Premium PDF Upgrades
Tailored for Professional Publishing
Our POD Upgrade is a boutique service designed to transform old bound volumes into pristine, high-contrast digital files ready for modern re-publishing.
Pricing Structure
- Text-Only Volumes: Base Scanning Fee + $0.75 per page
- Volumes with Images/Graphics: Contact Us for a Custom Quote
Moving from a digital scan to a print-ready file requires advanced post-processing. Our “Publishing Grade” suite ensures your digitized volume meets the rigorous standards of modern print-on-demand (POD) and traditional offset services.
1. Image & Text Segmentation (600 DPI)
Standard scanning treats a page as a single image. Our unique Segmentation Process separates greyscale or color elements from the text layer.
- The Result: Images are processed for depth and tone, while text is rendered as sharp, high-contrast black. This prevents “ghosting” or “fuzzy” letters often seen in high-resolution color scans.
2. Standardized Margins
Physical books often have uneven gutters or “page creep.” We digitally realign every page to ensure consistent margins.
- The Result: Your reprint will have perfectly centered text blocks, providing a professional look and ensuring no text is lost in the binding during the re-printing process.
3. Embedded Fonts
To ensure your book looks identical on every screen and every printing press, we embed the font metadata directly into the PDF.
- The Result: No “font substitution” errors. Your document will retain its original typography regardless of the software used to open or print it.
4. Digital Background Cleanup
Old paper often suffers from “show-through” (ink from the back of the page visible on the front) or yellowing. We apply digital filters to “whiten” the background while keeping the ink dark.
- The Result: A high-contrast, clean reading experience that looks like a modern digital publication rather than an old photocopy.
5. Flattened Text & Layers
High-end PDFs can become bulky and slow to load if they contain too many transparency layers. We “flatten” the document into a single, high-performance layer.
- The Result: Faster loading times for eBooks and 100% compatibility with commercial printing hardware which often rejects “unflattened” files.
6. Custom Sizing & Scaling
If your original book was an awkward size (e.g., 7.2″ x 9.4″), we can digitally scale the content to fit standard industry sizes like 6″ x 9″ or 8.5″ x 11″.
- The Result: You save money on printing costs by fitting your book into “Standard” trim sizes without cutting off any content.
Why the POD Upgrade is Essential for Publishing
Standard scanning often results in “photocopy-style” PDFs—grey backgrounds and fuzzy text. Our $0.75/page premium service utilizes a specialized 600 DPI Text-Only Workflow that includes:
- Text Isolation: We treat the text as a distinct layer, ensuring every character is sharp, deep black, and free of “ghosting.”
- Digital Bleaching: We remove paper age, yellowing, and “show-through” (where ink from the back of the page leaks through), resulting in a clean, professional white background.
- Standardized Geometry: We align all pages to your requested trim size (e.g., 6×9) with consistent, standardized margins for perfect printing.
- Press-Ready Formatting: We embed fonts and flatten all layers to meet the strict technical requirements of Amazon KDP, IngramSpark, and professional offset printers.
Have a book with images?
Books containing photos, charts, or intricate illustrations require Manual Segmentation. This process ensures that while the text stays sharp and black, the images retain their original depth, shading, and detail without being “blown out” by high-contrast filters.

