Completely unreadable files
United States—Enlisted and Officer Muster Rolls and Rosters, 1916–1939 [Part R][M3LD-HTF]
At first I thought that my eyes were going because some of the names were unreadable. However, after having other people in my family taking a look at the files, they couldn't read the files either.
I feel bad that I have to send back half of the files because the files are so unreadable.
Should I just try harder to decipher what is there?
Answers
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I just hate returning batches that are just too blurry to read for indexing or reviewing, but I do. I do not want to guess, make mistakes and cause more work for a reviewer or whatever. I don't know what else to do, but keep trying to find something I can actually read. Using the "tools" didn't help either, often just made it worse. So sorry.
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- I realise your frustration on the record collection, I am working on the same collection I have attached a knowledge article below it says the following Entire image. If you cannot read any of the information on the image, mark it as having no Extractable data. In Step 1: Images, choose No, No Extractable Data.
I hope this helps and hopefully the batches will be reviewed and rectified in the future.
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Here is what Rob Latour's A Viewer For Windows (AV4W) Sharpen tool with the Default matrix can do with your Batch image. I also slightly straightened it using another tool in AV4W (the Level tool). Before is on the left and after is on the right.
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A Viewer For Windows is available FREE at https://rlatour.com/av4w/ .
An indexer or Reviewer can use AV4W with our Web Indexing program. You overlay the AV4W viewer on the Web Indexing Image area and index or review as usual.
Just FYI, below is what a high-end interactive deblurring program (Smart Deblur PRO in this case) can do. I used it in Autodetect mode; this was the first try. Original on left, Smart Deblur PRO result on the right. This is not available to everyone, but AV4W might help some. And it is available - FREE.
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NOTICE: I am willing to work with an adventuresome Indexer or Reviewer using a Windows 10 or 11 PC (and reasonably comfortable with it) who wants to try A Viewer For Windows (AV4W) to avoid having to return so many batches from this project.
You wouldn’t be restricted to AV4W’s basic Sharpen tool, although that might be sufficient sometimes. I would try to improve your batch image using Smart Deblur, and you could import it into AV4W to view while Indexing or Reviewing. I’m “focusing” on this project to try and refine my de-blurring procedures, and the use of AV4W while Indexing. You would also need to install Rob Latour’s other useful program, A Ruler For Windows (AR4W), to use as a reading guide.
If you’re interested, please Message me.
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We are not to mark these as unreadable. Some people are able to read them enough to index them. Computer graphics, eye sight or add on programs like John is talking about may make the difference for them. Let's give those people a chance to read them instead of marking them unreadable.
We are told that these records cannot be re-photographed so are to do the best we can with them or let someone else index them.
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I agree wholeheartedly with @annewandering . Return - don't mark them NED. I reviewed a pretty fuzzy batch, with an enhanced version and the original version open. The Indexer did a great job, with only a few readability mistakes that the enhancement helped decide. Some folks are more gifted than others at recognizing letters and words in the mush of some of these images. Give someone else a chance to crack it if you're not comfortable with it.
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I also agree with John and Annwandering. Also, when opening the batches for Muster Rolls (R) it gives a link showing what to do with blurry batches. https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/article/how-do-i-index-a-blurry-or-damaged-record
It states NOT to mark these NED and to return. It states If multiple indexers return the same batch, the project management team review.
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