Pixma MP250 scanner on Linux?

[18358414]

I want to set up my old Pixma MP250 as a standalone network scanner with a lightweight arch distro managing it.  I have arch installed and configured saned, but I can't figure out how to get the scanner function to work.  I've looked at scangearmp in the AUR repos, but it depends on some packages that are a) 32-bit, and b) orphaned. 

 

Is there any other way I can interface with this scanner short of ripping it apart and Frankensteining it?  I've had this printer working before on Fedora, but that was 8 years ago.

 

edit: To clarify, I don't want to print anything.  This is going to be just a "scanner-only"

[kirashi]

26 minutes ago, 7he404guy said:

I want to set up my old Pixma MP250 as a standalone network scanner with a lightweight arch distro managing it.  I have arch installed and configured saned, but I can't figure out how to get the scanner function to work.  I've looked at scangearmp in the AUR repos, but it depends on some packages that are a) 32-bit, and b) orphaned. 

 

Is there any other way I can interface with this scanner short of ripping it apart and Frankensteining it?  I've had this printer working before on Fedora, but that was 8 years ago.

You'll have to play the "community driver printer/scanner wrangling game" aka what I like to call the "replace the device with something that's supported on the OS you intend to use" game. Either that, or contact Canon and ask them to provide drivers for operating systems other than Windows or MacOS. Not saying it won't work for you on Linux, but in my 10+ years working with various operating systems & doing IT Consulting, I've completely given up on dealing with getting printers/scanners working on unsupported OS's because it's not worth my time.

 

 

https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/support/details/printers/support-inkjet-printer/mp-series/pixma-mp250?subtab=downloads-drivers

[18358414]

 

11 hours ago, kirashi said:

"replace the device with something that's supported on the OS you intend to use

Would it possibly be worth it to tear the device apart and attempt to build a custom interface between the CCD sensor and a USB interface do you think?  I wanted to avoid the Dr. Frankenstein approach but if I've got to get a new one I'm not going to waste any parts from the old one...

[kirashi]

9 hours ago, 7he404guy said:

 

Would it possibly be worth it to tear the device apart and attempt to build a custom interface between the CCD sensor and a USB interface do you think?  I wanted to avoid the Dr. Frankenstein approach but if I've got to get a new one I'm not going to waste any parts from the old one...

Eh, I wouldn't do that, but you can. If it were just a standalone scanner, you might have better luck getting generic TWAIN drivers to talk to it, but since it's a printer/scanner all in one, I doubt the logic board for the scanning unit operates separately from the printer functionality.

[18358414]

2 minutes ago, kirashi said:

since it's a printer/scanner all in one, I doubt the logic board for the scanning unit operates separately from the printer functionality.

I got bored today and ripped it apart.  That's 100% the case -- they have a proprietary ASIC from china that handles the USB communications and the functionality between the scanner and printer.  Basically, unless I can get the pinout of their proprietary chip (which isn't documented anywhere online), it's impossible to interface with it using their control board. 

 

I'm going to have to rip the scanner down to its base components and try to figure a way to communicate with them without the control board.  Seems like a fun project, but I don't have the time sadly.  Guess I'm stuck using a digital camera in the meantime.

 

Any idea where I can get a flatbed scanner that plays well with Linux and doesn't cost more than CAD$40?