Introduction
Copyright © 2008 BERTL Inc.
September 4, 2008
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Page 4
August 2008
Contex SD4400
www.bertl.com
Contex Corporation released the Contex SD4400 series in
June 2008 as a full color and monochrome solution for
large-format scanning and copying. It is Contex’s first
scanner based on the Contact Image Sensor (CIS), a
competing technology to Contex’s Charge Couple Devices
(CCD)–based HD scanner. The SD4400 series is
available in four different models or configurations, but all
are based on the same new core CIS technology. The
SD4400 series is a 44” wide scanner with 1200 dpi optical
scanning resolution, the highest in the wide-format
industry. The four models have basically the same
specifications with the exception of the monochrome and
color speed. The entry model is the SD4410, which is a
fast monochrome scanner. The SD4430 is a color scanner
with moderate monochrome and color performance. The
SD4450 adds higher color and monochrome performance,
and finally the SD4490 has the highest color performance.
The SD4400 series is positioned as a range of affordable
scanners serving the CAD, AEC, GIS, and reprographics
markets.
CONTEX HISTORY
Contex was originally founded in 1923 and was for many
years involved in the design and manufacture of inventive
and "time-saving" business machines such as printing
machines, mechanical and electronic calculators, and
electrostatic copiers. These machines were distributed
and sold worldwide under the Rex-Rotary and Gestetner
brand names.
In the early 1980s, the company repositioned itself and
laid the foundation for the establishment of Contex
Scanning Technology. In 1986, the company began
development of modular scanning technology. In 1988,
Contex introduced its first black and white (monochrome)
large-format scanner, and presented a complete line of
black and white scanners in 1990. Contex introduced its
first wide-format color scanners in 1996, and its scanner
line now encompasses models with 18", 25", 36", 42", and
54" all-in-one wide scanning capability in both color and
black and white. In 2008, Contex released its first scanner
based on the CIS technology, offering both of the
competing CCD and CIS scanning technologies to the
market.
CONTEX SD4400 Series
BERTL tested the SD4400 series, which is offered in non-
upgradable version, breaking Contex traditional offering of
both a Base and a Plus scanner version of its individual
scanner models. The SD4490 is the top model of the SD
series and is priced at $13,750, including the scanner
($12,450), the scanner stand ($600), and Contex’s new
Nextimage scanning software ($700). The SD4450 is
priced at $11,750, the SD4430 at $10,250, and finally the
entry monochrome SD4410 model at $9,550.
The Contex SD4400 series is backed by a two-year
warranty, where the first 6 months is on site, the next 6
months is return to depot for both parts and labor, and
finally the last 12 months only covers the parts. Contex
offers an optional service upgrade for an on-site warranty
for as many as 5 years.
The 44” SD4400 series doesn’t fill a gap on Contex’s well
developed and mature CCD lines with scanners ranging
from 25” to 54”. Instead the SD4400 series represents
Contex’s first move into the competing CIS scanning
technology. Contex positioned the SD4400 series towards
AEC, CAD, and GIS markets as the primary segments,
and the lower-end reprographic and graphic segment as
secondary, not matching quite the fidelity of the High
Definition (HD) and more expensive series. Furthermore
the SD4400 series is the first 1,200 dpi optical resolution
wide-format scanner on the market, offering twice the
optical resolution of any competing scanner. Lastly Contex
has developed a new data transfer technology called
xDTR over a USB 2.0 interface, getting nearly twice the
transfer speed of previous scanner models and enabling
scanning at 3 ips in color without overloading the USB 2.0
interface.
The SD4400 series has six approximately 8.5” CIS image-
capturing elements placed in an overlapping zigzag
pattern to avoid any gaps in the 44” wide scan line. The
SD series also follows the industry trend by offering face
up scanning instead of the previous standard face down
approach. The CIS element is placed in the top of the
scanner, and the controller, interface board, and power
supply are located on the right side of the scanner in the
operator panel area.
