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Can Microfiche Images Be OCRd?

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Can Microfiche Images Be OCRd?

Often we are asked by clients if it is possible to OCR microfiche images. It is believed in a lot of cases that due to the shrinking and reproduction of the images that the images cannot then have the text extracted enabling them to be edited and copied from.

So is it possible to OCR microfiche images?

microfilm-microfiche-ocr

Like any other type of document, once the
image is extracted it can be OCRd

The short answer is yes, microfiche images can be OCRd. The longer answer is that it can depend on the quality of the original documents which have been filmed on to the microfiche, the quality of the filming itself and the condition of the microfiche which can depend on if they have been correctly stored and looked after. Once any microfiche scanning company has scanned and extracted the images at their original size and resolution, it's all down to the quality of that image to define whether OCR can be completed successfully.

Even with poorly filmed images some OCR might be possible but may not be highly accurate. The best way to put it is that it is possible to OCR your microfiche images but the quality can differ depending on how it was originally filmed, the condition of the original documents and the condition of the film itself.

How do I test the OCR capabilities of my microfiche images?

The best way to test the water is to send a few examples off to a microfiche scanning company who's willing to offer a free sample and who will offer advice on the quality of the output which you'll also be able to see yourself.

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Document Scanning by Pearl Scan


The Scan-do Peopletm

For more information feel free to give us a call: 
Nationwide: 0845 22 55 923         London: 0207 183 1885
Manchester: 0161 832 7991         Birmingham: 0121 285 1900

Are Microfiche and Microfilm Still Used?

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Are Microfiche and Microfilm Still Used?

It might surprise you to think that microfiche and microfilm are still used as a storage solution when there are better, more convenient and ‘smaller’ solutions available. But now common is this storage practice even in the 2000′s? Well more common than you might think. Despite computer hard drives being an excellent way to store documents and files cheaply and securely, microfiche are still a very convenient way to storing files.

Why do people still store on microfiche and microfilm?

There could be any number of reasons for this depending on the individual. It can be as simple as that they have always done it this way and they don’t want to change that as they may have a considerable backlog of microfiche or microfilm and if they were to go a more digital route, they would potentially have to convert all the other microfiche they have (which isn’t that expensive typically, but most think it would be). There is also a conception that microfiche have a lifespan of over 100 years when compared to that of CDs and DVDs which have an approximate lifespan of around 10 years, which is a considerable difference.

Many are traditionalists who prefer to do it the old way much like that of film photography over digital but like film photography, there are less and less suppliers that can offer the service.

2e1ax vintage entry FileAperture card

A backlit aperture card showing hollerith holes and 
the microform image (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Microfiche and Microfilm; a dying breed

Whilst microfiche were once the leading way to store files they have been eclipsed first by the advent of floppy discs (remember those?), then CDs, DVDs and external and internal hard drives where files are literally invisible and not just minified like a microfiche or microfilm would do.

Microfiche are simply no longer a plausible output for the majority of people. With digital formats offering more flexibility than merely viewing the files as you would do on a microfiche reader. Essentially when a microfiche is made digital, the files are exported as PDFs and you can do pretty much anything you would do with any other type of PDF. The content of them can even be made searchable if required and plausible.

The Future of Microfiche and Microfilm

…It’s ironic, but whilst they were once the very best way of storing documents in a compact way, they now simply take too much room…

To be blunt, microfiche doesn’t really have any kind of a future, much as it hasn’t for a good 20 years or so now. There are still millions out there that contain important information, but for the most part they end up being converted to digital formats and discarded. It’s ironic, but whilst they were once the very best way of storing documents in a compact way, they now simply take too much room.

Request a Quote  |   Contact Us   |    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Document Scanning by Pearl Scan


The Scan-do Peopletm

For more information feel free to give us a call: 
Nationwide: 0845 22 55 923         London: 0207 183 1885
Manchester: 0161 832 7991         Birmingham: 0121 285 1900

 

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