I'd like to uses this space to discuss an idea. Basically, I have a couple of Backup Katsuyou Technic (BKT) issues which I'd like to give away to trusted members for free (one per person). In return they should scan the issue and make the scans accessible here/on the net. As has been stated elsewhere on this forum BKT was a Japanese magazine published between 1985 and 1994 and was dedicated to the topics of software backup, modding and programming. BKT was discontinued after issue 38 and was reissued as Game Labo which still exists today but has departed from the original themes. Each issue of BKT features ads for console copiers, detailed hardware mods, articles on pirated software, programming hints for home computers, etc. The examination of BKT would give information on all kinds of 80s/90s copying hardware and prices and could provide an insight into the early Japanese gaming culture. Here are the available issues (minus issue 9 which I will keep). The cover photos speak for themselves. http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb311/c_e_z/bkt/P1000330.jpg Here is a sample of a scan. The Japanese must be legible so that the texts can be translated in the future but other than that there are no particular requirements for the quality. http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/bb311/c_e_z/bkt/bkt9_7.jpg I think there will be concerns about the copyright but since these are pretty old magazines that shouldn't be a real problem. I know that the scanning will take a lot of time and not everything might be finished but I really want to share the information provided in the magazines and since I don't have the time to do all of them I'd like to get some help here. That's the idea. Don't hold back with comments.
Brilliant idea!!! Can I be a trusted member then :icon_bigg? I have a decent scanner @ home and I'm in 2nd year of learning japanese, so it would be an interesting project to do some translation and if I'm blocked I can always ask my teacher for help :thumbsup: Is there a particular issue focusing on PC Engine or PC-FX? Issue 29 & 32 seem to have some NEC stuff on it.
a really interesting idea. i wonder who will translate it tought edit: BTW scanning these might require to unglue/open the magazines or it can be done without any problems?
Remember the site owns a nice scanner that the members paid for. It can scan the magazine open, one scan would do two pages.
This is something I've wanted to do myself for a long time so I'd like to help out but I'm afraid this won't reach it's full potential without some guidelines/accountability. I'd hate to see even one of the magazines go to waste/not get scanned... I don't think everyone realizes how annoying scanning a few hundred pages really is. It would also be a shame if nothing was in order to get all the remaining issues..
Thanks everybody for the positive input! I'll throw in a few numbers: The mags are size B5. Opened (two pages) it's A5, a little bit smaller than A4 and should therefore fit in any normal scanner. One mag has about 200 pages, makes around 100 scans. One scan might effectively take about 15-20 minutes (setting up everything, scanning, cropping/resizing the image). As Calpis said, it really is annoying work. Ah, yes. But do you have any time at all to help out? If yes, I'd be happy to send you one issue. I think we can worry about that later. I doubt that everything will get translated and not everything is worth being translated anyway. I guess that people will eventually pick out parts they're interested in and do it like that. I know but, I'd rather have some results than nothing at all. As for the remaining issues, the earlier ones (1-20) are pretty hard to come by or expensive. Sellers on YA are currently asking absurd prices for some (http://tinyurl.com/cvc56o) so I wouldn't get my hopes too high that someone is willing to part with them. So: sabre470, babu, ASSEMbler (?), Calpis (?), who else is in? 9 mags - 9 members needed. P.S. I'd charge 4 EUR / 5.5 USD per mag to cover the shipping costs only.
I'll commit to one. Anyone in Japan willing to surrogate bid on more issues? I know someone with many extras, but at a reduced ~$20 each, they're still expensive for their content IMO.
I can commit to scan 2 magazines. I have some time during the weekends now to do this sort of things.
Just to make sure what I'm being signed up for.. I can help with donations, but I have no scanner if that's what this is about
Do people need to be worried about creasing the pages when opening the books flat enough to get a proper scan? Or are these books being sacked for the sole purpose of finally getting proper scans?
Thanks, but I needed to get this sorted out fast, so as for now sabre470 and Calpis will get 3 mags each and I'll keep the other 4. I have the 4 shipped to Europe with my other luggage so they'll eventually become available again when/if they arrive in at least two to three months. I'll post an update then. The mags become the property of the people I send them to. So they can do with them whatever they want. The booklets have to be opened and pushed down hard to get a good scan so some damage is inevitable. I don't think it's necessary to cut out the pages but it might actually be easier to do it that way.
I found a scanner that has no edges from Plustek but the beast costs a fortune, I might just try to mod my current scanner to see if I can preserve the magazines but the main concern for me is to do great scans. BTW what would be this forum's ideal resolution? Calpis any idea what you will be using? Let's align to ensure we do a consistent job.
I recently finished scanning issue 32 (the issue I received with the most console content) at 300dpi into JPEG, then rotated it using Windows. The quality isn't pristine of course, not only from the lossy compression but because of how difficult it is to scan near the binding, many pages had to be rescanned and I got a little sloppy after numerous hour long sessions standing over the scanner. So it's not a perfect "archival", but apart from some extremely small symbols and very hard to scan (in color) advertising listing JAMMA PCBs for sale it's entirely legible. I figure people can do what they want with the scans, if they want the pages leveled, enhanced and arranged into a PDF, that's their problem Cez, sabre470, how do you want to do the distributing? Are any other issues scanned yet?
