any proper cable. It
has too, there are specifications for that.

 

[Meghan Noecker]

Probably you just need a cable that is specfied to work with USB2.
They look the same as the USB1 cables but have different electrical
characteristics. Just look on the package for details.
There may also be length restrictios. You documentation that came with
the scanner should say if it is USB1 or 2.
--

It is USB2. Should work fine.

 

[Meghan Noecker]

It is puzzling why the OPs scanner only worked with the original cable.
Extension cables might always be suspect, and there are maximum length
specifications, but the scanner really should work with any good cable.

I will try another plain (not extension cable) and let you know.

Manufacturers sometimes provide a cable with a molded RF choke suppessor on
it (a large cylinder, about an inch diameter and about an inch long, at the
scanner end of the cable) to be able to meet the FCC noise radiation
specifications for home use. This choke is just a ferrite core with a hole
through it for the cable to pass through. It is not electrically attached to
the wires and has no effect on the scanner. It simply keeps RF noise (Radio
Frequency electrical noise) inside the scanner (the scanner is not shielded
either, but at least now the cable doesnt act as an antenna to radiate the
noise).

Thanks. I wondered what those were. If I use a regular cord without
those, would it be a problem?

 

[Wayne Fulton]

Thanks. I wondered what those were. If I use a regular cord without
those, would it be a problem?

Absence of the RF filter on the cable (absence of that cylindrical lump on the
cable) wont affect the scanner operation at all. The only difference that you
might notice is that the scanner may cause a little more noise heard
interfering in a radio located near the scanner.