Enhancing scanned text

[arturox]

Good Day folks...
I've recently needed to look at a small (5 pages) instruction manual I have for an electronic timer switch, and considered how second rate the text is, and while it is readable, I've often wondered if it would be possible to enhance it in PSP?
Over the years, I've tried a few thing to enhance text in PSP, without getting the success I had hoped for... So time to ask among the really knowledgeable PSP users methinks.

This document was scanned years ago from the original leaflet supplied with the product, and I still have the five scanned images. (PNG format).

So to my actual question.

Are there any methods or specific tools that could enhance the text in the images? (Mostly text with a couple of small B&W illos).

Thanks
Arturox

Nb: As a rough and ready instrument I use the Histogram adjustment tool (Ctrl+Shift+H).

Ax

[Jean-Luc]

Could you post a scanned page?

[arturox]

Could you post a scanned page?

Yup! Here's page 1 of the particular item.

Document page 1

Thanks
Ax

[Jean-Luc]

It should have been scanned at 600 DPI.

Image Resize 400% > By Percentage > AI-Powered > Mode: Illustration.

After Resize, apply this User Defined Filter:
https://forum.corel.com/viewtopic.php?p=390981#p390981

Reduce image size By Percentage.
The attached file is reduced 50%.

Not perfect. It is only a try. Hope it will help.

[arturox]

Thanks for the suggestions, however there's some distortion in the output that I don't like.

Set to earlier after I'd posted and had a hack at improving the text in the images myself, and the end result was very satisfactory.

Scanned image into PSP.
Ran it through Histogram Adjustment to clean it up.

Then I ran it through an ancient filter I have called "Poster Edges" with a settings of...
Edge thickness 1
Edge intensity 1
Posterization 1

Manipulation of the three writeables enables useful variations in the output.

Ax

[Jean-Luc]

Interesting...
Could you post the result?

[Ken Berry]

I know this thread is about using PSP to enhance the text. But as for your original problem of being able to read the 5 pages, I wonder if you ever tried simply scanning the text and using OCR to remake the document in WORD format?

[arturox]

I know this thread is about using PSP to enhance the text. But as for your original problem of being able to read the 5 pages, I wonder if you ever tried simply scanning the text and using OCR to remake the document in WORD format?

Indeed I have and do Ken, and in some cases this works okay, but unfortunately for a few years now, suppliers have tended to have product leaflets written in tiny text on multi folded thin paper, which will not scan very well and because of the multiple folds the scanned image OCRs badly, even using OmniPage Ultimate.

So I scan, then put the images into PSP, then spend time cleaning off the lines caused by the folds and other background nastiness that's usually evident.
Do some enhancing as per this thread...

Then I can save out the cleaned up image and either OCR or PDF it...

Over the years I've tried all sorts of things, but this simple solution I noted previously today, gives me good enough results.

It was a good thought... Appreciated.

Thanks
Ax

[arturox]

Interesting...
Could you post the result?

Yes.

Ax

Enhanced image file

Original image file

[Jean-Luc]

The two original files are not scanned the same way. I worked with your first image which was small and pixelated. Hard to do better with what you sent.

Your second scan is better and much larger. I get the following result using a different method:

My steps:
Adjust > Softness > Soften
Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen more
Duplicate the layer and set the Layer blend mode to Multiply.

[Ken Berry]

Just about all the devices I have purchased over the years have website where they almost always post the Manual, usually as a PDF. So where I need to retain a copy of the Manual, I simply download from there and store it in my Documents folder (and usually also on an external HDD).

[arturox]

A footnote FWIW.

Recently I had to purchase a tube of a specialist adhesive, so it's a case of good glue shame about the package and printed instructions.

The print was so small, that even with my prescription reading glasses I could not read the text.

As per usual, scan at high res into PSP.
Clean up the document...
Apply some text enhancement, and there you go, a completely readable document image.

Ax

Additionally, though not really relevant here, I processed the image through OCR (Omnipage Ultimate) to get an editable text version.