Customer Reviews

HP ScanJet 8290 Duplex Document Scanner

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Don't believe HP's claim that the 8290 is "network ready". I was disappointed to learn, after I purchased mine, that the scanner cannot be accessed over our network, because our operating system is not NT4. If you use Win98, Win2000, or WinXP, forget the network feature.
Other than that bit of false advertising, I have no complaints. The hardware and software work smoothly and efficiently, and the 25 pages per minute claim is achievable, but only when scanning to a file, which is the best procedure anyway.

We bought a Scanjet 8290 with auto document feeder last week because we need a fast scanner to digitize thousands of documents. It seems like none of the really fast scanners work with Macs, only Windows. HP, on the other hand, promised scans "up to 25 pages per minute."

Well, we couldn't get it to scan more than 4 pages per minute using our 1 GHz iMac (768 MB RAM). After a couple of days of trying to get it to work, we finally called HP's tech support (their website is so bad it's unbelievable). We were told that the 25 pages per minute rate is for a really souped up Windows machine (2 GHz, loads of RAM, etc). As far as their engineers are concerned, they can't scan more than 4 pages per minute on OS X either (on a machine similar to ours).

It boils down to software, and the tech guy said there are no plans to write better software for OS X to fix this discrepancy in performance. I think it's false advertising and a total lack of regard for their customers. Besides, if I'll have to end up using a Windows machine, I would have gone with a different scanner (the Fujitsu ones get good reviews). The only reason I bought HP is because of the OS X compatibility and the purported high scan throughput.

For now, I suggest you don't buy an 8290 if you're looking at their promised scan rates and especially if you're on a Mac platform. Their software stinks, and you'll only get 4 pages per minute (if you save all your files into Acrobat; as JPGs, you get 2 pages per minute). I'm back in the market for another scanner, although I'm resigned to the fact that I might have to use a PC to get what I want. But there's no way I'm buying an HP ever again.

I recently purchased my HP scanner from an online discount house. Unfortunately, the scanner arrived without software or a printed User Manual. However, rather than get upset, I decided to assemble the scanner (which took 1 minute). I then went to the HP website and immediately found and downloaded the software & device drivers. After installation, I attahed the USB cable, plugged in the power cord and, after a few seconds I was scanning documents at blazing speed. I was even more impressed because I am using a rather outdated PC running Windows XP with 512M RAM. Yet the scanner runs flawlessly, and the document feeder NEVER jams - which a very important consideration. I am thrilled with this HP product. The software could be a bit more user friendly, so I will only give it 4 stars.

I don't usually write product reviews, but I was very confused when researching scanners on the internet. Concerning scanners, there are a lot of conflicting user reviews and I wanted to report my experience with this particular product to balance out the negative reports from others.

When it works, it's pretty good...but the ADF jams a LOT, and it accidentally grabs two pages instead of one a LOT. Finally, the scans are a little washed out/overexposed. I must believe there is a better product out there, even if it's $2000...

Have been using scanner for office for about a year, automatic paper feeder jams quite often, and most annoyingly tends to pull the paper into the feeder mechanism when it jams, even if paper had already passed through, apparently attempting duplex scan. Duplex scanning itself cannot be set from computer but rather have to push button on scanner. Other than jamming and pulling multiple pages at once, has worked reasonably well. We are scanning papers that had been given to clients to fill out and are not pristine condition.

I was using an HP ScanJet 8250 at work and decided to buy one for use at home. I looked around and found a good deal on an HP ScanJet 8290 and wound up buying it. I had looked for a sheetfed scanner with a duplexer before and could not afford one. After using the 8250 at work and liking it, I decided to give this one a try.

I bought it and had no problems installing it on a new laptop loaded with Windows Vista after downloading the appropriate drivers from the HP website. Once I installed the software and connected the scanner I was in for a surprise. The 8250 is rated at 15 ppm and this one is rated at 25 ppm. The 8290 not only scans much faster but, the three hole punched papers that choked the 8250 fed through the 8290 without a hitch. I've had this scanner for a few weeks now and have only had it jam less than half a dozen times and I scan old publications that have been hole punched multiple times, stapled and or dog eared and this scanner feds them without a problem.

All in all, I'm completely satisfied with this scanner and would recommend it for general office use.

This scanner is a mediocre flatbed photo scanner. It's strong point is that it is a document scanner with a duplexer adf. Forget it. The ADF is terrible. It jams easily, and you cannot get inside the ADF to clear out the paper. It also feeds two pages at once, which also jams the scanner.

DON'T get this one.

When is HP going to figure out that this is not 1998 and the Mac platform is not dying, and in fact growing faster than the rest of the industry.

I agree with the other comments that the OS X support on this product is the bare minimum to legally say it is compatible. In the real world, I am not pleased.

I love HP and like a lot of their products. But OS X software has to stop being and after-thought. If HP continues with the poor support, I might as well go with the cheaper Dell and get the same level of attention.

NOTE TO HP: Most people who make their money in the creative field, and buy high end scanners and printers use the Mac. Get with it and know your target customers.