scanning - files too large!

[bantam88]

I am experiencing the same issue with the software for F4235 all in one for 32 bit Vista home edition.  The pdf files produced by scans are WAY too large.

Tried going to the drivers and downloads page for the F4235 but the HP solution center version 13 advises it doesn't recognize any drivers or devices and that the update is not needed.

For now, am using PrimoPDFCreator as a workaround.

[msandersz]

I am using windows XP OS and have experienced same issues. Tried the C6380 fix, but did not seem to work. My HP Software is version 120.000.235.000.

Do I need to rollback the software version?

Is the solution only for Vista? Very frustrating scanning contracts at 7mb!

[markinaz]

Hi,

I eventually received advice to update the HP software to the latest. This was no help.

Reviewing many of the other the posts about the large files issue, it is evident HP uses pdf software (apparently from a 3rd party) that does a poor job compressing and creating pdf files. This is a long time problem and they are not inclined to admit this or release new or revised software to fix the issue. Too bad! It's a black eye for a company with a normally good track record.  

If you have Adobe Acrobat (not the reader) you can select scan from Adobe and locate the HP printer (I have the 6500) and do your scanning.

For a comparison I scanned in a single page of text via HP software alone that created a pdf file that was 510 KB, Next, the same page was scanned from Adobe Acrobat and the resulting file was 22 KB. The difference is to large to ignore. The 22 KB file included the ability to search the document for words - it makes the file slightly larger but much more usable. It is an extra step to allow Arobat to look through the scanned document using the included optical character recognition (OCR) software but is well worth it.

The downside is that you need to get the Adobe Acrobat software that creates pdf files, and this is an extra expense.

Mark

[ewsteen]

We've been over this many times. Forget HP and their silly PDF software.  I've been using SoftiScan to PDF (to scan documents) and PrimoPDF (to create PDF from files) for a few years and absolutely no problem, and they're free.

[Joeley]

Sorry to hear the 6380 solution didn't work for you...it's worked for me and others on the board. Third-party software is the other way to go, but I'm glad to have a solution through HP as designed. Not sure what you need to do to make it work for you and perhaps it's not worth the trouble. Here's the link to the post describing how to install the 6380 software and where to find it:

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scanning-faxing-and-copying/scanning-files-too-large/m-p/60524#M2307

My version of HP Solutions Center is 120.0.26.58. It's been a long time so I can't recall the steps I went through, but follow those described in the linked post. I don't use it regularly, but I think it's been working (keeping PDF size small).

I just went back to a previous post of mine that described my experience a little better (almost a year ago), linked below. Also I'm using XP, not Vista.

http://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Scanning-faxing-and-copying/scanning-files-too-large/m-p/47682#M1897

[afauci]

Hello all and thank you very much for all these posts. I have a C4380 AIO and am having the same problem with file size. Not only have I spoke to HP a number of times I also emailed them once. I actually paid them $ 25 for support. I feel totally ripped off. 

I use my HP with a MAC btw. 

I am going to buy a new AIO not from HP. I am not interested in downloading this or that. HP should have fixed this problem a while ago. Their refusal to do so says what they think about customers. I have been embarrassed in my business dealings because of this issue and am not willing to do so again. I have refrained from putting a fax software on my mac because "who faxes anymore? scan it and email it". Well the guy that faxes gets to do other things than mess around with resolution or other software. I end up wanting to throw my printer / scanner out a window.

What a joke HP is. 

[Joeley]

That's telling it like is! Kudos afauci, and I feel your pain of being ripped off, though mine has been on time and not actual dollars, besides the printer.

For those with patience, and perhaps Windows users only, the fix outlined previously does work, so don't give up hope.

[afauci]

ok...Joeley - you are the main driver here so I am leaning on trusting you and taking a look. Do you think this will work on a mac? just a guess - also if I may bother you exactly which fix do you think I should try - 

[shaulbehr]

I just downloaded a solution center for my J4580 on Windows 7.  

I don't see anything indicating that it's "version 12", but I the executable has product version 130.000.999.000.

Does that mean that it's version 13?

And if so, does that mean it should be better than version 12?

Because the files I'm scanning are still obscenely large (e.g. 2.7 MB for a 3 page PDF)!

Is there some secret switch I still have to flip?

[Joeley]

All I can say is, try the solution outlined previously if you are a Windows user. I have no experience with version "13" (a lucky number?), and have no confidence that HP will fix this with succeeding versions. My version is 120(=12?).

As far as a "switch", just make sure you scan to PDF without OCR (editable text) - this is what adds to the file size. However even making that change in the standard program furnished by HP with my printer did not change it from editable text nor reduce file size....only going back to the earlier version described in previous post.

As for Mac, I can't help you afauci, sorry.

(I've started buying Brother printers. I sometimes use a Brother all-in-one for scanning and that works wells.)