Neuralog Frequently Asked Questions - NeuraScanners

How do I know which settings to use for the type of scanning I am doing?

A Scanning Hints Document is available to answer this question and help you get the best possible results from your NeuraScanner.  Refer to any of these sections in the document.

Where do I found the latest NeuraScanner Software, Firmware and Utilites?
    Both can be downloaded from the Neuralog website.
I moved my NeuraScanner to new machine. What do I need to do to get it working?
Troubleshooting NeuraScanner Common Problems
    Common NeuraScanner Problems and Solutions
What do I need to do to send in my scanner for service?
    NeuraScanners must be returned in their original scanner box with original packing materials.  Do not ship cables, CDROM or manuals.  You must contact Neuralog before you ship to obtain an RMA. Ship to the following address.

    Neuralog, Inc.
    4800 Sugar Grove Blvd., Suite 410
    Stafford, TX 77477
    Attn:  Neuralog Support
    RMA: xxxx

Why won't my scanner work through the USB port on my NT machine?
    NT does not support USB. We suggest you upgrade your Windows operating system to 2000 or XP. If you cannot do this, you must scan using the NeuraScanner serial port.
Do I need any special drivers to make my scanner work with USB?
    Yes, you will need to load the NeuraScanner USB drivers. Available on your CDROM or download from www.neuralog.com SUPPORT section, Utilities->NeuraScanner->USBDrivers.zip. the NeuraScanner serial port.
How do I set up scanning through my serial port?  (NeuraScanner I only)
    Plug in the scanner to a serial port. Shut down the NeuraScanner Software. Run ScannerLocator.exe from your nds/bin directory to determine which port the scanner is plugged in to, e.g., COM2. Start NeuraScanner software. Select Edit->Scanner Devices... Move the scanner port (e.g., COM2) to the top of the list using the arrow keys. Click OK. Restart the NeuraScanner software. The Software should automatically connect to the NeuraScanner through the serial port.
Where do I enter my scanner code in the NeuraScanner software?
    Select Help->About Scanner->License Code. Check the Enter box and enter the code.
Is the NeuraScanner TWAIN compliant?
    The NeuraScanner was NOT designed to be TWAIN compliant but was designed for industry specific image acquisition.
How do a make a copy of a well log? Can the printer be plugged directly into the scanner?
    You cannot copy a well log directly by plugging in a printer, however it is easy to make a copy of your well log. Scan the image with the NeuraScanner to make a TIFF file. Then print with the NeuraView software that came with the scanner to your log printer. Neuralog recommends and sells the Printrex log printer.
How fast (in/sec) does a NeuraScanner scan?

NeuraScanner II Turbo scans at up to 10"/sec. A NeuraScanner II without the Turbo option scans at up to 5"/sec.

NeuraScanner I Turbo scans at up to 4"/sec. A NeuraScanner I without the Turbo option scans at up to 2"/sec.

Can the NeuraScanner scan unlimited length documents?
    Absolutely. The NeuraScanner is designed to scan even the longest well lots.
How do I use Color Mapping on my NeuraScanner?

Color mapping will map all scanned colors to a subset of defined colors.  For larger sets of colors, you may use the 256 color setting in the scanner software and enter up to 256 colors in the rgb.txt file.  For smaller sets, you may use the 32 color setting in the scanner software and enter up to 32 colors in the rgb32.txt or rgb.txt file.  (Use both files if you wish to save and switch between 2 sets of mappings; otherwise just use rgb.txt and enter however many colors you need.  All Neuralog software ships with a default rgb.txt color mapping file.

Before changing the color map, be sure to save a copy of the default rgb.txt.  To change the color map, once you have entered the colors into the rgb.txt, save the new file. The scanner software looks for the file in  

In this way it is possible to define multiple color mappings for different sets of files.

The rgb.txt file is a set of triplet rgb values with an optional color name.  Below is an example.  Note that in this example only 15 colors have been defined.  This means that when the file is present, whether 32 or 256 colors are chosen in the scanner software, the files produced will have only these 15 colors.

****************SAMPLE RGB.TXT ****************
106 90 205        slate blue
135 206 235      sky blue
60 179 113        medium sea green
0 255 127          spring green
255 255 0          yellow1
205 133 63        tan3
255 165 0          orange1
238 0 0             red2
238 18 137        DeepPink2
255 174 185      LightPink1
205 0 205          magenta3
139 71 137        orchid4
166 166 166      gray65
255 255 255      grey100
0 0 0                 gray0
*****************************************************

IMPORTANT:  Color mapping tables and algorithm maps the 16-bit scanned color image to the defined color set.  Natural “noise” in the image may result in a scanned image that is not mapped as expected.  In other words, because of the nature of colors, it is likely the mapping of 65,000 colors (16-bit) onto 256 or 32 or fewer colors will not always have the desired results.